The Server Manager dynamically discovers and monitors the following VMware virtual elements:

  • DataPathRedundancyGroup

  • HostBusAdapter

  • ScsiLun

  • ScsiPath

  • VirtualCenter

  • VMwareCluster

  • VMwareDatastore

  • Virtual Datacenter

  • VirtualDataCenterNetwork

  • VMware ESX server, discovered as Hypervisor

  • VMwareCluster

  • Virtual Machines

  • VirtualInterface

  • vSwitch

    The IP Availability Manager provides the initial device topology to the Server Manager. Then, the Server Manager uses the vCenter API to discover the VMware virtual elements in real time and associate them with their respective host systems. Server Manager uses the vCenter API to connect to VirtualCenter to discover the VMware infrastructure. In addition, ESM is also capable of using SNMP to discover the virtual environment. SNMP discovery is disabled by default and must only be used in networks without a VirtualCenter, or when the credentials for the VirtualCenter are not available.

    After discovery, the Server Manager monitors the virtual elements for parameters such as responsiveness, and power up/power down. In addition, the Server Manager dynamically discovers virtual machines moving between ESX servers, for example, through the VMware vMotion feature.

    Note:

    To create connections between a physical switch and an ESX server, Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) must be enabled on both the physical switch and the vSwitch (Standard vSwitch, Distributed vSwitch and Nexus 1000 vSwitch) installed on the ESX server.

    CDP must be running in both Listen and Advertize mode. If CDP is not enabled in both Listen and Advertize mode, then the connections between the physical switch and the ESX server will not be created. “Enabling Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP)” on page 85 provides instructions.

    The ESX hostname must have an entry in DNS server mapping to ESX IP address.