The Azure Stack Hub health and monitoring system monitors the status of a subset of hardware components as depicted in Figure 1. The Dell EMC Patch and Update Automation Tool v2.0.2002.175 introduced additional monitoring functionality by adding the ERCS VM IP addresses as SNMP trap destinations in the iDRACs. Only a small set of server hardware component events are forwarded from the iDRACs to the ERCS VMs. After the 2002 Patch and Update Automation Tool is run, events appear in the Admin Portal from the following components:
For the specific event types and event IDs forwarded from the iDRACs to the ERCS VMs, review the OEMEventMap.json file found in the Monitoring folder of the latest version of the Dell EMC OEM extension package.
OpenManage Enterprise provides a more granular level of monitoring of the server hardware components. The discovery of the PowerEdge servers in OpenManage Enterprise occurs at initial deployment. It can also occur when OpenManage Enterprise is configured as part of the Dell EMC 1906 patch and update installation process. WS-MAN polls the server iDRACs and, if hardware failures occur, SNMP traps are sent to the OpenManage Enterprise instance.
Figure 2. Monitoring HLH and SU node servers in OpenManage Enterprise
SupportAssist Enterprise automatically opens cases with Dell Technologies Support when alerts display in OpenManage Enterprise.
Figure 3. Dell EMC SupportAssist Enterprise console
OpenManage Network Manager fulfills several critical functions in the Azure Stack Hub SU architecture. OpenManage Network Manager uses SNMP and SYSLOG to monitor switches and to generate alerts when hardware or configuration problems occur.
At initial deployment, the Dell Technologies deployment team creates a schedule that backs up the running configuration of each switch at regular intervals. OpenManage Network Manager possesses other capabilities, such as performance monitoring, traffic flow analysis, and compliance checking. The optional capabilities are not set up by default during a Dell EMC Integrated System for Microsoft Azure Stack Hub deployment.
Figure 4. Monitoring and maintaining switches in OpenManage Network Manager
All the HLH VMs are critical in Dell EMC Integrated System. The Patch and Update Automation Tool is used to update the following components and more:
The automation tool runs from DellEMC-MGMTVM. During the patch and update process, the Dell EMC Patch and Update Automation Tool communicates with OpenManage Network Manager through a REST API. The Patch and Update Automation Tool takes running configuration backups and applies new firmware to the SU Dell EMC network switches (not Cisco switches currently) in an orchestrated manner. You must rely on these VMs for monitoring, alerting, and patch and update activities throughout the life cycle of the Azure Stack Hub SUs.