VMware vROps - A quick look at what's new in vROps 6.5?

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VMware announced the release of vRealize Operations Manager (vROps) 6.5. vROps is VMware's popular Cloud and Software Defined Datacenter (SDDC) monitoring and analytics solution. This update includes the usual usability improvements along with a 25% scalability improvement in the number of supported objects and metrics, as well as a new Extra Large node size. One major new feature includes integration with VMware vRealize Business Manager for Cloud (vRBC). The version also supports automated End-Point Operations (EPOps) Agent upgrades and many other advancements. In addition to that, the vROps 6.5 upgrade process is 40% faster than in the past, especially with large multi-node deployments.

Now, let's dive a little deeper into some of the new features and enhancements.

 25% Improvement in Scalability
In the large node (16 vCPU x 48GB Memory) configuration, vROps can now support up to 150,000 objects and 38.7 million metrics up from 120k and 30 million, respectively. Also, a new node size defined as Extra Large (24 vCPU x 128GB Memory) can be deployed, supporting up to 30,000 objects or 7.5 million metrics per node. One caveat with XL is that today only 4 nodes are allowed in the Analytics Cluster, but I expect that to grow with future releases. The XL size seems to be a great option for putting vROps in relatively small 3-4 ESXi-node Management Clusters that are typical in the SDDC/VVD deployments. This will allow vROps to scale to accommodate a large number of monitored cloud object and metrics in relatively small footprint vSphere Management Cluster.

 Custom Metric Groups
You can now define your own metric groups in the Metric Picker and it is as easy as drag-and-drop. It is almost like being able to create your own favorite list of commonly used metrics or super metrics and being to easily find them without scrolling and searching. You can also save it and apply it to all objects of the same type across the board. Being a huge Custom Dashboard fan, this little cosmetic feature is easily my favorite in this release!

Export/Import Custom Groups
Another nice touch is the ability to export and import Custom Groups. This will make it much easier if you want to move Custom Group criteria sets among different vROps instances like Prod and non-Prod.

Automated Upgrade of EPOps Agent
The following features are supported with automated agent upgrades:
  • Automate deployment of EPOps Agents in a just a few clicks
  • Simplified user experience to stage agent deployment across distributed global sites
  • No manual steps they relied and several KBs
  • Rolling Upgrade and Optimization of time to Upgrade
  • Zero agent/collection downtime
  • Agent rollback on upgrade failure
  • Asynchronous Upgrade of all Agent
  • Seamless Upgrade of all the Heterogeneous agents


Webhook Shims Support
Webhooks are user-defined HTTP callbacks. vROps sends alert notifications as HTTP POST with a JSON payload. However, some third-party applications expect incoming webhooks to be in a proprietary format. If the receiving system lacks native support for the webhook format, a shim between them can translate the webhook format as needed. This will further improve vROps extensibility and integration options.
Pre Upgrade Checker
vROps now includes a validation process that identifies if there are any issues before the upgrade is started. This will allow you to resolve a number of issues prior to any upgrade reducing the number of upgrade related support calls. Besides the pre upgrade checker validation the overall upgrade process is also 40% faster now than in the past. This will make for much less sitting and watching the paint dry especially in large multi-node deployments.

vRealize Business Manager for Cloud Integration
Integration with vRealize Business Manager for Cloud (vRBC) allows viewing of private and public cloud cost information right inside of vROps.

vRealize Log Insight Integration Improvements
You can now access vRealize Log Insight (vRLI) logs and charts without having to leave vROps and navigate to vRLI. Log as even provided in a context sensitive Logs tab for each object which reduces the need for searching.



 This is it for now... I'm sure I'll find more cool stuff as I work with the product over the coming months. Till the next release. Enjoy!

 Release Related Info:
VMware Blogs Release Post
Sizing Guide
Release Notes
Product Download Page
Product Marketing Page
Online Documentation Center
Downloadable Documentation
Product Interoperability Matrix

For more information about vROps, see the following resources:

vROps Extensibility Options:
You can extend vROps functionality by installing additional management packs:
VMware Management Packs include options for vRA, NSX, vRO, Log Insight, AWS, etc.
Blue Medora Management Packs include options for NetApp, Oracle, SAP, UCS, Citrix, etc.

Books:
VMware Performance and Capacity Management - Second Edition by Iwan 'e1' Rahabok
VMware vRealize Operations Managers Essentials by Matthew Steiner
Mastering vRealize Operations Manager by Scott Norris
VMware vRealize Operations Manager Capacity and Performance Management by Iwan 'e1' Rahabok

Official VMware:
VMware Professional Services
Official vROps Documentation
VMware Operations Management White Papers
vROps product page

Blogs:
VMignite by Lan Nguyen
vXpress by @Sunny_Dua 
virtual red dot by @e1_ang
Virtualise Me by @auScottNorris
Elastic Sky Labs by @JAGaudreau

Comments

  1. Justin LoucksMarch 6, 2017 at 10:22 PM

    I performed the Log Insight 4.3 and vROps 6.5 upgrades this evening. I have the Log Insight tab in vROps overall but I do not see the Logs tab that is shown above. Any ideas why that is? Anything you had to do to get that advertised feature of this new integration?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. vbulosityMarch 6, 2017 at 10:45 PM

      1. Make sure the vROps Integration is configure in Log Insight.
      2. Make sure the Log Insight Solution/Adapter is configured in vROps (this is new starting with 6.5)
      3. Make sure the Log Insight SSL certificate is valid.

      Delete
    2. Justin LoucksMarch 6, 2017 at 10:50 PM

      Thanks Peter. VRLI is still using a self-signed certificate so I'm sure it is #3. I need to replace it or figure out how to get it into the Administration --> Certificates area of vROps.

      Delete

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