Integrating with IBM Netcool


IBM Netcool is a service level management (SLM) system that delivers real-time, centralized monitoring of complex networks and IT domains.

Configure an integration with IBM Netcool to view the event data from IBM Netcool in BMC Helix Operations Management and derive actionable insights.


As a tenant administrator, perform the following steps to integrate with IBM Netcool, verify the integration, and view the collected data in various BMC products.

Before you begin

  1. Have the egress IP of your tenant. Request the egress IP from BMC Software if you don't already have it.
  2. Ensure that you have a firewall rule to allow traffic from the egress IP to the IBM Netcool host on the listening port (default value is 8080).

To integrate with IBM Netcool

  1. In BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations, on the CONNECTORS tab, clickadd_icon.pngin the SOURCES panel.
  2. Click the IBM Netcool tile.
  3. Specify the following details for the source connection:
    1. Specify a unique instance name.

      Important

      We recommend that you specify the instance name in the following format:

      <sourceType>_<sourceControllerServerName>{_<InstanceQualifier>}

      The instance qualifier helps you to distinguish the multiple instances configured from the same source server. For example, you can name your instances as Netcool_Host_PROD, Netcool_Host_TEST, and so on.

    2. Specify the IBM Netcool host name.
    3. Specify the IBM Netcool HTTP or HTTPS port number depending on the connection protocol (default value is 8080).
    4. Select the HTTPS option to use an https connection to the IBM Netcool host.

      Warning

      We recommend that you do not select the Allow Unsigned Certificate option in a production environment. You might want to select this option to allow unsigned certificates in a test environment. See the IBM Netcool documentation to learn how to install SSL certificates.

    5. Specify the number of maximum concurrent REST API requests that should be executed during a collection schedule (default value is 5).
    6. Specify the user name and password. Ensure that the specified user can access the IBM Netcool REST API.
    7. Click Proxy and specify whether you want to configure a proxy server.
      If yes, specify the host name and port number (default value is 8888).
  4. Click VALIDATE AND CREATE.
    The specified connection details are validated and the corresponding source connection is created in the Source Connection list.
  5. Select the source connection that you created from the list if it is not selected already.

    Important

    The destination host connection is created and configured automatically for each tenant when the source connection is created.

  6. Click a data type and specify the configuration parameters in the Collectors section as described in the following table:

  7. Click CREATE COLLECTORS to create the required collector streams for selected data types.
  8. Click a data type and specify the configuration parameters in the Distributors section as described in the following table:
  1. Click CREATE DISTRIBUTORS to create the required distributor streams for the selected data types.
  2. Click one of the following buttons:
    • SAVE STREAM: Click this button if you want to edit the integration details before creating the instance. After you save the stream, the connector that you just created is listed in the SOURCES panel. Move the slider to the right to start the data stream.
    • SAVE AND START STREAM: Click this button if you want to save the integration details and start receiving data immediately.

          For more information about data streams, see Starting-or-stopping-data-streams.


To verify the integration

In BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations, on the SOURCES panel, confirm that the data streams for the integration you created are running. Data streaming is indicated by moving colored arrows.

Netcool_EStream.png

A moving dark blue arrow (EventsStream_Icon.png) indicates that event data is being streamed. 

To view events in BMC Helix Operations Management

In BMC Helix Operations Management, select Monitoring > Events to view the events received from IBM Netcool.

Important

If an event does not include the source's host name from which the event has been received, the Host column on the Events page shows the name of the computer where IBM Netcool is installed.

For information about events, see Monitoring and managing events.

To view situations in BMC Helix AIOps

In BMC Helix AIOps, on the Overview page, view the situations for the event data received from IBM Netcool.

 

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