I really liked the post “Rapid deployments with IBM SmartCloud Provisioning” that explains how simple and fast it is to deploy instances using IBM SmartCloud Provisioning.
But after the instances are deployed the next question is:
How can I “easily” monitor the performance and availability of the OS and applications of launched instances?
The solution is to integrate IBM SmartCloud Provisioning with IBM Tivoli Monitoring so that all the running instances will be connected to the IBM Tivoli Monitoring Server and managed according the performance expectations.
Integration can be achieved by exploiting the current integration between IBM SmartCloud Provisioning and the Image Construction and Composition Tool (ICCT), available in IBM SmartCloud Provisioning version 1.2, and performing the following steps:
- From the Integrated Service Management (ISM) Library website, download the bundle “ICCT Bundle to deploy IBM Tivoli Monitoring Agent for Linux OS v6.X”
(https://www-304.ibm.com/software/brandcatalog/ismlibrary/details?catalog.label=1TW10OU0H) - Extend an OS base image available in IBM SmartCloud Provisioning, adding the bundle from step 1.
In this way, a new image will be available in IBM SmartCloud Provisioning with the Tivoli Monitoring agent installed and configured to connect to the IBM Tivoli Enterprise Monitoring Server.
After doing that, when the extended image is launched, the Tivoli Monitoring agent will automatically start and connect to the Tivoli Monitoring Server without requiring any user action.
Then, from the Tivoli Monitoring console you will be able to see and monitor it and take actions to address performance issues.
If you are interested in other extensions available on ISM Library the following bundles are available (search in ISM Library for “ICCT”):
- ICCT Bundle to deploy IBM Tivoli Directory Server v6.3
- ICCT Bundle to deploy IBM HTTP Server 7.0
- ICCT bundle to deploy IBM WAS Update Installer v70021
- ICCT Bundle to deploy Apache Web Server 2.4.1
- ICCT Bundle to deploy IBM DB2 Server 9.7
- ICCT Bundle to deploy IBM Tivoli Monitoring Agent for WAS
- ICCT Bundle for IBM WebSphere MQ 7.0.1.4 Server
- ICCT Bundle to deploy IBM WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment 8.0
- ICCT Bundle to deploy IBM WebSphere Application Server Community Edition 3.0
- ICCT Bundle to deploy IBM WebSphere MQ 7.0.1 Server
- ICCT Bundle to deploy IBM Tivoli Monitoring Agent for DB2
- ICCT Bundle to deploy IBM Tivoli Endpoint Manager Agent
- ICCT Software bundle for IBM License Metric Tool Agent for System X platform
For further information about IBM SmartCloud Provisioning and Image Construction and Composition Tool, see IBM SmartCloud Provisioning Information Center.
