Has anyone take a crack at discovery of LPAR information from an HMC on a Z-13 Z-series server?

[moosejr]

My organization has a need to understand and gather LPAR information from a Z-series (Z-13) IBM server HMC for our CMDB.  We have limited success getting to the HMC via SNMP discovery in that we can see the HMC but are unable to "walk" as in our network devices out to get any information.  Our IBM engineers have provided us with a "technical bulletin" that suggest that an SNMP API might be the solution using the "GET BULK" commands.  Internal to our organization, this is receiving negative energy as those in charge of the Z environment are hesitant as they believe this would be an access with the ability to issue commands which is HIGHLY restricted.  I would like to know if anyone has attempted to crack this nut and if there is any advice available on the better direction for this disocvery.  Thank you for your valuable time and consideration on this situation!!

[Chuck Tomasi]

Hi Mark,

Have you taken a look at the solution on the share portal for IBM virtualization that Doug Schulze published a while ago (based on work I did for a customer several years ago)? It should get you started in the right direction.

Good luck.

[moosejr]

Thank you for your time and suggestion!   I am aware of the IBM Virtualization code and have it in my DEV instance.   I am trying to use that code to lasso my LCN network where the Power 7 and Power 8 servers are installed.   But (and this is based on my own analysis and my be incorrect) this module is based on SSH commands and use in discovery.   For security reasons in our environment, there is no SSH port open on this particular set of HMCs.   The security group has stipulated that we should use SNMP as the communication method for these devices.   This LPAR information is specific to Mainframe CECs running on these servers and have been deemed highly classified by my security team.   SO while I have looked at this solution, I cannot currently apply it to this particular use on this HMC type.   Thank you for your time!!!   Any suggestions on a course of action from here??

[Chuck Tomasi]

HI Mark,

Thanks for the clarification. If you cannot use SSH, then the key is going to know which OIDs you can use to get similar information to that returned by the SSH commands. If you can do that, then you can create/update the probes to issue those commands. If the results are a different format then the sensors may need to be tweaked in how they parse it, but the concepts between the probes, sensors, and classifiers are the same.

Sorry, I don't have specifics. I haven't communicated to this stuff using SNMP.

[moosejr]

Thank you for your advice and direction.   I am currently trying to determine the proper OID for these devices as I have one that came from an IBM MIB provided to me, but it appears to be "close but no cigar" when used on these Z-13 HMCs.   The discoveries are returning the proper address for the device and the proper DNS name for the device, once it starts to attempt downline discovery work, I do not get anything as it appears to me the wrong OID specific to the devices.   Anyway, thanks again!!   I will sharpen my machete and start venturing a path through the IBM jungle to see if I can get to these devices!!!