OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA) support for ESXi 6.7

Question

We have a batch of PER 13G servers which have been upgraded from ESXi 6.5u1 to ESXi 6.7 GA and ever since, OMSA agent is not working on these ESXi servers, and we cannot manage them with OMIVV or OMSA Managed Node anymore. It is stated here: that ESXi 6.7 is supported with OMSA 9.1.1, however, the only supported server models are PER840 and PER940xa. A few days ago, Dell EMC Systems Management Tools (containing OMSA agent) v.9.2.0 have been published for 13G servers and ESXi 6.7 is listed as supported, however, no packages for any ESXi version can be found inside the bundle. Dell VUM repository (http://vmwaredepot.dell.com/index.xml) still does not return any OMSA packages for ESXi 6.7 when requested through VUM. ESXi 6.7 GA is out for more than 6 months, which should be more than enough time to release an OMSA agent that supports this ESXi version for a broader range of Dell PER servers. When will the OMSA agent that supports ESXi 6.7 and 13G servers be released either through VUM, or as a VIB (zip) package ?

Napets Cisoc · Accepted Answer

Well it seems like someone in Dell has heard my call for help :) Here it is:   https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/drivers/driversdetails?driverId=4H69M&osCode=XI67&productCode=poweredge-r630

hudson8 · Answer

Napets Cisoc--

I know this is an old thread, but I wonder if there are hidden tricks to get this to work. I loaded OMSA v9.3 for VMware onto ESXi v6.7 and can't login. I have no problem logging into OMSA on ESXi 6.0. The older versions required that you enable the CIM OpenManage provider on the ESXi host under Advanced Settings. I don't see how to enable this on ESXi 6.7.

Thanks in advance.

Hudson 8

Columbia University

Dell-DylanJ · Answer

Hello, This VMware KB may be of use to you. It's about disabling and enabling the CIM agent in ESXi.  https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1025757 esxcli system wbem set --enable true

hudson8 · Answer

This looks good. Will try tomorrow, but in ESXi v6.7 sfcbd-watchdog (the CIM) service can be controlled by the Services tab in the web management interface. And CIM is already running.

Will try anyway.

Thank you.

hudson8 · Answer

That did not work.  Over the next few days I'm going to sort out what versions of VMware ESXi the current version of OMSA (9.3) works on.  Maybe that will help me understand why it does not work on the current version of VMware (6.7).

Dell-DylanJ · Answer

I may have misunderstood your previous post, it read to me as you asking how to turn on CIM. At any rate, I was able to check out an R740 and I installed ESXi 6.7U2 onto it, then OMSA 9.3. I can confirm that the software did read all the expected output values. I saw all the appropriate controllers, firmware, etc. I did very little in the process, I only installed the OS using the Dell customized image, then OMSA. Did not make any further modifications to the default config.

hudson8 · Answer

Hello-- Dylan. Thanks for picking up this thread.

The OMSA for VMware I found on the Dell download portal is

OM-SrvAdmin-Dell-Web-9.3.0-3465.VIB-ESX67i_A00.zip (and says it is for ESXi v6.7 U1), released 4/23/19.

I find that this version of OMSA v9.3.0 does not work with VMware ESXi v6.7.0 U2 (build 13006603) released 4/11/2019.

OMSA v9.3 works with ESXi v6.5 U2, 6.7.0, and 6.70 U1.

When I say it does not work, I mean that a Windows-based OMSA managed node portal would not connect to OMSA running on VMware 6.7 U2. (The Windows-based OMSA managed node portal was v9.3 and most current on Dell support).

The hardware is a Dell R630, and I made identical fresh installs of VMware ESXi versions with no changes. They were all accessed from the same Windows-based OMSA managed node portal on a Server 2016 box for which OMSA accesses 5 other VMware hosts of different versions without problem.

Were you using the Windows-based OMSA managed node portal to run your test?

or OMSA essentials (or other).

Thank you for following this with me.

demo7100 · Answer

I have the same issue with 6.7 u2 and  9.3.0.ESXi670-3465

karthikv912 · Answer

OMSA support for ESXi 6.7U3 release OM9.4 which is expected to be released by 2020 February.

Airz · Answer

Wow that's pretty horrific given that the ESXi 6.7u2 customised image was released in July which is when it broke. I know it's not the end of the world but surely it would make sense for Dell to ensure their management software is compatible at the point of the customised image release and not potentially 7 months later?

MattiasZ · Answer

Dell you can do better than this. It's completly unacceptably that your own enterprise installation is NOT supported but your own monitoring software.
I know it has been problem with omsa before but this is a new bottom level.

I dont want to be harsh but remeber we count on your hardware for our business.

If you cannot make this fix untill 9.4 at least do an hotfix for the 9.3 version so we can monitor our esxi servers correct.

And yes i know idrac can also monitor but not to the same degree and that not the point.

MattiasZ · Answer

Well seams that we dont need to wait so long. Version 9.3.1 is released and works fine on my R530 servers. OM-SrvAdmin-Dell-Web-9.3.1-3684.VIB-ESX67i_A00.zip

Systems Management General

OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA) support for ESXi 6.7

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