3.7 Inventory and Discovery Methods

The following are the inventory and discovery methods available when adding servers to the Data Center Explorer.

3.7.1 Machines

Used to add physical and virtual servers.

To add machines, specify the Hostname or IP of the machine(s) to inventory. Multiple hostnames/IPs can be entered, but they need to all use the same credentials. Separate each entry with a comma.

Inventory is mandatory when adding machines, although you can use the Inventory drop-down to perform the inventory at a later, scheduled time.

To enable the Inventory button, you need to select credentials for the machines you’re adding. For more information, see Section 3.8, Inventory Credentials.

You can also start monitoring the machines when they are inventoried and/or add them to existing groups. For more information, see Section 3.10, Inventory Options.

3.7.2 Virtual Center

Used to add Virtual Center servers.

To add Virtual Center servers, specify the Virtual Center Hostname or IP. Inventorying a Virtual Center involves collecting information about all the servers and virtual machines in the Virtual Center. This is much more efficient than discovering and inventorying all the servers and virtual machines individually.

Inventory is mandatory when adding Virtual Center servers, although you can use the Inventory drop-down list to perform the inventory at a later, scheduled time.

To enable the Inventory button, you need to select credentials for the Virtual Center servers you’re adding.

Figure 3-1 Inventory Virtual Center Dialog Box

Virtual Center contents appear in the Data Center Explorer the same way they are organized in the Virtual Center, with all nodes, clusters, resource pools, and virtual machine nodes. The machines do not appear under All in the Data Center Explorer until they are inventoried.

When using per core licensing, you must first inventory a Virtual Center before inventorying ESX Servers that belong to it, or the virtual machines on those ESX Servers. For more information, see Per Core:.

You can also start monitoring the servers when they are inventoried and/or add them to existing groups. For more information, see Section 3.10, Inventory Options.

3.7.3 From a CSV File

Used to add servers whose information resides in a comma-separated value file.

To inventory servers from a CSV file, type the path (or use the adjacent browse button) to locate a CSV file containing servers to inventory.

Figure 3-2 Inventory From CSV File Dialog Box

NOTE:The Default Inventory Parameters area is disabled if the CSV file contains credentials for all its machines.

Inventory is mandatory when adding servers from a CSV file, although you can use the Inventory drop-down list to perform the inventory at a later, scheduled time.

To enable the Inventory button, you need to select credentials for the machines you’re adding. For more information, see Section 3.8, Inventory Credentials.

Listings in the CSV file must use the following format: Address, [Username], [Password], [Description].

Table 3-7 CSV File Requirements

Field

Required

Description

Address

Yes

IP address or hostname of the machine.

Username

[Optional]

Username for the credential. If this is left blank, the default credentials are used.

Password

[Optional]

Password of the credential. This is required only when creating a credential.

Description

[Optional]

Description for the credential.

[inventory type]

[Optional]

Can be any of the following values. Values must match case and spacing as shown below:

  • UNIX

  • VirtualCenter

  • VMwareESX3

  • NetWare

  • CitrixXenServer

  • Windows

NOTE:To inventory a VMware ESX 4 machine, you must use VMwareESX3 as the inventory type.

If the value is unspecified, Windows and UNIX are the defaults, determined by the format of the credentials supplied:

  • UNIX - [user]/[password]

  • Windows - [domain]\[user]/password

This field is also expected to be at the end of the CSV file.

You can also start monitoring the machines when they are inventoried and/or add them to existing groups. For more information, see Section 3.10, Inventory Options.

3.7.4 Windows Domain

Used to add all the servers discovered in the specified Windows Domain.

Type a Windows Domain name and use the drop-down list to specify which machines to discover: All Machines, Servers, or Workstations (NT4 Workstation, Windows XP, Windows Vista).

Figure 3-3 Domain Discovery and Inventory Dialog Box

NOTE:Clear the Inventory check box to only discover machines.

Discovery options can be configured by clicking the Options button beneath the Domain Credentials drop-down list. For more information, see Section 3.10, Inventory Options.

An Organizational Unit (OU) filter can be used to focus discovery on a specific part of a domain. For more information, see Domain Discovery:.

To enable the Inventory button, you need to select credentials for the machines you’re adding. For more information, see Section 3.8, Inventory Credentials.

You can also start monitoring the machines when they are inventoried and/or add them to existing groups. For more information, see Section 3.10, Inventory Options.

3.7.5 IP Range

Used to add servers within a specified IP address range.

Enter the IP address range of the servers to discover.

Figure 3-4 IP Range Discovery and Inventory Dialog Box

NOTE:Clear the Inventory check box to run a discovery operation without inventorying server details.

Discovery options can be configured by clicking the Options button in the Discovery area. For more information, see Section 3.10, Inventory Options.

To enable the Inventory button, you need to select credentials for the machines you’re adding. For more information, see Section 3.8, Inventory Credentials. The numbers that are displayed in the Inventory button indicate how many individual IP addresses that are contained within the range you entered.

You can also start monitoring the machines when they are inventoried and/or add them to existing groups. For more information, see Section 3.10, Inventory Options.

3.7.6 Subnet

Used to add servers discovered in the specified subnet.

Type the Network Address and the Mask bits of the subnet to be discovered.

Figure 3-5 Subnet Discovery and Inventory Dialog Box

NOTE:Clear the Inventory check box to run a discovery operation without inventorying server details.

Discovery options can be configured by clicking the Options button in the Discovery area. For more information, see Section 3.10, Inventory Options.

To enable the Inventory button, you need to select credentials for the machines you’re adding. For more information, see Section 3.8, Inventory Credentials. The numbers that are displayed in the Inventory button indicate how many individual IP Addresses there are in the subnet you specified.

You can also start monitoring the machines when they are inventoried and/or add them to existing groups. For more information, see Section 3.10, Inventory Options.

3.7.7 SNMP

Used to discover machines by using Simple Network Management Protocol.

Type the Host Name and Community, then select the Maximum number of hops. Select whether to include Public Subnets.

Figure 3-6 SNMP Discovery and Inventory Dialog Box

NOTE:Clear the Inventory check box to run a discovery operation without inventorying server details.

Discovery options can be configured by clicking the Options button in the Discovery area. For more information, see Section 3.10, Inventory Options.

To enable the Inventory button, you need to select credentials for the machines you’re adding. For more information, see Section 3.8, Inventory Credentials.

You can also start monitoring the machines when they are inventoried and/or add them to existing groups. For more information, see Section 3.10, Inventory Options.