Getting started with HP Systems Insight Manager 7.2 in a smaller Windows environment

White paper | HP Systems Insight Manager 7.2
7 | March, 2013
Systems Insight Manager
basics
Product architecture
Systems Insight Manager uses a simple distributed architecture, comprising three types of
systems: a central management server (CMS), managed systems, and network clients. Authorized
users can access the CMS through a web browser GUI from any network client running Internet
Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. Systems Insight Manager also provides a command line interface (CLI)
to enable scripted operations.
Central management server
Each management domain has a single CMS. The CMS runs the Systems Insight Manager software
and initiates all central operations within the domain. The CMS can be a Windows, HP-UX, or Linux
machine. However, this paper is intended for users who install Systems Insight Manager software
on a Windows system. The CMS can be a server or a desktop PC that meets the hardware
requirements specified in Installation overview and requirements in a Windows environment.
Systems Insight Manager uses a database to store management domain information, including
authorizations, systems, users, and more. Systems Insight Manager in a Windows environment
supports SQL Express 2008, Microsoft SQL 2008, Microsoft SQL Server 2012, and Oracle
databases. SQL Server 2008 Express Edition Service Pack 2 ships with Systems Insight Manager
and supports an environment of up to 500 managed servers and storage devices. You do not need
a Microsoft SQL server license to use the SQL Express Edition.
Browsing into Systems Insight Manager
Systems Insight Manager has a web-based interface. You can access Systems Insight Manager by
opening a supported web browser and entering the following into the address bar:
https://<systemname/IPaddress>:50000
The first time you log in to Systems Insight Manager, the credentials are the operating credentials
of the user that installed Systems Insight Manager.
Managed systems
A managed system is any system in the management domain that communicates with the CMS.
Managed systems can include servers, desktops, workstations, storage, printers, laptops, hubs,
storage systems, SANs, management processors, and routers with an IP address. To get the full
capabilities from Systems Insight Manager, ProLiant servers must have one or more management
agents installed. You can install the ProLiant Windows management agents onto ProLiant PL300
series servers and later directly from Systems Insight Manager (see Configuring the managed
system software using the Configure or Repair Agents feature from the CMS). ProLiant 100 series
servers and non-HP platforms can be managed using standards-based management protocols
such as Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and SNMP. HP storage arrays and
infrastructure and non-HP storage arrays are managed using standards-based management
protocols such as SNMP, SMI-S (Storage Management Initiative Specification) and WBEM (Web-
Based Enterprise Management).