VmBix is a multi-thread TCP server written in java, it accepts connections from a Zabbix server or zabbix_get (supports some custom zabbix checks) and translates them to VMWare API calls. Starting from version 2.2, Zabbix can natively monitor a VMWare environment. But there are a few drawbacks :
- The monitored items are not all very relevant.
- The created ESX and VM hosts are mostly read-only. You cannot attach them different templates or monitor them with an agent. VmBix helps you to overcome this limitations, with very good performance. It is multi-threaded and can be queried using a Zabbix loadable module. Vmbix also exposes VMWare API methods that are not included in Zabbix, for example the Performance Counters. You can use these VmBix methods to query interesting VMWare metrics, for example :
TEST# esx.counter[esx01.domain.local,cpu.ready]
1135
TEST# vm.counter.discovery[VM01,virtualDisk.totalReadLatency]
{
"data": [
{
"{#METRICINSTANCE}": "scsi2:2"
},
{
"{#METRICINSTANCE}": "scsi2:1"
},
{
"{#METRICINSTANCE}": "scsi2:0"
},
{
"{#METRICINSTANCE}": "scsi2:6"
},
{
"{#METRICINSTANCE}": "scsi2:5"
},
{
"{#METRICINSTANCE}": "scsi2:4"
},
{
"{#METRICINSTANCE}": "scsi2:3"
}
]
}
TEST# vm.counter[VM01,virtualDisk.totalReadLatency,scsi2:4,300]
2
This project is a fork of the original VmBix by ihryamzik (https://code.google.com/p/vmbix/)
Check the Releases section for the latest ZIP archive of VmBix. Extract the archive and install the files (see below).
Note: you'll need to install JDK and Apache Ant to follow this article. Sources could also be compiled manually, without ant.
First, you need to install Apache Ant and Ivy.
tar -C /opt/ant/ -xzvf apache-ant-1.8.2-bin.tar.gz
tar -xzvf apache-ivy-2.2.0-bin-with-deps.tar.gz
cp apache-ivy-2.2.0/ivy-2.2.0.jar /opt/ant/apache-ant-1.8.2/lib
export ANT_HOME=/opt/ant/apache-ant-1.8.2
export PATH=$PATH:$ANT_HOME/bin
git clone https://github.com/dav3860/vmbix.git
cd vmbix
ant
Ant should download the required libraries, compile the sources and place compiled code to VmBix folder.
Your VmBix folder should look like this:
find VmBix-x.y.z/ -type f
VmBix-x.y.z/rmp-based/etc/init.d/vmbixd # init script, will start vmbixd as daemon
VmBix-x.y.z/rmp-based/etc/vmbix/vmbix.conf # config file
VmBix-x.y.z/rmp-based/usr/local/sbin/vmbix # sbin script to run the tool
VmBix-x.y.z/rmp-based/usr/local/sbin/vmbixd # like vmbix but will start in background
VmBix-x.y.z/rmp-based/usr/local/vmbix/vmbix.jar # jar file itself
VmBix-x.y.z/zabbix_templates/new/template_vmbix_vcenter.xml # vCenter and datastore zabbix template
VmBix-x.y.z/zabbix_templates/new/template_vmbix_esx.xml # Host zabbix template
VmBix-x.y.z/zabbix_templates/new/template_vmbix_vm.xml # Virtual Machine zabbix template
[...]
Copy files from VmBix/rmp-based/ folder to you system accordingly to there paths. Make shell scripts executable:
chmod +x /etc/init.d/vmbixd
chmod +x /usr/local/sbin/vmbix
chmod +x /usr/local/sbin/vmbixd
Note: To run VmBix you'll have to install jre, OpenJDK should suite but not tested. All the shell scripts are tested on rhel 6 but thould work on other nix distributions as well. Init script (etc/init.d/vmbixd) might need some modifications to work on debian based or bsd systems.
Try to run /usr/local/sbin/vmbix, you should get a "usage" output.
# /usr/local/sbin/vmbix
Usage:
vmbix {-P|--port} listenPort {-s|--serviceurl} http[s]://serveraddr/sdk {-u|--username} username {-p|--password} password [-f|--pid pidfile]
or
vmbix [-c|--config] config_file [-f|--pid pidfile]
Note: if some option is presented both in command line and in config file, command line one will be used. If any of required options is not presented at all you'll see the usage output with blinking missing option.
User name, password and vsphere service url are the required option.
It is strongly recommended to check your parameters before writing them down to a config file. Run vmbix with your username, password and service url:
$ vmbix -P 12050 -u username -p password -s https://vcenter.mycompany.com/sdk
starting server on port
port opened
time taken:5450 #this line means that you got connected to vcenter/esx
If you find your output similar to one listed here, feel free to set parameters at /etc/vmbix/vmbix.conf.
To install as daemon:
chkconfig --add vmbixd
Now you may start the daemon:
service vmbixd start
And configure autostart if you wish:
chkconfig vmbixd on
For logs, check:
tail -f /var/log/messages|grep vmbix
All the ESX servers, datastores and virtual machines will automatically be discovered and created in Zabbix. Here is how to configure Zabbix :
- Import the templates from zabbix_templates (import the vCenter templates after the others). There are two template flavours : with or without the Zabbix loadable module. The Zabbix loadable module method is useful if you want to monitor your virtual machines with a Zabbix agent in addition to VmBix.
- Without the module, the VmBix items in Zabbix are configured with the "Zabbix agent" type. So Zabbix directly talks to VmBix using the Zabbix agent protocol on port 12050 by default. This is good, but it means that the hosts cannot also be monitored using the Zabbix agent as all the created hosts will have an IP of 127.0.0.1 and a port of 12050 by default for their "agent" interface. This is a limitation for virtual machines for example.
- With the loadable module, the VmBix items in Zabbix are configured with an "Simple Check" type. Zabbix uses a loadable module to talk to VmBix. So it is still possible to use a Zabbix agent to monitor the hosts. The vmbix.so loadable module must be installed on your server/proxy.
- Create a host named "VmBix" for example and link it with the VmBix vCenter template (with or without the module). The host must be configured like this :
- Set host ip to 127.0.0.1 or IP of the server where VmBix runs.
- Set "Connect to" to "IP address" and set port to 12050 or the one you've set in vmbix config file.
Wait for the ESX servers, datastores and virtual machines to be discovered and created. The VM and ESX hosts will be automatically linked to the VmBix ESX or VM template.
You can also link additional templates to the created hosts by editing the corresponding host prototype in the VmBix vCenter template discovery rules. For example, if you use the wrapper script method, you can add a Zabbix agent monitoring template to your virtual machines.
As these hosts are created using the host prototype mechanism in Zabbix, they will be almost read-only. For example, you can't edit one host to link it to a specific template. This must be made at the host prototype level, which can be a limitation if your virtual machines are different. To overcome this limitation, you can disable the VM discovery rule in the VmBix vCenter template and create your virtual machines manually in Zabbix (I do it using the API and a script of my own). Then, link them to the VmBix VM template (preferably with the loadable module method). You can then edit them as any other host.
You may need to increase the Timeout parameter in Zabbix configuration file.
You can query VmBix like a Zabbix agent using the zabbix_get tool :
# zabbix_get -s 127.x.y.z -p 12050 -k about[*]
VMware vCenter Server 5.1.0 build-1364037
# zabbix_get -s 127.x.y.z -p 12050 -k esx.status[esx01.domain.local]
1
# zabbix_get -s 127.x.y.z -p 12050 -k vm.guest.os[MYVM01]
CentOS 4/5/6 (64 bits)
# zabbix_get -s 127.x.y.z -p 12050 -k esx.discovery[*]
{"data":[{"{#ESXHOST}":"esx01.domain.local"},{"{#ESXHOST}":"esx02.domain.local"}]}
# zabbix_get -s 127.x.y.z -p 12050 -k vm.counter[MYVM01,virtualDisk.totalReadLatency,scsi0:1,300]
2
If useuuid is set to true in the configuration file, objects are identified using their UUID :
# zabbix_get -s 127.x.y.z -p 12050 -k vm.guest.os[[421448c4-8970-28f0-05a5-90a20724bd08]
CentOS 4/5/6 (64 bits)
about
cluster.discovery
cluster.cpu[name,free]
cluster.cpu[name,total]
cluster.cpu[name,usage]
cluster.cpu.num[name,threads]
cluster.cpu.num[nane,cores]
cluster.mem[name,free]
cluster.mem[name,total]
cluster.mem[name,usage]
cluster.hosts[name,online]
cluster.hosts[name,maint]
cluster.hosts[name,total]
datastore.discovery
datastore.size[(uuid|name),free]
datastore.size[(uuid|name),total]
datastore.size[(uuid|name),provisioned]
datastore.size[(uuid|name),uncommitted]
esx.connection[(uuid|name)]
esx.cpu.load[(uuid|name),cores]
esx.cpu.load[(uuid|name),total]
esx.cpu.load[(uuid|name),used]
esx.discovery
esx.maintenance[(uuid|name)]
esx.memory[(uuid|name),total]
esx.memory[(uuid|name),used]
esx.path[(uuid|name),active]
esx.path[(uuid|name),dead]
esx.path[(uuid|name),disabled]
esx.path[(uuid|name),standby]
esx.status[(uuid|name)]
esx.vms.count[(uuid|name)]
esx.vms.memory[(uuid|name),active]
esx.vms.memory[(uuid|name),ballooned]
esx.vms.memory[(uuid|name),compressed]
esx.vms.memory[(uuid|name),consumed]
esx.vms.memory[(uuid|name),overheadConsumed]
esx.vms.memory[(uuid|name),private]
esx.vms.memory[(uuid|name),shared]
esx.vms.memory[(uuid|name),swapped]
esx.counter[(uuid|name),counter,[instance,interval]]
esx.counter.discovery[(uuid|name),counter,[interval]]
esx.counter.list[(uuid|name)]
event.latest[*]
ping
vm.consolidation[(uuid|name),needed]
vm.cpu.load[(uuid|name),cores]
vm.cpu.load[(uuid|name),total]
vm.cpu.load[(uuid|name),used]
vm.discovery[*]
vm.folder[(uuid|name)]
vm.name[(uuid|name)]
vm.annotation[(uuid|name)]
vm.guest.disk.discovery[(uuid|name)]
vm.guest.disk.capacity[(uuid|name),disk]
vm.guest.disk.free[(uuid|name),disk]
vm.guest.ip[(uuid|name)]
vm.guest.(uuid|name)[(uuid|name)]
vm.guest.os[(uuid|name)]
vm.guest.os.short[(uuid|name)]
vm.guest.tools.mounted[(uuid|name)]
vm.guest.tools.running[(uuid|name)]
vm.guest.tools.version[(uuid|name)]
vm.host[(uuid|name)]
vm.memory[(uuid|name),active]
vm.memory[(uuid|name),ballooned]
vm.memory[(uuid|name),compressed]
vm.memory[(uuid|name),consumed]
vm.memory[(uuid|name),overheadConsumed]
vm.memory[(uuid|name),private]
vm.memory[(uuid|name),shared]
vm.memory[(uuid|name),swapped]
vm.memory[(uuid|name),total]
vm.counter[(uuid|name),counter,[instance,interval]]
vm.counter.discovery[(uuid|name),counter,[interval]]
vm.counter.list[(uuid|name)]
vm.powerstate[(uuid|name)]
vm.status[(uuid|name)]
vm.storage.committed[(uuid|name)]
vm.storage.uncommitted[(uuid|name)]
vm.storage.unshared[(uuid|name)]
Version 1.2.3 need config file with cache settings. To disable cache set *CacheTtl variables to 0.
- Find a function called
private void checkAllPatterns (String string, PrintWriter out )
- Add your own pattern. For example this string:
Pattern pHostCpuUsed = Pattern.compile("^(?:\\s*ZBXD.)?.*esx\\.cpu\\.load\\[(.+),used\\]" ); // :checks host cpu usage
will be responsible for this item:
esx.cpu.load[{HOST.DNS},used]
- Scroll down to the next block of code in the same function starting with "String found;", add you own "found=" block:
found = checkPattern(pHostCpuUsed ,string); if (found != null) { getHostCpuUsed (found, out); return; }
This one calls a function called "getHostCpuUsed" with {HOST.DNS} as an a first argument and a PrintWriter instance as a second one.
- Your function should accept String and PrintWriter arguments. It should return values like that:
out.print(value);
out.flush();
- Add a usage line to the methods() function :
static void methods() {
System.err.print(
"Available methods : \n"
[...]
+ "esx.cpu.load[name,used] \n"
See CHANGELOG