vCenter Server Heart Beat 6.5 with vCenter 5.0 U2 Installation verification testing results auto fail over issues.

vCenter Server heart beat 6.5 installation verification testing.

Not going to discuss on installation procedure, Refer installation document for pre requites and procedure, here i am going to detail only about the testing and verification that was done for vCSHB with VC 5.0 U2, in my lab.
vCenter server heart beat provides uses 4 terms for switch over and failover process as follows.

Managed switchover - Manually making the passive server to active and vice versa, with in the summary tab.
Automatic switchover - Automatically triggered when there is a failure in protected services detected.
Managed Failover -  If the passive server detect that the active server has failed, can send alerts to administrators, there administrator has to perform a manual failover.
Automatic Failover - Automatic failover same as automatic switchover, triggers when passive detects that active is not reachable.

1. Testing Managed Switchover\failover:

Usually performed when there is a maintenance or reboot required for the active nodes.

Connect vCenter server heart beat via Manage Server ( Considering that the groups are added already).
Click on connection under server tab in summary, you will see node, select the passive node and click on make active.
Successfull completion of switch over indicates the managed switchover completion.

2. Automatic switchover\failover:

Here come's the issue.

Logged on to the active server and did a shutdown of the server and failover didn't happen, was surprised and investigate further, later got a update from vmware support saying that its expected and only in case of power failure or a server crash the auto fail over or switchover will happen.

So incase of server shutdown, there is no auto failover.

then powered off the VM and clicked on edit setting, under option tab, clicked on vmware tools and changed the stop option from shutdown to power off.

then tested power off(that is unplug power cord), auto failover was successful.

Note: as per the installation document, it is mentioned that VMware recommends against
attempting to test failover on a properly operating Pair by methods such as unplugging a power cord. At the
moment power is lost, any data not written to the passive server is lost. VMware recommends that all actions intended to verify operation of the passive server be performed as a switchover rather than a failover.

Let me know your test out come or issue to discuss more.

vCenter Support Assistant 5.1

vCenter support Assistant release 24 Jan 2013,


This is a free plugin for vcenter, to create support request, upload logs, view and update services request etc.

Tried this at my lab and following are the one that has to noted for successful installation of this plugin.

1. vcenter support assistant is a appliance, download it from here.
2. easy installation and configuration refer this.
3. Appliance need Internet access, make sure if you have proxy you have provide with the right credentials for authentication. If it dont have access to Internet then this will not work.
4. DNS resolution is important between appliance and vcenter vice versa.
5. Make sure you have network communication between vcenter and appliance works fine and if there is a firewall necessary ports are open.
6. on successful installation and configuration, a icon in the vsphere client under solutions and applications will show vcenter support assistant as follows.

7. click on that and provide the valid login for vmware support.

8. In the diagnostics all the below should be passed for uploading logs, creating services request.

 



after the appliance configuration few things to be tested to make sure the appliance works fine.

We need to make sure if the appliance is able to communicate to the below web address and then to vcenter.
   * Connectivity to https://supportassistant.vmware.com and
     https://*.nirvanix.com

   * Connectivity to the vCenter Server and ESX/ESXi hosts
     that you wish to generate log bundles from
you should pass the below when used wget command.

 # wget https://supportassistant.vmware.com
--2013-02-10 07:49:08--  https://supportassistant.vmware.com/
Resolving supportassistant.vmware.com... XX.XX.XX.XX
Connecting to supportassistant.vmware.com|XX.XX.XX.XX|:443... connected.

faced lot of issue while configure this, below are once that made issue to me.

1. issue is while to try to register support assistant, error as "failed to register."
Fix was communication between vc and appliance was not there.
used domain account, changed that to local account worked fined.

2. connectivity of virtual appliance to vmware.com.
Issue with proxy connection, create a exception for this appliance and resolved.

DNS resolution between VC and appliance.
Internet connectivity to appliance.