You use vRealize Operations Manager to monitor the state of the management components in the SDDC by using dashboards. You can use the self-monitoring capability of vRealize Operations Manager to receive alerts about issues that are related to its operational state. You connect vRealize Operations Manager with the management components in the SDDC by using cloud accounts, management pack adapters, and direct integrations.

In this design, vRealize Operations Manager monitors the following components:

  • vCenter Server

  • vSAN

  • NSX-T Data Center

  • Storage devices

  • Workspace ONE Access (region-specific and cross-region)

  • vRealize Log Insight

  • vRealize Automation

Administrative Alerts

vRealize Operations Manager displays the following administrative alerts:

Table 1. vRealize Operations Manager Administrative Alert Types

Alert Type

Description

System alert

There is a failed component of the vRealize Operations Manager application.

Environment alert

vRealize Operations Manager stopped receiving data from one or more resources. Such an alert might indicate a problem with system resources or network infrastructure.

Log Insight log event

The infrastructure on which vRealize Operations Manager is running has low-level issues. You can also use the log events for root cause analysis.

Custom dashboard

vRealize Operations Manager can show super metrics for data center monitoring, capacity trends, and single pane of glass overview.

Cloud Accounts

You use cloud accounts to add cloud endpoints as adapter instances to enable vRealize Operations Manager to communicate with them. vRealize Operations Manager can collect data from the following private and public cloud accounts:

Table 2. Private Cloud Accounts in vRealize Operations Manager

Cloud Account

Additional Option

Description

vCenter Server

-

Enables vRealize Operations Manager to communicate with vCenter Server.

vSAN

Enables vRealize Operations Manager to gather vSAN metrics from vCenter Server.

Application Discovery

Enables vRealize Operations Manager to discover applications running on virtual machines in vCenter Server
Table 3. Public Cloud Accounts in vRealize Operations Manager

Cloud Account

Description

Azure

Enables vRealize Operations Manager to communicate with a Microsoft Azure Cloud Endpoint.

AWS

Enables vRealize Operations Manager to communicate with an Amazon AWS Cloud Endpoint.

Public cloud accounts are supported but out of scope in this design.

Table 4. Design Decision on Cloud Accounts in vRealize Operations Manager

Design Decision ID

Design Decision

Design Justification

Design Implication

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-041

Configure a vCenter Server cloud account for each vCenter Server instance in the SDDC.

Enables integration and data collection of all vCenter Server instances in the SDDC in vRealize Operations Manager.

You must configure a service account for application-to-application communication from vRealize Operations Manager to vSphere.

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-042

Connect each workload domain to vRealize Operations Manager by using SDDC Manager.

SDDC Manager provides a workflow to add the workload domain vCenter Server cloud account in vRealize Operations Manager.

None.

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-043

Configure each vCenter Server cloud account to use the remote collector group for its region.

Region-specific components are configured to use the remote collector group. This configuration offloads data collection for local management components from the analytics cluster.

None.

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-044

Enable the vSAN integration in the vCenter Server cloud accounts.

Enables integration and data collection of all vSAN instances in the SDDC in vRealize Operations Manager.

You must configure a service account for application-to-application communication from the vSAN adapters in vRealize Operations Manager to vSphere.

For information about the design decisions on service accounts for vCenter Server cloud accounts, see Service Accounts Design for vRealize Operations Manager.

Cloud Accounts for Multiple Regions

In an environment with multiple regions, you add cloud accounts for each vCenter Server in Region B.

Table 5. Design Decisions on Cloud Accounts in vRealize Operations Manager for a Multi-Region SDDC

Design Decision ID

Design Decision

Design Justification

Design Implication

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-045

For a dual-region SDDC, configure a vCenter Server cloud account for each vCenter Server instance in Region B.

Enables integration and data collection of all vCenter Server instances in the SDDC in vRealize Operations Manager.

You must configure a service account for application-to-application communication from vRealize Operations Manager to vSphere.

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-046

For a dual-region SDDC, connect each workload domain in region B to vRealize Operations Manager manually.

vRealize Operations Manager is integrated with SDDC Manager only in Region A.

You must configure the cloud account manually.

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-047

For a dual-region SDDC, configure each vCenter Server cloud account in Region B to use the remote collector group for its region.

Region-specific components are configured to use the remote collector group. This configuration offloads data collection for local management components from the analytics cluster.

None.

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-048

For a dual-region SDDC, enable the vSAN integration in the vCenter Server cloud accounts in Region B.

Enables integration and data collection of all vSAN instances in the SDDC in vRealize Operations Manager.

You must configure a service account for application-to-application communication from the vSAN adapters in vRealize Operations Manager to vSphere.

Direct Integrations

vRealize Operations Manager includes direct integration with vRealize Automation and vRealize Log Insight. These integrations provide the following functionality:
Table 6. vRealize Operations Manager Direct Integrations

Integration

Description

vRealize Automation

  • Ability to share common constructs such as cloud accounts, cloud zones, and projects across vRealize Operations Manager and vRealize Automation.

  • Ability to understand deployment cost:

    • Evaluate upfront costs on vRealize Automation.

    • Monitor ongoing costs per virtual machine, deployment, or project.

vRealize Log Insight

  • Enables Logs tab in vRealize Operations Manager

  • Enables Troubleshoot with Logs dashboard

  • Enables vRealize Log Insight launch in context from vRealize Operations Manager
Table 7. Design Decision on Direct Integrations for vRealize Operations Manager

Design Decision ID

Design Decision

Design Justification

Design Implication

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-049

Configure the vRealize Automation integration in vRealize Operations Manager.

  • Enables the ability to share common constructs such as cloud accounts, cloud zones, and projects across vRealize Operations Manager and vRealize Automation.

  • Enables the ability to understand the deployment cost:

    • Evaluate upfront costs on vRealize Automation.

    • Monitor ongoing costs per virtual machine, deployment, or project.

You must manage the password life cycle of this endpoint.

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-050

Configure the vRealize Automation integration to use the default collector group.

  • Cross-region components are configured to use the default collector group.

The load on the analytics cluster, though minimal, increases.

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-051

Configure the vRealize Log Insight integration in vRealize Operations Manager.

  • Enables Logs tab in vRealize Operations Manager

  • Enables Troubleshoot with the Logs dashboard

  • Enables vRealize Log Insight launch in context from vRealize Operations Manager

You must manage the password life cycle of this endpoint.

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-052

Configure the vRealize Log Insight integration to use the remote collector group.

Region-specific components are configured to use the remote collector group. This offloads data collection for local management components from the analytics cluster.

None.

For information about the design decisions on service accounts for direct integration of vRealize Operations Manager with vRealize Automation, see Service Accounts Design for vRealize Operations Manager.

For information about the integration of vRealize Log Insight with vRealize Operations Manager, see Integration of vRealize Log Insight with vRealize Operations Manager.

Management Packs

You install and activate management packs for vRealize Operations Manager to enable collecting data from or sending data to the target system.

Table 8. Design Decision on Management Packs for vRealize Operations Manager

Design Decision ID

Design Decision

Design Justification

Design Implication

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-053

Install the Storage Devices management pack for vRealize Operations Manager.

Enables vRealize Operations Manager to communicate with storage devices and arrays.

You must install the management pack manually.

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-054

Install the Workspace ONE Access management pack for vRealize Operations Manager.

Enables vRealize Operations Manager to communicate with Workspace ONE Access endpoints.

None. The management pack is installed by SDDC Manager

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-055

Configure the following endpoints to use the remote collector group:

  • vCenter Server

  • NSX-T Data Center

  • Storage Devices

  • vSAN

  • Region-specific Workspace ONE Access

Region-specific components are configured to use the remote collector group. This offloads data collection for local management components from the analytics cluster.

None.

SDDC-COM-CO-MON-056

Configure the following endpoints to use the default collector group:

  • Cross-region Workspace ONE Access

  • vRealize Automation

  • Cross-region components are configured to use the default collector group.

The load on the analytics cluster, though minimal, increases.

For information about the design decisions on service accounts for the vRealize Operations Manager management packs, see Service Accounts Design for vRealize Operations Manager.