Third-party Read-only Monitoring Support for VMware NSX

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

Administrators require confirmation if VMware NSX supports third-party monitoring platforms (such as Nagios, SolarWinds, or eG Monitoring) for read-only access. Guidance is also needed for recommended configuration methods to ensure non-intrusive visibility.

Environment

• VMware NSX 4.x
• VMware NSX-T Data Center 3.x

Cause

Third-party monitoring tools require credentialed access or SNMP configurations to poll metrics and receive alerts. To ensure security, administrators must use Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) configurations or centralized SNMP profiles to prevent unauthorized changes.

Resolution

VMware NSX natively supports third-party monitoring through RBAC and standard network protocols. Use one of the following methods to enable read-only monitoring:

Method 1: Service Account with Auditor Role (REST API/SSH)

1. Create a local or LDAP-integrated Service Account.
2. Assign the predefined Auditor role to the account. This role provides full read-only visibility to system and logical entities without allowing configuration changes.
3. Configure the monitoring tool to use these credentials for API or SSH polling.

Method 2: SNMP Configuration (Traps and Polling) Configure SNMP via Node Profiles to ensure settings persist across the management and edge fabric.

Note: Node profiles apply to NSX Manager, Edge nodes, and KVM hypervisors. ESXi hosts must be configured natively via vCenter.

1. Log in to NSX Manager with administrator privileges.
2. Navigate to System > Fabric > Profiles and select the Node Profiles tab.
3. Click All NSX Nodes in the Name column.
4. Configure SNMP v2c or SNMP v3 settings, including the Trap Destination (Monitoring Server IP).
5. Verify the service status on the NSX Manager/Edge CLI using the command: get service snmp.
6. To verify profile application on KVM hypervisor nodes, log in to the KVM node with root privileges and run: /opt/vmware/bin/vicfg-snmp -s.

Additional Information

Important Considerations:

• SNMP polling is supported for limited OIDs and may not provide granular metrics for all logical components.
• Ensure UDP port 161 (Polling) and 162 (Traps) are open between the NSX nodes and the monitoring server.
  Configure a Node Profile