Configuring and Monitoring HP EVA

StorageWorks Array
eG Enterprise v5.6

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Table of Contents
CONFIGURING AND MONITORING THE HP EVA STORAGEWORKS ARRAY .....................................................................1
1.1
1.2
1.3

CONFIGURING THE EG AGENT TO WORK WITH THE HP EVA STORAGEWORKS ARRAY ..............................................................1
1.1.1 Pre-requisites for Using the HP EVA Perf Component ....................................................................................................2
1.1.2 Pre-requisites for Using the HP EVA SSSU Component ..................................................................................................3
ADMINISTERING THE EG MANAGER TO MONITOR THE HP EVA STORAGE ARRAY ......................................................................4
MONITORING THE HP EVA STORAGE ARRAY ................................................................................................................................7

CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................................................................................8

Table of Figures
Figure 1.1: The fnames.conf file...................................................................................................................................................................3
Figure 1.2: Adding an HP EVA Storage array for monitoring.....................................................................................................................4
Figure 1.3: Viewing the list of unconfigured tests for the HP EVA array ...................................................................................................5
Figure 1.4: Configuring the EVA Enclosure Temperature Status test .........................................................................................................5
Figure 1.5: Configuring the EVA Processors test ........................................................................................................................................6

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Chapter

Configuring and Monitoring the HP

EVA StorageWorks Array
This chapter discusses how to configure and monitor the HP EVA StorageWorks array.

1.1

Configuring the eG Agent to Work with the HP EVA

StorageWorks Array

To collect useful statistics from the HPA EVA array, the eG agent integrates with the following software
components bundled with the HP Command View EVA software suite:
HP StorageWorks Command View EVAPerf
HP StorageWorks Storage System Scripting Utility (SSSU)
While a few tests executed by the eG agent use the HP StorageWorks Command View EVAPerf tool, a
few others use the HP StorageWorks Storage System Scripting Utility (SSSU) for metrics collection. To
ensure the hassle-free execution of these tests, the following primary pre-requisites are to be fulfilled:
The eG agent should be deployed on the same system as the EVAPerf and SSSU components
mentioned above; to determine whether/not the EVAPerf component is installed on a target
host, check for the existence of the following software components on that host:
evapdcs.exeEVA Data Collection service, which gathers data from the EVAs that are
visible to a host and stores it in memory cache
evaperf.exeHP Command View EVAPerf command line interface
evapmext.dllDLL extension for Windows Performance Monitor, the graphical user
interface
EVAPerf-TLViz-Formatter.exeEVAPerf TLViz Formatter user interface, which formats the
HP CommandView EVAPerf all command output so you can view it with the HP TLViz tool.
EVADATA.MDBA Microsoft Access database template you can use to view the all command
output in a database. The data from the command output resides in individual tables.
MSADODC.OCXThis .le is required to operate the EVAPerf TLVIZ Formatter use interface
By default, these components will be available in the C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\EVA Performance
Monitor directory on the host.

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Similarly, you can be sure that the SSSU component has been installed on a host if you can locate the
SSSU.exe file on that host. Note that the SSSU utility should be configured with at least one array.
In addition, the tool-specific pre-requisites discussed in the sections that will follow should also be
fulfilled.

1.1.1

Pre-requisites for Using the HP EVA Perf Component

To begin array monitoring using the EVAPerf tool, ensure that the HP Command View EVAPerf
component is configured properly:
EVA Data Collection service
The service uses TCP port 860. You may need to open this port on your firewall.
The service is set to manual start when you install HP Command View EVAPerf.
When the test runs the HP Command View EVAPerf command line interface, the service
starts and remains running until you reboot the host.
Set the service to start automatically if you use Windows Performance Monitor for
background logging. If you execute logging before starting this service, the startup time
for the service may exceed the time that Windows Performance Monitor waits for the .rst
data samples.
You can also start and stop the service using Windows Service Manager.
Array
Ensure that the array for which you want to gather performance metrics is initialized.
Metrics will not be collected for uninitialized arrays.
HP recommends that you use unique names for each array.
Moreover, the eG tests that invoke the EVAPerf component for collecting performance metrics, should
be configured with the following:
1.

The install directory of the executable, evaperf.exe by default, this will be C:\Program

Files\Hewlett-Packard\EVA Performance Monitor directory on the host;

2.

The WWN (world wide name) or the friendly name of the array to be monitored. To know
the friendly name of an array, open the fnames.conf file in the install directory of the
EVAPerf tool. The sample contents of this file have been provided below:

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Figure 1.1: The fnames.conf file

The fnames.conf file (see Figure 1.1) includes a Arrays visible from host section that
reveals the WWN and friendly name of each array on a particular management server
running the HP Command View EVA in Figure 1.1 above, localhost is the
management server name. The entries in this section are of the following format:
ARRAY <WWN of Array> <Friendly name of array>
For instance, in Figure 1.1, 5000-1FE1-5007-2700 is the WWN of the array, and the
CFTEVA1 is the friendly name of this array.

1.1.2

Pre-requisites for Using the HP EVA SSSU Component

To enable eG tests to invoke SSSU.exe for metrics collection, the tests should be configured with the
following:
The WWN of the array to be monitored;
The IP address of the management server that manages the array to be monitored;
The full path to the install directory of SSSU.exe;
The username and password of the user account that was created during HP Command
View EVA installation.
Therefore, prior to test configuration ensure that the aforesaid information is in place.

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1.2

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StorageWorks

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Administering the eG Manager to Monitor the HP EVA

Storage Array

To achieve this, do the following:

1. Login to the eG administrative interface.
2.

Since an HP EVA Array cannot be auto-discovered by eG Enterprise, proceed to manually add the
array to be monitored. For this, use the Infrastructure -> Components -> Add/Modify menu
sequence, pick HP EVA Storage as the Component type, and click on the Add New Component button.
Figure 1.2 will then appear, using which the target array can be managed.

Figure 1.2: Adding an HP EVA Storage array for monitoring

3.

Specify the Host IP and the Nick name of the HP EVA Storage array. Also select Other as the OS and
SNMP as the MODE as shown in Figure 1.2 and click on the ADD button to register the changes.

Note:
Though the Mode is set to SNMP while adding a new component, the eG agent will be able to collect
metrics from the target environment through the SSSULOCATION path that will be specified by you
during parameter configuration for the tests pertaining to the HP EVA Storage array.

4.

Then, click on the Sign out button to exit the eG administrative interface. This will bring up Figure
1.3, where you can view the complete list of unconfigured tests for the target array.

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Figure 1.3: Viewing the list of unconfigured tests for the HP EVA array
5. First, click on the EVA Enclosure Temperature Status test in Figure 1.4 to configure it. This test reports
the current operational state and overall health of each temperature sensor contained within an
array enclosure.

Figure 1.4: Configuring the EVA Enclosure Temperature Status test

6.

To configure the test, specify the following in Figure 1.4:

TEST PERIOD - How often should the test be executed
HOST - The host for which the test is to be configured.
PORT Refers to the port used by the EVA SAN device. By default, it is null.
ARRAYNAME Specify the WWN (World wide name) of the array that has been configured
for monitoring.
EVASYSTEMIP Specify the IP address of the management server that manages the
target array.
SSSULOCATION Specify the full path to the install directory of the HP StorageWorks
Storage System Scripting Utility (SSSU.exe).
USERNAME and PASSWORD- Specify the credentials of the user account that was created

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during HP EVA Command View installation.

CONFIRM PASSWORD Confirm the PASSWORD by retyping it here.
TIMEOUT Indicate the duration (in seconds) for which this test should wait for a response
from the storage device. By default, this is set to 120 seconds.

7.

Finally, click the Update button in Figure 1.4 and try to sign out again. The LIST OF UNCONFIGURED
TESTS will re-appear. This time, click on the EVA Processors test to configure it. This test tracks the
CPU usage of and data traffic handled by the processor on each EVA controller, and thus alerts
administrators to any real or potential contention for CPU resources on the controller.

Figure 1.5: Configuring the EVA Processors test

8.

Clicking on the test will reveal Figure 1.5, where you can specify the following:
TEST PERIOD - How often should the test be executed
HOST - The host for which the test is to be configured.
PORT Refers to the port used by the EVA SAN device. By default, it is null.
EVAPERFLOCATION Specify the full path of the directory in which the evaperf.exe has been
installed.
EVASYSTEMIP Specify the IP address of the management server that manages the target
array.
SSSULOCATION This test uses the EVAPerf software component to auto-discover the
controllers on an EVA storage array. The EVA Controller Status test on the other hand uses the
SSSU console to discover controller names. During auto-discovery, the EVAPerf utility reports
the WWN names of the controllers. In contrast, the SSSU console reports the friendly names
of the same controllers.
To ensure that these controllers are represented using a uniform, consistent notation across
the eG monitoring interface, you can optionally configure this test to use the SSSU console
(instead of EVAPerf) to perform controller discovery. This way, the names of controllers will be
the same for this test and the EVA Controller Status test. To enable controller discovery via
the SSSU console, configure the full path to the location of the SSSU.exe in the
SSSULOCATION text box. If you prefer not to use SSSU.exe for controller discovery and would
rather use the EVAPerf component instead, then, set this parameter to none.

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USERNAME, PASSWORD, CONFIRM PASSWORD - To use the SSSU.exe for discovering the
friendly names of controllers, specify the user credentials using which the HP EVA array is to
be accessed in the USERNAME and PASSWORD text boxes. Confirm the PASSWORD by
retyping it here. If you do not wish to use the SSSU.exe, then set these parameters to none.
ARRAYNAME Specify the name of the EVA SAN array that has been configured for
monitoring.
TIMEOUT Indicate the duration (in seconds) for which this test should wait for a response
from the storage device. By default, this is set to 60 seconds.

9.

Finally, click the Update button in Figure 1.5, and exit the eG administrative interface.

1.3

Monitoring the HP EVA Storage Array

For this, do the following:

1.

Login as a monitor / supermonitor user.

2.

Click on the Components option in the menu bar, and select the Servers option from the Components
menu.

3.

From the COMPONENT LIST page, click on the HP EVA Storage Array for which you wish to view
measurements.

Conclusion

Chapter

Conclusion
This document has described in detail the steps for configuring and monitoring the HP EVA StorageWorks
Array. For details of how to administer and use the eG Enterprise suite of products, refer to the user
manuals.
We will be adding new measurement capabilities into the future versions of the eG Enterprise suite. If
you can identify new capabilities that you would like us to incorporate in the eG Enterprise suite of
products, please contact support@eginnovations.com. We look forward to your support and
cooperation. Any feedback regarding this manual or any other aspects of the eG Enterprise suite can
be forwarded to feedback@eginnovations.com.