VPLEX: How to ensure a user receives call home messages from their VPLEX

NOTE: 

1. Not all events generate a dial-home / call-home alert.
2. The user will receive those events and alerts coded to report issues via e-mail to the user.
3. Dell may filter some events and alerts based on severity and frequency.

Dell presently filters some Call Home events where there is known false alarms that may have been caused by maintenance, power issues, or other issues outside of the VPLEX control.

Below are some checks to review and follow to ensure the call home feature is configured correctly on the VPLEX.

1. We will start with the call home configuration file itself.

1. 1. Log into the clusters management server using the service credentials. [SH - if this is a metro do we to let the user know to repeat these steps on the peer cluster?]
      
      Sample Output:

login as: service
Using keyboard-interactive authentication.
Password:
Last login: Fri Aug  25 18:47:57 2023 from xx.xx.xx.xx
service@ManagementServer:~>

1. 2. Once logged into the management server, Change Directory (cd) to the following location, /opt/emc/connectemc

1. 3. Next, 'cat' the call home configuration file "ConnectEMC_config.xml" to see how it is currently setup.           
      
      Example:
      Service@MaanagementServer:/opt/emc/connectemc> cat ConnectEMC_config.xml

service@ManagementServer:~> cat /opt/emc/connectemc/ConnectEMC_config.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<ConnectEMCConfig SchemaVersion="1.1.0">
    <ConnectConfig Type="Email">
        <Retries>7</Retries>
        <Notification>Primary</Notification>
        <Timeout>700</Timeout>
        <Description></Description>
        <BsafeEncrypt>no</BsafeEncrypt>
        <IPProtocol>IPV4</IPProtocol>
        <EmailServer>1.1.1.1</EmailServer>
        <EmailAddress>emailalert@emc.com</EmailAddress>
        <EmailSender>VPlex_FNM10212000131@vplex.emc.com</EmailSender>
        <EmailFormat>ASCII</EmailFormat>
        <EmailSubject>Call Home</EmailSubject>
        <IncludeCallHomeData>no</IncludeCallHomeData> 
        <InsertBefore></InsertBefore>
        <PreProcess></PreProcess>
        <PostProcess></PostProcess>
    </ConnectConfig>
    <ConnectConfig Type="Email">
        <Retries>7</Retries>
        <Notification>Failover</Notification>
        <Timeout>700</Timeout>
        <Description></Description>
        <BsafeEncrypt>no</BsafeEncrypt>
        <IPProtocol>IPV4</IPProtocol>
        <EmailServer>2.2.2.2</EmailServer>
        <EmailAddress>emailalert@emc.com</EmailAddress>
        <EmailSender>VPlex_FNM10212000131@vplex.emc.com</EmailSender>
        <EmailFormat>ASCII</EmailFormat>
        <EmailSubject>Call Home</EmailSubject>
        <IncludeCallHomeData>no</IncludeCallHomeData>
        <InsertBefore></InsertBefore>
        <PreProcess></PreProcess>
        <PostProcess></PostProcess>
    </ConnectConfig>
    <ConnectConfig Type="Email">
        <Retries>7</Retries>
        <Notification>onSuccess/onFailure</Notification>
        <Timeout>700</Timeout>
        <Description></Description>
        <BsafeEncrypt>no</BsafeEncrypt>
        <IPProtocol>IPV4</IPProtocol>
        <EmailServer>1.1.1.1</EmailServer>
        <EmailAddress>1234@dell.com</EmailAddress>
        <EmailSender>VPlex_FNM10212000131@vplex.emc.com</EmailSender>
        <EmailFormat>ASCII</EmailFormat>
        <EmailSubject>Call Home</EmailSubject>
        <IncludeCallHomeData>yes</IncludeCallHomeData>
        <InsertBefore></InsertBefore>
        <PreProcess></PreProcess>
        <PostProcess></PostProcess>
    </ConnectConfig>

</ConnectEMCConfig>

          Notes:

• • • You should also get a copy of the "Configure_Call-Home and SYR" document, located on SolVe Online under VPLEX > Admin > Admin Procedures > Configure,
      as it will explain the info for each line of the ConnectEMC_config.xml file used to control how call-homes are handled by the VPLEX.
    • ESRS has been retired, and all customers should be at or have plans to go to the new Secure Connect Gateway (SCG) application.

           Sample Output of two options that can be used for notifications, Primary and OnSuccess/OnFailure: 

1. 4. If any changes are required, use either the vi editor or WinSCP to make changes

1. 5. After changing any value of the ConnectEMC_config.xml file you must restart the following
       services on the management server.
      
      

•  sudo /etc/init.d/VPlexConnectemcd restart
•  sudo /etc/init.d/VPlexEmaAdaptor restart
•  sudo /etc/init.d/VPlexManagementConsole restart

on version 6.2 SP1 and later, the commands will be:

•  sudo systemctl restart VPlexConnectemcd
•  sudo systemctl restart VPlexEmaAdaptor
•  sudo systemctl restart VPlexManagementConsole

2. Once the configuration is complete, log into the VPlexcli and go to context /notifications/call-home/ and check to ensure the call-home is enabled / true.

3. In the event the call-home is not enabled (set for false), please enable it using the following command:

4. Once you confirm that the call-home feature is configured as you want it, and is enabled, run a test call-home.
   
   
5. In order to run a test call home, from the VPlexcli context /notifications/call-home type the word 'test' at the context prompt and ensure you get the message declaring the
   call-home was sent successfully:
     
   Example:

The following are KB articles relating to VPlex call-homes: [SH - these listed KBAs should all be checked to ensure they are up-to-date with commands that are used for 6.2.1.x as well]

• 000066793, "VPLEX: How to manually configure call home."
• 000105569, "VPLEX: Call-home fails after initial configuration due to mis-configured ConnectEMC_config.xml file"
• 000159829, "VPLEX: User is not seeing the details of the call-home in the e-mail alerts received from the VPLEX."