Use vCenter Tags for Application Discovery in VCF Operations for Networks

Products

• VCF Operations for Networks

Issue/Introduction

After creating and associating tags and categories to virtual machines in VMware vCenter, you may want to utilize these tags for application grouping and discovery in VCF Operations for Networks.

The system does not automatically populate the application list based on the vCenter metadata without explicitly configuring the application discovery scope to group virtual machines by these custom tags.

If the discovery scope is not explicitly configured to group virtual machines by these custom tags, the system will not automatically populate the application list based on the vCenter metadata.

NOTE:  VCF Operations for Networks was formerly named Aria Operations for Networks (AON), and prior to that was named vRealize Network Insight (vRNI).

Environment

VCF Operations for Networks

VMware vCenter Server 8.0.x

Cause

The Application Discovery scope within VCF Operations for Networks defaults to standard discovery methods.

Without explicitly defining a vCenter Tag condition within the VM Attributes discovery scope, the system omits custom vCenter tags during the application grouping process.

Resolution

To successfully discover applications based on vCenter tags, configure the VM Attributes discovery scope using the following steps:

1. Log in to the VCF Operations for Networks GUI.
   
   
2. Navigate to Applications > Add Applications > VM Attributes.
   
   
3. Click Edit Discovery.
   
   
4. Under the Scope section, select All VMs (or scope to a specific vCenter/datacenter entity as required).
   
   
5. Under the Find Applications - group VMs by properties section, ensure there is at least one condition active.
   
   
   • NOTES: 
     
     
     • If there is more than one condition specified, the conditions will all have to be matched (i.e. an AND of the conditions)
       
       
     • There is no opportunity to specify an OR operand 
6. Select Tag from the first drop-down menu in the condition row.
   
   
7. To the right of the where key field, a list of available vCenter tags will populate. Select the specific vCenter tag of interest.
   
   
8. Observe the text to the right indicating how many applications were discovered, which will be presented as a blue hyperlink.
   
   
9. Click the blue hyperlink to review the Matches found. Each line will display a clickable number of VMs associated with the resolved "Application Name".
   
   
10. To finalize the configuration, click Save under the Actions menu.
    
    
11. Navigate to Applications > List to observe and verify the newly discovered applications in the environment.

Additional Information

Reference document Discover Applications using Tags for further information.