hints and tips for monitoring cisco ucs

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Hints and Tips –Monitoring Cisco UCS

Lax SakalkaleProduct ManagementVirtualization, Cloud Monitoring

Stephen SmithProduct MarketingVirtualization, Cloud Monitoring



Agenda› Why Cisco UCS?› Cisco UCS Monitoring Challenges› Nimsoft Monitor for Cisco UCS› Monitor the Entire Environment – Three Key Dimensions› Cisco UCS Monitoring Best Practices:

» Setting thresholds and metrics» Ensure consistent monitoring» Automatic configuration of Cisco UCS monitoring

› Demo› Q&A



Why Cisco UCS?›10,000 UCS customers can’t be wrong! ›$1Billion in annual run rate

› A turnkey converged infrastructure solution for Cloud stacks » Consolidates infrastructure, saves space, power

» Base platform for both Vblock and FlexPodsystems

Cisco/VMware/EMC Cisco/VMware/NetAppFlexPod



Monitoring Cisco UCS – New challengesUCS Monitoring Challenges:› Platform successful but complex

› Silo’d monitoring solutions» Separate platforms for each IT technology

» Requires expertise in multiple disciplines

» Difficult integrations, manual processes

› Required –A unified approach» Single solution » Modular architecture» Unified views



Nimsoft Monitor for Cisco UCSExtending Monitor Visibility to the Full UCS StackNimsoft Monitor - A turnkey monitoring solution for UCS-based Cloud stacks› Discovers and monitors all physical and virtual components including Vblockor FlexPod» Server, Network, Storage, Software,

and Virtualization» Service level and usage optimization

reporting› Modular – No Integration Required› Event correlation and analysis› Customizable, roll-based dashboards› True multi-tenant SaaS delivery› Usage-based metering and billing› OOB Unified Dashboards



Best Practice Monitor The Entire EnvironmentThree Key Dimensions:› Network + Compute

» Physical and Virtual› Configuration

» Internal components / configuration› Context

» Converged Infrastructure stacks – FlexPod, Vblock



› Set thresholds appropriate to usage» Baseline current usage - Check typical growth rates- Set threshold times and exceptions

› Best practice thresholds» Use the “Top Ten” / “Bottom Ten”» Alarms for growth rates –Not just thresholds- Physical CPU/Memory/Disk/Network use- Alarm on Rate, not just threshold

» Use % measures as standard- Will still reflect meaningful data even if resized

» Set alarms for minimum available %- Long enough time to correct the problem when usage grows disproportionately

» Physical performance and capacity- By platform component Physical CPU, I/O (read/write performance), network, memory

Best PracticeSet Appropriate Thresholds



Best PracticeEnsure Consistent Monitoring in Elastic Env.› Auto-configuration» Auto-apply to existing elements

› Auto-monitoring» Auto-apply to new elements

› Nimsoft Templates» Policies for monitoring» Transportable to other instances, or applicable within auto-configsor auto-monitors

› Key metrics» Nimsoft includes best practices in the Templates

» Templates are included with probes



Cisco UCS Related List ViewsAutomatically display the status of new elements» Virtualization Environment» Chassis» Chassis fan module» Chassis fans» Power supply units» IO modules» Blade servers» Blade server adaptor units» Blade server memory arrays» Blade server processors» Blade server interface cards» Fabric interconnect fans» Fabric interconnect power supplies» Fabric interconnect IO modules and vethernet ports

» Fabric interconnect IO module fibrechannel ports

» Fabric interconnect local storage and dynamic counters

» Fabric interconnect



Demo

Auto Discovery of UCS EnvironmentsDelivering UCS Monitoring



Nimsoft Monitor for Cisco UCS Environments› Nimsoft - Complete single tool

» Single infrastructure and portal» Coverage for Cisco UCS,virtual environment, networks,applications, services and more

» Automatically detect configuration and apply monitoring

» Events, alarms, performance» Service Desk and Monitor

› Effectively, efficiently, maintain Service Levels» Rapidly identify & correct outages» Proactively prevent problems



Thank You!

Q&A

Interested in learning more?

Want to learn more or see a more complete demo? Contact us and receive a free, no-commit call from a Nimsoft product expert to discuss how Nimsoft can help you make the most of your UCS investment.

Join us for a Nimsoft Service Desk webcast on 1/31: http://info.nimsoft.com/nimsoft-service-desk-webcast.html

Meet the Nimsoft Team at:• CIO Summit, Feb 9-10, Hamburg• CloudCon Conference, Feb 13-16, Santa Clara, CA• Pink Elephant ITSM Conf, Feb 19-22, Las VegasMore information: http://www.nimsoft.com/solutions/nimsoft-monitor/server/cisco-ucs

Contact Nimsoft at: 408-796-3400

hints and tips for monitoring cisco ucs

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