Visualizing VMs Distribution Information Dashboard on vROps with using vCenter Custom Attributes

Creating Custom Attributes

First, we need to create Custom Attributes in vCenter for VMs.

• Log-in to vCenter Server and select one VM,
• There is Custom Attributes section on the right sight and it should be empty if you never used them before,
  

• We need to create some Custom Attributes to use them in the vRealize Operations Manager. So, lets create below Custom Attributes in vCenter Server. You can change or add new ones anytime you want. We just need to create these Custom Attributes for one VM in vCenter Server with clicking Edit Button. These Custom Attributes will available for all VMs in the vCenter Server
  • Server Department,
  • Server Description,
  • Server Owner,
  • Server Owner Mail Address,
  • Server Provisioned Date,
  • Server Provisioned by,
  • Server Role,
  • Backup Schedules
    

• We need to fill these Custom Attributes with correct values. So, we can create a local Custom Attribute User Group in vCenter and give a special permission which allows to Edit the Value of Custom Attributes.

Creating a Role in vCenter Server

• Log in to the vCenter Server with an administrator priviliges,
• Click Menu then Administration link in vCenter Server,
• Click Roles section under the Access Control section,
• Click “+” icon under Roles,

• Move to the Global section in the Edit Role page and check “Set custom attribute” option,

• Click Next,
• Give a Role Name like “Custom Attributes – Set Value Only” and write a description if needed,

• Click Finish.

Creating Group for Custom Attribute Value Editing in vCenter Server

• Log in to the vCenter Server with an administrator priviliges,
• Click Menu then Administration link in vCenter Server,
• Click Users and Groups section under the Single Sign On,
• Click Groups Tab,
• Click Add Group,
• Give a name to the Group like “Custom Attribute Editors”,
• Select Domain name in the Add Members section and type “Domain Users” in the search field and click the “Domain Users” result,

• Click Add to create the group.

Creating the Custom Dashboard

We will create a dashboard to visualize distribution of VMs.

• Go to Dashboards tab in vROps,
• Click Actions link then click Create Dashboard link,
• Type the name of the Group like VM Distribution Overview,
• Double Click PieChart View widget from widgets section and put it to the dashboard,

• Click pencil icon on the right top of the View to edit it,

• Type a name for widget like “VMs by Server Role”,
• Select On for Refresh Content option,
• Select On for Self Provider option,

• Select vSphere World for Object in the Input Data section,

• Click Green Plus icon to create Pie Chart view,

• Type a name for this View like VMs by Server Role,
• Select Distribution in the Presentation section and also select Discrete distribution from type,

• Type Virtual Machine in the Subjects section,
• Select Properties in the Data section and click Select Object icon next to the Properties,

• Type a virtual machine name in the Filter on Select Object pop-up window to find the Custom Properties which we want to add. Select the object and click Select,

• Go to Summary–> Custom Tag and all custom attributes which have value will be listed.

• Expand the properties like Server_Backup_Info and double click to Value to add right,
• Type something for metric label like “VMs by Server Role”,

• Click Save to save View,
• Remove Title option in Output Data section on the main View,

• Click Save to save main View,

• Repeat the same steps from the beginning and add Views as much as you need,

• Custom dashboard should look like below after finishing all customizations,

Hope that helps you and your customers…