Windows Server 2003 on Proliants. Deployment Techniques and Management Tools for System Administrators

HP SIM combines the strengths of Insight Manager 7, HP Toptools, and HP Servicecontrol Manager to deliver a single tool for managing ProLiant, Integrity, and HP 9000 systems running Windows, Linux, and HP-UX. The core HP SIM software delivers the essential capabilities required to manage all HP server platforms.

HP SIM can be extended to provide system management with plug-ins for HP clients , storage, power, and printer products. Plug-in applications for rapid deployment, performance management, partition management, and workload management enable you to pick the value-added software required to deliver complete lifecycle management for your hardware assets.

Features

HP SIM provides the following features:

• Easy and rapid installation : Installs on the server platform of choice running Windows, HP-UX, Linux, or even on a Windows desktop or workstation.

• Automatic discovery and identification : Automatically discovers and identifies systems attached to the network. Use Discovery Filters to prevent discovery of unwanted system types. Manual discovery options are also available.

• Fault management and event handling : Provides proactive notification of actual or impending component failure alerts. Automatic Event Handling enables you to configure policies to notify appropriate users of failures via e-mail, pager, or short message service (SMS) gateway, and it also enables automatic execution of scripts or event forwarding to enterprise platforms such as HP OpenView Network Node Manager or HP OpenView Operations.

• Consistent multisystem management : Initiates a task on multiple systems or nodes from a single command on the central management server (CMS). This functionality eliminates the need for tedious , one-at-a-time operations on each system. The integration of single-system aware (SSA) tools lets the central management server (CMS2) use them in a multiple-system aware manner, allowing them to execute simultaneously on multiple systems.

• Secure remote management : Leverages OS security for user authentication and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Secure Shell (SSH) to encrypt management communications.

• Role-based security : Enables effective delegation of management responsibilities by giving systems Administrators granular control over which users can perform which management operations on which systems.

• Tool definitions : Defines tools using simple XML documents that enable you to integrate off-the-shelf or custom tools. These tools can be command-line tools, Web-based applications, or scripts. Access to these integrated tools is governed by role-based security.

• Data collection and inventory reports : Performs comprehensive system data collection and enables you to quickly produce detailed inventory reports for managed systems. Reports can be saved in HTML format or exported to comma separated value (CSV) format for easy incorporation into popular reporting packages.

• Snapshot comparisons : Enables you to compare configuration snapshots of up to four different servers or configuration snapshots of a single server over time. This functionally assists IT staff in pinpointing configuration issues that can contribute to system instability.

• Version control : Automatically downloads the latest BIOS, driver, and agent updates for HP ProLiant servers running Windows and Linux, identifies systems running out-of-date system software, and enables system software updates across groups of servers.

• Two UIs : Provides a Web browser GUI and CLI to help incorporate HP SIM into your existing management processes.

What's New in SIM?

HP SIM delivers new capabilities for customers who currently use Insight Manager 7 to manage their ProLiant servers running Windows, Linux, and NetWare; and those who use Servicecontrol Manager to manage their HP 9000 and Integrity systems running HP-UX and Linux. New features differ depending on whether you currently use Insight Manager 7 or Servicecontrol Manager.

New Features for Insight Manager 7 Users

HP SIM provides the following added functionality over Insight Manager 7:

• Role-based security that provides granular control over which users can select which actions to perform on which systems and enables effective delegation of management responsibility without allowing unauthorized access to managed systems

• Ability to execute initial deployment of ProLiant Support Packs to Windows systems without the HP Version Control Agent and support for Version Control Agent of Linux systems.

• Improved lifecycle management through integration with:

  • ProLiant Essential Rapid Deployment Pack (RDP)

  • ProLiant Essentials PMP

  • RILOE

  • iLO

  • Ignite UX

  • Software Distributor-UX

  • Process Resource Manager

  • Partition Manager

  • HP-UX Workload Management

  • GlancePlus

  • Security Patch Check

  • Bastille

  • Service Guard Manager

  • HP-UX system administration

• CLI and the capability to easily integrate off-the-shelf or custom command-line and browser-based applications through Tool Definition Files.

• Capability to securely run tools on managed systems using OpenSSH.

• Improved breadth of management through integration with the HP Client Manager; HP Web JetAdmin; HP CommandView for HP's SDM, EVA, XP, and ESL storage arrays; and the HP Power Manager.

• Capability to install the CMS on HP-UX and Linux.

• Management of HP 9000 and Integrity servers.

• Support for the Mozilla Web browser.

Architecture

HP SIM leverages a distributed architecture that can be broken into three types of systems:

• CMS

• Managed systems

• Network clients

The CMS and the managed systems together are called the HP SIM management domain , shown in Figure 8.32.

CMS

Each management domain has a single CMS. The CMS is the system in the management domain that executes the HP SIM software and initiates all central operations within the management domain. In addition to the HP SIM software, the CMS maintains a database for storage of persistent objects. If you are using a Windows CMS, this database can reside on a separate system. Typically, servers for the multiple-system aware applications also reside on the CMS. These applications are not required to reside on the CMS; they can reside anywhere on the network.

Because the CMS is a system within the management domain, it manages itself as part of the domain. You can add the CMS as a managed system within another management domain if you want to manage it using a separate CMS.

Managed Systems

Systems that make up a management domain are called managed systems . A system can be any device on the network that can communicate with HP SIM, which includes servers, desktops, laptops, printers, workstations, hubs, and routers. In most cases, these devices have an IP address or a Macintosh address associated with them. A managed system can be managed by more than one CMS if desired. Each system must be running a Management Agent. Managed systems can have a variety of Management Agents installed. These agents perform tasks , monitor software, and monitor hardware on the managed systems.

System Lists

System lists provide a way to search the HP SIM database for systems that share common attributes, such as OS type or hardware type. System lists can also be an arbitrary collection of systems. Systems can belong to one or more system lists. Many standard system lists are provided, and users can create their own public and private lists. Working with system lists increases your efficiency because you can perform a task on each system in a system list with a single task.

System Groups

System groups can be used to divide and organize your management domain into manageable units for authorizations. Working with system groups increases your efficiency because you can set authorizations for each system in a system group in a single step. Systems can belong to one or more system groups.

Network Clients

HP SIM can be accessed from any network client. The network client can be part of the management domain. The network clients must be running a compatible browser to access the GUI or an SSH client application to securely access the CLI.

Benefits of Using SIM

SIM simplifies management; it delivers a next -generation application for consolidation of management tools into a single "System Level" management tool, bringing continuity of management processes across all servers, OSs, and devices. This reduces the amount of time and manpower required for training and management operations. Organizations can benefit from SIM in numerous ways, as outlined in the following sections.

More Stability and Efficiency

SIM delivers more stability and efficiency through common and comprehensive management across hardware platforms and key OSs. SIM provides common fault, configuration, performance, and asset management across all HP servers. It also enables management of clients, printers, storage, and other devices by accomplishing the following tasks:

• Detecting and responding to potential and actual failures before they result in unplanned server downtime.

• Reducing time and effort associated with discovering, identifying, and collecting configuration data for managed systems; simplifying report generation.

• Reducing time and effort associated with maintaining up-to-date system software baselines; accomplishing version updates and allowing distribution of components to groups of systems.

• Effectively delegating management tasks and limiting exposure to user error through role-based security.

• Allowing customers to choose mode of operation best-suited to their processes via CLI and Web browser interface.

More Control and Flexibility

Through modular, extensible, and standards-based management that is adaptable to your environment, SIM allows Administrators to extend the breadth of device coverage and the completeness of lifecycle management through plug-ins for other HP management tools and by integrating custom and off-the-self tools.

You can customize SIM to fit your management needs in the following ways:

• Select your OS of choice for the management server: Windows, Linux, or HP-UX.

• Select the HP plug-ins you need: rapid server and software deployment, performance management, workload management, client management, storage management, and printer management.

• Use plug-in ISV and custom tools using tool definition files.

Selected management of third-party systems:

• Leverages industry-standard management protocols

• Discovers and launches vendor-specific management tools

• Extends third-party management via value-added extensions

More IT Alignment Around Processes, Not Just Hardware Platforms

Through the following features, HP SIM allows Administrators to standardize on a single tool for managing their hardware assets:

• Consistent UI as well as fault, inventory, and configuration management across Windows, Linux, and HP-UX.

• Enables consolidation of general IT resource management while allowing specialists to focus on platform-specific needs.

• Improves flow of IT resources across traditional hardware and OS boundaries.

• Reduces training expense typically associated with learning multiple management tools.

• Improves management efficiency by monitoring progress of management tasks across groups of diverse systems from a central point of control.

Installation Overview and Requirements

This section gives an overview of the HP SIM installation process on Windows Server 2003, and identifies system requirements for a CMS, a managed node, and a network client.

The installation process for HP SIM involves several steps.

1. Install and configure the CMS.

2. Install and configure the required Management Agents on systems to be managed by the CMS.

3. Configure HP SIM for your environment.

Windows: Central Management Server Requirements

CMS requires installation of one of the following servers:

• Windows 2000 Server, SP4

• Windows 2000 Advanced Server, SP4

• Windows Server 2003

• Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional, SP1

The following hardware, software, and networking components also are required:

Hardware:

• Any HP ProLiant IA-32 system with

  • Minimum : 1.5GHz processor with 512MB RAM

  • Recommended : 2.4GHz processor with 1GB RAM

note

HP Netservers are not supported as CMSs, only as managed systems.

Software:

• MSDE 2000 with SP3 (bundled with HP SIM), or you can use one of the following.

• Microsoft SQL 2000, Standard Edition with SP3 (for "Standard Server" OS)

• Microsoft SQL 2000, Enterprise Edition with SP3 (for "Advanced Server" OS)

• OpenSSH 3.7.1

• ProLiant Support Pack 6.30 or later

• Version Control Repository Manager (VCRM) 2.0.1.30

• WMI Mapper 1.2

• Free disk space: 500MB recommended

note

Windows XP Professional is supported only with MSDE 2000. SQL 2000 can be used as a remote database for a Windows XP Pro CMS.

Networking:

• Static or dynamic hostname resolution

• TCP/IP

• SNMP (recommended)

Managed System Requirements and Recommendations

This section lists the requirements for Windows systems; SIM supports these other OSs as managed systems:

• HP-UX

• IntraNetware

• Novell Netware

• Open VMS

• Red Hat Linux

• SCO Open Server & UnixWare

• SuSE Linux

• HP Tru64

tip

For complete details see the SIM User Guide.

SIM supports the following Windows systems:

• Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server

• Microsoft Small Business Server 2000

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional

• Microsoft Windows Server 2003

• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional

SIM requires any ProLiant Server running PSP6.30 or later. Recommended software includes the following:

• OpenSSH 3.7.1

• PSP 6.30 or later

• Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

• SNMP (recommended as an alternative to WBEM)

OpenSSH Requirements

OpenSSH 3.7.1 for Windows is configured during HP SIM installation on a Windows CMS. SSH provides a secure method of updating software on managed systems, so you should install SSH on managed systems to enable this secure connection. CMS Console Custom Commands on the Tools menu and the Initial ProLiant Support Pack Install (that you access by choosing Deploy, Deploy Drivers, Firmware and Agents) require SSH.

Network Client Requirements and Recommendations

For Windows systems, network clients require IE 6.0 or later with the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) browser plug-in 1.4.1_04 or later. Also, you must have the following browser security options enabled for HP SIM to work properly:

• SSL 3.0 or TLS1.0

• Accept first-party cookies

• Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins

• Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting

• Active scripting

Recommended software is OpenSSH 3.7.1 Client.

Windows Installation

You can install SIM from the Management CD SmartStart v7.01 or later. You can also download the installation package from the HP Web site.

The installation process is simple and installs the following components:

• MSDE 2000 SP3

• HP SIM

• WMI Mapper

• OpenSSH

• VCRM

You have a choice of installing the MSDE SQL database that's included in the install package on the CMS, or you can choose to use a remote SQL 2000 server. If you choose the latter, you need to make sure the Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) v2.7 SP1 or higher is installed on the CMS. To verify whether this is installed, navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Ado , and right-click the icon for the msado15.dll file. In the pop-up menu, choose Properties, and select the Version tab to display the version number. If the file is not in this path , use the Windows search engine to find the file. If you need to download MDAC, go to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/, and search for MDAC Service Pack.

note

If you install MSDE, the administrative credentials for MSDE are those you used to log in prior to installing MSDE. You must use Windows Authentication to connect to the SQL server (whether locally or remotely). In addition, these credentials will also be your HP SIM administrative user login credentials and OpenSSH credentials.

Using SIM

Logging in and using SIM is possible using several different methods :

• Log in to the CMS and launch SIM from an icon on the desktop

• Connect to the CMS and SIM with a browser

• Log in to the CMS and access SIM through the CLI

• Log in to the CLI remotely using an SSH client

SIM offers many more choices for operations than Insight Manager 7. In fact, all aspects of SIM offer more options and choices. Because of the broad scope of functionality of SIM, the focus here is to present the most commonly used features.

Using the GUI

HP SIM provides a browser-based GUI. The GUI can be accessed from any network client that is running a supported Web browser. Access with a browser requires a Java plug-in. When you navigate to the HP SIM GUI, it checks to make sure you have the correct version of the JRE installed (JRE browser plug-in 1.4.1_04 or later). If you don't, it prompts you to install the correct version. When installing the JRE, select the Custom install option and deselect the options for this to be the default Java runtime for Microsoft IE and Netscape. Failure to do this might cause issues with other Web applications.

To log in to the GUI, follow these steps:

1. Open a supported Web browser on any network client, and enter the address for the login page by navigating to http://hostname:280/ where hostname is the hostname of the CMS.

2. Enter your username, password, and domain if requested .

3. Click Secure Login.

GUI Features

The GUI comprises five regions , as shown in Figure 8.33.

1. Banner with summary views : The banner provides a link to the home page and a link to log out. It also provides system status information and an alarm to notify you of certain events. The banner can be customized for your environment.

2. Search : The search feature enables you to search for matches by system name and common system attributes. You can also perform an advanced search for matches based on selected criteria.

3. System and Event Lists : System and event lists enable you to view all known systems and events or a specific subset. Lists can be private (visible only to its creator) or public (visible by all users). HP SIM ships with default public lists only. For information about customizing and creating new lists, refer to the HP SIM online help.

4. Menus : The HP SIM menus provide access to tools, logs, software options, and online help. The Options menu is primarily targeted to users who administer the HP SIM software. If you lack authorization to use these tools, you might not be able to access this menu.

5. Workspace : The workspace displays the results of your latest request. It can contain a list, a tool, or a report. Some tools launch a separate browser window or X Window terminal instead of displaying in the workspace. This area contains the home page when you log in to HP SIM. By default, the introductory page is displayed as the home page.

Default Home Page Features

The HP SIM introductory page is the default home page for the GUI, as shown previously in Figure 8.33 region 5. The introductory page provides information and tips about HP SIM and links to frequently used features. You can customize HP SIM to display a different page as the home page. Figure 8.34 is a sample of the introductory page.

Four default sections are included on the introductory page:

1. DO THIS NOW to finish the install : This section is visible only to users with full configuration rights and appears only if the following conditions are met:

   • The user has full configuration rights.

   • The user has not disabled this section from the Home Page Settings page.

2. Monitor : This section provides links to common monitoring tasks, including locating and tracking systems, clusters, and events. All monitoring tasks can be performed using the features and tools provided in the System and Event Lists area.

3. Manage : This section provides links to frequently used tools and features available from the menus above the workspace. These links provide access to inventory reports, software and firmware deployment, discovery, event handling, and authorizations.

4. Did You Know You Can . . . ? : This section provides useful tips and shortcuts. This also is where you can learn more about HP products, service offerings, and software.

Customizing the SIM Console

The SIM console can be set to your preferences. To customize the home page to select which page displays when HP SIM is first started and to disable sections in the default introductory page, follow these steps:

1. Click Home in the banner to display the home page in the workspace.

2. Click Customize in the upper-right corner of the introductory page.

3. Specify which page you want to use as the home page:

• Introductory page (default)

• Status Overview page

• Any specific system, cluster, or event list page

4. (Optional) If the introductory page is selected as your home page, customize the content on the page by selecting or clearing the

• Did You Know You Can . . . ? section

• DO THIS NOW to finish the install section

To customize the HP SIM banner to configure summary views, configure the visible alarm, and display the icon legend, follow these steps.

1. Click Customize in the upper-right corner of the banner area. The Customize Banner page displays.

2. Select Show Summary Of and select Uncleared Event Status, Hardware Status, or both.

• Select the All Systems system list, or select a system list from the drop-down list.

• Edit the Label if desired.

note

An error message is displayed if a folder is selected instead of a list.

3. Select to Show an Alarm When Any System Meets the Condition.

• Select the Condition.

• Select the All Systems system list, or select a system list from the drop-down list.

• Edit the Label if desired.

4. Select or clear the Show Legend of Status Icons in Lower Left Area of Screen.

5. Select OK to save changes.

Performing Initial Setup

The initial setup involves setting up managed systems, configuring discovery, configuring event handling, adding users, and defining authorizations. It assumes that you just completed the installation of your CMS.

If you are a new Administrator of an existing management domain, it might be useful for you to become familiar with these steps even though your CMS has already been through the initial setup. The steps in this process are common tasks that HP SIM Administrators perform on a regular basis.

note

In this "Performing Initial Setup" section and its subsections, many of the steps will include references to other sections of the HP SIM Help Guide.

This Help Guide is available for download from HP at http://www.hp.com/wwsolutions/misc/hpsim-helpfiles/sys-book.pdf . Due to limited page count for this book, the referenced sections could not be included.

Initial Setup Process

When you first start HP SIM, the introductory page is displayed with a section called DO THIS NOW to finish the install . To get started using HP SIM, follow these steps:

1. Set up managed systems: Setting up managed systems involves installing the required Management Agents and configuring HP SIM software. Refer to the upcoming section called "Setting Up Managed Systems" for more information.

2. Configure protocol settings: Configuring the protocol settings defines what systems are added to HP SIM using Discovery in the next step. Refer to the section called "Setting Global Protocols" in the user guide for more information.

3. Configure discovery (Automatic or Manual): Discovery is the process that HP SIM uses to find and identify the systems on your network and then populate the database with that information. A system must first be discovered to collect data and track system status. There are two ways to discover new systems:

• Automatic discovery : Searches the network for systems running specific protocols. It runs automatically every 24 hours, but the process can be manually executed at other times.

• Manual discovery : Adds a single system or a group of systems using a hosts file.

Refer to the section called "Configuring Automatic Discovery" for information on Automatic Discovery or the section called "Adding a System Manually" in the user guide for information on manual discovery.

4. Add new users: Any user with a valid network login can be added to HP SIM. Refer to the section called "Users" in the user guide for more information.

5. Configure e-mail settings: Configuring e-mail settings enables users to receive e-mail notification of certain events. Refer to the section called "Configuring E-mail Settings" in the user guide for information on e-mail settings.

6. Configure paging settings: Configuring paging settings enables users to receive pages that notify them of certain events. Refer to the section called "Configuring Modem Settings" in the user guide for information on paging settings.

7. Set up automatic event handling: Automatic event handling enables you to define an action that HP SIM performs when an event is received. Automatic event handling can be set up to use the e-mail and paging settings that you specified in the previous sections. Refer to the section called "Creating a New Automatic Event Handling Task" in the user guide for more information.

8. Add toolboxes: Creating a toolbox configures a group of tools to which a user has access. Refer to the section called "Creating New Toolboxes" in the user guide for more information.

9. Add authorizations: Authorizing your users gives them a toolbox on a system or group of systems. Refer to the section called "Creating New Authorizations" in the user guide for more information.

Setting Up Managed Systems

Setting up managed systems involves installing the required Management Agents and configuring the supported protocols to communicate with the HP SIM software. Follow the appropriate procedure based on the managed system's OS, as listed here:

• Windows managed systems

• HP-UX managed systems

• Linux managed systems

Details for setting up HP-UX- and Linux-managed systems can be found in the HP SIM Installation and User Guide.

Setting Up Windows Managed Systems

The following procedure describes manual setup and configuration. Many of the steps listed here have been automated in SIM version 4.1. For example, SSH may be installed automatically from the Deploy > Deploy drivers, Firmware and Agents > Initial ProLiant Support Pack Install option on the SIM console menu bar (see #4 in figure 8.33) as well as with the Deploy > Deploy drivers, Firmware and Agents > Install OpenSSH... option. See the SIM 4.1 documentation for more information.

To set up a Windows managed system, follow these steps:

1. Install SSH on the managed system. Using the HP Management CD or the installation files that you downloaded for the CMS installation, navigate to the Openssh folder and execute OpenSSH_3.7.1p1-1.exe. Accept all the default prompts.

2. Configure SSH on the managed system. Open a command prompt window and navigate to the cd C:\Program Files\OpenSSH\etc directory. This command assumes OpenSSH was installed in the default location.

3. Execute the following command to see which users are registered with OpenSSH: type passwd . If the execute-as user for your CMS (root or Administrator) is not listed, you need to add them. Otherwise, you can skip to the next step of copying the SSH generated public key.

4. Navigate to the bin directory: cd C:\Program Files\OpenSSH\bin .

5. Add the user. For a domain account, use mkpasswd -d -u login domain >> C:\Program Files\OpenSSH\etc\passwd where login is the login name of the execute-as user and domain is the user domain. For a local account, use mkpasswd -l -u login >> C:\Program Files\OpenSSH\etc\passwd where login is the login name of the execute-as user.

6. On the CMS, copy the SSH-generated public key from the CMS to the managed system and place it in the authorized keys file of the execute-as user (root or Administrator).

7. Launch the Manage SSH Keys dialog box from the CMS or command prompt: mxagentconfig -g.

8. Enter the managed system's hostname.

9. Enter the Administrator for the Username and the associated Password. Use the Local Administrators account for initial configuration.

10. Click Connect.

11. Configure the managed system to send SNMP traps. The SNMP service is not installed by default on Windows Server 2003 and might need to be installed:

1. Select Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, Services. On Windows 2003 and Windows XP, the Programs submenu is All Programs.

2. Scroll down the list and right-click SNMP Service.

3. Select Properties from the pop-up menu.

4. On the Security tab, either click Add to add a new community string or click Edit or to modify an existing one. The default for SIM is public.

5. Enter the information for the CMS and click Apply to save the changes.

6. On the Traps tab, enter a Community Name and click Add to List.

7. Click Add to add the Trap Destination.

8. Enter the IP Address of the CMS and Click Add. Click Apply to save the changes and OK to close the dialog box.

12. Log in to the HP SIM GUI.

13. Using the GUI, install the PSP on the managed system. Click Deploy, Deploy Drivers, Firmware and Agents, Initial ProLiant Support Pack Install. Refer to the "Use Default Tools" section of the online help for more information.

14. Using the GUI, add the default WBEM username and password to the Global Protocol Settings page.

An account for at least one of the Insight Agents WBEM username and password combinations must exist on each managed system. This step can be performed once for all the managed systems you are setting up. Follow these steps:

1. Click Options, Protocol Settings, Global Protocol Settings.

2. In the Default WBEM settings section, ensure that the Enable WBEM check box is selected and add the default WBEM username, password, and confirmation password.

3. Click OK.

Monitoring Systems, Events, and Clusters

You can monitor systems, events, and clusters using the tools in the System Lists region. It enables you to drill down to locate more information about systems and events and quickly select systems prior to performing a task. You can place private lists under My Favorites and quickly access the Status Overview page, the All Systems List page, and the All Events List page.

Navigating the System Lists Region

The System Lists region is shown in Figure 8.35.

System Lists contains the following features:

• Menu controls

• Overview Lists

• My Favorites

• System Lists

• Event Lists

Selecting a list displays the list in the workspace. Four types of list pages can be launched in the System Lists region:

• System Lists page

• Event Lists page

• Cluster Lists page

• Picture View page

Menu Controls

The Customize button in the System Lists region enables you to customize the System Lists region tree to your own preference. Any user can customize their own System Lists and Event Lists folders and My Favorites folders, but only the user who has full configuration rights can customize the public System Lists and Event Lists folders. Click Customize to display the Customize Lists page.

Overview Lists

There are three overview lists in the System Lists region:

• Status Overview : Displays the Status Overview page. On this page, you can view the current system status and uncleared event status. Refer to the section called "Viewing the Status Overview Page" later in this chapter for more information.

• All Systems : Displays the System List: All Systems page. Refer to the section called "Navigating the System Lists Region" for information on the system list page.

• All Events : Displays the Event List: All Events page. Refer to the "Navigating the Event Lists Page" region for information on the Event Lists results page see the SIM help guide available at the HP website: www.hp.com/servers/manage.

My Favorites

Lists can be grouped together into My Favorites groups that you create. Lists in the My Favorites groups of logged-in users are run internally by HP SIM to produce status. You can access only the My Favorites that you create and not those created by another user. My Favorites groups are references of system lists, event lists, or cluster lists that are public or private lists.

System Lists

A system list logically groups systems into a collection based on information in the HP SIM database. After a list is defined, you can display the results on the System Lists page or associate it with a management task. Creating logical groups of systems reduces the number of systems viewed in a particular system list. For example, your organization might have 5 system Administrators who are responsible for 100 different systems in 6 different buildings . You can create a list for each Administrator that includes only that Admin's systems, or you can create a list for each building that includes only the systems located in a particular building.

Lists are listed by section and list folder. In addition to using the lists provided by HP SIM, you can create, edit, or delete lists; or create folders of lists under each section of lists. Lists must follow specific list-naming rules. Refer to the "List Naming Conventions" section of the SIM help guide for more information. Complex lists that contain individual systems selections or numerous search criteria take more system resources to run. Keep the list as simple as possible to minimize the performance impacts of individual tasks. Refer to the "Default Public Lists" section of the SIM help guide for a list of all public system lists.

Event Lists

An event list logically groups events into a collection based on information in the HP SIM database. Creating logical groups of events reduces the number of events viewed in a particular event list. After a list is defined, you can display the results from the Event List page or associate it with a management task.

Lists are listed by section and folder. You can create folders of lists under each section. Complex lists that contain individual system selections or numerous selection criteria take more system resources to run. Keep the list as simple as possible to minimize the performance impacts of individual tasks. Refer to the "Default Public Lists" section of the SIM help guide for a list of all public event lists.

Viewing the Status Overview Page

By clicking Status Overview in the System Lists region, you can view the current system status and uncleared event status. This page does not automatically refresh, but you can refresh the data by clicking the Last Update link at the bottom of the page.

System Status

The System Status table contains the severity of all systems discovered by HP SIM that you are authorized to see. Systems are grouped by their status condition and type. Each underlined number in a column is a hyperlink to a more detailed list of systems that belong to the System by Status list.

Uncleared Event Status

You can also view the current status of uncleared events. The Uncleared Event Status table lists the number of uncleared events for systems you have authorization to see that have a Critical, Major, Minor, Normal, or Informational severity. Events are grouped by their severity and system type. Each underlined number in a column is a hyperlink to a more detailed list of events that belong to the Event Status list.

Both displays are sorted using the following system categories:

• Servers : HP servers with HP Insight Management Agents

• Clusters : Clusters made up of a group of systems, typically servers

• Clients : Workstations, portables, and desktops

• Printers : Network discovered printers

• Networking : Routers, switches, repeaters, or remote access products

• Other : Remote Insight boards , third-party systems that do not fit the servers, clusters, clients, or other networking categories, such as racks, enclosures, or remote-management processors

Using Tasks

HP SIM enables you to manage systems and events by scheduling and executing tasks. Tasks are actions performed using an HP SIM tool. Task instances are executed single instances of a task. Tools, tasks, and events can be combined to provide powerful automation capabilities.

When working with tasks users can

• Create their own variations of a task

• Schedule a task

• Modify tasks they created

• Delete a task

• Stop an executing task

• Track task status

Task information is available by selecting Tools, Logs, View All Scheduled Tasks, View Task Results.

Tasks and User Privileges

The list of tasks that a user can see is based on the user's privilege and access level. All users are allowed to edit, delete, and view the tasks they created. A user with full configuration rights is allowed to edit, delete, and view tasks other users created.

HP SIM provides some system-delivered tasks or default tasks. These tasks can be disabled or have their schedules modified, but cannot be removed or reassigned to another user. SIM requires these tasks to provide a complete picture of the systems that are being monitored .

You can perform the following types of task- related procedures:

• Creating a task

• Scheduling a task

• Running a scheduled task

• Stopping a task

• Deleting task results

• Printing reports

• Editing a scheduled task

• Deleting a scheduled task

• Viewing task results

Creating a Task

You can create a task to execute a tool on specific systems or events. To create a task, follow these steps:

1. Select a tool from the Tools menu and the Select Target Systems page is displayed.

2. Select targets by selecting one of the following options:

• All systems in the list : If you select this option, select a target list from the drop-down list, and then click Apply Selections. The target list is displayed as the selected list.

• Individual systems in the list : If you select this option, select a target list from the drop-down list. The individual systems included in the target list are displayed. Select the items to be included and click Apply Selections. The items selected are displayed in the Select Target Systems section.

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If the systems selected are not compatible with the tool, the Tool Launch OK? column provides a brief explanation of the problem. To change the selected target list, click Change Targets. To remove the selected system from the Keep? column, click Remove.

3. Click Next.

4. Specify the tool parameters. If the tool does not require any parameters, Next is replaced with a Schedule and Run Now option. The Schedule option is present only if the tool can be scheduled.

5. Select one of the following options:

• Click Schedule to schedule when the task should run. Refer to the section called "Scheduling a Task" in the HP SIM Help Guide.

• Click Run Now to run the task now.

• Click Change Targets to change the targets selected.

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If multiple users are accessing a task simultaneously, the changes from the last user to exit the task are saved. For example, if User1 and User2 log in to HP SIM with full configuration rights, and User1 is editing a task while User2 is deleting the same task, then when User1 tries to save the edited task, a message is displayed indicating that the task does not represent an object in the system. User1 is unable to save the edited task.

Automating Actions Using Tasks

There are two types of automation:

• When event A occurs on system X, run task B.

• At 1:00 AM on the first Saturday of each month, run this task.

The following example describes how to set up a notification task that causes HP SIM to send an e-mail that can then be forwarded to a BlackBerry, cell phone (for example, SMS), and other paging interface applications whenever the CMS receives a Critical, Major, or Minor event.

To create the task, follow these steps:

1. Select Options, Events, Automatic Event Handling, New Task. The Automatic EventHandlingNew Task page is displayed.

2. In the Task Name text box, enter a name for the task, such as Important Events for E-mail-Pager Task.

3. Click Next. The Select Events section is displayed. Refer to the section called "Searching for Events" in the SIM help guide for more information on selecting event criteria.

4. In the first selection box (Criteria Selection), select Severity.

5. In the second selection box (Comparison Selection), select Is.

6. In the third selection box (Value Selection), select Critical.

7. Click Add to add the Major and Minor severities to the task.

8. Repeat steps 4 through 6, and in the third selection box, select Major and Minor.

9. Click Next. The Select Systems section is displayed. For more information on selecting system criteria, refer to the section called "Searching for Systems" in the SIM help guide

10. In the first selection box (Criteria Selection), select System Name.

11. In the second selection box (Comparison Selection), select Is.

12. In the third selection box (Value Selection), select (Any).

13. Click Next. The Select Actions section is displayed.

14. Select Send E-mail.

15. In the To Address text box, fill in the e-mail address to which you want the notification sent (multiple addresses can be added so that a group is notified). A CC address can also be added so that a manager or supervisor is also notified.

16. In the Subject text box, enter your subject; for example, HP Systems Insight Manager Events.

17. In the Message Format section, change the option to Pager/SMS. This option sends a condensed e-mail format that is similar to a Paging Task in HP SIM, which is the ideal way to send alerts to a BlackBerry or to cell phone types of hardware (or when TAPI is not available and an e- mail-to -paging provider is being used).

18. Click Next. The Select Time Filter section is displayed.

19. Select Use Time filter and select Nights and Weekends, unless you want to receive the e-mail 24 hours a day. If so, clear Use Time filter. Refer to the "Applying a Time Filter" section for more information on time filters.

20. Click Next. The Review summary is displayed.

21. Click Prev if you must make changes or click Finish to save the task.

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When using time filters, you can use on-call style e- mails or pages. If you want one person to be notified during business hours and another at night, create two different tasks and set the time filter appropriately.

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This same type of task configuration can be applied to a paging task to use a modem in the HP SIM server to page through a BlackBerry or alphanumeric pager.

Default Tools

HP SIM provides you with many powerful tools:

• Cluster Monitor : Adds the capability to monitor and manage multinode clusters.

• Device Ping : Enables you to ping one or more systems.

• Disk Thresholds : Defines the Normal, Minor, and Major ranges for disk utilization on monitored nodes. Used to set and remove disk thresholds.

• Licensing : Provides the capability to manage license keys from HP SIM, including key distribution, reconciliation, and reporting across Windows platforms.

• Managing Custom Commands : Displays all custom commands created, so you can create new commands, schedule or run existing commands, and edit and delete custom commands.

• Initial ProLiant Support Pack Install : Enables you to install software to managed systems.

• Property Pages : Enables a user with full configuration rights to view the Properties page on any WBEM system, including WBEM properties that help describe the target system on the network, WBEM properties that help determine the status of the system, and an inventory of the target node based on WBEM properties.

• Replicate Agent Settings : Enables HP SIM to retrieve and optionally edit Web agent configuration settings from a source system, and distribute that configuration remotely to one or more target systems through their Web agents.

• System Management Home page : Displays the status of the management software and utilities installed on the system.

• System Page : Displays all the information related to a specific system, including general information, status, and a list of related URLs.

• Version Control : Uses HP Insight Management Agents (HP VCRM, HP Version Control Agent, and other agents) to facilitate Software Update and tasks related to it.

Additional Tools

HP SIM also provides several additional tools such as storage integration, command-line tools, managing tools, plug-in tools, Management Information Bases (MIBS), and database tables, which are all described in the following sections.

Storage Integration

HP SIM is able to retrieve the information for the internal disk drives for systems being monitored. For RAID- and SAN-based storage, HP SIM discovers the StorageWorks CommandView storage device managers, which in turn manage those disks.

HP SIM is able to perform the following:

• Discover and identify storage systems that are directly attached to a server

• Discover and identify storage systems that are on the network, including tape libraries

• Discover and identify HP StorageWorks CommandView storage device manager systems

• Receive storage system events and associate them with the system that generated the event (through CommandView) running on a system, or from a tape library management card

• Launch appropriate management applications from the context of the event or the context of the system running the CommandView that generated the event

Command-Line Tools

Use the CLI tools to execute basic Windows commands remotely on one or more systems.

To launch a command-line tool, follow these steps:

1. Select Tools, Command Line Tools, Windows for Windows command-line tools.

2. Select the command-line tool that you want to run, and follow the steps to launch the tool. Refer to the "Creating a Task" section earlier in this chapter for assistance with the steps or the HP SIM Reference (356920-002) for more information about creating a task. A link is available at http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/hpsim/infolibrary.html.

3. Click Run Now to launch the tool.

Managing Tools

The Manage Custom Commands page displays all the custom command tools created, and their descriptions, commands, and parameters. To view all the tools created, select Tools, Custom Commands, Manage Custom Commands. Select a tool by selecting the check box next to the tool and choosing an option: New, Edit, Delete, Run Now/Schedule.

Plug-in Tools

HP SIM plug-in applications extend the breadth of HP device coverage and improve the lifecycle-management capabilities for your servers. Additional plug-in tools will be available in the future.

ProLiant plug-in tools include the following:

• ProLiant Essentials RDP

• ProLiant Essentials PMP

• Cluster Monitor

• ServiceGuard Manager

• RILOE and RILOE II

• iLO

MIBs

A Management Information Base (MIB) is a file that contains component definitions and operation information that enables system-management applications to interpret detailed health and performance information on each component of a system. The information is reported over the network to SIM to give you a precise view of the health and activity of systems on the network..

HP has defined MIBs for its systems, and these MIBs expose the rich management infrastructure that HP builds into its products. HP MIBs are already registered in the HP SIM database. You can find them in the directory \hp\system insight manager\mibs on a Windows CMS.

For third-party systems to take advantage of this capability, their MIB must be registered to HP SIM. Refer to the section called "Registering a MIB" in the HP SIM Reference (356920-002) or User Guide for more information; a link is available at http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/hpsim/infolibrary.html.

Database Tables

HP SIM uses Microsoft SQL for Windows and PostgreSQL for HP-UX or Linux as the install database to store collected event and system data. The database can be on the same system as the management application or on a different system that has network access to the database server. HP SIM uses the Java Database Connector (JDBC) and the Object Database Connector (ODBC) on Windows systems to communicate with the database.

Reports can be created in Access, Excel, Crystal Reports, or any standard reporting tool that can access the database. The database schema is published to make creating the reports easier. A list of the database tables is available for reporting purposes. The tables describe the information collected by HP SIM and the database table structures that store the information. A list of tables is available in the HP SIM Reference (356920-002) or User Guide for more information; a link is available at http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/hpsim/infolibrary.html.

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Only the HP SIM application should add or delete from these tables. Any other modifications to these tables cause cache coherency problems for the application.

Reporting Feature

The HP SIM reporting feature enables you to generate reports; create customer-defined report configurations; and edit, copy, and delete report configurations. All users with login access to HP SIM have the ability to generate reports. The reporting feature includes these capabilities:

• Running a snapshot comparison : HP SIM enables you to generate a snapshot comparison of up to four systems. This quick comparison of systems makes it easy to identify improperly configured systems.

• Export reports in CSV format : CSV formatted files can be imported into spreadsheets and databases. The HP SIM reporting feature enables you to generate reports from the Report Results page in CSV format. The CSV format is a generic file format used for importing data into databases or spreadsheets such as Excel and Access.

• Show SQL queries : You can view the SQL details behind a report. The SQL Queries page details all SQL queries that are used to generate the report.

• Run Licensing report : The System License Information Reporting feature provides a quick and efficient way to track ProLiant Essentials license information for iLO systems. This reporting function also reports on the use of other ProLiant Essentials products based on license keys.

Administering the Software

A primary consideration of administration of software and the management domain is the access granted to users to perform administrative tasks. Users with full configuration rights can fully administer HP SIM. SIM provides a role-based security model to allow configuration of different levels of Administration privileges. Table 8.3 gives an example of how a role-based security model might be implemented.

Table 8.3. Role-Based Security example

HP SIM enables you to configure authorizations for specific users. Each user can be authorized with a toolbox on a system or group of systems. It is important that you plan which systems each user is going to manage and which specific set of tools the users are authorized to execute against the managed systems.

User Configuration Rights

HP SIM provides the following configuration rights:

• Full configuration rights : Allows the user total control of the database. Users can run discovery of systems and data collection; define users and authorizations; set Cluster Monitor configuration; configure licensing and protocol settings; and create, modify, delete, and run reports, snapshot comparisons, tools, custom commands, events, automation tasks, and so on.

• Limited configuration rights : Enables the user to create, edit, and delete reports (including predefined reports). Users also can create new SSA tools and Web-launch aware (WLA) tools. These tools remain owned by that user, which means they have restricted authorizations. As owner of the tool, the user can edit or delete the tool, and the tool can only be a member of the All Tools toolbox.

• No configuration rights : Enables users to view and run predefined reports on systems they have been authorized to view only. A user with no configuration rights cannot execute any actions to affect the CMS database.

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Users that have been added to the CMS are unable to view systems or manage systems until authorizations have been configured for them.

Users with full configuration rights can fully administer HP SIM. Administration of HP SIM involves many operations:

• Configuring and running discovery and manual discovery

• Identifying systems

• Managing hosts files and template files

• Managing system types by creating, editing, and deleting SNMP and DMI rules

• Setting global and single system protocol settings

• Configuring and running status polling tasks

• Configuring automatic event handling by creating and editing tasks, and configuring e-mail settings, modem settings, delete events, event filter settings, SNMP trap settings, and status change event settings

• Configuring the Cluster Monitor cluster and node settings

• Running data collection tasks

• Customizing the home page options

• Selecting and maintaining default HP VCRM for advanced searches and tasks such as installing software and firmware

• Managing toolboxes

• Managing authorizations

• Managing users

• Managing systems groups

• Monitoring the Audit Log

For detailed information on any of these procedures, refer to the HP SIM Reference (356920-002); a link is available at http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/hpsim/infolibrary.html.

Service and Support

Support for HP SIM is provided as an adjunct to support of the underlying hardware. The purpose of the HP Support page is to provide you with a variety of product-, service-, and support-related resources. In particular, you can use this page to

• Access http://www.hp.com/servers/manage. This Web site is devoted to systems management products. You will find a wealth of product and service-related information on this portal.

• Access links to HP's support home page and World Wide Web locator for phone numbers , online tools, and information.

Contact the HP Support Forum to get answers to your questions about HP products. The HP Support Forum can be found at http://forums.itrc.hp.com/.

Keeping good records of your configuration can significantly speed up the troubleshooting process. Consult the following list when you obtain assistance from your HP service provider:

• Management PC make, model, and serial number information

• OS information, including version number, a list of all service packs that have been applied, the Compaq SSD version, and Insight Agents' names and versions that have been applied

• Hardware configuration information, including Survey Utility output or Inspect printout, System Configuration Utility printout, and a description of any nonHP or nonCompaq equipment that is not shown on the Inspect or System Configuration printout

Manuals and Documentation

SIM user guides and support documents are available on the HP website. Go to the HP Web site: www.hp.com/servers/manage/ and follow the SIM "Information library" link.