The Industry Standard in IT Infrastructure Monitoring

Purpose
This document describes how to use Nagios XI to monitor VMware ESX, ESXi, vSphere, and vCenter Server. This document will show
ou how to monitor virtual machines !VMs" deploed on these products.
Target Audience
This document is intended #or use b Nagios administrators who are #amiliar with VMware$s virtuali%ation products and &now how to
install and con#igure so#tware on 'inu( servers.
Requirements
)ou must be running Nagios XI *++,-..* or later to use this documentation.
Installation Overview
In order to monitor VMware with Nagios XI, ou will need to/
Install the Nagios XI VMware 0i%ard
Install the pre1uisites #or the VMware S23
Install the VMware 4erl S23 on the Nagios XI server
Installing the VMware i!ard
5 con#iguration wi%ard has been created in order to ma&e the 6ob o# monitoring VMware servers
and guests with Nagios XI easier. )ou can #ind the wi%ard and instructions #or installing wi%ards
at/
http://exchange.nagios.org/directory/Addons/Configuration/Configuration-Wizards/VMware-Nagios-XI-Monitoring-Wizard/detais
"ou will need to install the wi!ard in #agios $I %y using the &pload option on the monitoring wi!ard
administration screen'
5#ter ou have installed wi%ard, ou$ll need to login to our Nagios XI server on the command line and properl set permissions #or a
#ew #iles.
-un in terminal as a root/
chown nagios.nagcmd /usr/local/nagiosxi/html/includes/configwizards/vmware/scripts/getguests.pl
chmod 775 /usr/local/nagiosxi/html/includes/configwizards/vmware/scripts/getguests.pl
7nce ou install the wi%ard in Nagios XI, it will be available to users when the run the monitoring wi%ard.
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Copright 8 *+.. Nagios Enterprises, ''C
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#agios $I ) Monitoring VMware
#agios *nterprises+ ,,- &S. (/000/#A1IOS/( e%. www'nagios'com
P'O' 2o3 0(45
Saint Paul+ M# 44(60
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Install S?@ Prerequisites
Newer versions o# VMware 4erl S23 re1uire outside installation o# perl modules and the de#inition o# some environment variables. To
get things started lets #irst in stall the 4erl modules re1uired, #rom the terminal/
yum install perl-Nagios-Plugin libuuid perl-!"#-#ib!"#
:inall, lets set the environment variables the S23 re1uires. Notice that in the #ollowing e(ample I am N7T using a pro( server, so I$ll
6ust leave it blan&. ;owever, i# ou are using a pro( server then ou will need to enter the address o# it where I have le#t it blan&/
export http$proxy%
export ftp$proxy%
Installing the S?@
0e are unable to pre<bundle the VMware 4erl S23 with Nagios XI due to the license terms, so ou will need to download and install
the S23 on the Nagios XI server oursel#. )ou can download the VMware 4erl S23 #rom VMware$s website at the #ollowing address/
http/==communities.vmware.com=communit=developer=#orums=vsphere>sd&>perl
2ownload the S23 #ile using a graphical web browser !so that ou can accept the terms", then ou can trans#er it to the Nagios XI
server via S:T4. :or this ou can use 4utt!s#tp", :ile%illa, or our #avorite trans#er program.
?pload the S23 to the Nagios XI machine$s =tmp director and e(ecute the #ollowing commands to install the S23 !the name o# the
S23 tarball ma di##er #or ou". 5lso remember that ou need to download the proper S23 #or our architecture. In this e(ample we
used a @A<bit S23, our architecture ma di##er.
cd /tmp
tar xzf &"ware-v'phere-'()-for-Perl-*.+.+-,-,.7*.x/-$-*.tar.gz
cd vmware-vsphere-cli-distrib/
./vmware-install.pl
:ollow the on<screen instructions to complete the installation o# the S23.
-onclusion
This concludes the install steps to install the VMware wi%ard. I# ou have #urther trouble please consult the documentation below on
common issues and 1uestions about the wi%ard.
-ommon Pro%lems
The wi!ard shows a %ig red %o3 that says the VMware S?@ isn7t installed' I installed it+ what could cause thisA
-einstall the VMware S23. Its ver eas to pass over an error in that install script. I# ou don$t see B!n"oy# --the VMware tea%C at the
end o# the install, then it did not install properl. The other thing that can cause this is the chec&>es(D.pl not e(isting in
=usr=local=nagios=libe(ec. I# this error persists past Vmware S23 reinstall, then reinstall the wi%ard. I# it persists past the wi%ard install,
then manuall place chec&>es(D.pl into =usr=local=nagios=libe(ec director.
hen I try to monitor guests on an *S$ host+ it populates the checB%o3es properly+ %ut under the C1uest SelectionD ta% it
simply says.
BIt appears as though the VMware &'( has not yet )een instaed on your Nagios XI ser*er. +ou %ust insta the &'( )efore you are
a)e to use this wizard. B
5s ou can guess this can happen when ou haven$t installed the S23. ;owever, i# ou$ve installed the S23, ma&e sure ou$ve
properl set the permissions #or getguests.pl as this has been an issue #or some users.
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Copright 8 *+.. Nagios Enterprises, ''C
-evision ..+ 9 7ctober, *+..
#agios $I ) Monitoring VMware
#agios *nterprises+ ,,- &S. (/000/#A1IOS/( e%. www'nagios'com
P'O' 2o3 0(45
Saint Paul+ M# 44(60
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All of my service names are slightly different' The quotes are goneE
This had to be done. Nagios service and host names cannot contain special characters and as such the were removed automaticall
due remove BError In Con#iguratio nE messages and show<stoppers. I# ou wish to have absolute control over our service names, ma&e
sure the do not involve an shell characters or Nagios illegal characters.
Page >
Copright 8 *+.. Nagios Enterprises, ''C
-evision ..+ 9 7ctober, *+..
#agios $I ) Monitoring VMware
#agios *nterprises+ ,,- &S. (/000/#A1IOS/( e%. www'nagios'com
P'O' 2o3 0(45
Saint Paul+ M# 44(60
&SA
Int7l. 8( 94(/:65/;(6: *mail. sales<nagios'com
=a3. 8( 94(/:65/;(6>