Question:
What is the Agent Client Collector (ACC), and what are the key reasons for adopting it within my infrastructure landscape? Additionally, what measurable benefits can customers expect from implementing ACC?
Solution:
License Requirement:
Acquire the TSM and TSOM licenses, and activate the ACC framework for Discovery, Monitoring, and Log Analysis. You can enable the ACC-F (framework) through the ServiceNow Store. Should you require further assistance, please utilize the ServiceNow Hi-Portal to request the necessary plugins.
Components involved in ACC:
ACC comprises the elements of Discovery, Monitoring, and Log Analytics. When plugins are activated by default, all three components will be automatically enabled to facilitate your Modern IT Operations. The diagram below illustrates the purpose of each element and its role in the business landscape.
Mid Server Involvement in ACC:
The mid server will incorporate functionalities for both mid server enablement and ACC enablement support. Utilizing these functionalities, you can establish ACC configuration tailored to your business environment. The diagram below illustrates the options available from ACC via the mid server.
Step 1: Install the Mid Server.
Step 2: Acquire ACC-F from the ServiceNow Store or through Plugins.
Step 3: Configure the “ACC Listener” via the Mid Server. Specify the Port and proceed with the build.
Step 4: Following Step 3, the "Mid Web Server" will be generated automatically. Confirm the connection.
Step 5: Following Step 3, the "ACC WebSocket End Point" will be established automatically. Confirm the connection.
Step 6: Following Step 3, the "Mid Web Server API Key" will be created automatically. Confirm the connection.
Note:
1. The combination of Mid Server, Mid Web Server and WebSocket End Point is essential for the successful installation and operation of ACC. If any component fails, the ACC service will not function on the target machine.
2. The acc.log file serves as the primary source for troubleshooting and analyzing to comprehend the underlying cause of any issues.
ACC Policies:
How does the agent client collector retrieve and manage the systems? This is a fundamental question when integrating the ACC into a business environment. To address this inquiry, 'ACC Policies' play a crucial role in managing this process. When ACC is enabled, the out-of-the-box (OOB) policies are automatically activated, although they remain in an 'Inactive' state. It is necessary for us to manually activate each policy through ServiceNow.
The diagram below illustrates the policies related to discovery, monitoring, and log analysis operations.
The ACC policies are implemented through command execution. Should the business need an additional command that is not provided in the out-of-the-box (OOB) options, you can set up custom ACC policies to facilitate discovery, monitoring, and log analysis.
Knowledge Article:
The below article additionally highlights the architecture of Agent Client Collector and best practices.
Agent Client Collector - Support and Troubleshooting
Lesson Learning:
Upon installing the agent client collector on the target machines, the system may experience slowness. If this occurs, it is advisable to identify which policy commands are causing the slowdown in the target system. To conduct this analysis, disable all ACC policies, then copy and execute the command from each policy individually on the target system to determine if it results in slowness. This method allows you to systematically identify the issue one by one.
Regards,
Suresh.
