BMC ProactiveNet Interoperability

Before deciding whether to migrate to a new BMC ProactiveNet 9.6 instance or to upgrade the existing BMC ProactiveNet Server(s), it is best to understand interoperability related to the solution components. The following topics cover interoperability between BMC ProactiveNet Performance Management solution components with differing versions (9.0, 9.5, and 9.6). Do not attempt to deviate from or circumvent the limitations outlined here.

BMC ProactiveNet Server

The following are interoperability points regarding the BMC ProactiveNet Server:

• You can use the BMC ProactiveNet Server installer to upgrade earlier versions. See Upgrading.
• The BMC ProactiveNet Server 9.6 can simultaneously interoperate with Integration Service versions 9.6, 9.5, and 9.0, assuming that the latest service packs have been applied to the 9.0 Integration Services.
• The 9.6 BMC ProactiveNet Server and Administration Console must be manually configured to support 9.5 and 9.0.00 SP3 Integration Services for a fresh 9.6 installation. This assumes that earlier Integration Services with a 9.6 BMC ProactiveNet Server is required for some period of time. If this is not required, you do not need to adjust this configuration.
• When the BMC ProactiveNet Server, 9.0.00 SP3 and 9.5, or later is upgraded, the same versions of the Integration Service nodes are readily supported. Architecture specific to versions 9.5 and 9.0 is not included in this topic. For information about BMC ProactiveNet 9.6 architecture, see Deployment-architecture in the BMC ProactiveNet 9.6 online documentation.
• Mixed versions of BMC ProactiveNet Servers are discouraged in a single environment. However, events from different versions can be propagated between versions. Integration with BMC ProactiveNet Central Monitoring Administration and integration across service models in BMC ProactiveNet 9.6 with older BMC ProactiveNet versions for extended periods of time must be avoided.

Integration with BMC Remedy IT Service Management

The following are interoperability points regarding BMC ProactiveNet, BMC Remedy IT Service Management, and BMC Integration with Remedy Service Desk.

• The integration between BMC ProactiveNet 9.6 and BMC Remedy IT Service Management includes an upgrade to the Service Impact Management (SIM) extensions in Remedy and components associated with automated ticket generation in BMC Integration with Remedy Service Desk.
• BMC ProactiveNet 9.6 is compatible with BMC Remedy IT Service Management 7.6.04 SP4 (with the Intelligent Ticketing patch) and version 8.1. Versions earlier these are not supported including BMC Remedy IT Service Management 8.0.
• Consider the following regarding the Intelligent Ticket integration with BMC Remedy IT Service Management:
  • There are two major parts to the Intelligent Ticketing 2.0 patch: BMC ProactiveNet Performance Management updates and BMC Remedy IT Service Management updates
  • The Intelligent Ticketing 2.0 patch updates are included in BMC ProactiveNet Performance Management 9.6 and BMC Remedy IT Service Management 8.1 SP1. Therefore, BMC ProactiveNet Performance Management 9.6 and BMC Remedy IT Service Management 8.1 SP1 do not require the Intelligent Ticketing 2.0 patch.
  • Any version of BMC Remedy IT Service Management earlier than 8.1 SP1 requires the Intelligent Ticketing patch updates to be applied to BMC Remedy IT Service Management.
  • Intelligent Ticketing 2.0 is supported with BMC Remedy IT Service Management versions 7.6.04 SP4 and 8.1. Versions earlier than these are not supported including BMC Remedy IT Service Management version 8.0.

Integration Services

The following are interoperability points regarding Integration Services:

• The Integration Service version 9.6 cannot host earlier versions of PATROL Adapters. No PATROL Adapters are associated with 9.6 Integration Services.
• A server can host both earlier and the new Integration Service processes if you set the ports so that they do not conflict and you provide proper resources (CPU, memory, disk, and so on).
• Due to architectural improvements, the 9.6 Integration Service is not backward compatible with older PATROL Agents. The Integration Service 9.6 can only communicate with PATROL Agent versions 9.5.00 or later. Earlier versions of agents are denied access if a connection is attempted. A corresponding event is generated if this happens.
• Integration Services 9.0.00 SP3, 9.5, and later versions can operate with BMC ProactiveNet Servers 9.6. Earlier versions of Integration Services are not supported with a fresh, new BMC ProactiveNet Server installation without custom configuration. Limit the use of Integration Services 9.5 and 9.0.00 SP3 in a 9.6 environment to upgrade and migration scenarios where no other method is feasible.
• Integration Services earlier than 9.0.00 SP3 and 9.5 cannot interoperate with BMC ProactiveNet 9.6.
• You may use an Integration Service earlier than 9.6 in the following scenarios:
  • Monitoring AS/400
  • Monitoring HP OpenVMS
  • Monitoring legacy operating systems or using KMs that are not supported by the PATROL Agent 9.5. For example, monitoring Windows 2000 managed nodes.

Event management cells

The following are interoperability points regarding event management cells:

• BMC ProactiveNet 9.6 can process events that are propagated from previous versions of event management cells. In some cases, this may require configurations to support customizations and/or specific event content and processing.
• PATROL Agent 9.0.x can propagate events to the BMC ProactiveNet 9.6 event management cells.

PATROL Agents

The following are interoperability points regarding PATROL Agents:

• To leverage all of the new functionality in BMC ProactiveNet 9.6, PATROL Agent 9.5.00x or later must be used.
• PATROL Agent 9.5 cannot be installed on the same managed node that contains earlier versions of the PATROL Agent.
• PATROL Agent 9.5 can be connected to Integration Service versions 9.0.00 SP3, 9.5 or later if the PATROL Agent is “polled” for data using the p3Adapter profile in the pproxy process configured for the Integration Service. Streaming under this scenario is not allowed. Do not use this method in a BMC ProactiveNet 9.6 environment. Use this capability only in a 9.0 environment in which agents are already polled by p3Adapter. Although you can stream in a 9.6 environment, it must be avoided.
• PATROL Agent 9.5 is denied connection to earlier Integration Services if you attempt to stream with the SA adapter configuration.

Related topic

Supported-integrations-with-other-BMC-products