HowTo activate SNMP on vSphere 6.0 hosts

Monitoring ESXi with an standard open source monitoring tool usually requires SNMP. Searching for SNMP in the vCenter configuration context this simply allows you to start the service – but not exactly leads to success in the first place. Probably you get an error.

You check in the security profiles and find the service stopped although it is configured to start with the host. Manual start delivers an “ooops”.

Looking for an clickable configuration context did not lead to an solution I was aware of. Continue reading

How-To: Init HPE FF5700 FlexFabric Switches

Left alone by some consultants, which charged a lot and did not accomplish to much, I ended up configuring FF5700 felx fabric switches myself. Some of the insights, other posts will follow.

To start with the basic initialization settings, configuring management access and doing initial firmware maintenance. After unpacking the switch and mounting fans and power supplies connect through the serial console – although there is dhcp client running on the switch which probably allows you to gain management access over the network. Remember there is a Gigabit- Ethernet- Port on the backside of the switch, dedicated for management access only. The console port is adjacent. Default serial settings are 9600/n/1/n as with any other HPE switch.

After the boot procedure press enter and you have access to the switch. Elevate your access level to configuration mode with:

system-view

To start with I actually disable the DHCP client and activate LLDP for further use.

undo dhcp enable
lldp global enable

After that prepare the desired VLANs according to whatever you later use. I strictly recommend leaving the default VLAN untouched, leaving the Primary VLAN ID on 1 and transport that untagged on any switch to switch link, but remove all access and server Continue reading

Raserurteil und unbeseelte Inteligenz. Ein Gedankenexperiment.

Diese Woche erging das Raserurteil in Berlin und dem Haupttäter – wie man ja nun schreiben darf, wurde – ich verkürze bewusst, weil es darum eigentlich hier nicht gehen soll – eine innige Beziehung zu seinem Fahrzeug nach gesagt und ebenso mangelnde Empathie zu seinen Mitmenschen. Das lass ich einfach mal so stehen, weil es eher eine Ausgangspunkt für einige spannende Transfers war, die am Ende viel mehr Fragen als Antworten lieferten.

Ich hab die Neuigkeit im Radio gehört. Auf meinem Weg zur Arbeit. Und denke noch so bei mir “Ich mag mein Auto eigentlich auch!”. Bin ich jetzt krank? Vermutlich nicht! Aber Continue reading