vROPS Dashboard for specific group of VMs

[Bradley Waller]

I got a request from my boss's boss, and i'm new to vROPS. I need to create a dashboard to show the usage over the last year, of a group of VMs (either in a specific fodler or by tag), tracking CPU, RAM and disk.

I've tried what I know, but I can't run CPU/RAM/Storage metrics against a Virtual machine Folder, only on compute cluster resources. Problem with that is these VMs live in clusters with VMs i dont need metrics for.

Any help?

[mghal40]

If the VMs you need the dashboard for aren't in a custom group, try that. Create a custom group(s) and run the CPU/RAM/Storage metrics for that group.

If you have multiple groups you'll need, create a list(Object List) of those groups first, then have that list widget drive the input to the CPU/RAM/Storage widget.

[Bradley Waller]

Thanks for this. I created a customer group, it pulls all the VMs I need, but I am unable to run CPU/RAM/Storage metrics against the group. They just aren't options. Here are the options:

[mghal40]

Sorry, I forgot to add that you will need to create a view. The view will need to pull in the metrics you need.

Create the view using your metrics.
Then setup a new dashboard. You will need a single widget that uses the view and one that has the object list of your custom groups. On the widget list, in the lower right corner you should see a button that allows you to chose between widgets and views. Select views, and then use the list view.

When those are setup, at the top of the dashboard creation screen, you should see "Show Interactions". Select that, then drag the arrow down from the Object list to the target icon on the View widget, this links the two. Now select "Hide Interactions". As you select your custom groups, that should change the display of your view widget.

Hope that helps!

[Bradley Waller]

I appreciate your help wiht this, like I said i'm new to vROPs and am learning on the fly. When I create thew view with the metrics I want, and use the custom group as the source, it's blank

[mghal40]

What happens if you change your preview source? Try vSphere Hosts and Clusters
If nothing shows up, you may have something wrong with your view.

[Bradley Waller]

I change the source to the Hosts and Clusters, but it's giving the info for the entire cluster, not just the custom group. I can't select it as the subject, that's why I chose cluster compute resources

[Davor Perak]

Hi Bradley,

I'm sending you my custom dashboard, something similar you asked, just replace Virtual machine Folder. You can add/remove metrics/views/charts and change time range to adjust dashboard to your needs.

Attachment(s)

Dashboard-2024-09-18 08-36-17 AM.zip   6 KB 1 version

[shashikrishnak]

Hi Davor,

The attachment has only dashboard json file. Can you please share the view files as well, one for About the VM and another for Virtual disk list.

[Davor Perak]

Hi,

I'm sending you "Davor - VM Key properties" for "2. About the VM" view and "Davor - Guest Virtual Disks" for "5. Virtual disk list" view. For "4. Guest OS partition view" I've used predefined "Capacity | Guest OS Partition" view from Operations.

Attachment(s)

Davor - VM Key properties.zip   1 KB 1 version

Davor - Guest Virtual Disks.zip   1 KB 1 version

[shashikrishnak]

It worked, thanks!

By any chance do you have a blog where I can see all your dashboards?

[Davor Perak]

Sorry but I don't have blog with all my dashboards.

[shashikrishnak]

no problem, thanks!

[MoroniF]

Hi mghal40, 

  I have already done something similar. I will try to tell you the steps and tell me if it can help you. 

 

1) Create a custom group. Set it as Group Type: Manual Application. Put all the VMs you need in the group.

2) Create a dashboard and set:

- OBJECT LIST: Enable Self Provider and in the input data look for the Custom Group you created above

- LIST VIEW: Disable Self Provider and as Data output look for "Virtual Machine Capacity Overview" ( it is of type LIST. 

- In the Dashboard, enable Show Interaction and link the Object List to the List View. 

 

If you now click on the custom group you find in the object list it should give you the data you want. 

 

PS: If you just want some info in the View, I suggest you create an ad hoc one, rather write me and I will give you more tips, on how best to configure it. 

[Simon Rowan]

Is it possible to define a custom group based on a vCenter tag definition. We have a tag called application:MyApp123 (as an example) and I want a custom group shjow all VMs with that tag, even if a new VM gets built in the future I want it to dynamically be added to that group. Is that possible?

[Davor Perak]

Yes, it is possible. Create new custom group, select "Keep group membership up to date", on second step "Define Membership Criteria" select "Virtual Machine" under Object Type, then select properties, select Summary|vSphere Tag, select "is" or "contains" or "starts with" and on the last step write your vSphere tag (e.g. application:MyApp123). You can user Preview option to see if logic is OK.

[ops1axg]

I have used vsphere tags for the required vm's. Then create a custom event group with that tag. It was easier than typing all the vm's in the new event group.

We have VRA. So now the vm build process includes adding a vsphere tag so i don't have to. For smaller apps that need custom reports that aren't part of a provisioning tool that can add a vsphere tag. I do them manually by tagging them. Or if a group has vm's created outside the provisioning tool. I tag them.. happy hunting. You can also use that event group for reporting and dashboards