Vmware Servers in CMDB

[scottnash63]

We are not using discovery but want to begin inputing our Configuration items. We are 90% Vmware and want to enter each of our virtual machines (Windows and Linux virtual servers) into the CMDB. If we add them under the Windows Server class it wants asset and serial number information which a virtual machine doesn't have. it also then creates a blank asset record. If we add them as a Vmware Virtual Instance it doesn't ask for Operation system and other important information. Is there a way we should do this out of the box or are we going to have to customize the CI classes?

[Community Alums]

but you might want to stick with how Discovery inputs the actual VMs into whichever applicable class in the CMDB (ie cmdb_ci_win_server or cmdb_ci_linux_server). A discovered virtual machine will have the UUID as the serial number along with some variation of "VMware" and "VMware virtual platform" as the manufacturer and model ID. That is one of the reasons that there is a boolean field on the cmdb_ci_computer table called "Is virtual." It is used to distinguished between virtual machines and physical machines like desktops or server. I would stay with that model, especially if Discovery will every come into play in your environment. Anything else would require heavy customization that is essentially re-inventing the wheel.

Discovery treats the template used to create the Virtual Machine as the VM instance, and connects the VM to the VM instance, which is connected back to the ESX host on which it is hosted.

As the last note, if you do not want assets created every time a CI is created, you can disable the business rule on the cmdb_ci table called "create asset on insert." However I would avoid doing so unless the creation of the asset, which has a 1:1 relation with a CI, is hampering an asset management implementation.

[Linda Kendrick]

How is the Virtual Machine Instances used? If the VM are marked as virtual under Servers then when would the cmdb_ci_vmware_instance table be used? Working on importing data from VCenter and determining where to place the data. We are not going to use Discovery so was looking at importing they way Discovery would. There would be no plans in the future to use the Discovery tool.

[lerio]

hi,

I'm also trying to populate cmdb with ESXi servers and virtual servers they manage.

Is there any out of the box way to map this relationship or have I to customize the table?

thanks and regards,

Valerio

[KSaxon]

You could also alter the models that the virtual servers use. They have a setting that can override the "create assets on CI insert" The option is called " Asset tracking strategy:"

It has three options:

Create consumable asset
Don't create assets
Leave to category

If you select "Don't create assets", then the new CI should not create an asset.