Instructions for adding a XenServer Host to SCOM

Installing the XenServer SSL Certificate

1. Download the server certificate

Please download the certificate for this machine onto the SCOM server by right clicking and selecting "Save Target As.." on the link below:

XAPI Certificate

Note: Please ensure that the 'cer' extension is preserved.

2. Install the certificate on windows

The certificate need to be installed into the local computer certificate store. To do this, please follow these steps:

  1. Start 'mmc.exe' (either by using the run command box, or the start menu)
  2. Navigate to File -> Add/Remove snap-in...
  3. Select "Certificates" and click "Add"
  4. The "Certificated snap-in" wizard will appear, please select "Computer Account"
  5. Select "Local computer" to manage and click finish.
  6. You will now be able to see the certificates manager for the Local Computer. Navigate to Console Root -> Certificates (Local Computer) -> Trusted People -> Certificates.
  7. Right click on Certificates and select All Tasks -> Import...
  8. Select the certificate that has been downloaded and click next
  9. Place the certificate in the "Trusted People" store
  10. Finish the wizard to complete import

That's it...

If the above steps have been completed successfully then this hosts certificate has been installed and can now be added by SCOM once the Management Packs have been installed. Please ensure that this certificate is also installed on all other SCOM servers.

Installing the XenServer SCOM Management Packs

Prerequisites

Before importing the XenServer management packs, it is required that you install the Cumulative Update 3 for System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2.
  1. Install CU6 for SCOM R2 by following this KB article (KB2626076)
  2. Open SCOM, and import from disk the 'Microsoft.SystemCenter.WSMAnagement.Library.mp' management pack. This can be found at the following location if the default install path is used: 'C:\Program Files (x86)\System Center 2007 R2 Hotfix Utility\KB2626076\ManagementPacks\Microsoft.SystemCenter.WSManagement.Library.mp'.

1. Download the Management Packs

Please download the SCOM Management Packs onto the SCOM server by right clicking and selecting "Save Target As.." on the links below:

XenServer 6 Management Pack
XenServer Library Management Pack

2. Import the Management Packs into SCOM

Please open SCOM and select the 'Administration' view. Right click on the 'Unix/Linux Servers' icon on the left hand pannel and select 'Import Management Packs...'

Follow the wizard, locating the two downloaded Management Packs on disk. Please note, it is important to add both the Management Packs at the same time.

That's it...

If the above steps have been completed successfully then the Management Packs have successfully been added to SCOM, and your machines can be added after creating an appropriate "Run as account".

Please note: the management packs need only to be installed on each SCOM server once.

Adding a XenServer machine to SCOM

Creating Run As accounts and linking to profiles

In order to add your XenServer machine to your SCOM server, you must add a 'Run as Account' for this machine, containing valid root credentials. You must then link the newly created account to the 'Unix Action Account' and 'Unix Priviledged Account' profiles.

1. Create a "Run as" account in SCOM

  1. Open SCOM and select the 'Administration' view.
  2. Right Click on the 'Accounts' icon underneath the 'Run as Configuration' group in the left hand side pannel.
  3. Select 'Create Run As Account...'
  4. Follow the wizards instructions select the Run as Account type to be 'Basic Authentication'
  5. Enter the username and password for the XenServer host root account
  6. Choose the desired account distribution policy
  7. Finish the wizard by creating the account

2. Associate Profiles with the created "Run as" account in SCOM

  1. Select the 'Administration' view.
  2. Click on the 'Profiles' icon under the 'Run As Configuration' group in the left handle side pannel.
  3. For both the 'Unix Action Account' and 'Unix Privileged Account' double click on the entries, following the onscreen instructions. When you reach the 'Add Run As Account' screen, please add all of the eisting 'Run As Accounts' for managing each of your XenServer hosts.

3. Add the XenServer host into SCOM

Having added the management packs and certificates, as well as creating the run as accounts for each of you machines, you are now ready to add you XenServer host to SCOM.
  1. From the 'Administration' view, right-click on the 'Unix/Linix Servers' icon found under the 'Device Management' group.
  2. Select the 'Discover Wizard menu option'.
  3. Follow the wizard's instructions selecting the 'Unix/Linux computers' type.
  4. Using the machines IP address, or DNS name, enter search criteria specifying the XenServer hosts username and password.

    Please note: you do not need to enable SSH based discovery.

  5. Following the rest of the wizard SCOM should detect you machine(s) and allow you to proceed in added them to your SCOM server to be monitored.

That's it!

If the above steps have been completed succesfully, you machine should now be monitored by SCOM. To refresh the monitoring data for you host, please select the 'Monitoring' view, and clickthe 'Unix/Linux Servers' icon. A list of your discovered hosts should be visible, right click on the one you're interested and select 'Refresh' to query the host for up to date metrics.