This is the only method for remotely launching the appliance’s Console Program until (unless) you enable SSH access for an appliance. For more information, see Setting up appliances.
When connecting remotely, you use the DRAC browser interface to select the appliance and open a console window in which you can launch the Console Program. The following procedure tells you how to access Foglight APM Appliances from a DRAC version 6 web interface. For general instructions on setting up and using the DRAC web interface, see the Dell Remote Access Controller documentation that comes with the appliance.
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Launch the DRAC web interface. In Microsoft® Internet Explorer®, type the DRAC IP Address in the navigation bar. |
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First time only—Open the Internet Explorer Trusted Sites tool (in version 8.0, this is under Tools > Internet Options > Security), and add the Control Port IP Address for each of your appliances. Internet Explorer can now download and install signed ActiveX controls for your appliances. |
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Log in to the DRAC web interface with your DRAC user credentials. The default login name is root and the password is calvin. |
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Click the Console/Media tab. |
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Select the appliance you want to set up, and click Launch Viewer. |
The installation workflow depends on whether you are monitoring more than one host:
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Monitoring multiple ESXi hosts — best approach for a large, scalable monitoring solution |
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Monitoring a single ESXi host — used for localized monitoring or proof of concept |
These installation scenarios assume that you manage your virtual environment with vCenter® Server, distributed virtual switches, and port groups. You have a choice of two scenarios:
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Monitoring multiple hosts using local Sniffers (alternative) |
The diagrams in each of these sections show the Foglight APM virtual machines in dark blue boxes. For more information about these components, see Software components.
For convenience, the following table summarizes support for key VMware® vCenter® features.
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Yes1 |
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Yes2 |
Port mirroring is not recommended. See the note under Configuring port groups on a distributed switch.
VMotion interrupts Sniffers’ ability to decrypt HTTPS traffic. See vMotion and local Sniffers.
For more information, see the following topics:
This is the preferred installation scenario because it is easy to deploy (fewer appliances), easy to scale, and easy to maintain. VMware® vMotion® is fully supported in this configuration, assuming that VMs move to hosts that are connected to the monitored network tap.
In this scenario, all the software components are on dedicated hosts: Management Server, Archiver, and Sniffer. You add a full-duplex network tap between the firewall and the server farm, and connect a virtual Sniffer to the tap. For high-traffic environments, you may prefer to connect physical Sniffers to handle the load more efficiently.
To connect a virtual Sniffer to a network tap, you create two Monitoring Network port groups (for example, Monitoring Network A and Monitoring Network B) and connect the NIC adapters to the monitoring ports on the full-duplex network tap. This enables the virtual Sniffer to capture the separate ingress and egress traffic flows in the same way a physical Sniffer captures it (see Connecting Sniffers to network taps).
You can monitor a physical network with virtual appliances. Install the network tap in the physical network as you normally would and set up the virtual appliances as shown. For more information, see Network taps.
