If you have been running a previous version of BPPM or BEM/SIM, an important step in BPPM 9.5 implementation is to migrate the cell knowledge base from the previous version to BPPM 9.5. The cell knowledge base migration process includes migration of three components.
1) Migrate BPPM Cell Policies:
If you use BPPM cell policies, you need to export all selectors and policies of each cell to baroc files using 'Administration->Policies' tab from BPPM admin console or BEM IX. Then copy these baroc files to kb\data\ directory under your new BPPM 9.5 cell. Add these file names (without .baroc extension) to .load file in the same directory.
2) Migrate BPPM Cell Data:
If you have created some dynamic data tables, you need to export all data tables of each cell to baroc files using 'Administration->Data' tab from BPPM admin console or BEM IX. You simply open each data table, highlight all rows, and use 'Export Data Instances' button from the tool bar to save each data table to a baroc file. Then copy these baroc files to
kb\data\ directory under your new BPPM 9.5 cell. Add these file names
(without .baroc extension) to .load file in the same directory.
One special data table is the timeframe data table. Like most people, you may have created timeframes to be used for notification blackout purpose thus you will need to migrate all your timeframes. You need to click the calendar symbol on the tool bar when you are on 'Administration->Policies' tab from BPPM admin console or BEM IX. Highlight all rows in your timeframe table, click on 'Copy Timeframe' button from Timeframes window, paste to a text file. Name this text file with .baroc extension. Then copy this baroc file to
kb\data\ directory under your new BPPM 9.5 cell. Add this file name
(without .baroc extension) to .load file in the same directory.
3) Migrate BPPM Cell Rules:
If you have extended the out-of-box classes and/or created some customized rules, you need to migrate your customized .baroc files and .mrl files. You can either use BMC's migration utility or use your own 'diff' tool to see what have been changed in the default KB files between the version you are currently running and version 9.5. Personally I use 'diff' command on UNIX and 'fc' command on Windows to find the difference between the files in two directories. Based on the difference, you can determine if any modification is needed on your customized .baroc files and .mrl files. Then copy your customized baroc files to
kb\classes\ or kb\records\ directory under your new BPPM 9.5 cell. And copy your customized .mrl files to kb\rules, kb\collectors\, or kb\bin directory under your new BPPM 9.5 cell. Add these file names
(without .baroc or .mrl extension) to .load file in the same directory.
After migrating the above three components, you need to recompile and restart each BPPM 9.5 cell.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Monday, May 19, 2014
BPPM 9.5 Quick Start - Part 7: Additional cell installation and configuration
For event-only integration, you will need to install additional BPPM cells. Unless you have a small environment, it is recommended that you install these additional BPPM cells on their own servers not shared with BPPM integration services.
The first BPPM cell on a server is installed by running BPPM agent installer. During the installation, you need to select only 'BMC ProactiveNet Remote Cell'. When you are asked to input a cell name, it is recommended to choose your own cell name using the name convention you have established. BMC ProactiveNet Event Adapter and BMC Impact Event Log Adapter for Windows will be automatically installed in addition to BMC ProactiveNet Event Manager.
As long as you keep the maximum mcdb size of each BPPM cell under 1/2 of the server memory, you can run multiple BPPM cells on one server to fully utilize its resources. Subsequent BPPM cells on the same server should be created by running 'mcrtcell' command.
It is highly recommended to configure all your BPPM cells in high-availability mode. When you do configure your BPPM cells in high-availability mode on a pair of servers, let half of the cells use one server as their primary node and let the other half of the cells use the other server as their primary node.
In addition to BPPM cells that receive events from your 3rd-party monitoring tools directly or through SNMP adapter and email adapter, if your server has more capacity, you can also create correlation cell and notification cell on the same server.
Your correlation cell receives events from your first-level cells including PATROL cells and event-integration cells. The correlation cell updates and correlates events from different event sources. Your notification cell sends email and AlarmPoint notifications for selected events. You can combine your correlation cell and your notification cell into one cell depending on how simple or complicated your cell knowledge base is.
BMC recommends to use BPPM server cell to create automated incident tickets. But if the incident tickets are not related to service model, you can create the tickets in your notification cell. The advantages of creating incident tickets in notification cell are: 1) You can offload the resource intensive ticket creation operation from BPPM server to as many notification cells as you need to improve the scalability; 2) You can configure your ticket creation operation as high-availability to improve the reliability.
The first BPPM cell on a server is installed by running BPPM agent installer. During the installation, you need to select only 'BMC ProactiveNet Remote Cell'. When you are asked to input a cell name, it is recommended to choose your own cell name using the name convention you have established. BMC ProactiveNet Event Adapter and BMC Impact Event Log Adapter for Windows will be automatically installed in addition to BMC ProactiveNet Event Manager.
As long as you keep the maximum mcdb size of each BPPM cell under 1/2 of the server memory, you can run multiple BPPM cells on one server to fully utilize its resources. Subsequent BPPM cells on the same server should be created by running 'mcrtcell' command.
It is highly recommended to configure all your BPPM cells in high-availability mode. When you do configure your BPPM cells in high-availability mode on a pair of servers, let half of the cells use one server as their primary node and let the other half of the cells use the other server as their primary node.
In addition to BPPM cells that receive events from your 3rd-party monitoring tools directly or through SNMP adapter and email adapter, if your server has more capacity, you can also create correlation cell and notification cell on the same server.
Your correlation cell receives events from your first-level cells including PATROL cells and event-integration cells. The correlation cell updates and correlates events from different event sources. Your notification cell sends email and AlarmPoint notifications for selected events. You can combine your correlation cell and your notification cell into one cell depending on how simple or complicated your cell knowledge base is.
BMC recommends to use BPPM server cell to create automated incident tickets. But if the incident tickets are not related to service model, you can create the tickets in your notification cell. The advantages of creating incident tickets in notification cell are: 1) You can offload the resource intensive ticket creation operation from BPPM server to as many notification cells as you need to improve the scalability; 2) You can configure your ticket creation operation as high-availability to improve the reliability.
Monday, May 12, 2014
BPPM 9.5 Quick Start - Part 6: BPPM integration service installation and configuration
Taking a top-down approach, once you completed installation of BPPM server, your next component for installation is BPPM integration service.
The purpose of BPPM integration service is to help move data from your monitoring tools (such as PATROL, SCOM, etc) to BPPM server. For event-only integration, you don't need to install BPPM integration service. Instead you will need to install additional BPPM cells. And we will discuss how to install additional BPPM cells in a later post.
Each instance of BPPM integration service is installed separately by running BPPM agent installer. During the installation of BPPM integration service, you need to select both 'BMC ProactiveNet Integration Service' and 'BMC ProactiveNet Remote Cell'.
Next you will be asked to input a cell name for the BPPM cell you are installing. Similar to BPPM server installation, it is recommended to choose your own cell name using the name convention you have established.
If you have decided to run your remote cell in high-availability mode, you need to plan your BPPM integration service installation in pairs. You will also need to check the box 'Configure High Availability mode'. When you are installing the first instance of BPPM integration service in a pair, select 'Primary Server' and specify the host name of the secondary server. When you install the second instance of BPPM integration service in a pair, select 'Secondary Server' and specify the host name of the primary server. Remember to use exactly the same cell instance name, cell port number, and cell encryption key for both instances in a pair.
Normally you install one instance of BPPM integration service per server, but you can install additional instances of BPPM integration service on different ports if you have extra capacity on your server.
BMC ProactiveNet Event Adapter and BMC Impact Event Log Adapter for Windows will be automatically installed in addition to BPPM integration service and BMC ProactiveNet Event Manager.
After completing the installation of BPPM integration service, your next task is to log into CMA to add each instance of BPPM integration service to the BPPM server it sends data to. Pick up your BPPM server from 'Servers' drawer under 'Navigation' bar at left and bring up 'Add Integration Service' window. Usually you can use hostname as integration service name and select 'Use current Integration Service settings' as cell destination.
If you have decided to use integration service cluster for PATROL data failover, you have an option to configure integration service cluster in 'Add Integration Service' window. However it is recommended that you do it in the next step. Select 'Cluster' under General drawer and bring up 'Add Cluster' window. Now you can enter the cluster name, select BPPM server, and select integration service instances to be included in this cluster.
The purpose of BPPM integration service is to help move data from your monitoring tools (such as PATROL, SCOM, etc) to BPPM server. For event-only integration, you don't need to install BPPM integration service. Instead you will need to install additional BPPM cells. And we will discuss how to install additional BPPM cells in a later post.
Each instance of BPPM integration service is installed separately by running BPPM agent installer. During the installation of BPPM integration service, you need to select both 'BMC ProactiveNet Integration Service' and 'BMC ProactiveNet Remote Cell'.
Next you will be asked to input a cell name for the BPPM cell you are installing. Similar to BPPM server installation, it is recommended to choose your own cell name using the name convention you have established.
If you have decided to run your remote cell in high-availability mode, you need to plan your BPPM integration service installation in pairs. You will also need to check the box 'Configure High Availability mode'. When you are installing the first instance of BPPM integration service in a pair, select 'Primary Server' and specify the host name of the secondary server. When you install the second instance of BPPM integration service in a pair, select 'Secondary Server' and specify the host name of the primary server. Remember to use exactly the same cell instance name, cell port number, and cell encryption key for both instances in a pair.
Normally you install one instance of BPPM integration service per server, but you can install additional instances of BPPM integration service on different ports if you have extra capacity on your server.
BMC ProactiveNet Event Adapter and BMC Impact Event Log Adapter for Windows will be automatically installed in addition to BPPM integration service and BMC ProactiveNet Event Manager.
After completing the installation of BPPM integration service, your next task is to log into CMA to add each instance of BPPM integration service to the BPPM server it sends data to. Pick up your BPPM server from 'Servers' drawer under 'Navigation' bar at left and bring up 'Add Integration Service' window. Usually you can use hostname as integration service name and select 'Use current Integration Service settings' as cell destination.
If you have decided to use integration service cluster for PATROL data failover, you have an option to configure integration service cluster in 'Add Integration Service' window. However it is recommended that you do it in the next step. Select 'Cluster' under General drawer and bring up 'Add Cluster' window. Now you can enter the cluster name, select BPPM server, and select integration service instances to be included in this cluster.
Monday, May 5, 2014
BPPM 9.5 Quick Start - Part 5: BPPM server installation and configuration
While capacity planning starts from bottom-up, BPPM 9.5 installation starts from top-down. The first component to install is BPPM server. If you need more than one BPPM server based on capacity planing, you will have one top-level BPPM server and one or more bottom-level BPPM server(s). There are two options in terms of installation.
Option 1: Install the top-level BPPM server as central server and bottom-level BPPM servers as child servers.
Option 2: Install the top-level BPPM server as a standalone server and bottom-level BPPM servers as standalone servers.
Each BPPM server is installed separately by running BPPM server installer. When you choose option 1, you must install BPPM central server before installing any BPPM child server because you will be asked for the name of BPPM central server when you install BPPM child server. If you use Oracle database, you will be asked for Oracle database location and login IDs. Verify that all Oracle login IDs have been created with correct table spaces, and all system parameters have been set up correctly based on the size of your environment (small, medium, large).
It is recommended to choose your own cell name for BPPM server based on the name convention you established. For top-level BPPM server, you will need to specify BPPM Central Monitoring Base Repository. This will enable CMA (Central Monitoring Administration).
BPPM server installer gives you the option to enable integrations with BMC Server Automation (BBSA), Atrium CMDB, and Single Sign On (SSO). You don't have to enable integrations during BPPM server installation as you can enable them later. I personally prefer to enable integrations later after I have completed configuration and testing for basic BPPM features. Specifically when I tried enabling integration with CMDB during BPPM server installation, I encountered a bug that an incorrect baroc file was copied over and I was not able to add ISN cluster.
CMDB integration is only for service models and Remedy ticket creation. Not all BPPM servers need to be integrated with CMDB. For example, when you install your top-level BPPM server as BPPM central server, you don't need to integrate it with CMDB because BPPM central server is used to view distributed service models from its child servers but BPPM central server itself doesn't have its own service models.
Option 1: Install the top-level BPPM server as central server and bottom-level BPPM servers as child servers.
Option 2: Install the top-level BPPM server as a standalone server and bottom-level BPPM servers as standalone servers.
Each BPPM server is installed separately by running BPPM server installer. When you choose option 1, you must install BPPM central server before installing any BPPM child server because you will be asked for the name of BPPM central server when you install BPPM child server. If you use Oracle database, you will be asked for Oracle database location and login IDs. Verify that all Oracle login IDs have been created with correct table spaces, and all system parameters have been set up correctly based on the size of your environment (small, medium, large).
It is recommended to choose your own cell name for BPPM server based on the name convention you established. For top-level BPPM server, you will need to specify BPPM Central Monitoring Base Repository. This will enable CMA (Central Monitoring Administration).
BPPM server installer gives you the option to enable integrations with BMC Server Automation (BBSA), Atrium CMDB, and Single Sign On (SSO). You don't have to enable integrations during BPPM server installation as you can enable them later. I personally prefer to enable integrations later after I have completed configuration and testing for basic BPPM features. Specifically when I tried enabling integration with CMDB during BPPM server installation, I encountered a bug that an incorrect baroc file was copied over and I was not able to add ISN cluster.
CMDB integration is only for service models and Remedy ticket creation. Not all BPPM servers need to be integrated with CMDB. For example, when you install your top-level BPPM server as BPPM central server, you don't need to integrate it with CMDB because BPPM central server is used to view distributed service models from its child servers but BPPM central server itself doesn't have its own service models.
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