Best practices for Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 on HP ProLiant servers

Notice...........................................................................................................................................3

Executive summary......................................................................................................................5

Introduction to Microsoft Virtual Server 2005..............................................................................5Key benefits..............................................................................................................................6

Virtualization................................................................................................................................6Broad Device Compatibility......................................................................................................6

HP ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack...........................................................................7Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Installation.............................................................................8

Install sequence from CD-ROM..............................................................................................8Install sequence for iLO virtual CD-ROM................................................................................8Install sequence for ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack.........................................8

HP ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack install diagram.............................................17HP Rapid Deployment Pack configuration...............................................................................17

Installation procedures...............................................................................................................20Microsoft Windows Server 2003 installation on target server................................................20

Prerequisites.......................................................................................................................20iLO virtual CD-ROM installation...........................................................................................20

Deploying a Virtual Machine with RDP.......................................................................................22Prerequisites...........................................................................................................................22Deployment process for a Windows 2000 Virtual Machine.....................................................22Deployment process for a Windows 2003 Virtual Machine.....................................................29Virtual Machine deployment support files..............................................................................35

The RDP script for Windows 2000.......................................................................................35The unattened.txt file for Windows 2000............................................................................36The Batch file for Windows 2000.........................................................................................38The RDP script for Windows Server 2003............................................................................40The unattened.txt file for Windows 2003 Server.................................................................40The Batch file for Windows 2003 Server.............................................................................42

HP Systems Insight Manager......................................................................................................45Setting up the HP Insight Management Agents on Virtual Server 2005 platforms.................45Configuring Virtual Machine client platforms..........................................................................49HP Systems Insight Manager – Central Management Server..................................................54

Installation dependencies...................................................................................................55Managing Virtual Machines with HP Systems Insight Manager...........................................64Associating virtual machines with a physical host..............................................................73Create a virtual machine list...............................................................................................74Going Beyond the Basics.....................................................................................................78

For more information.................................................................................................................81

Notice

This document contains examples of code (“Code”) that you may want to use in building or developing your own application.  You may use this Code only as permitted herein.  By your use of Code, you agree to the terms below.  The Licensor, Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. ("HPDC"), grants you the rights listed below. 

You may use the Code either by referring to it when developing your own application, copying it in whole or in part into your application, or building upon a portion or all of it to create your own application based on it.  While using the Code to build your own application, you may alter it, modify it, and create derivative works of the Code.  You may also use the Code to test your application.  You may distribute the Code provided that you comply with the conditions on distribution described below.

Conditions on Distribution

You may : (1) reproduce and distribute an unlimited number of copies of the Code within your application, in source code form, internally within your organization, including subsidiaries and affiliates;

(2) you may reproduce and distribute an unlimited number of copies of the Code within your application, in source code form, externally provided that:

(a) your application adds significant and primary functionality to the Code;

(b) you distribute your application containing the Code under an End-User License Agreement, or in signed hard-copy form, with terms no less protective than those contained herein, but permitting your end users only internal distribution as described in item (1) above; 

(c) you do not use the HPDC name, trademarks, or logo; or the name, trademarks, or logo of Compaq Computer Corporation ("Compaq"); or the name, trademarks, or logo Hewlett-Packard Company (“HP”) to market your application;

(d) you include a valid copyright notice on your application; and 

(e) you agree to indemnify, hold harmless, and defend Compaq, HP, and HPDC from and against any claims or lawsuits, including attorneys' fees, that arise or result from the use or distribution of your application.

(3) reproduce and distribute an unlimited number of copies of the Code within your application, in binary form, internally within your organization, including subsidiaries and affiliates, or externally provided that:

(a) you do not use the Compaq name, trademarks, or logo; or the name, trademarks or logo of Hewlett-Packard Company; or the name, trademarks, or logo of HPDC to market your application;

(b) you include a valid copyright notice on your application; and 

(c) you agree to indemnify, hold harmless, and defend Compaq, HP, and HPDC from and against any claims or lawsuits, including attorneys' fees, that arise or result from the use or distribution of your application.  

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NO WARRANTY THE CODE IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED 'AS-IS', WITHOUT ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTY. IN NO EVENT WILL COMPAQ, HP, OR HPDC AND/OR THEIR SUBSIDIARIES OR AFFILIATES BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE OF THIS CODE.  TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, COMPAQ AND HP AND HPDC, HEREBY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS WITH REGARD TO THE CODE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.  THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE CODE IS WITH YOU.  SHOULD THE CODE PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION.  IN NO EVENT SHALL COMPAQ, HP, OR HPDC OR THEIR SUBSIDIARIES OR AFFILIATES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, OR LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE CODE (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE CODE TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER PROGRAMS), OR OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, EVEN IF COMPAQ, HP, AND/OR HPDC HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Reproduction, adaptation or translation without prior written permission is prohibited, except as allowed under the copyright laws.

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Executive summary

This document contains best practice information for Microsoft® Virtual Server 2005 software running on HP ProLiant servers. Specifically, it provides instructions and best-practice methods for deploying Virtual Server 2005 on HP ProLiant BL, DL, and certain ML series servers. In particular, two installation methods are discussed. The first method employs the HP Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) CD-ROM installation, while the other centers around the HP ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack (RDP).

This guide also contains best-practice information on integrating HP Systems Insight Manager (HP SIM), Insight Management (IM) agents, deploying Virtual Machines, and RBSU (ROM-Based Setup Utility) configuration.

This guide is intended for solutions architects or engineers tasked with defining guidelines and processes around the development, deployment, and operation of virtualization solutions for the purpose of consolidation. The reader should be familiar with networking in a heterogeneous environment, and have a working knowledge of ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack as well as virtualization concepts.

This guide does not provide step-by-step instructions to install Virtual Server 2005 software. The Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 Technical Overview guide is available from Microsoft, and can be found at: http://www.microsoft.com/virtualserver, to provide this information.

This guide does not provide installation instructions for the ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack (RDP). For instructions on installing RDP, visit the HP.com - ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack site, http://www.hp.com/servers/rdp

Introduction to Microsoft Virtual Server 2005

Virtual machine technology enables customers to run multiple operating systems concurrently on a single physical server. Virtual Server addresses a set of key customer scenarios, including consolidating and automating software test and development environments, migrating legacy applications, consolidating multiple server workloads, and testing distributed server applications on a single physical server.

Businesses continually seek ways to reduce cost and risk while increasing quality and agility in their IT infrastructure. Specifically, for their server hardware, they are always looking for new ways to help improve overall utilization and to increase the flexibility with which they can deploy their hardware to meet their changing business needs. As HP ProLiant platforms have continued to make dramatic improvements in price-to-performance value, software technologies have evolved to help businesses more effectively harness that improved performance in a manageable way. Virtual machine technology is one such technology.

Virtual machines enable customers to run multiple operating systems concurrently on a single physical server, providing for much more effective utilization of the underlying hardware. Virtual Server 2005 is a product optimized to provide this capability on a Microsoft Windows® Server operating system environment.

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Key benefits Improved hardware efficiency. The combination of Virtual Server 2005 and

Windows Server 2003 provides a virtualization platform that improves hardware efficiency across a wide range of ProLiant hardware systems, can run many different x86 operating systems in the guest environment, and provides an optimized guest experience for Windows Server operating systems. Policy-based management features offer both weighting and constraint methods for fine-grained control of individual virtual machines.

Increased administrator productivity. Virtual Server’s comprehensive COM API, in combination with the Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) format and support for virtual networking help make administrators more productive by offering scripted control of portable, connected virtual machines. These features enable easy automation of deployment and ongoing change configuration. The Virtual Server Administration Web Site enables authenticated, remote administration of, and access to, individual virtual machines. In addition, administrators can seamlessly manage a Virtual Server environment with their existing physical server management tools, because Virtual Server integrates with a wide variety of HP tools such as OpenView and ProLiant Essentials; and Microsoft tools, such as Active Directory; Microsoft Operations Manager; and Windows Server Architecture, Automated Deployment Services.

Virtualization

Virtual machine isolation and resource management enable multiple workloads to coexist on fewer servers. Ultimately, this functionality allows greater overall efficiency of hardware to be realized across the enterprise.

Virtual Server 2005 enables broad device compatibility and support for Windows Server 2003 environments through virtual machines.

Broad Device CompatibilityVirtual Server 2005 supports most Windows Server Catalog devices, providing compatibility with a wide range of hardware. Each virtual machine presents the same set of virtualized devices as Table 1 shows.

Table 1. Virtual Machine Device Models

Device Description

Processor Virtualizes a physical CPU on x86-based systems. While Virtual Server runs on systems with up to 32 processors, in the current version of the product, guest operating systems see only a single CPU per virtual machine (with its ID based on that of the real processor).

Memory Can use up to 64 gigabytes (GB) host RAM and supports up to 3.6 GB per virtual machine. Note: Host memory cannot be overcommitted to virtual machines.

IDE/ATAPI Virtual Storage

Emulates up to 4 IDE hard disks or CD/DVD-ROM drives (or ISO images). Virtual hard drives can provide up to 128 GB of storage per IDE channel.

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Device Description

SCSI Virtual Storage Emulates a multi-port Adaptec 7870 SCSI controller with 4 virtual SCSI buses. With virtual SCSI storage enabled, each virtual machine can connect to more than 56.5 terabytes. Virtual Server supports 2-node failover clustering between virtual machines by means of shared SCSI storage.

Graphics Emulates the S3 Trio64 graphics adapter with 4 megabytes (MB) of VRAM for VESA 2.0–compliant VGA and SVGA resolutions, 2-D acceleration, hardware cursor, and Microsoft DirectX support.

Virtual Floppy Drives

A 1.44-MB virtual floppy drive can be mapped to host drives or virtual floppy disks.

Virtual Serial (COM) Ports

Two virtual serial ports can be mapped to host serial ports, output to files, or mapped to named pipes.

Virtual Parallel (LPT) Ports

One virtual printer port can be mapped to the host parallel port.

Existing Devices Supports keyboard, mouse, COM and LPT ports, CMOS, PIC, DMA, and so forth.

Virtual Ethernet Controller

Emulates a multi-port Intel 21141 10/100TX Ethernet controller with 4 virtual network adapters.

A local virtual network connection does not need to be associated with a device.

Virtual machines can also be configured to have no virtual network connection.

Synthetic BIOS AMI BIOS

Sound Emulated sound card not supported.

Synthetic Motherboard

Intel 440BX chip set with PIIX4 and the following components:

CMOS Real-time clock RAM and VRAM Memory Controller DMA Controller PCI Bus ISA Bus SM Bus Power Management 8259 PIC PIT

For more information on Virtual Server 2005 architecture and technical specifications, please refer to the Microsoft Virtual Server website.

HP ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack

Windows Server 2003 is the operating system that hosts Virtual Server 2005, and to deploy this host operating system there are several methods.

The HP ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack (RDP) method of deployment requires DHCP service, and an RDP server console.

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The deployment of Windows Server 2003 via this method is more complex than using the iLO virtual CD-ROM. This process uses HP ProLiant Essentials Foundation Pack for ProLiant servers plus the HP ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack, which contains the Rapid Deployment Pack software. This pack is typically shipped with blade servers, but must be purchased for the ProLiant ML and DL lines of servers.

This method of deploying Windows Server 2003 involves RDP, and DHCP services must be in place for this process to function.

The target server (the server to receive Windows Server 2003) must boot via PXE and find a DHCP server. Once an IP address is assigned, a script can be implemented on the RDP server.

For more information on ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack, consult the following link: ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack, at http://www.hp.com/servers/rdp .

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 InstallationThe following list is a sequence of events for the Windows Server 2003 installation process (via CD, iLO, and RDP). The following section presumes that the intended target server is functional and that any installation prerequisites have been met.

Install sequence from CD-ROM1.Insert the SmartStart CD and fill in the necessary information, including the

desired OS.2.Insert the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 CD, when required.3. Follow the standard Microsoft Windows Server 2003 install procedure via the

Remote Console.

Install sequence for iLO virtual CD-ROM1.Verify correct iLO ROM version 1.4 or greater.2.Connect to the iLO utility port. 3.Enable the Virtual CD-ROM media.4.Insert the SmartStart CD.5.Launch a Remote Console session.6.Restart the server.7.Follow the setup instructions. 8.Insert the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 CD install procedure via the

Remote Console.

Install sequence for ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack

Note: All servers in the configuration should be on the same subnet, and not separated by any packet filtering devices, such as firewalls.

…on the RDP server

1. Install and configure RDP

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…create a boot disk containing the PXE boot set of instructions

Note: Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 does not support PXE boot, therefore it is necessary to create a boot disk containing the PXE set of booting instructions, these will be used when deploying a Virtual Machine via RDP.

2.On the RDP console Tools menu Boot Disk Creator, create a new configuration (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Boot Disk Creator initial screen

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3.Enter a name for the new configuration.

Figure 2. Name the new configuration

4.Select BootWorks boot disk; this will write all the booting instructions into the disk.

Figure 3. Client Installation

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5.Select the File Server Type Microsoft Windows.

Figure 4. Select File Server type

6. Select the appropriate Ethernet adapter. Virtual Server 2005 emulates a multi-port Intel® 21141 10/100TX Ethernet controller with 4 virtual NICs. If the adapter is not on the list, select Have Disk… and browse the Altiris Directory tree. Program Files Altiris eXpress Deployment Server Bootwiz cl32_drv, and the appropriate adapter will be listed there. Then, click ok to select the directory path. (Figures 5-7.)

Figure 5. Browse for the network adapter

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Figure 6. Select the adapter path

Figure 7. From the list, select Digital Semiconductor 2104x/2114x 10/100 mbps Ethernet Controller

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7. Select the appropriate settings for TCP/IP; for this example, DHCP will be used to configure the network.

Figure 8. From TCP/IP Protocol Settings

8. Select either multicasting or a specific address for the Altiris eXpress Server communication. For this example, a specific target address is used.

Figure 9. Altiris eXpress Server Communication settings

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9.Enter the Workgroup and authentication credentials.

Figure 10. Network Connection credentials.

10.Network Drive Mappings settings, leave the default values and click next.

Figure 11. Network Drive Mappings.

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11.Review the configuration summary and click finish.

Figure 12. Configuration Summary.

12.Once the configuration is created, under the Configurations tree, the new name will be listed, right click on it and select Create Boot disks.

Figure 13. Select the new configuration.

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13.Insert a Floppy disk into the RDP server and click Next; this will format the disk and copy all the necessary files and configuration settings previously created.

Figure 14. Boot Disk Creation process

14.Once the disk is created, it will be integrated into the Virtual Machine RDP Deployment.

…on the RDP server

15. Click and drag the desired script onto the target server

…on the target (deployment) server

16.The BootWorks process should reboot the target server several times17.The Windows Server 2003 installation process should complete without

intervention

This should complete the deployment of Windows Server 2003.

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HP ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack install diagramFollowing is a diagram of the configuration used to create these procedures, Figure 15. Configuration may vary based on network environment.

Figure 15. HP ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack network environment

HP Rapid Deployment Pack configurationThe following is a brief description of the RDP installation process. Figure 16 depicts the two installation steps in HP ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack; complete these two steps.

Note: NFS services are not required for Virtual Server 2005 scripted installations or Virtual Machine deployments. This means that the third step of the RDP setup can be omitted.

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Figure 16. HP ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack – two essential steps

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Figure 17 is an example of the user interface in ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack.

Figure 17. ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack user interface

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Installation procedures

Following are several step-by-step procedures needed to install Windows Server 2003 on a ProLiant server via ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack. Not every procedure required to complete this function is explained here. Procedures such as the installation of Rapid Deployment Pack, Windows 2000 Server, and the configuration of DHCP services are not discussed in the document.

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 installation on target serverFollowing is a step-by-step procedure to install Windows Server 2003 onto the target deployment server.

Prerequisites All servers should be configured with an IP address via DHCP services. The RDP application should be installed and operational. The target deployment server should have the correct System Configuration

and ROM revisions.

The following should be performed on the RDP server:

1. Delete any existing scripts that may be on the target deployment server in the RDP interface.

RDP Installation

The following should be performed on the target deployment server:

1. If required: Enable PXE boot via F12 on POST or the RBSU (on older systems, enter the System Config – Hardware Configuration – View or Edit Details). Exit the System Config and reboot the deployment server.

2. The BootWorks menu should display on the POST.

The following should be performed on the RDP server:

1.Open RDP.2. When the target server number displays in the upper left panel of the RDP

interface, click and drag your deployment script onto the target server.3. The target server will reboot several times and complete the unattended

install.4. Reboot the server when this portion of the install has completed.

iLO virtual CD-ROM installationPrerequisites

The correct version of Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) ROM should be installed.

A host PC with a local CD-ROM should be available.

1. Connect a remote host via an RJ45 cable to the iLO port. 2. Configure the remote host to use IP address 192.168.1.2. 3. Once in the iLO console, enable the virtual CD-ROM under Virtual Media. 4. Insert the SmartStart CD into the host PC.5. Launch a Remote Console session; see Figure 18.

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Figure 18. Launch remote console

6. Restart the ProLiant/blade server via the virtual power buttons or the main power button.

7. The ProLiant/blade boot cycle should find the CD and start the install process.

8. Follow the standard Windows Server 2003 CD install procedure via the remote console.

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Deploying a Virtual Machine with RDP

This section describes the method used to deploy a Windows 2000 and Windows 2003 Virtual Machines using RDP. The process is similar to deploying Windows on a hardware-based server.

An unattended.txt file (renamed w2k-vs.txt / wnet-vs.txt in these examples) is used to deploy the Virtual Machine.

The hardware detection section of these scripts is machine specific. Because of this, it is best to copy and edit an existing script for the specific server. Rename the batch file that the script calls as its last operation. For this example, the Windows 2000 Server script was copied and modified. The original bat filename was w2k.bat. This file was copied and renamed to w2k-vs.bat.

The Windows 2000 deployment scripts already contained in RDP are (copied and) modified to deploy the Virtual Machine.

All references to OEM drivers are removed in the unattended file because the Virtual Machines contain only virtualized hardware; therefore, none of the OEM drivers would be effective.

The Windows 2000 Virtual Machine deploys with generic Windows drivers.

Prerequisites All servers should be configured with an IP address via DHCP services. The RDP application should be installed and operational. All RDP scripts and associated files should be altered accordingly and in

place. The target deployment hardware server should have the correct System

Configuration and ROM revisions. The target deployment hardware server should have Virtual Server 2005

installed and operational.

Deployment process for a Windows 2000 Virtual MachineThe following section explains the steps necessary to deploy a Windows 2000 Virtual Machine using RDP. In order to start the process, create an initial Virtual Machine in the Virtual Server console. This Virtual Machine is analogous to a hardware server where the Virtual Machine operating system will be loaded. Keep in mind that the parameters used to create this initial Virtual Machine will be the parameters of the finished Virtual Machine, after the deployment has completed. The name of the Virtual Machine, the disk size, the disk file name, the network configuration, etc., will be retained when the Virtual Machine is completely deployed.

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The following steps should be completed in the Virtual Server Console.

1.Log on to the Virtual Server console where the Virtual Machine is to be deployed.

2.Create an initial Virtual Machine to begin the deployment process.3. Create a virtual hard disk as indicated in Figure 19 below, the size depends

on the specific requirements – for this example, 2GB will be enough.

Figure 19. Create a new Virtual Machine

4. In order to obtain an IP address on boot up, the Virtual Machine must be connected to a network that can supply DHCP services. This network can be internally or externally (outbound NIC) configured. For this example, the External Network will be used for the connection.

5.Click Create to finish the initial Virtual Machine with the desired attributes. 6.Direct the floppy drive to the path where the PXE boot instructions reside,

from the previous PXE boot disk process on the RDP console, copy the contents of the boot disk to the local drive to a known directory.

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Figure 20. Select “Floppy Drive” from the configuration screen

Select Known floppy disks Type in the path for the MSVSBOOT.VFD file OK.

Note: The name MSVSBOOT is just a given name; the copy of the PXE boot instruction set from the boot disk must contain, however, the VFD extension – Virtual File Disk.

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Figure 21. Type the path for the MSVSBOOT.VFD file

Start the Virtual Machine by clicking on the icon on top of the Status Console screen and watch as PXE instructs the Virtual Machine to wait for further instructions from the RDP server.

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Figure 22. PXE Boot instructions in the Virtual Machine

The following steps should be performed in RDP.

7. Identify the Virtual Machine by looking at the upper left section of the RDP console under New Computers; the MAC address should match the serial number.

Figure 23. Match the Serial Number with the MAC Address to identify the Virtual Machine

8. Drag the designated script (in this example – “Virtual Machine Scripted Install for Microsoft Windows 2000”) onto the Virtual Machine in the upper left pane of the RDP interface. (Figure 24). See the section titled Virtual Machine deployment support files below.

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9. The Schedule Job dialog should be displayed – select OK to run the script immediately.

Figure 24. Drag script

The particular Virtual Machine is designated by its serial number. This is a unique number read from the BIOS of the Virtual Machine.

10.The deployment process should reboot the target Virtual Machine several times and the installation of Windows 2000 will begin automatically.

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Figure 25. The Installation begins

11. After the process begins, make sure to disable the floppy drive when the Virtual Machine has copied all the installation files and rebooted to begin the installation. Failure to do this will cause the PXE process to loop every time the Virtual Machine boots up. Go to the Virtual Machine configuration and select Floppy Drive, and then select No Media as the boot device; this will allow the Virtual Machine to boot from the Windows installation files and finish the installation. Click OK.

Figure 26. Disable the vfd file

12. Wait until the installation is completed.

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Figure 27. Windows 2000 is installed

Deployment process for a Windows 2003 Virtual MachineThe following section explains the steps necessary to deploy a Windows 2003 Virtual Machine using RDP. This process is identical to the Windows 2000 deployment, the only difference is that the unattended and .bat files change. These changes will be portrayed later on.

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The following steps should be completed in the Virtual Server 2005 Console.

1.Log on to the Virtual Server 2005 console where the Virtual Machine is to be deployed.

2.Create an initial Virtual Machine to begin the deployment process.3.Create a virtual hard disk as indicated in Figure 28 below; the size depends

on the specific requirements – for this example, 2GB will be enough.

Figure 28. Create a new Virtual Machine

4. In order to obtain an IP address on boot up, the Virtual Machine must be connected to a network that can supply DHCP services. This network can be internally or externally (outbound NIC) configured. For this example, the External Network will be used for the connection.

5.Click Create to finish the initial Virtual Machine with the desired attributes. 6. Direct the floppy drive to the path where the PXE boot instructions reside,

from the previous “Create Boot Disk” process on the RDP console; copy the contents of the boot disk to the local drive to a known directory.

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Figure 29. Select “Floppy Drive” from the configuration screen

Select Known floppy disks Type in the path for the MSVSBOOT.VFD file OK

Note: The name MSVSBOOT is just a given name; the copy of the PXE boot instruction set from the boot disk must contain, however, the VFD extension – Virtual File Disk.

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Figure 30. Type in the path for the MSVSBOOT.VFD file

Start the Virtual Machine by clicking on the icon on top of the Status Console screen and watch as PXE instructs the Virtual Machine to wait for further instructions from the RDP server.

Figure 31. PXE Boot instructions in the Virtual Machine

The following steps should be performed in RDP.

7. Identify the Virtual Machine by looking at the upper left section of the RDP console under New Computers; the MAC address should match the serial number.

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Figure 32. Match the Serial Number with the MAC Address to identify the Virtual Machine

8. Drag the designated script (in this example – “Virtual Machine Scripted Install for Microsoft Windows 2003”) onto the Virtual Machine in the upper left pane of the RDP interface. (Figure 33). See the Virtual Machine deployment support files section below.

9. The Schedule Job dialog should be displayed – select OK to run the script immediately.

Figure 33. Drag the scripted install to the newly discovered computer.

The particular Virtual Machine is designated by its serial number. This is a unique number read from the BIOS of the Virtual Machine.

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10.The deployment process should reboot the target Virtual Machine several times and the installation of Windows Server 2003 will begin automatically.

Figure 34. The Installation begins

11. After the process begins, make sure to disable the floppy drive when the Virtual Machine has copied all the installation files and reboots to begin the installation. Failure to do this will cause the PXE process to loop every time the Virtual Machine boots up. Go to the Virtual Machine configuration and select Floppy Drive, and then select No Media as the boot device, this will allow the Virtual Machine to boot from the Windows installation files and finish the installation. Click OK.

Figure 35. Disable the vfd file – Select No Media

12. Wait until the installation is completed.

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Figure 36. Windows 2003 is installed

Virtual Machine deployment support filesBelow is a listing of the support files used to deploy Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003.

The RDP script for Windows 2000

The following is a breakdown of the “Virtual Machine Scripted Install of Windows 2000” script.

Run Script Set Disk Partitionrem Set Disk Partitionrem bootwork unloadset prtfile=w2k-p.inicall f:\deploy\tools\scripts\setpart.bat

Power Management (Reboot)Run Script Install OS

set os=w2kset unattendfile=w2k-vs.txtcall f:\deploy\tools\scripts\w2k-vs.bat

Run Script Install OSf:cd %ospath%i386winnt.exe /s:%ospath%i386 /u: c: \$oem$\unattend.txt

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The unattened.txt file for Windows 2000

The following file has been modified from the Windows 2000 scripted install found in RDP 1.6. It was renamed w2k-vs.txt in this example.

; Base Server Unattended Install Script for Windows 2000;

[Unattended] DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore ExtendOemPartition=1 FileSystem=ConvertNTFS KeyboardLayout="US" NtUpgrade=No OemPreinstall=No OemSkipEula=Yes TargetPath=\WINNT UnattendMode=FullUnattended Win9xUpgrade=No

[GuiUnattended] AdminPassword=password AutoLogon=Yes AutoLogonCount=1 OEMSkipRegional=1 OemSkipWelcome=1 TimeZone=20

[UserData] ComputerName=* FullName=HP OrgName=HPQ

[Proxy] Proxy_Enable=0 Use_Same_Proxy=0

[LicenseFilePrintData] AutoMode=PerServer AutoUsers=999

[GuiRunOnce] "cmd /c rename c:\altiris\aclient\wlogev~1.exe wlogevent.exe" "c:\altiris\aclient\aclient.exe c:\altiris\aclient\aclient.inp -silent -install -ns"

[Display] AutoConfirm=1 BitsPerPel=32 ConfigureAtLogon=0 Xresolution=800 Yresolution=600

[RegionalSettings] Language=00000409 LanguageGroup=1

[Components] iis_pwmgr=Off iis_inetmgr=Off

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iis_www=Off iis_ftp=Off TSClients=On TSEnable=On

[Networking] InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

[Identification] JoinWorkgroup=WORKGROUP

[NetOptionalComponents] SNMP=1 WBEMSNMP=1 SimpTCP=1

[SNMP] Community_Name=public Traps=localhost

[TerminalServices] ApplicationServer=0 PermissionsSetting=0

[Data] AutoPartition=1 MsDosInitiated="0" UnattendedInstall="Yes"

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The Batch file for Windows 2000

The following is a breakdown of the w2k-vs.bat file. This file was modified from the w2k.bat file in RDP.

@echo on

:: ==============================================================:: w2k.bat:: Windows 2000 Scripted Install Script:::: Input::: %ss% = the name of the folder of which support files to use:: %os% = the name of the folder of which OS files to use:: %unattendfile% = the name of the unattend.txt file:: %ssos% = (optional) the name of the subfolder in the %ss% folder to use:: %skipformat% = (optional) whether or not to skip the format step:: ==============================================================

if "%ssos%" == "" set ssos=%os%

set configs=f:\deploy\configsset tools=f:\deploy\toolsset ssst=f:\deploy\tools\ssstset sspath=f:\deploy\cds\compaq\%ss%set ospath=f:\deploy\cds\windows\%os%

if "%ss%" == "" goto err1if exist %sspath%\ntcsp\*.* goto noerr2if exist %sspath%\%ssos%\*.* goto noerr2goto err2:noerr2if "%os%" == "" goto err3if not exist %ospath%\i386\*.* goto err4if "%unattendfile%" == "" goto err5if not exist %configs%\%unattendfile% goto err6

:: Format the hard driveif "%skipformat%" == "yes" goto skipformat%ssst%\cpqfmt.com c:echo test > c:\test.txtif not exist c:\test.txt goto err7echo y | del c:\test.txt > nul:skipformat

md c:\$oem$copy /y %configs%\%unattendfile% c:\$oem$\unattend.txtif "%computername%" == "" goto nameskip%tools%\sed.exe -e "s/ComputerName=\*/ComputerName=%computername%/" c:\$oem$\unattend.txt > c:\$oem$\unattend.newdel c:\$oem$\unattend.txtcopy /y c:\$oem$\unattend.new c:\$oem$\unattend.txtdel c:\$oem$\unattend.new:nameskip

:: Copy the AClient filesmd c:\altirismd c:\altiris\aclient

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copy /y f:\aclient.exe c:\altiris\aclientcopy /y f:\aclient.inp c:\altiris\aclientcopy /y f:\sidgen.exe c:\altiris\aclientcopy /y f:\wlogev~1.exe c:\altiris\aclient

:: Set the C: as active partition%tools%\setactiv 0

:: Run smartdrv so the file copy goes fasterf:\bootwiz\dos\smartdrv /u /v

set severity=1set status="Microsoft Windows 2000 Install: Started."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err1set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2000 Install: The SS variable is not defined."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err2set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2000 Install: The SS variable value is invalid."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err3set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2000 Install: The OS variable is not defined."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err4set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2000 Install: The OS variable value is invalid."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err5set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2000 Install: The UNATTENDFILE variable is not defined."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err6set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2000 Install: The UNATTENDFILE variable value is invalid."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err7set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2000 Install: Format failed."

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if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:doneset status=set severity=set sspath=set ssst=set tools=

:end

The RDP script for Windows Server 2003

The following is a breakdown of the “Virtual Machine Scripted Install of Microsoft Windows 2003” script.

Run Script Set Disk Partitionrem Set Disk Partitionrem bootwork unloadset prtfile=wnet-p.inicall f:\deploy\tools\scripts\setpart.bat

Power Management (Reboot)Run Script Install OS

set os=wnetset unattendfile=wnet-vs.txtcall f:\deploy\tools\scripts\wnet-vs.bat

Run Script Install OSf:cd %ospath%i386winnt.exe /s:%ospath%i386 /u: c: \$oem$\unattend.txt

The unattened.txt file for Windows 2003 Server

The following file has been modified from the Windows 2003 scripted install found in RDP 1.6. It was renamed wnet-vs.txt in this example.

; Base Server Unattended Install Script for Windows .NET;

[Unattended] DisableVirtualOemDevices=Yes DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore Emsskipunattendprocessing=yes ExtendOemPartition=1 FileSystem=ConvertNTFS KeyboardLayout="US" NtUpgrade=No OemFilesPath=C: OemPnPDriversPath=drivers\net;drivers\scsi OemPreinstall=No OemSkipEula=Yes OverwriteOemFilesOnUpgrade=No TargetPath=\WINDOWS UnattendMode=FullUnattended

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Win9xUpgrade=No

[GuiUnattended] AdminPassword=password AutoLogon=Yes AutoLogonCount=1 OEMSkipRegional=1 OemSkipWelcome=1 TimeZone=20

[UserData] ProductID=J9K3C-6JBKH-BGWWH-7FC4Q-HCQHM ComputerName=* FullName=HP OrgName=HPQ

[Proxy] Proxy_Enable=0 Use_Same_Proxy=0

[LicenseFilePrintData] AutoMode=PerServer AutoUsers=999

[GuiRunOnce] "c:\$oem$\runonce.cmd"

[Display] AutoConfirm=1 BitsPerPel=16 ConfigureAtLogon=0 VRefresh=60 Xresolution=800 Yresolution=600

[RegionalSettings] Language=00000409 LanguageGroup=1

[Components] TSClients=On TSEnable=On

[Networking] InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

[Identification] JoinWorkgroup=WORKGROUP

[NetOptionalComponents] SNMP=1 WBEMSNMP=1 SimpTCP=1

[SNMP] Accept_CommunityName=public:Read_Only, private:Read_Create Community_Name="public" Traps=localhost

[TerminalServices] ApplicationServer=0

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PermissionsSetting=0

The Batch file for Windows 2003 Server

The following is a breakdown of the wnet-vs.bat file. This file was modified from the wnet.bat file in RDP.

@echo on

:: ==============================================================:: wnet.bat:: Windows 2003 Scripted Install Script:::: Input::: %ss% = the name of the folder of which support files to use:: %os% = the name of the folder of which OS files to use:: %unattendfile% = the name of the unattend.txt file:: %ssos% = (optional) the name of the subfolder in the %ss% folder to use:: %skipformat% = (optional) whether or not to skip the format step:: ==============================================================

if "%ssos%" == "" set ssos=%os%

set configs=f:\deploy\configsset tools=f:\deploy\toolsset ssst=f:\deploy\tools\ssstset sspath=f:\deploy\cds\compaq\%ss%\%ssos%set ospath=f:\deploy\cds\windows\%os%

if "%ss%" == "" goto err1if not exist %sspath%\*.* goto err2if "%os%" == "" goto err3if not exist %ospath%\i386\*.* goto err4if "%unattendfile%" == "" goto err5if not exist %configs%\%unattendfile% goto err6

:: Format the hard driveif "%skipformat%" == "yes" goto skipformat%ssst%\cpqfmt.com c:echo test > c:\test.txtif not exist c:\test.txt goto err7echo y | del c:\test.txt > nul:skipformat

:: Copy OEM drivers and the Support Paqmd c:\$oem$%ssst%\filecopy.exe /s:%sspath% /d:c:\$oem$ /f:*.* /s /ecopy /y %tools%\*.* c:\$oem$copy /y %configs%\%unattendfile% c:\$oem$\unattend.txtif "%computername%" == "" goto nameskip%tools%\sed.exe -e "s/ComputerName=\*/ComputerName=%computername%/" c:\$oem$\unattend.txt > c:\$oem$\unattend.newdel c:\$oem$\unattend.txtcopy /y c:\$oem$\unattend.new c:\$oem$\unattend.txtdel c:\$oem$\unattend.new:nameskip

:: Copy the AClient files

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md c:\altirismd c:\altiris\aclientcopy /y f:\aclient.exe c:\altiris\aclientcopy /y f:\aclient.inp c:\altiris\aclientcopy /y f:\sidgen.exe c:\altiris\aclientcopy /y f:\wlogev~1.exe c:\altiris\aclient

:: Set the C: as active partition%tools%\setactiv 0

:: Run smartdrv so the the file copy goes fasterf:\bootwiz\dos\smartdrv /u /v

set severity=1set status="Microsoft Windows 2003 Install: Started."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err1set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2003 Install: The SS variable is not defined."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err2set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2003 Install: The SS variable value is invalid."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err3set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2003 Install: The OS variable is not defined."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err4set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2003 Install: The OS variable value is invalid."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err5set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2003 Install: The UNATTENDFILE variable is not defined."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err6set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2003 Install: The UNATTENDFILE variable value is invalid."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:err7

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set severity=3set status="Microsoft Windows 2003 Install: Format failed."if exist f:\logevent.exe f:\logevent.exe -l:%severity% -ss:%status%goto done

:doneset status=set severity=set sspath=set ssst=set tools=

:end

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HP Systems Insight Manager

This section helps the user understand more about how to setup the HP Insight Management Agents and Virtual Machines running on HP ProLiant servers, specifically the resources needed in order to get started, and procedures to follow on different platforms such as Microsoft Windows NT®, Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003 clients.

This section is not an installation guide for HP Systems Insight Manager (HP SIM), but a step-by-step look on how to customize and modify modules that need to be enabled on Virtual Machine clients that interact with Insight Management Agents.

Please refer to the installation guide for HP SIM; the user needs to be familiar with it in order to determine and accomplish several requirements prior to the setup and configuration. For more on the HP SIM installation guide, visit: http://h18013.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/hpsim/infolibrary.html#techinfo

The elements of management are very simple, and consist of some method of measurement, a communication protocol to send that information, and a component that will receive and act upon the data. In this document, it is assumed that the reader has a certain level of familiarity with Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), the Hypertext Transfer Protocol or HTTP, and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI, an implementation for Microsoft Windows of the Web-Based Enterprise Management standard).

The HP SIM Central Management Server is the main console that manages these Virtual Machine-instances and a complete procedure on how to set it up is depicted.

Setting up the HP Insight Management Agents on Virtual Server 2005 platformsThe HP Insight Management Agents should be setup on the target Virtual Server 2005 servers either before or after setting up the HP SIM Central Management Server.

Insight Management Agents are provided with every HP ProLiant 300/500/700 series server and can be found on the management CD in the ProLiant Essentials Foundation Pack that is contained in each system. Additionally, HP SIM can be downloaded from the web at no charge after a simple registration from http://www.hp.com/servers/manage.

To start the installation

Insert the HP SmartStart CD Support Software Install the HP ProLiant Support Pack (PSP)

Follow this procedure:

Once on the HP Remote Deployment Utility screen All Configurable Components HP Insight Management Agents right click Configure SNMP Settings set Administrator Password Follow the on-screen instructions. See Figures 37 through 41.

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Virtual Server 2005 platforms

Figure 37. Remote Deployment Utility

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Figure 38. SNMP Settings

Figure 39. Trust Relationship set to Trust by Certificate

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Figure 40. Uncheck Allow components to overwrite newer or up-to-date versions

Figure 41. Software Installation

It is necessary to setup the SNMP service; do the following:

1.Start Control Panel Add or Remove Programs

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2.Add/Remove Windows Components3.Management and Monitoring Tools4. Select the Simple Network Management Protocol OK; the necessary

components will be installed.5.Verify the service has started.

Configuring Virtual Machine client platformsSince all of the hardware of a virtual machine is just emulation, the Insight Management Agents have no activity to report. There are basically two things to know about when it comes to a virtual machine, and that is whether it is up or down and some configuration details.

For basic status monitoring, HP Systems Insight Manager does not require any software to be installed on the virtual machine. HP SIM can do a status poll using a standard ping and wait for a response.1 Technically, there are some states where a system might respond to a ping even though major parts of the operating system or application have crashed, so it is desirable to have a more advanced status capability through SNMP. For the virtual machine, the standard SNMP stack provided with the operating system should be reliable. It must be included during the install of each virtual machine or later.

SNMP has a rudimentary security capability through an agreed-upon passphrase used by both sender and receiver called a community string. Most operating systems will automatically use “public” as the community string. It is recommended to use something, anything, other than “public.” An additional step in configuration needs to be done with Windows Server 2003. By default, the SNMP service is only set up to respond to requests from “localhost” and ignore all others. To enable it to respond to the HP SIM server when a status request comes in, add the DNS name or IP address of the HP SIM server to the list of addresses it will accept packets from or change the selection to Accept packets from any host.

HP SIM is able to use Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI, based on the Web Based Enterprise Management [WBEM] standard) to collect data from the virtual machine about configuration and utilization. If the host is Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003, then no additional install is required; WMI is already setup. Windows NT 4.0 does not include WMI, but Microsoft developed an install package to add it, which can be downloaded by going to http://www.Microsoft.com/downloads and searching on WMI core. WMI uses secure communications, so a valid login/password combination will need to be supplied to HP SIM. This user does not need any special privileges, so the administrator account isn’t needed. Whether on the ActiveDirectory/domain or as a local user, an account with user privileges can be created that can be propagated to every virtual machine, and that later can be used to configure in HP SIM as the login account.

To configure a Virtual Machine in order for HP SIM to identify it correctly, the SNMP service should be installed and customized as follows:

For Windows 2000/2003 Server Virtual Machines

1.Start Control Panel Add/Remove Programs menu.2.Select Add/Remove Windows Components.3.Select Management and Monitoring Tools Details.1 In cases where the ICMP ping capability has been disabled as a method to minimize worm and virus propagation, HP SIM can do an IP status poll on port 80.

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4.Select Simple Network Management Protocol OK.5.This should install the necessary SNMP components.

Second, the SNMP service should be enabled; do the following:

Go to Start Program Files Administrative Tools right click Services Properties select the Traps tab and type the Community name Add to list Apply OK Restart the SNMP service.

Figure 42. SNMP Service Properties

For Windows NT 4.0 Virtual Machines

There are two steps to complete so the client will be HP SIM compatible.

1. Install the WMI Core software into the NT client, since NT 4.0 does not support WMI. The executable file wmicore.exe needs to be downloaded or obtained from Microsoft2.

2. Make sure SNMP is present in the NT infrastructure. If not, install and setup the SNMP service.

These steps are shown in the following Figures 43-46.

2 http://www.Microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=AFE41F46-E213-4CBF-9C5B-FBF236E0E875

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Figure 43. Follow the on-screen instructions

Figure 44. Install the SNMP service after the WMI Core installation, if necessary

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Figure 45. Restart the Virtual Machine client

Make sure after the restart that the WMI service is up and running Start Control Panel Services Close.

Figure 46. Services console

If necessary, install the SNMP service and set it up.

Go to Start Control Panel Network Services tab Add Select SNMP Service OK, follow the on-screen instructions Select the Traps tab type Community Name Add Apply OK Restart the Virtual Machine Restart the SNMP service.

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Figure 47. Control Panel

Figure 48. Services tab

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Figure 49. Follow the on-screen instructions

Figure 50. SNMP Properties

HP Systems Insight Manager – Central Management ServerHP Systems Insight Manager (HP SIM) runs as an application on a host3 running Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003. The user interface is web based, and can be accessed from Microsoft Internet Explorer, either locally or 3 HP Systems Insight Manager does not have to be hosted on a ProLiant server; it can be run on almost everything that meets the system requirements for speed, memory and disk space (consult the QuickSpecs for the latest info). It is important to note that while HP SIM can run in a virtual machine, that is not one of the test cases in the qualification matrix, so limited support for this configuration may be available. Additionally, HP SIM is relatively I/O intensive, so its performance may be affected by other virtual machines that also consume I/O bandwidth, or it may affect the performance of your other applications.

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remotely (consult the QuickSpecs for exact versions and minimum requirements).

Before setting up the Central Management Server (CMS) make sure that the HP SIM CMS server complies with the necessary requirements and prerequisites prior to installation. Refer to the HP SIM Installation guide for proper instructions4.

Installation dependencies

Domain Naming System: HP SIM relies on a properly configured DNS to be able to translate names for systems and to access them. Make sure that both forward and reverse DNS are active and accurate. If DNS cannot be brought into compliance easily, HP SIM can use a local hosts file (%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\drivers\etc on Windows platforms) in the place of a network DNS. Also, be aware that properly formatted domain names are necessary. For example, host names with the underscore symbol (“_”) are not allowed and interfere with name resolution and browser cookies. They are specifically prohibited in the IETF RFC 883 for domain names.

Network accessibility: All systems, whether virtual or physical, must be accessible from where the HP SIM Central Management Server is hosted in order to be managed. Virtual machines without a virtual switch connected to a physical network interface will not be visible to HP SIM unless HP SIM is also hosted within that private network.

Follow these instructions to install the HP SIM software from the ProLiant Essentials Foundation Pack:

Insert the SmartStart Management / Software Management Applications CD in the designated CMS server.

In the Home page open the Products tab. Click on the HP Systems Insight Manager link. Select Install. Select HP Systems Insight Manager from the list. Select Install, or

Download the necessary software package from http://h18013.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/hpsim/download.html#windows. Search and download the appropriate OS file and execute the self-extracting file.

Note: For an optimized setup and configuration, make sure the administrative passwords are current and consistent when installing HP SIM CMS (Administrator).

The following procedure depicts the CMS installation; this procedure is valid for a server running Windows 2000/2003.

4 For complete information on the HP SIM installation guide, please refer to: http://h18013.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/hpsim/infolibrary.html#techinfo

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1.Select the Install HP Systems Insight Manager 4.1 option.

Figure 51. HP SIM Install Menu

2.Select Custom Next – Figure 52.

Figure 52. Installation Type

3.Review and select the components to install – Figure 53.

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Figure 53. Review and select the components to install

4.Review the summary Install – Figure 54.

Figure 54. Review the summary

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5. Open SSH Services will be installed Select Installation directory type Account Login Credentials Next The system needs to be restarted – Figure 55.

Figure 55. The Open SSH Services will be installed

6. After the reboot, type the user account and database server Next. The database will be installed and populated – Figure 56.

Figure 56. Database configuration

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7. The WMI Mapper module will be installed choose the type of install (i.e., Custom) Next. Follow the on-screen instructions – Figure 57.

Figure 57. WMI Mapper Setup

8. To comply with the HP Performance Management Pack (PMP) installation, follow the instructions and click OK the PMP module will be installed next – Figure 58.

Figure 58. HP Performance Management Pack

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9.Type in the authentication credentials Next – Figure 59.

Figure 59. Database Configuration

10.The installation is done, select Finish and reboot the system – Figure 60.

Figure 60. The installation is done

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After the reboot, select the Systems Insight Manager icon from the desktop Install JPI to set up the Java™ environment Follow the on-screen instructions – Figure 61 Select Custom as the type of install Next and follow the on-screen instructions.

Figure 61. HP SIM Web interface

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Figure 62. Setup Type

Uncheck the box for Microsoft Internet Explorer; this will avoid setting the installed JRE as the IE default Java engine, therefore avoiding Java version issues. Internet Explorer will call its appropriate version without conflict Next.

Figure 63. Select Browsers

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Once the installation is finished Refresh Login.

Figure 64. Web interface login

Type authentication credentials Secure Login.

Figure 65. Login screen

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Figure 66. HP SIM Web Interface home page

Select All Systems only the HP SIM CMS Server is present.

Figure 67. All systems menu

Managing Virtual Machines with HP Systems Insight Manager

WBEM/WMI

HP SIM needs a valid login/password combination to be able to communicate via WBEM or WMI. This combination can be specified on a global basis or even on an individual system basis. The easiest way is to configure a common username and password on all systems. This way, when the discovery process

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finds the virtual machine, it will be able to identify and collect data from it. Find Default WBEM settings under Options Protocol Settings Global Protocol Settings. Make sure the Enable WBEM checkbox is checked and supply login names and passwords for HP SIM to use in obtaining WBEM/WMI data. There are five different settings, so if there are different logins for different groups of servers, one can include them all.

WMI Mapper

A WMI Mapper is used to access WMI data. If you have HP SIM installed on Windows and chose for the WMI Mapper to be installed as part of the HP SIM installation, the location of the WMI Mapper will already be configured.

To discover systems perform the following steps:

From Options Protocol Settings Global Protocol Settings.

Figure 68. Options Menu

Set the WBEM settings.

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Figure 69. Global Protocol Settings

Note: Keep Windows passwords current and consistent (Administrator).

Set the Read community string value OK to apply the changes.

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Figure 70. Community string

Note: The community string name can be any name as long as every client and server have this same name defined; otherwise, SNMP will not be enabled for HP SIM.

Discovery

After the installation and configuration, it is possible to view both physical and virtual systems HP SIM has discovered. They will appear slightly differently on the list. On the left hand “Systems List” box, select the All Systems list to display everything discovered. If the physical hosts were discovered and classified properly, a status icon should be present: an “MP” or management processor icon (generically referring to an iLO management processor or RILOE card in the physical system), an “SW” or software status icon, or a “PF” or performance icon. The icon will be followed by System Name, System Type, System Address, Product Name, and OS Name. If all components are configured properly, the system type should reflect “Server,” the product name should be the ProLiant server model host (e.g., “ProLiant DL360 G3”), and the OS running on the system (Windows and version).

The virtual machines will be displayed a little differently and are expected to display either “Unknown” or “Unmanaged” in Product Type. Under Product Name, it should show up as “Virtual Machine.” HP SIM is picking this up from WBEM/WMI automatically from an entry the virtual machine populates in SMBIOS (system management BIOS).

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Telling HP SIM about the systems that need to be managed is a process of either automatic or manual discovery. With automatic discovery, ranges of IP addresses (commonly the subnet) are provided and through pinging, HP SIM will discover and add to the database systems that respond to its call. With manual discovery, the DNS name or IP address of an individual system will be supplied, or an entire list of them for HP SIM to add to the database will be provided.

It is important prior to running the discovery step that the “Discovery Filters” should be configured to accommodate the virtual machines. HP SIM uses discovery filters to discriminate systems that the user wants HP SIM to recognize. In other words, in a given subnet there may be servers, switches and desktops, but there could be a case of HP SIM managing servers only, at a user’s request. The discovery filters allow HP SIM to ignore anything that it does not recognize as a server. HP SIM does not have a rule to distinguish this “product type” for virtual machines and therefore it classifies them as “unknown” or “unmanaged.” If Discovery Filters are enabled and “unknown” or “unmanaged” aren’t included in the filter, HP SIM will ignore these virtual machines and leave them undiscovered. To properly discover them, either turn discovery filters off or make sure that “unknown” or “unmanaged” are included as part of the allowed system types.

Find Discovery under Options Discovery and then select Automatic Discovery or Manual Discovery. Figure 71.

Note: The discovery filters option is only present on the Automatic Discovery page. If Manual Discovery is used, make sure to visit the Automatic Discovery page first to configure the filters.

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Figure 71. Automatic Discovery menu

Set the IP range, scheduling, and filters.

Figure 72. Discovery general settings

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Click Save and Run to execute the server Discovery.

Figure 73. Executing Automatic Discovery

Note: If the Discovery doesn’t take place, as a troubleshooting tip, disable the “discovery filters” option from the General Settings setup and try the procedure again. Figure 74.

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Figure 74. Discovery General Settings

Verify that WBEM is set as a Management Protocol, System Page Identity Management Protocols.

Figure 75. System Page

Select All Systems to browse the server list, as it has been populated.

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Figure 76. All systems display

From Logs View All Scheduled Tasks.

Figure 77. Logs Menu

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Select Daily Device Identification to confirm the type of server/OS Run Now.

Figure 78. All scheduled tasks

Figure 79. All scheduled tasks

Associating virtual machines with a physical host

At times, it can be useful to see all of the machines that are being run on a physical host. HP SIM has no knowledge of the association of virtual to physical, so to accomplish this, a list must be created and maintained manually. A

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customized list can be created by naming each individual system’s name using the criteria for system name, or if there is a naming convention, the machines can be found using a wildcard of some sort (e.g., a physical server named “Server2” with virtual machines called “Server2a,” Server2b” and so forth could be found using a rule like “Search for (systems) where (system name) (contains) (Server2)”). A quick and easy way of setting up a list such as this is to display the “All Systems” list and use the selection box to check off the names of the systems you want to group together and use the [Save as] button below the list box to save and name the list.

Create a virtual machine list

Since HP SIM can identify these Virtual Machines as “Virtual Machine” under Product Name, one can create a list to display all of them at once. In the System lists box at the left, click the plus sign (“+”) to expand the System Lists category and click the plus sign to expand the Systems by Type category. There are default listings for All Systems, All Servers, All Clients and so forth.

Figure 80. Verify All Systems distribution list

At the top of that box, click the Customize link, which will allow creating a new list. In the screen that follows, click the New List button, and the lower part of the screen will present criteria to define the list. Use the pull-downs to define a rule that displays “Search for (systems) where (product name) (is) (Virtual Machine)” and then click the Save As button. Name it All Virtual Machines and place it in the existing public folder Systems by Type and click OK to save it.

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Figure 81. Customize Lists

Figure 82. Customize Lists

Look back at the Systems List box at the left and expand if necessary to see the detail of Systems by Type. The “All Virtual Machines” list should now be featured as an option. Click that list and the main window of the screen will display everything that matches the criteria previously set.

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Figure 83. All Virtual Machines

Once the lists have been set up for all of the physical machines and the Virtual Machines that they contain, a useful technique can be to configure the lists to be part of the “My Favorites” category. “My Favorites” allow one to show systems lists and to associate an aggregate status with that list. Where that can be particularly advantageous is to have at-a-glance views of the overall status and one-click access to the list of all the virtual machines that a physical fault could affect.

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Figure 84. Creating a Virtual Machines List Favorite

Select the Virtual Machine list name Folder OK.

Figure 85. Creating a Virtual Machine Favorite List Name

Systems Lists My Favorites Virtual Machines select the created list to view its content.

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Figure 86. Virtual Machines List contents

Going Beyond the Basics

HP Systems Insight Manager is a very comprehensive platform, and these tasks are just a starting point of its capabilities. There are additional capabilities that can be explored after the basics are understood. These include: tuning the frequency with which tasks (polling, data collection) are run to fit with the environment, creating actions based on events received, and others.

To create a report for a Virtual Machine on disk space (as a task example), do the following:

Reports New Report Select the list Next.

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Figure 87. New Report

Set Report name select items to report Run Report.

Figure 89. New Report settings

Browse report results – Figure 90.

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Figure 90. Config and Disk Space report

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For more information

HP Systems Insight Manager - Overview and Features, http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/hpsim/index.html

For more information on HP ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack, consult the following link: http://www.hp.com/servers/rdp

For more information on Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and/or Virtual Server 2005, consult the following links:

http://www.microsoft.com/virtualserver

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003

© 2004 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

Microsoft, Windows NT and Windows are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Intel is a trademark or registered trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Java is a US trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc.

[11/2004]-1