SevOne NMS 5.4 Quick Start Guide - JMX

Introduction

This document describes the best practices for SevOne NMS users to implement and manage the polling of Java Management Extensions (JMX) data from your network.

JMX is a Java specification technology (defined in JSR-160) that provides a standard means for Java applications to publish indicators to JMX compliant management and monitoring systems. JMX technology is a part of the Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE platform). JMX technology provides a standard way to manage resources such as applications, devices, and services. You can use JMX to monitor and manage resources as they are created, installed, and implemented. You can also use JMX to monitor and manage the Java Virtual Machine (Java VM).

JMX technology measures and controls a given resource by one or more Java objects known as Managed Beans (MBeans). MBeans are registered in the MBean server which acts as a management agent and can run on devices that are enabled for the Java programming language. The specifications define JMX agents you use to manage resources that are configured for management. A JMX agent consists of an MBean server, in which MBeans are registered, and a set of services for handling the MBeans. In this way, JMX agents directly control resources and make them available to remote management applications like SevOne NMS.

In SevOne NMS, plugins are mechanisms that poll (collect, ask for, etc.) data from technologies. Plugins define a way to get data, usually via some protocol such as SNMP, ICMP, WMI, etc. Many plugins are automatically enabled when you add a device to SevOne NMS so you can poll applicable objects with minimal configuration. JMX requires device specific input.

Objects are discrete components of a device or a software component that have one or more performance indicators on which SevOne NMS can monitor, trend, and alert. SevOne NMS considers an element to be any performance object. Indicators are grouped by indicator types which in turn are grouped by object types.

• Object Types - Define logical things to ask for information about.

• Indicator Types - Define kinds of metrics that object types can have.

The JMX plugin detects and monitors the JMX indicators for the object types that you enable to be polled. When you enable the JMX plugin, SevOne NMS discovers the device and any objects for the JMX object types and the indicators for the JMX indicator types you enable from the Object Types page.

Enable Devices to Send JMX Data to SevOne NMS

This chapter describes how to enable devices to send JMX data to SevOne NMS. This workflow is outside of the SevOne NMS application and may not present all of the steps your network requires to enable devices to send JMX data. If these instructions are not applicable for your network please reference the device manufacturer's documentation.

Enable JMX Plugin

The JMX plugin requires device specific configuration and is therefore disabled on new devices by default. The Device Manager provides access to the Edit Device page where you enable and configure the JMX plugin for each device.

Perform the following steps to enable the JMX plugin for each device from which to discover JMX objects and to poll JMX metrics.

1. From the navigation bar, click Devices and select Device Manager to display the Device Manager

2. Click next to a device to display the Edit Device page.

3. In the plugin section (displays SNMP by default), click the drop-down and select JMX.

4. Select the JMX Capable check box to enable discovery of the JMX object types you enable and to poll JMX data on the device.

5. In the Hostname field, enter the JMX server host name.

6. In the Port field, enter the port number on the JMX server for SevOne NMS to use.

7. Click the Connection Type drop-down.

   • Select JSR160 to use to connect to the server using JSR160 over the REST based protocol.

   • Select AdminClient to use the Websphere Network Deployable AdminClient protocol.

8. Click the Authentication Method drop-down.

   • Select None to have SevOne NMS not use an authentication method to access the device.

   • Select Username/Password to have SevOne NMS use a user name and password to access the device. Additional fields appear to enable you to enter the user name and password SevOne NMS needs to authenticate onto the device.

9. If you use WebSphere v8.5, select the Use Keystore check box and perform the following steps to select the Keystore and to enter the SSL credentials that enable you to use the JMX Keystore feature. Leave clear if you do not use WebSphere v8.5.

   1. Click Upload Keystore to display the Import Keystore pop-up.

   2. Click to navigate your file system hierarchy and select the Keystore.

   3. In the Keystore Password field, enter the password SevOne NMS needs to authenticate onto the device.

10. If you use WebSphere v8.5, select the Use Truststore check box and perform the following steps to select the Truststore and to enter the SSL credentials that enable you to use the JMX Truststore feature. Leave clear if you do not use WebSphere v8.5.

    1. Click Upload Truststore to display the Import Truststore pop-up.

    2. Click to navigate your file system hierarchy and select the Truststore.

    3. In the Truststore Password field, enter the password SevOne NMS needs to authenticate onto the device.

11. In the Connection Suffix field, enter the JMX server suffix SevOne NMS needs to gain access the JMX server. This is set to jmxrmi by default and should not be changed.

12. In the Name Filter field, enter the name of the filter to use to generate the names for the JMX objects.

13. In the Object Filter field, enter the filters to use to limit the discovery of JMX objects. To separate filters use the ; character.

14. On the New Device page, click Save as New to display the Edit Device page to perform the next step.

15. Click Edit Indicator Types to Monitor to display the Indicator Type Map page where you select to enable or disable the JMX indicator types to poll on the device. Note the legend/explanation for the indicators.

    • Bold - The SNMP plugin polls the indicator by default when discovered on a device.

    • Italic - The indicator's object type is enabled from the Object Type Manager.

    • Normal - The indicator's object type is disabled and the indicator is not being polled.

16. Select the check box for each individual indicator to poll the indicators you select for the device.

Manage JMX Object Types and Indicator Types

The JMX plugin discovers the JMX object types on the devices you enable to send JMX data to SevOne NMS. JMX object types are disabled by default. The Object Rules page enables you to define rules to disable polling of objects and the Object Manager enables you to manage the objects on each device. The Object Types page enables you to manage JMX object types and indicator types.

To access the Object Types page from the navigation bar, click the Administration menu, select Monitoring Configuration, and then select Object Types.

Click the Filter drop-down and select JMX Poller to display the object types the JMX plugin can poll in the Object Types hierarchy on the left.