HP Matrix Operating Environment 7.3 Update 1 Installation and Configuration Guide for Provisioning with Virtual Resources

2 Before you begin
Verify Supported Hardware and Software
You must verify support for the servers you plan to manage and the hardware onto which you plan
to install the Insight Management software. It is important that you read and understand the Insight
Management Support Matrix. It specifies supported hardware and software for the CMS (whether
a physical or virtual server) as well as details for each managed hypervisor. Insight Management
also supports specific third-party hardware servers and hypervisors as listed in the support matrix.
Verify or Install Hypervisors
The installation and configuration of Insight Management software described in this guide integrates
with your virtualized environment. You may begin the instructions without access to an existing
virtualization environment. However, to provision using local virtual resources, you will need access
to at least one hypervisor host environment (including its management server) before starting the
discovery process.
For VMware, the Matrix Operating Environment is fully functional only after the hypervisor hosts
are registered with a vCenter Server. For Microsoft hypervisor hosts, registration with an SCVMM
server is recommended but not required.
Matrix OE requires that your hypervisors meet the requirements in the Insight Management Support
Matrix. HP recommends that you install VMware hosts on HP servers using an HP provided
installation (ISO) image (available from http://www.software.hp.com) that includes updated drivers
and management providers. Alternatively, Matrix OE requires the proper version HP ESXi Offline
Bundle for VMware be installed on those hosts.
IMPORTANT: When the HP Network Configuration Utility (NCU) is used with Hyper-V for NIC
teaming, the installation order of NCU and Hyper-V is critical. The Hyper-V role must be installed
first and then the HP NCU. A common error is to deploy the OS and the SPP (which includes the
NCU) and later add the Hyper-V role. This will result in an unstable network stack on the server.
If a Hyper-V server has been built incorrectly, the only reliable remedy is to reinstall the complete
OS stack in the correct way.
HP strongly recommends that Microsoft and Linux hosts running on HP servers have the proper HP
Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) installed.
Compiling the documentation and media
Matrix Operating Environment component documentation, while delivered individually and in
various formats, works as a system. These documents provide important decision-making steps for
configuration.
To identify and locate the latest documentation for Matrix Operating Environment products, see
Table 1 (page 7).
Review the published release notes in detail, particularly any updated prerequisites or additional
required updates or patches. Check for relevant Customer Advisories on the HP Business Support
Center before beginning the installation. You may add the HP Insight Management Software and
HP Matrix Operating Environment Software to your subscribed product list or sign up for Subscriber's
Choice at http://www.hp.com/go/myadvisory.
Verify Supported Hardware and Software 9