The VcLicenseTest reports critical statistics related to license management by vCenter.

The default parameters associated with this test are as follows:

• The TEST PERIOD list box helps the user to decide how often this test needs to be executed.

• In the HOST text box, the host name of the server for which the test is to be configured has to be specified.

• The port number to which the server is listening is to be provided in the PORT text box. By default, this will be NULL.

• The USING parameter determines whether this test should be monitored using the web services API or CLI (command line interface).

  If you are monitoring vCenter in an agentless manner, then you might want to execute this test using the web services API, as this approach supports both agent-based and agentless monitoring modes. In such a case therefore, select Web services API from the USING list box. If the Web services API option is chosen, then ensure that the VIRTUAL CENTER SERVER HOME parameter is set to None. Also, make sure that the VC USER and VC PASSWORD parameters represent the user name and password to connect to the vCenter server. By default, Web Services API is selected from the USING list.

  The command line interface is typically preferred, if vCenter is monitored in an agent-based manner. In such a case therefore, select Command Line Interface from the USING list. If this option is chosen, then ensure that the VIRTUAL CENTER SERVER HOME and REREADLICENSE parameters are configured with valid values, and the VC USER and VC PASSWORD parameters are set to None.

  Note:

  vCenter 4.0 does not support the command line interface; therefore, set the USING parameter to Web services API while monitoring vCenter 4.0.

• In the VIRTUALCENTER LICENSE FILE text box, specify the name of the vCenter license file used by this test for reporting license-related statistics; this is vmware.lic by default. This parameter is of relevance only if the USING flag is set to Command Line Interface.

• To connect to vCenter and extract metrics from it, this test should be configured with the name and password of a user with Administrator or Virtual Machine Administrator privileges to vCenter. However, if, owing to security constraints, you are not able to use the credentials of such users for test configuration, then you can configure this test with the credentials of a user with Read-only rights to vCenter. For this purpose, you can assign the 'Read-only' role to a local/domain user to vCenter, and then specify name and password of this user against the VC USER and VC PASSWORD text boxes.

  vCenter servers terminate user sessions based on timeout periods. The default timeout period is 30 mins. When you stop an agent, sessions currently in use by the agent will remain open for this timeout period until vCenter times out the session. If the agent is restarted within the timeout period, it will open a new set of sessions. If you want the eG agent to close already existing sessions on vCenter before it opens new sessions, then, instead of the 'Read-only' user, you can optionally configure the VC USER and VC PASSWORD parameters with the credentials of a user with permissions to View and Terminate Sessions on vCenter. For this purpose, you can create a special role on vCenter, grant the View and Terminate Sessions privilege to this role, and then assign the new role to a local/domain user to vCenter.

• Confirm the password by retyping it in the CONFIRM PASSWORD text box.

• By default, the vCenter server is SSL-enabled. Accordingly, the SSL flag is set to Yes by default. This indicates that the eG agent will communicate with the vCenter server via HTTPS by default.

• In the VIRTUAL CENTER SERVER HOME text box, provide the full path to the install directory of the VMware Licensing server being monitored. For example, c:\progra~1\VMware\VMware license server. If you choose to monitor this test using CLI then make sure this parameter is specified. On other hand if you monitor this test using Web Services API then this parameter should be provided as None.

• If the REREADLICENSE flag is set to true, then the eG agent will check for changes in license status everytime this test runs. If this flag is set to false, then the eG agent will not check for license changes during every test execution. If you choose to monitor this test using CLI then make sure this parameter is specified. On other hand if you monitor this test using Web Services API then this parameter should be provided as None.

• By default, in most virtualized environments, vCenter listens on port 80 (if not SSL-enabeld) or on port 443 (if SSL-enabled) only. This implies that while monitoring vCenter, the eG agent, by default, connects to port 80 or 443, depending upon the SSL-enabled status of vCenter - i.e., if vCenter is not SSL-enabled (i.e., if the SSL flag above is set to No), then the eG agent connects to vCenter using port 80 by default, and if vCenter is SSL-enabled ((i.e., if the SSL flag is set to Yes), then the agent-vCenter communication occurs via port 443 by default. Accordingly, the WEBPORT parameter is set to default by default.

  In some environments however, the default ports 80 or 443 might not apply. In such a case, against the WEBPORT parameter, you can specify the exact port at which vCenter in your environment listens, so that the eG agent communicates with that port for collecting metrics from vCenter.

• If multiple components of the same component type are awaiting configuration, then an APPLY TO OTHER COMPONENTS check box will appear in this page. Clicking on this check box will allow you to apply the configuration to all/selected components of that type.

• Once the necessary values have been provided, clicking on the Update button will register the changes made.

When changing the configuration for specific servers, a “*” beside the text box corresponding to the parameter signifies that these values have to be manually configured by the user. The parameter values that require to be configured will typically be prefixed with a “$” or contain a series of “*”. A value of "none" in the parameter value indicates that the corresponding parameter value can be changed if required.