Can I virtualise our central OpenManage server?

Question

Hi Guys,

I currently have an old HP server setup as the central OpenManage machine... I have around 150 servers which are configured to send traps/alerts etc to this machines IP address. I have been asked to investigate if it is possible to visualise this server, I have a SQL2000 cluster available if it is appropriate to move the OM database away from the local hardware.

So….

1. Is it possible/advisable to virtualise our central OpenManage server?

2. Is there any Dell specific documentation available showing the requirements/details for a successful move?

3. Would it be advisable to move the existing local database to our SQL cluster first, and then carry out a migration to our ESX environment using the VMWare conversion tools? or should a new server be built and a new installation of OpenManage be carried out?

4. Is it possible to backup the current OM configuration (including the email alerting, IP search ranges etc) and then apply that backed up configuration to a new installation on OM?

5. Will this work? --> I create a new VM server, Install OM with the DB being located on the SQL cluster, setup all the IP address ranges/email alerting etc etc… then when I am ready to exchange the old live with the new build… shutdown old live, change the server name and IP address of the new build to match the old live and bring it up….

Any details such as links to the appropriate documentation would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Stuart.

sysbuff · Answer

Here is a link to how you can successfully move the IT Assistant database to another instance of SQL Server running elsewhere http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/software/smitasst/8.1/en/ug/install.htm#1055058

I am not sure if running the IT Assistant on a virtual environment is supported by Dell, but I have seen posts about that being successfully done and I have done it myself

Here is what I would do:

Install a fresh copy of IT Assistant on the guest OS.
Follow the procedure in the link to copy the existing IT Assistant database to the cluster. Make sure the current IT Assistant and newly installed IT Assistant are same version and on same subnet (other wise the discovery ranges may not work as expected)
If you are using the Software repository copy the repository directory over from the old IT Assistant installation. (it will be under \repository). For this to work successfully the installation path for both should be exactly same. If that is not possible you will have to delete the repository in the new installation through ITA UI and add it again.
Shutdown the old IT Assitant services (don't uninstall yet)
Change the IP Address of the new IT Assistant installation or change the trap destination of each managed node to the new ITAssistant's IP
Check out if all the tasks you have set up are running correctly
let it run for a couple of days and see if it works out.

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Can I virtualise our central OpenManage server?

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