Next level of network visualization

Checkmk Exchange
1

A new topology layer is available. This is now fully integrated into Checkmk. No external tool, no configuration files required. Simply install the new plugin, configure it via Setup if necessary and get the topology.

The new topology visualizes your vSphere environment. It contains

vCenter → Datacenter(s) → Cluster(s) → ESXi host(s) → VM(s) → Datastore(s)

To create the topology, the plugin uses the data from the special agent “VMware ESX via vSphere”. It discovers the configured vCenter servers in your Checkmk site and adds the “vSphere Topology” service. The topology is created on the fly with each check cycle. So the latest available data is always used.

ThX @adadietrich for the idea and being my beta tester :wink:

You can download the latest version of the plugin here. It should be also avilable on the Exchange soon It is also available on the Exchange now.

NOTE: this plugin needs at least CMK 2.3.0b1 to work.

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11 Likes
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Great work @thl-cmk and @adadietrich! :heart_eyes:
This is a really cool addition and I really want to give this a try.

It’s a nice feature, and thanks for putting in the work! :+1:

2 Likes
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Thanks for this awesome plugin! We are just setting it up and can see the vCenter has identified multiple objects and I can see a new service called vSphere Topology.

What are the steps to get this to be viewed in a topology view? We are using Enterprise 2.3.0p6

Thanks!

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Really Nice !!!

5

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Hope this will help a bit :wink:

1 Like
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Worked a treat, thanks :slight_smile:

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Happy to help. As I’m curious, maybe you can share your topology here :wink:

8

Yes, me too! :slight_smile: Would like to see this in action as well!

1 Like
9

Based on feedback from @Norm I have added some new options to the plugin to cleanup the topology.

  • You can now exclude “powered off” VMs form the topology
  • You can now exclude VMs with a certain name form the topology (regex)
  • You can now map names form the vSphere agent to names in the topology/Checkmk. With this option you can for example change “datacenter-21” to your real dacanter name.

Cheers
Thomas

2 Likes
10

Hi,
I can’t see this point Network Layer topology. I have also installed the Network Visualisation plugin and I only see Network topology and not the Network Layer topology. The new service is available and has found objects

Karsten

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@kacon is this a distributed environment?

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Yes, is a distributed environment.

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Ok. Is the vCenter monitored from the main site? If not you need to transfer the topology data from the distributed site to the main site, or you can access the topology on the site where the vCenter is monitored.

This is one of the issues I hope Checkmk will address in the near future.

Cheers
Thomas

14

Thanks for the info. I also can’t find a selection Network layer topology at the location where the vCenter is monitored. However, I can see the topology in the hardware inventory.

Cheers
Karsten

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you can check the directory ~/ var/check_mk/topology/data. There should be a directory with your vCenter name and a symlink to this vCenter directory.

If you use more than one topology source, you might need to activate the “make default” option in the vSphere topology ruleset.

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Thank you very much, I have now understood and implemented it.