Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent Installation Guide

Purpose

The Hitachi Remote Ops system provides a means of collecting maintenance information from the systems being monitored and transferring that information to a centralized location at Hitachi Vantara where the data is automatically analyzed and a service case with subsequent notification created if warranted. This benefits both the customer and Hitachi Vantara by permitting Hitachi Vantara service personnel to be notified of issues on the monitored devices immediately and proactively and enables the issues to be resolved faster and mitigated before they become more severe issues.

Description

The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent application is a Java application that runs on a customer supplied host platform (Windows, Linux, or virtual instance of one of these operating systems). The application monitors the devices on the customer's network that it's configured to monitor and will report the status of the device to the Hitachi Remote Ops Center at Hitachi Vantara by an HTTPS session through the public internet. The data reflecting the status is sent to the Hitachi Remote Ops Center immediately if a potential error condition is detected and the status and configuration information (microcode version, type of HDDs installed, etc.) will be sent on a daily basis even if no error condition exists.

The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent has a function that permits Hitachi Vantara support specialists to easily, quickly, and securely acquire an extended dump/log from certain devices if enabled. This permits a faster and higher level of support for those situations that require extended analysis.

The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent has a web browser interface to configure the application and to provide a mechanism for displaying the status of each monitored device by the application.

The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent includes the option to send email notifications of detected errors to a user-defined list of email locations as well as the option to send SNMP traps to a customer monitoring system. These options are for the use of the customer if the customer desires to use these features.

Normally only a single instance of Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent will be installed and running at a site. This single instance will monitor all devices at the site and possibly devices at remote sites as well depending on the customer's network and device configurations. If a new device is being installed at the customer site and there is already an instance of Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent installed and running at the site monitoring other devices, typically the existing Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent instance would simply have the new device added to be monitored by it (a very quick and easy step) rather than installing a new instance of the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent application. A variant of this would be having a backup mode instance of Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent running at the site if desired. Refer to references in this guide for the backup mode.

Permitted Usage

The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent is a service tool owned by Hitachi Vantara that is permitted to be used only with products under a current maintenance agreement with Hitachi Vantara or a Hitachi Vantara authorized service partner. The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent shall not be used without a valid maintenance agreement. If there are no products at the customer site under a maintenance agreement with Hitachi Vantara or a Hitachi Vantara authorized service partner then the application shall be de-installed by the customer or a service person. If a subset of the monitored devices are under a maintenance agreement but some are not then the ones that are not shall be removed from monitoring via the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent user interface by the customer or a service person.

Initial Running of the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent

When the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent is run on the host platform for the first time, various configuration items will need to be set. All configuration is performed through the program's browser interface.

The basic sequence of the steps for configuring the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent will be -

• Login to the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent from a web browser.
• Enter the SiteID in the Configuration->Base page. (For assistance with locating your Site ID, see How to Access My Sites on the Support Website)
• Enter the transport information in the Configuration->Transport Agents page to specify the method used to send the data.
• Create any needed device access credentials by using the User Management page.
• Add devices to be monitored via the Add a Device or Item hyperlink on the Summary page.

The following steps outline the details of configuring the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent to monitor the devices -

1. Access the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent from a web browser

   Access the application by browsing to the IP address or name of the host platform and specifying port 6696 (the http port the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent is using by default although it's configurable). For example, if the IP address of the host platform is 123.456.789.001, then browse to: http://123.456.789.001:6696. If using a browser on the same host platform as that running the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent and if the host platform is configured to resolve localhost, it should be possible to access it by browsing to: http://localhost:6696. If unsuccessful at connecting to the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent with the browser, check to make sure the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent program is running, that the browser proxy settings allow access to the host platform, that network connectivity to the host platform exists, and that HTTP access to the host platform isn't blocked by a firewall. To check if the program is running on Windows, check that the "Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent" service is running in 'Services' under the 'Control Panel'.

2. Log in to the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent

   Log in as an administrator by selecting 'Administrator' from the list box then keying in the password. The default password for both the administrator and monitor access levels is hds.

3. Configure the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent application

   The Configuration selection allows for entering and changing various configuration items relating to the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent. The configuration section consists of several pages selectable by clicking the navigation buttons labeled Base, Transport Agents, etc. that appear under the Configuration heading. The Base page is the first page presented when the configuration page was selected. It's recommended to leave most items at their default values but the following items are required to be set. When completed with the changes on each Configuration page, click the Submit button on the page.

   • Base Configuration Page
     • SiteID: Enter the 7 character Site ID for this site. It's important that a valid SiteID is set and that it matches the associated setting for the Hitachi Remote Ops site ID in the Hitachi Vantara CRM system so that cases will be created appropriately and notifications performed correctly. If you're not certain of the Hitachi Remote Ops site ID for the site contact the appropriate service/support personnel to determine it. Do not enter an invalid or incorrect site ID.

       Note: The SiteID entered in this location will be the default SiteID for devices yet to be configured. It's possible to override this default SiteID for a particular device by setting it on the configuration page for that device. If this default SiteID is changed at a later time, it will NOT affect devices already configured. Those devices already configured would need to have their SiteIDs changed individually if it's desired to change to the new value. This feature allows one Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent instance to monitor devices with different Site IDs if necessary - for example if some devices were in different geographical locations but connectivity to them exists on the customer network.

     • Report Communication Errors: The default option is to not report errors relating to communication errors between the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent and the device. This is so that customer network errors don't result in unwanted case opening/notification. If it's desired to report these types of errors, enter a YES here. If it's desired that communication errors result in only an email being sent to the configured email destinations (see next step) but not the Hitachi Remote Ops Center at Hitachi Vantara, enter 'Local'.  
     • Click on the Help on this table's entries link on the page for further detail about the other entries in the table if desired but the other items can generally be left at their default values (recommended). 
   • Transport Agents Configuration Page
     • Always configure all of the transport destinations for a given transport protocol to provide adequate redundancy - ex: HTTPS to ushtinet01, ushtinet02, usdenhtinet01, usdenhtinet02. 
     • HTTPS is the only supported transport.
     • The transport connectivity may be tested independently of Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent by performing the basic connection to the transport destination from the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent host platform. If using HTTPS as the transport type (recommended), one can browse to the destination - ex: https://ushtinet01.hds.com and see if they get a resulting web page versus no connection.
     • Simplest option - Standard Transport Destinations - Pre-populated transport methods and destinations have been provided in the selection drop down list next to the 'Create' button. Selecting the transport via the pre-populated transport method is the simplest way to configure the transport. If required by the site's network, configure the proxy information for the transfer method after selecting a transport method/destination. This proxy information must be provided by the customer. In many cases a proxy won't be needed. If the simple destinations are configured then the following details for configuring the methods/destinations manually can be skipped. Be certain to configure all available transport destinations (4 destinations at this point in time). 
     • If using the HTTPS (manual) selection - This option isn't normally needed but is provided for unusual circumstances. The pre-populated destinations described above should be used rather than this option if possible. Enter the HTTPS parameters to allow the monitor program to access the Hitachi Remote Ops Transfer servers at the Hitachi Remote Ops center at Hitachi Vantara. If a proxy will be used, consult with the customer network administrator to determine the proper HTTPS proxy setup. The Hitachi Remote Ops HTTPS Transfer Server will use port 443 for the transport so the customer must make sure their firewall allows the data connection to function through this port (most customer networks already permit this).
       • Under the Data Transfer Agents heading, select HTTPS in the list box and click the Create button. The Configuration page will reappear with a detailed HTTPS configuration form at the bottom.
       • Enter the HTTPS Server to send the data to under Server.
       • Select the ethernet interface to use for the HTTPS transport to the public internet under Local Interface. If the host platform has multiple interfaces (multiple NIC cards installed), be certain to select the interface that has the access to the public internet.
         • Note: If the customer makes later configuration changes to the host platform or migrates the configuration to a different platform, it's possible it may affect the interfaces available and that this setting will need to be changed.
       • Enter the HTTPS port to use. This should normally be set to 443.
       • Enter the HTTPS user name under UserName (obtain the user names from Hitachi Vantara).
       • Enter the HTTPS Password under Password (obtain the passwords from Hitachi Vantara). Note - The password will need to be entered twice, once in each of the boxes adjacent to the Password line. Both of these passwords must match.
       • If the customer requires the use of a Tunnel or SOCKS proxy, select from the listbox the proxy type and then fill in the appropriate proxy settings in the form. Proxy setting details must be obtained from the customer.
       • Click the Submit button to make the changes take effect. 
   • Device Polling
     • Leave this setting at the default unless there's a specific reason to change it to decrease the frequency of polling for errors. This would generally only be needed if there is a performance issue with Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent communicating with all of the devices due to a large number of devices defined, a slow customer network, or related issues.
     • This table shows an entry for each type of device and allows the user to define a multiple of the polling interval for that device type. For example, if the polling interval is 150 seconds and a multiple of 3 is defined for a device type then that device type will polled every 450 seconds.
     • The table also shows the equivalent import/export name for the device type as a reference for the device type name in the 8th column of the import/export file.
     • The 'Disable' column allows the device type to be removed from the list shown in the Add Device page.
     • Click on the 'Help on this table's entries link (above the table) for more details. 
   • Local TCP/IP Configuration Page
     • Leave this setting at the default unless there's a specific reason to change it.
     • The HTTP/SNMP Service Ports may be changed if needed but generally the default values will be used. Please use caution when changing the default port values as to not conflict with other Hitachi Vantara products also installed on the same server.
     • The Sftp Server (Daemon) section is used to provide support for the Brocade Support-Save function. This function must use local TCP port 22. If the host is already using TCP port 22 then it's not possible for Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent to perform the Support-Save function and the local interface for this service must be set to 'NOT_SET'. If local TCP port 22 is available then the Sftp service may be configured. Only one local interface may be configured and its local interface must be accessible by the Brocade switch. Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent only checks this interface during startup so if a change is made here restart the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent to enable the service on a specific interface.
     • The Local TCP/IP Interface may be changed if need be to match the interface (network) that the devices to be monitored are on. This generally only needs to be changed if the host platform has multiple NICs installed and the default selection is the wrong interface to be able to communicate with the devices. If after completing the configuration of the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent it's unable to communicate with the devices, then this setting is likely pointing to the wrong interface and needs to be changed to the correct one.
     • Click the Submit button to make the changes take effect. 
   • Debug/Trace Configuration Page
     • Leave this setting at the default unless there's a specific reason to change it.
     • This page is used to increase the level of logging for troubleshooting problems. This page should generally be left at its default values unless a problem is encountered that requires an increased logging level. 
   • Timezone Configuration Page
     • Leave this setting at the default unless there's a specific reason to change it.
     • This page is used to change the timezone settings. This page should generally be left at its default values unless a problem is encountered with the timezone setting.
   • Email Configuration Page: The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent can optionally send email notifications to a user defined list of email locations. The customer must supply the name or IP address of the sending mail server to use. Email locations to send the notifications to are entered in the User List and are separated by a comma. Some customer mail servers won't allow an email to be sent unless the sender's email address is already known to it. In this case, set the Sender's Email Address area up with an email address that's known to the sending mail server. This address must be supplied by the customer. Use SSL Mode=Automatic and Authentication Mode=User/Password for third party email sites such as Google(tm) mail. Specify an SMTP User and Password if required by the mail server at this site. Click the adjacent Submit button to make the changes take effect. Click the Test Email button to have a test email sent to the locations just configured. Note that this email function is optional and used only for the customer's convenience. It doesn't affect the normal communication path to Hitachi Vantara for the purpose of notifying Hitachi Vantara service personnel. 
   • Backup Tab
     • The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent can function in a primary/backup mode for redundancy if desired. In this mode the backup instance communicates with the primary instance and if the primary instance is non-responsive the backup instance will start polling the devices for error conditions and report them until the primary becomes responsive again. This is an optional configuration item. It's not required to have a backup instance.
     • The 'Backup Tab' allows a Primary Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent to be defined if this instance will be a Backup instance. Don't configure anything on this page if this instance is the primary.
   • User Management Page
     This function allows for entering and changing passwords used for logging onto the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent, for setting account authentication credentials for HUS and certain other storage devices that support the function, for setting credentials to access SNMP devices, for setting up a Proxy and SSL, and for setting other device specific connection credentials. This function is used to configure the user/password information required to access SNMP v3 devices such as Cisco and HCP-AW/HCP, and to set access credentials for FTP and Telnet for other devices such as the Compute Blade Server 500 and 2500, and to set Remote User credentials for HNAS. It's also used to configure SNMP community strings to access devices such as Brocade and HCP-AW/HCP. The typical default SNMP community string of "public" is already configured so if that's the only one configured into the devices, no additional configuration is required on this page for those devices. The SSL security information should normally be left at its default value and not require any setting.

     The settings for the various credentials typically require making up a 'Security Name' alias as a reference to the object. This alias name that will be used to associate the security credentials can be anything such as "mySOCKS", "Hitachi", "HiTrack", HTTPS_Proxy, CiscoDevices, etc. The UserID and Password entered here must match those configured on the device for the access Hitachi Remote Ops requires. Note that certain default credentials are already defined for certain device types.

     • Changing the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent logon password
       • One may configure the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent user interface access to be via local credentials or Active Directory credentials. If Active Directory is to be used then the appropriate Domain, Server Name, and Organizational Unit, and SSL Mode need to be configured in the form and it needs to be enabled. If not using Active Directory this form should indicate 'Enabled - False' and the other form for the local credentials used.
       • Select Monitor User from the security object listbox and click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • Select the Monitor User Type in the Define Monitor User Types table by selecting the appropriate radio button and then clicking the adjacent Refresh button.
       • If using local authentication enter the desired password to use in the Detail for Monitor User table and click the adjacent Refresh button. If using Active Directory authentication fill out the fields in the second form.
     • Setting the ESM (controller) user ID for VSP One Block 20 Series
       • This device type requires the configuration of a user/password to access the ESMs (controllers). A default value exists for both but if the default was changed in the device then a new object with matching credentials must be created here. The default for the GUMs is object name 'VSP G/F130, G/F350, G/F370, G/F700, G/F900 GUM'.
       • Select Remote User Id from the security object listbox and click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • Enter an alias name in the box under Security Name. This name is an alias that will be used to reference the security information to be added in the next step. After entering the name, click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • In the Detail for Remote User Id table at the bottom of the page, enter the Remote UserID to be associated with the name just entered in the previous step. The Remote UserID defaults to be the same as the Security Name but the Remote UserID may be changed here if needed. In the Remote Password field enter the password for the associated user ID. After entering the information, click the adjacent Refresh button.
     • Setting the GUM (controller) and SVP user IDs for VSP F/G 900/700/370/350/130, VSP E Series
       • This device type requires the configuration of a user/password to access the GUMs (controllers) and one to access the SVP (if present). A default value exists for both but if the default was changed in the device then a new object with matching credentials must be created here. The default for the GUMs is object name 'VSP G/F130, G/F350, G/F370, G/F700, G/F900 GUM'. The default for the SVP is object name 'VSP G/F130, G/F350, G/F370, G/F700, G/F900 SVP'.
       • Select Remote User Id from the security object listbox and click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • Enter an alias name in the box under Security Name. This name is an alias that will be used to reference the security information to be added in the next step. After entering the name, click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • In the Detail for Remote User Id table at the bottom of the page, enter the Remote UserID to be associated with the name just entered in the previous step. The Remote UserID defaults to be the same as the Security Name but the Remote UserID may be changed here if needed. In the Remote Password field enter the password for the associated user ID. After entering the information, click the adjacent Refresh button.
     • Setting the SNMP v3 user/password information (use for Cisco, DS120 G2 / DS220 G2, and optionally for HCP-AW/HCP or other devices configured to use SNMP v3)
       • Select SNMP v3 from the security object listbox and click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • Enter an alias name in the box under Security Name. After entering the name, click the adjacent "Refresh" button.
       • In the Detail for SNMP v3 table at the bottom of the page, enter the Authorisation User and Authorisation Password to be associated with the name just entered in the previous step. The Authorisation User defaults to be the same as the Security Name but the Authorisation User may be changed here if needed. For example, if the Cisco devices have their SNMP v3 parameters configured with "administrator" as the authorisation user and "administrator123" as the authorisation password, then the following might be set in this table: Security Name: MyCisco, Authorisation User: administrator, Authorisation Password: administrator123. After entering the information, click the adjacent "Refresh" button.
       • The Authorisation Protocol default of HMAC-MD5-96 should not be changed without checking the device configuration.
     • Setting the SNMP community string information (use for Brocade and optionally HCP-AW/HCP).
       • Select SNMP from the security object listbox and click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • Enter an alias name in the box under Security Name. After entering the name, click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • In the Detail for SNMP Community table at the bottom of the page, enter the Community ID to be associated with the name just entered in the previous step. The community ID defaults to be the same as the Security Name but the community ID may be changed here if needed. After entering the information, click the adjacent Refresh button.
     • Setting the HCP 'HCP Log' Remote User ID
       • Select Remote User ID from the security object listbox and click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • Create a new Remote User ID can be created by replacing -AddNewUser Here- with an alias name for this security object, and click Refresh.
       • The HCP Log is fetched from the HCP via the HCP API so the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent needs to have a 'Remote User ID' be configured with the user ID and password that are configured on the HCP for the API. Each password must be entered twice. Click Refresh to add this new security object.
       • This security object can then be selected in an HCP add/modify page to associate this security object with the particular device.
     • Setting the Compute Blade Server Dump Fetch Id
       • Select Dump Fetch Id from the security object listbox and click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • A default dump id exists which cannot be edited. A new Dump Id can be created by replacing -AddNewUser Here- with an alias name for this security object, and click Refresh.
       • The dump is fetched from the Compute Blade Server via telnet and FTP so the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent needs to have a 'Dump Fetch ID' be configured with the telnet and FTP information configured on the Compute Blade server. If telnet and FTP aren't already configured on the Compute Blade server then they need to be configured on the device. Enter the Telnet UserID and Telnet Password that will be used to request a new dump from the Compute Blade, and the FTP UserID and FTP Password that will be used to fetch the dump from the Compute Blade. Each password must be entered twice. Click Refresh to add this new security object.
       • This security object can then be selected in a Compute Blade add/modify page.
     • Setting the Logon Username/Password for HNAS SMU
       • A default ID SMU is predefined for a standard SMU configuration with a userID of manager and the default password. If this SMU is using the default access credentials then a new Remote userID security object isn't needed but otherwise, follow the next steps to create a new security object for the device. If the customer changed this credential on the SMU then the customer will need to provide or enter the new userID/password.
       • Select Remote User Id from the security object listbox and click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • Enter an alias name in the box under Security Name. This name is an alias that will be used to reference the security information to be added in the next step. After entering the name, click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • In the Detail for Remote User Id table at the bottom of the page, enter the Remote UserID to be associated with the name just entered in the previous step. The Remote UserID defaults to be the same as the Security Name but the Remote UserID may be changed here if needed. In the Remote Password field enter the password for the associated user ID. After entering the information, click the adjacent Refresh button.
     • Setting the Logon Username/Password for UCP Advisor, HCP S Series Node (HCP-S), HCP-CS, Hitachi Content Intelligence (HCI), Hitachi Advanced Server HA8x0, Hitachi Content Software for File (HCSF), Hitachi Ops Center Administrator, Virtual Storage Software Block, Supermicro, HCP Anywhere Enterprise
       • There is no default ID defined for these device types. The user must define a new Remote User Id object as shown above for new HNAS userID/passwords.
     • Setting the Proxy information (only used if the customer requires going through a Tunnel or SOCKS proxy server for internet access)
       • NOTE: The proxy setting procedure is now performed in the transport setup form on the Transport Agents page rather than in the User Management page. The steps below are for down level compatibility but if configuring a new proxy, do it from the Transport Agents page.
       • Select Proxy from the security object listbox and click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • Enter an alias name in the box under Security Name. This name is an alias that will be used to reference the security information to be added in the next step. After entering the name, click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • In the Detail for Proxy table at the bottom of the page, enter the security information associated with the Proxy server. This information must be provided by the customer. After entering the information, click the adjacent Refresh button.  
     • Setting the Remote User Username/Password for Brocade and Cisco Diagnostic / Dump Fetch: A 'Remote User Id' must be created before the Brocade Support-Save or Cisco Tech-Support requests can be performed. The same Remote User Id may be used for Brocade and Cisco devices. There is no default Remote User Id. Select Remote User Id from the security object listbox and click the adjacent Refresh button. Enter an alias name in the box under 'Security Name'. After entering the name, click the adjacent Refresh button. In the 'Detail for Remote User Id' table at the bottom of the page, enter the Remote UserID to be associated with the name just entered in the previous step. The Remote UserID defaults to be the same as the Security Name but the Remote UserID may be changed here if needed. In the Remote Password field enter the password for the associated user ID. After entering the information, click the adjacent Refresh button. 
     • Setting the Remote User Username/Password for the Hitachi Advanced Server DS7000: A 'Remote User Id' must be created to access the BMCs of the DS7000 server. There is no default Remote User Id. Select Remote User Id from the security object listbox and click the adjacent Refresh button. Enter an alias name in the box under 'Security Name'. After entering the name, click the adjacent Refresh button. In the 'Detail for Remote User Id' table at the bottom of the page, enter the Remote UserID to be associated with the name just entered in the previous step. The Remote UserID defaults to be the same as the Security Name but the Remote UserID may be changed here if needed. In the Remote Password field enter the password for the associated user ID. After entering the information, click the adjacent Refresh button.
       This Username/Password must match what's set on the DS7000 server for access to the BMC ports. The settings on the DS7000 must permit 'IPMI' access as an 'Operator' (for added security).
     • Setting the Remote User and Support-Services User Username/Password for Hitachi Ops Center Common Services: 
       • A 'Remote User Id' must be created to access the usage condition information of the Common Services instance. There is no default ID defined for Hitachi Ops Center Common Services. The user must define a new Remote User Id object as shown above for new HNAS userID/passwords.
       • A second 'Remote User Id' must be created before log collection requests can be performed. There is no default Support-Services User. The user must define a new Remote User Id object as shown above for new HNAS user ID/passwords. The settings on the Common Services instance must provide 'support-services' privileges to the Username/Password.
     • Setting the API Key for VSP One File:
       • Select API Key from the security object listbox and click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • There is no default ID defined for VSP One File. Enter an alias name in the box under Security Name. This name is an alias that will be used to reference the security information to be added in the next step. After entering the name, click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • In the Detail for API Key table at the bottom of the page, enter the key info used for authenticating with the VSP One File REST API server . After entering the information, click the adjacent Refresh button.
     • Setting the Remote User Username/Password for VSP One File Administrator
       • Select Remote UserId from the security object listbox and click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • There is no default ID defined for VSP One File Administrator. Enter an alias name in the box under Security Name. This name is an alias that will be used to reference the security information to be added in the next step. After entering the name, click the adjacent Refresh button.
       • In the Detail for Remote User Id table at the bottom of the page, the Remote UserID field defaults to be the same name as the Security Name, but may be changed. Enter "hro-cli" in the Remote UserID field. In the Remote Password field, enter the client secret associated with the "hro-cli" client on the File Administrator instance. After entering the information, click the adjacent Refresh  button.
4. Add devices to be monitored

   Devices to be monitored may be added, deleted, edited and their status viewed on the Summary page. Devices (HUS, HNAS, HCP, Brocade switch, etc.) to monitor are added by clicking on the Add a Device or Item hyperlink on the device summary page (this operation requires that the user be logged on to Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent as Administrator). After the Add Device page is presented, select a device type from the list box and then enter the details for the particular device to monitor. After entering the details, click the Add button to make the changes effective. Repeat this process by modifying the form for a similar device and clicking Add or by selecting a different type of device from the list box. When done entering units, select the Summary navigation button to return to the device summary screen. The entry form will vary somewhat by device type since different device types may have different requirements. The following pertains to a typical device type.

   • Name, Location, Group: These are optional fields and are used only as a reference for conveniently identifying the particular unit on the device summary page and in the data sent to the Hitachi Remote Ops center. They may be left blank if desired but it's recommended to use one or more of these fields to identify the particular device in a meaningful way.
   • Serial: If this field doesn't exist on the form then for this type of device the serial number will automatically be sensed from the device. If the form has a serial number field in it then the serial number must be manually entered.
     • For Brocade, a "Use Soft-Serial" checkbox will appear. Checking this box will force the agent to attempt to read the serial number from the device rather than the user needing to enter the serial number in the 'Serial' field.
     • The following devices will require the serial number to be input:
       • HCP Anywhere Enterprise
       • Hitachi Content Software for File
       • Hitachi Ops Center Common Services
       • Hitachi Ops Center Administrator
       • Hitachi Ops Center Automator
   • Site ID: The default SiteID that was previously entered in the Basic Configuration page will appear here. If it's desired to have a different SiteID for this unit in order to have different siteIDs for different devices in a single instance of Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent, generally when the monitored devices are in different geographical locations, overtype this SiteID with the appropriate and correct one. Make certain that a valid SiteID exists in this field. If you don't know the correct site ID for the site or device contact Hitachi Vantara to obtain it. This siteID needs to be correct for the device.
   • IP Address 1 (and IP Address 2): This is a required field. Enter the IP address (or resolvable name) of the device to be monitored. For storage devices this is the IP address of the controller(s). For switches, this is the IP address of the unit responding to SNMP requests. For HCP-AW/HCP, this is the IP address of the nodes. For HNAS, this address needs to be set to the IP address of the SMU. If more than a single IP address field exists on the form enter the IP addresses of the multiple paths to the device so communications can continue to occur if, for example, one of the controllers is non-responsive.
   • Local Interface: For host platforms with multiple network interfaces, select the appropriate network interface to use to communicate with the device. If it's unknown which interface to select leave it as is and only change it if the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent is unable to communicate with the devices.
   • Comms Error Reporting: This field allows for overriding the default value for this device regarding reporting communication errors that was set previously in the Configuration setup.
   • Enabled?: This checkbox determines whether the device will be enabled for monitoring. This should normally be left checked.
   • Trace: This checkbox determines whether trace the device at an enhanced level for troubleshooting purposes. Normally this should be left unchecked unless directed to check it by a service person.
   • SNMP Access ID: This field is only for devices where the interface to Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent is via SNMP (refer to table under Prerequisites). Enter the SNMP alias name from the droplist. These alias names are defined through the User Management function previously described.
   
   Refer to the following device specific configuration items and notes depending on the particular device type being configured.
   • VSP One Block 20 Series
     The service IP of the ESM controller should be used. The associated Remote Access ID alias (configured earlier in the 'User Management' function) must be selected for ESM.
   • VSP F/G 900/700/370/350/130, VSP E Series
     These devices are monitored via multiple interfaces. Enter the IP addresses/names of both GUMs (controllers) and the SVP (if present). The associated Remote Access ID alias (configured earlier in the 'User Management' function) must be selected for GUM and SVP.
   • HCP-S, HCP, HCP-AW system
     These systems are treated in Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent as different types of devices due to the way they respond to the application.
     The HCP-AW/HCP system may have multiple nodes as potential access points. It's recommended to configure two nodes into a single 'Add a Device' entry box so that if one node fails the agent will still be able to communicate through the other node. The status of all nodes is reported through each node so it's not necessary to have Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent through each node. An example would be that a 4 node system would have just two nodes configured as the ip addresses in a single Add a Device box for the HCP-AW/HCP system.

     The HCP is monitored via SNMP protocol and HTTP protocol to the HCP API. The API is used to acquire the 'HCP Log'. Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent needs to be configured with the appropriate user ID and password that matches the user ID and password required by the API of the HCP. The user ID and password in Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent are configured by adding a 'Remote User ID' in the User Management tab of Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent. See the description of this User Management function in a preceding section.

   • HNAS system
     The current method Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent uses to monitor the HNAS system is via the SMU method. Previously supported methods of monitoring the HNAS via SNMP and by the device sending an email directly to Hitachi Remote Ops at Hitachi Vantara are no longer supported.
     • To configure the SMU method - select Hitachi NAS (HNAS) Server Management Unit (SMU) from the Select Device Type list. Define the IP address for the SMU and select the appropriate Remote User alias (configured in User Management previously). When Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent communicates successfully with the SMU it will discover and automatically add the HNAS clusters (servers) accessible via this SMU. Those clusters will then also appear in the list of monitored devices as well as the SMU.
     • Note - It's possible there could be multiple SMUs configured with the same clusters when the SMUs are in an active/standby redundant type of configuration. Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent should be configured to point to only the 'active' SMU so the agent will end up with only a single instance of any cluster.
     • Note - The Hitachi NAS (HNAS) Server device type exists to Modify the clusters that were automatically discovered and added after communicating with the SMU as outlined above. This selection allows for modifying the device including the Name, Location and Group fields. Don't select this option from the list for the purpose of adding a device.
     • Note - The Hitachi NAS (HNAS) Platform from the Select Device Type list was used only for the now obsoleted SNMP based monitoring method so don't use this selection.
     The HNAS device may be configured to require particular communications ciphers and if a non-default cipher is configured for the HNAS then the similar cipher must be defined in Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent on the 'Configuration' tab in the text box 'HNAS Ciphers'. This field may be left blank unless the HNAS was configured for a non-default cipher. The 'help' link for the page defines the ciphers that may be used.
   • Hitachi Server T41S, D51B, Hitachi Advanced Server DS120/220/225, 240
     The server nodes each have a BMC port and a customer network port. When adding a device to be monitored, configure Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent with the 'BMC port' addresses of each server node in the system.
   • Hitachi Advanced Server DS7000
     The DS7000 server nodes (modules) each have a BMC port and a customer network port. When adding a DS7000 device to be monitored, configure Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent with the 'BMC port' addresses of each node (module) in the DS7000 system.
   • CB 2500 and CB 500 Servers
     These systems have a limitation that only two client IP addresses can access it total even if one of them is no longer accessing it. If there are no available sessions Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent will indicate "Too many concurrent sessions" in the status for the device. In order to permit the agent to access it in this case one must log into the CB2500/CB500 Web Console and view the Administration->Hi-Track->Hi-Track Servers, view the IP addresses, and delete one of them by selecting one of them and clicking 'Delete' in the bottom right of the page. The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent will automatically be registered once it communicates with the CB2500/CB500 and there's room for its IP address. Optionally, the IP address may be added via the CB2500/CB500 Web Console.
   • Hitachi Ops Center Automator (HAD)
     Use the default 'Remote User ID' named 'Hitachi Automation Director' unless the default was changed on the Hitachi Ops Center Automator product. If a different user ID will be used use the following procedure:
     A User ID must be defined from the 'User Management' Tab. Select Security Object type 'Remote User Id' and click Refresh. Overtype -Add New User Here- with a new unique identifier for this Security Object (example: HAD1) and click Refresh. In the Detail for Remote User Id 'HAD1' add the userId and password that has already been defined on the HAD device and click Refresh. A HAD device may now be defined. Use the Security Name Id in the Remote User field.
   • Hitachi Content Platform for Cloud Scale (HCP-CS)
     A realm name that corresponds to the user account should be configured.

   After adding items, wait a few minutes until the program has had a chance to communicate with the device to obtain the data before clicking on the device detail icon. It's possible the program will move the device to 'Not Monitored' if there's a problem reading the serial number or other data from the device. In this case, correct the issue with the serial number, for example, ideally by setting it at the device or optionally, setting it in the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent device configuration for that device.

   Note:
   It's possible to import the devices to be monitored from a comma delimited file. This is useful if the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent will be connected to a large number of devices. The format of the comma delimited file has 19 columns separated by commas with a carriage return/Line feed at the end of the line. The columns consist of:

   1. Device Name (free format text)
   2. Device Location (free format text)
   3. Device Serial Number (free format text - will be overridden for many devices)
   4. SiteID (7 character Hitachi Remote Ops ID)
   5. IP Address 1 (either dotted-decimal or name)
   6. IP Address 2
   7. Communications Report Value:
      • (blank) (use the globally defined value)
      • CERlocal (Report errors via email only)
      • CERno (do not report communication errors for this device)
      • CERyes (always report communication errors for this device)
   8. Device Type (prefacing with NM denotes "Not Monitored"). Note that the 'Device Type' name can also be viewed in the Configuration->Device Polling table.
   9. Device Local Interface #1 (e.g. 'eth0')
   10. Device Local Interface #2
   11. IP Address 3
   12. Dump Fetch alias name for Hitachi Compute Blade, HCP-CS, and some other types as defined on User Management page.
   13. Security ID (The alias name defined for security attributes on User Management page - (SNMP) Access ID, or the (storage) Account Id), or the Remote User ID (HNAS SMU), or the Security IDs for other monitored products. The HNAS Server via SMU device will put its Index number (used to select it via the SMU) in this field. For HCP-CS this is the realm name.
   14. Group name (free form text)
   15. IP Address 4
   16. IP Address 5
   17. IP Address 6
   18. IP Address 7
   19. IP Address 8

   Device	Value
   VSP F/G 900/700/370/350/130	hm850
   VSP E Series	hm900
   VSP One Block 20 Series	rh20kmid
   VSP One SDS Block	vssb
   HCP	hcp
   HCP-Anywhere Enterprise	hcpawe
   HCP-AW	hcpaw
   HCP-S	hcpsx0
   HCP-CS	hcpcs
   Hitachi Content Software for File (HCSF)	hcsf
   HCI	hci
   HDI	hdi
   HNAS Server via SMU	hnas-server
   VSP One File Administrator	vspofa
   VSP One File/HNAS (monitored by VSP One File Administrator)	vspof
   UCP Advisor	ucpadv
   Compute Blade Server CB 2500	cb2500
   Compute Blade Server CB 500	cb500
   Supermicro	smc
   Cisco	cisco
   Brocade (except FCX 648), VDX	brocade
   Brocade FCX 648, Ruckus	foundry
   Hitachi Server T41S, D51B, Hitachi Advanced Server DS120/220/225, 240	quanta2U
   Hitachi Advanced Server DS7000	bull
   Hitachi Ops Center Automator	had
   Hitachi Ops Center Administrator	ocadmin
   Hitachi Ops Center Common Services	occs
   Hitachi Advanced Server HA8x0	hpe
   Generic Fibre Channel	fc

   To import the data, stop the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent program and then run the import program from the installation directory as follows:

   • Windows: jre\bin\java -jar HiTrack.jar import commFileName
   • Linux: sh rundfmon import commFileName
   Where commFileName is the comma delimited file to import. After importing the file, restart the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent program. If switch/NAS type devices were defined with non-default alias names (other than 'public' for SNMP or any SNMPv3 device) then for a new Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent install where the alias hasn't already been configured, the alias name will need to be configured in 'User Management' and the devices, which will appear in the 'Not Monitored' section, will need to have their 'Enabled' checkbox checked to allow them to be monitored.
   It's possible to export the configuration from the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent to a comma delimited file by changing the import keyword to export. An export file (devices.export) is produced automatically about every 5 minutes.
    

User Interface

The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent program should be running 24/7 to ensure that it will detect error conditions on the monitored devices and so that it can report to the Hitachi Remote Ops center at Hitachi Vantara on a daily basis. Normally the program runs in the background (as a Windows Service or Linux process) and no window is presented for the program. All interaction with the program is performed via web browser access to the monitor program. Through the browser interface one may set basic configuration items, add new devices, or modify or delete existing devices to monitor, view the status of each device, or view details of a device. A web browser anywhere on the customer's network that has TCP/IP connectivity to the host platform running the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent can typically be used to interact with the program. It's possible to have multiple browsers from multiple locations access the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent concurrently. The browser access has two operational levels based on the type of login used - Administrator and Monitor. The Administrator type is allowed to set or change basic configuration items and add/edit/delete devices to monitor. The Monitor type is not allowed to set or change program configuration items but can monitor device status and view device details. When a browser is displaying the device summary page, the page will update itself about every 60 seconds.

The top table on the device summary page displays a summary of the numbers of devices that are presently in a particular monitor category which includes devices exhibiting errors, devices that the monitor program is unable to communicate with, devices that are reporting okay and with no errors, devices not monitored due to user setting, and total devices configured for the monitor. The table contains checkboxes which determine what categories will be displayed in the tables that follow this summary table. The default is that all tables will be displayed (checkboxes checked).

Up to four tables will follow the summary table. The following tables are presented if any devices exist in the category:

• Device Error - This table displays devices which are exhibiting errors. The Status column will be red with a short summary of the error type.
• Communication Error - This table displays devices which the monitor program is unable to communicate with. The Status column will be in yellow. The communication error may be due to a network problem, ip address setup problem, or the device is powered off.
• Device Okay - This table displays devices that are reporting normally and exhibit no errors. The Status column will be green.
• Not Monitored - This table displays devices that the user specified to not monitor even though they're configured in the monitor. This is performed via a checkbox on the item setup. The Status column will be pale yellow. This option may be used to disable checking of the device when maintenance is being performed to the device or when a customer has the device temporarily unavailable.

In each of these four tables the following columns are presented:

• Item - Indicates the item number for the device according to the order in which the devices were entered. In administrator mode, the item number is hyperlinked and may be clicked to modify the device's monitor setup parameters and the Item heading is hyperlinked to allow for adding new devices when clicked. Note - It may take a few minutes for the data for a newly added device to be obtained before having valid detail data for the device.
• Name, Location, Group - Indicates the name, location, or group set when the device was added. This is for user reference only.
• Type - Indicates the type of device (VSP, Cisco, etc.).
• Model - Indicates the model number of the device
• Serial - Indicates the serial number of the device.
• Status - Indicates the error status of the device.
• Last Communication - Timestamp of the last time the monitor attempted to communicate with the device. This field is normally updated every few minutes.
• Site ID - Indicates the Site ID set for the device at the time it was added.
• IP Address 1 or 2 - Indicates the IP addresses that were set for the device when it was added.

In the Status column for a particular device, the 'D' icon may be clicked to display a page showing details of the device. The detail page includes a number of tables showing error status and configuration details for various functional components including drives, cache, power, fans, microcode levels, etc.

The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent will send device data related to error and device configuration to the Hitachi Remote Ops center when an error condition is detected and also on a daily basis.

Clicking the Transport History navigation button will present a page indicating the data transport activity of the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent. This can be useful for troubleshooting transport problems. This page also has a Request Report button at the bottom which will force a data transport to take place. This can be used to ensure the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent is configured properly to transport the data to the Hitachi Remote Ops Center.

Note: For some program configuration changes, the program will indicate to restart the agent. This is done by stopping then starting the "Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent" service through the Windows Control Panel for Windows systems, or by running "sh rundfmon stop" followed by "sh rundfmon start" for Linux systems.

Before stopping the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent all polling operations should be stopped by using the Shutdown command in the browser interface. This is accessed from the About tab, the SHUTDOWN option in the left hand menu, and finally by clicking the Confirm Shutdown button. This command stops all polling and reporting operations - the Thread Activity display is shown while the current polling operations complete. The threads that are ending are shown with a yellow background. When the display shows that Shutdown is complete then the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent service may be stopped. The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent does not terminate when the Shutdown command completes - the browser interface continues to run until the service is terminated.

Optional Setup Parameters

The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent application can function in various modes other than the basic single instance monitoring mode as well as perform some additional functions not typically configured in most applications.

• Backup Mode

  The Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent can be configured such that there are two instances of the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent running on two different host platforms with one acting as a primary and the other as a backup. The devices to be monitored must be defined for both instances. When in backup mode the backup instance doesn't actively monitor the devices but rather, communicates with the primary instance to determine if it's operational. If the primary instance becomes inoperable the backup instance will take over the function of polling and monitoring the devices. The backup will continue to monitor the primary and once the primary becomes operational again the backup will stop monitoring the devices and resume its backup role.
  To configure an instance to be a backup instance, go to the Configuration-Backup page and enter the URL of the primary instance and click Submit. This is the exact URL as one enters when browsing to the primary - ex: http://10.3.4.5:6696/.

• File Relay Mode

  Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent can function as a 'File Relay' application (this function is added in version 7.8). In this mode the agent is configured to monitor a particular local directory on the host platform for incoming files and forward those files on to the Hitachi Remote Ops center at Hitachi Vantara and then delete the files. The purpose of this is to assist with network segregation for those sites that require this type of functionality. Most sites do 'not' require this functionality and this function should be avoided if possible since the advanced functionality of centralized dump acquisition and Remote Microcode Update will not function in this configuration. In this File Relay mode the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent instance would normally be configured to 'only relay files' and not actually monitor devices. The normal scenario would be that one instance of Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent and/or the Hitachi Remote Ops SVP Agent would be configured to monitor devices and then the monitoring agent would transport to the host platform running a second instance of Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent operating in file relay mode. In this configuration the first instance that's monitoring the devices typically wouldn't have internet connectivity to transport the data to Hitachi Vantara directly (or else this File Relay function wouldn't be needed) but the second instance operating in file relay mode would have internet connectivity generally through a different network interface, i.e. the host platform would have multiple network interfaces where one has connectivity to the Hitachi Remote Ops site agents and the other to the internet. This configuration provides a means to accommodate that network configuration.

  In this mode the host platform for the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent operating in this mode must be configured to accept files from the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent instance that's monitoring the devices. This is typically done via an HTTPS server running on the host platform of the instance in the File Relay mode and would be provided by the customer. Perform the following steps -

  • Configure the HTTPS server on the host platform of the File Relay instance of Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent with a user and password with a particular home directory on that platform.
  • Configure the File Relay instance of Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent to that home directory defined in the step above. This is done on the Configuration ->Transport Agents ->File Relay Configuration section.
  • Configure the File Relay instance of Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent to transport to the transfer servers at Hitachi Vantara as described previously in this document.
  • Configure the Monitoring instance Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent and/or the Hitachi Remote Ops SVP Agents to transport the files via HTTPS to the host platform of the File Relay instance using the user and password configured for the HTTPS server previously.
• SNMP Agent

  Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent may be configured to send an SNMP notification upon certain events and may also be queried with an SNMP Get. The MIB file is in the library folder and is named htmMib.mib. Most installations won't enable this feature and it's not needed in order for Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent to monitor devices. This function is only used for those customers who wish to receive an SNMP trap from Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent in the event the agent detects an issue on a monitored device. It doesn't affect notifications sent to Hitachi Vantara.

  The following types of traps will be issued -

  • htmDeviceFail is sent when a device is put into the 'Device Errors' table (as seen on the Summary display).
  • htmDeviceCommFail is sent when a device is put into the 'Communication Errors' table (as seen on the Summary display).
  • htmDeviceDisable is sent when a device is put into the 'Not Monitored' table (as seen on the Summary display).

  To configure Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent to send a notification, perform the following configuration steps -

  • Set the SNMP Agent parameters in the Configuration->Transport Agents page in the SNMP Agent Configuration section.
  • Configure at least one Remote NMS (Remote Network Manager System). Multiple NMS locations may be configured by a comma separated list.
  • Configure the Trap Security Name to the required name - typically 'public'.
  • To perform SNMP v2c requests to Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent configure a Read Security Name. This is typically set to 'public'.
• Log Files

  By default, the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent stores its log files in the installation directory (hds\hitdfmon by default) and this is suitable for most installations but it's possible to change this location by adding the following parameter in the HitDFmon.config file (restart the Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent program after making this change):
  LogNameTemplate = prefix The default prefix is HiTrack, Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent will form the log filename from prefixyyyymmdd.log, where yyyymmdd is the current date. Prefix may include a directory path: LogNameTemplate = dirPath\HiTrack (use a forward slash for Linux systems) will create log files in the directory dirPath with the filename HiTrackyyyymmdd.log.

• CR-LF (Carriage Return, Line Feed) characters

  In the unusual case where CR-LF (Carriage Return, Line Feed) characters are defined in the following FTP fields: Host, UserId, Password and Account, the configuration parameter 'escapeCRLF' must be defined in the configuration file HitDFmon.config.
  escapeCRLF = CRLF
  Note that any text string may be used to define the CR-LF sequence. The defined text string can then be used in the FTP fields (either in the configuration file, or in the HTML configuration pages) to include a CR-LF sequence.
  FTPhost = hostname1CRLFhostname2
  will send the following text when defining the remote FTP server
  hostname1
  hostname2

• Tunnel Proxy

  A Tunnel proxy may be defined by entries in the configuration file (HitDFmon.config). This is intended to be used by sites that create the agent configurations programmatically. The proxy is defined by entering the following before an FtpHost or HttpsHost definition:
  FtpSoHost = proxy IP Address
  FtpSoPort = proxy Port number
  The case used for the parameter name (FTPSoHost/FtpSoPort) is not significant. The case used for the parameter value is significant. The two parameters should be used together and affect all following FtpHost and HttpsHost definitions.
  When this proxy definition is used for a FTP or HTTPs proxy, the Configuration->Transport display will show the Host and Port addresses set and will also allow modification from the browser pages.

• Email Subject Line

  A fixed Subject line for the emails sent by Hitachi Remote Ops Monitor Agent may be defined in the configuration file, HitDFmon.config:
  EmailSubject = subject line text for all emails