Overview

The
VMware Smart Assurance Server Manager
Service Assurance Manager
Adapter Platform
(
Adapter Platform
) imports and normalizes topology and event information from sources other than
VMware Smart Assurance
products, such as SNMP traps, system log files, or events generated from the
sm_ems
command line interface. After it normalizes to the ICIM data model, the information is transferred to the
(
Global Manager
).
The
Adapter Platform
works with third-party applications in a variety of ways to import topology and event information and prepare it for use by the
Global Manager
. The
Adapter Platform
allows for several methods of receiving events, including:
  • SNMP trap integration
  • Log file integration
  • Integration by using a custom adapter
  • Command line interface
    The
    Adapter Platform
    works with any combination of these methods.
    Regardless of how the
    Adapter Platform
    receives the event information, it does the following:
  • Provides uniform representation of event information regardless of the source of the event. This is called event normalization.
  • Consolidates recurring events, rather than considering each new event separately. This reduces the number of events sent to the
    Global Manager
    . It is called deduplication.
  • Allows for an incoming message to clear a previous event.
  • Provides a mechanism to set an event expiration. This mechanism automatically clears events that have not changed for a period of time.
  • Optionally associates events to a topology element, thus placing events in their topological context.
    After the event information is processed, it is sent to the
    Global Manager
    .
    Adapter Platform configuration files describes the configuration files that are relevant to the
    Adapter Platform
    Server. The
    sm_edit
    utility ensures that modified files are saved to the appropriate location in the
    BASEDIR
    /smarts/local directory.
    You should edit only local copies of the
    Adapter Platform
    configuration files, which are located in
    BASEDIR
    /smarts/local/conf/icoi. If local copies of the configuration files already exist and you attempt to edit non-local files, the
    sm_edit
    utility will locate and edit the local (not the non-local) versions of files. “The sm_edit utility” on page 43 provides information about the
    sm_edit
    utility.
    provides detailed instructions about how to properly modify an
    VMware Smart Assurance
    file.
Adapter Platform
configuration files
Directory under
BASEDIR
Filename
User editable
Description
smarts/conf/icoi
bootstrap.conf
No
Contains vital information required to start the
Adapter Platform
Server.
smarts/conf/icoi
dxa-sysip.conf
No
Used by the
Adapter Platform
to import information from cooperating
IP Availability Manager
s.
smarts/conf/icoi
icoi-config.dtd
No
Definition file for XML configuration.
smarts/conf/icoi
icoi-default.xml
Yes
Contains the default notification lists, user profiles, and users for the
Adapter Platform
when the server is first started, or started without an existing repository file.
smarts/conf/icoi
icoi-config-sample.xml
Yes
Sample XML file of notification lists, user profiles, and users. It can be used as a template for creating XML files of these entities.
smarts/conf/icoi
nlconfig-sample.xml
Yes
Sample XML file for notification list configuration. It can be used as a template for creating additional files.
smarts/conf/icoi
profileconfig-sample.xml
Yes
Sample XML file for user profile configuration. It can be used as a template for creating additional files.
smarts/conf/icoi
userconfig-sample.xml
Yes
Sample XML file for user configuration. It can be used as a template for creating additional files.