Use content packs to have the logs generated from the management components in the SDDC retrieved, extracted and parsed into a human-readable format. In this way, Log Insight saves log queries and alerts, and you can use dashboards for efficient monitoring.

Table 1. vRealize Log Insight Content Packs in VMware Validated Design

Content Pack

Installed in vRealize Log Insight by Default

General

X

VMware - vSphere

X

VMware - NSX for vSphere

VMware - vSAN

X

VMware - vRops

X

VMware - vRA

VMware - Orchestrator

VMware - vRealize Business for Cloud

Microsoft - SQL Server

VMware - Linux

Table 2. Design Decisions on Content Packs for vRealize Log Insight

Decision ID

Design Decision

Design Justification

Design Implication

CSDDC-OPS-LOG-030

Install the following content packs:

  • VMware - Linux

  • VMware - NSX-vSphere

  • VMware - Orchestrator

  • VMware - vRA

  • VMware - vRealize Business for Cloud

  • Microsoft - SQL Server

Provides additional granular monitoring on the virtual infrastructure.

You skip the installation of the following content packs because they are installed by default in vRealize Log Insight:

  • General

  • VMware - vSphere

  • VMware - vSAN

  • VMware - vRops

Requires manual installation and configuration of each non-default content pack.

CSDDC-OPS-LOG-031

Configure the following agent groups that are related to content packs:

  • vRealize Automation (Linux)

  • vRealize Automation (Windows)

  • VMware Virtual Appliances

  • vRealize Orchestrator

  • Microsoft SQL Server

  • Linux

  • Provides a standardized configuration that is pushed to the all vRealize Log Insight Agents in each of the groups.

  • Supports collection according to the context of the applications and parsing of the logs generated from the SDDC components by the vRealize Log Insight agent such as specific log directories, log files, and logging formats.

Adds minimal load to vRealize Log Insight.