How to enable SNMP on a VMWare ESX Server

Since we all are looking to monitor our ESX servers, a lot of people are asking how to configure SNMP on their ESX servers so that they can be monitored via a third party product. Seems like a pretty logical question, so here's how you do it.

To enable SNMP on ESX Server version 3.5:

1. On your ESX Server, enable SNMP under the security profile.
   
2. Login as root
   
3. Edit the snmpd.conf file (vi /etc/snmp/snmpd.conf) or (nano /etc/snmp/snmpd.conf)
   
4. Use the arrow keys to go down to the section "rocommunity public". Replace "public" with your community string for your environment. Then use "Ctrl+X" to exit out of Nano. You'll be asked if you would like to save. Type in "y" for yes and hit enter. Press enter again when confirming the filename to save as.
   
5. Since SNMP is not started by default, you'll need to type in this command to ensure it will be started after a reboot of the ESX server. The command is:
   chkconfig snmpd on
   
6. We'll need to allow SNMP traffic through the built-in ESX firewall. To do this, type in the following command:
   esxcfg-firewall -e snmpd
   
7. Now we're ready to start the SNMP service. Type in:
   service snmpd start
   

Of course, the exact commands, paths, and etc may vary based upon your particular implementation but you should be able to get there from here.

For more information, visit the VM Ware page on how to configure SNMP on the ESX Server.

Today’s Rant

Today is my day that I am going to a bit of ranting about things that are bothering me…

Let's begin with last weekend, the wife, the kiddies, and I were all at the local farmer's market getting vegetables and stuff. They usually have some local "talent" (yes, I am putting that in quote fingers) there to entertain the people walking around. This week there was a young woman who was playing a guitar and singing (badly), who I really was not really paying enough attention to, up until… It registered what she was singing. It was an old Concrete Blonde song from the 80s. I asked my wife "How could she utterly butcher Concrete Blonde!!!???!!! Wasn't that a crime?"

This morning on the local radio station, 94.7 FM, they were playing a song from a local "artist" (notice the quotes) of a famous Depeche Mode song, Personal Jesus. I actually felt my ears starting to bleed from the drunken monkey karaoke, attempting to sing a perfectly good song. I actually had to change the channel before I started yelling at my radio (which would look bad) or getting into an accident on the freeway. Is that is what is passing for music these days? No, seriously? Please, for the love of good musical taste, burn that CD.

To top it off, people are trying to take out my little red truck. I am driving in a straight line on the freeway, minding my own business… and people are trying to move over on me.. Can't you see me.. Hello.. Driving here… Little Red Truck!!!

Seriously!

RDP (Terminal Services) on a Windows 2000 stopped working after P2V

It seems like every time I P2V a Windows 2000 Server (SP4), Remote desktop (TS) services stops working. I found in the TS Manager states that the port is "down" and there is no way to click enable. I was able to use RDP from my XP box to admin the server before the convert. So, I know that it "did" work. Just to be clear. This is not a TS Server or some special remote box. It is a standard Windows 2000 Server with SP4 running some applications.

I have been bitten by network cards or hidden interfaces during previous migrations. I, now, remove the network card from the P2V process. I then re-add it manually to the image after everything is complete. I put in all of the IPs, etc... after the convert. Currently the image is set to Flexible and is connected / connect at power on. The VM is using "VMWare Accelerated AMD PCNet Adapter" I do not see an option to change from one adapter to another within ESX 3.5 Update 4.

So.. Here is what I have done at this point.
1. I have rebooted the box several times
2. I have uninstalled, rebooted, installed the TS service again
3. There are no events in the event log either on the client or the server
4. In the Terminal Service Manager, it states that the RDP-TCP (65537) is down
5. The Terminal Service Process is started and running in automatic
6. VMWare tools are installed and up-to-date
7. The client gets the "This computer can't connect to the remote computer" error message
8. Clents were able to RDP from their XP boxes to this Windows 2000 SP4 server prior to the P2V
9. I have removed it from the domain and re-added it to the domain
I think that about covers it.

Here is the solution to the issue.
Remote Desktop Protocol Clients Cannot Connect to Terminal Services Server
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/270588

Virtualization Whitpapers

I came across two very interesting whitepapers regarding I/O, performance, and virtualization. I hope that you find the read as interesting as I did.

http://www.virtual-io.com/images/Whitepapers/direct-assignment-tr-0263.pdf

Here is a whitepaper that explains Virtualization Technology and what it all means... Something that your boss(es) always ask for..
http://www.virtual-io.com/images/Whitepapers/iov_scope.pdf

What's going on...

I have been getting a lot of these.. "So, what have you been up to?" or "Have not heard from you in a while..." emails from many of my friends. So, I thought that I would put in a post about what has been going on in my world. Well... I am a year older, work has been keeping me really busy. I have been working at least one late night/early morning (sometimes late morning) once a week, since most of my production impacting work has to be done at night. Kids and wife are doing well, really looking forward for them to go back to school. My oldest is really really looking forward to see all of her friends on Wednesday.

The summer has been good. Lots of birthday parities and small get together. I recently had a former colleague's family over for a BBQ, play on the play structure, and general chat. It was really good and clean fun. The kids enjoyed themselves, until it stated raining. I need to do this more often with people. Just finding the time is hard. The girls either have something or there is something that we have to do. But, it needs to be done.

Playing a bit of Mass Effect on the x360. But, I am missing the whole Dark Age interaction.. Maybe I can convience a few people to play, so I am not alone in my adventures. We will see.

Oh.. did you see the I5s areout.. They look really hot, great performance, at a lower cost than the I7s. I may have to change my plan to one of these and move some more money to the larger hard-drive or more memory.

That is all for now.