Deploying VMware Aria Operations for Logs in a VCF 5.2.1 Environment: Step-by-Step Guide

In a VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) environment, managing logs effectively is crucial for monitoring, troubleshooting, and ensuring compliance. VMware Aria Operations for Logs (formerly vRealize Log Insight) provides centralized log collection, real-time analytics, and intelligent log correlation, making it an essential tool for proactive infrastructure management. This guide walks you through the step-by-step process of deploying VMware Aria Operations for Logs in a VCF 5.2.1 environment.

Prerequisites

1. VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 5.2.1: Confirm that your VCF environment is operational.
2. Aria Lifecycle Manager (ALCM): Aria Lifecycle Manager 8.18 or compatible version installed and accessible.
3. Network and DNS Configurations: Proper DNS and network settings to allow seamless communication among VMware components.
4. VMware Identity Manager (vIDM): Configured and deployed for unified authentication across VMware products. If needed a guide can be found here.

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Step 1: Access Aria Lifecycle Manager

1. Log in to the Aria Lifecycle Manager (ALCM) console with admin credentials.
2. Ensure compatibility between ALCM and VCF 5.2.1 for a smooth deployment.

Step 2: Add product in existing environment.

1. Navigate to Lifecycle Operations.
2. Under the existing environment click on the ellipsis.
3. Click Add Product.

Step 3: Select Product

1. From the Select Product tab, select VMware Aria Operations for Logs.
2. Pick a support Version for deployment.
3. Select a Size for the deployment. The sizing guide van be found here.
4. Click Next.

Step 4: EULA

1. Review the EULA.
2. Agree to the terms of the EULA.
3. Click Next.

Step 5: Licensing

1. In the Licensing tab we are able to Select or Add a new license using Locker.
2. Once a license is selected click Validate Associations.
3. Click Next to continue.

Step 6: Certificates

1. In the Certificate tab we are able to select or generate a new certificate.
2. Select a certificate.
3. Click Next to continue.

Step 7: Infrastructure

1. From the Infrastructure tab, review the information. As we can see most of the fields are pre filled because we are deploying in VCF mode.
2. Select a Cluster from the available list.
3. Click Next to continue.

Step 8: Configure Network Settings for Aria Operations for Logs

1. Most of the settings for the network should be pre filled because of the VCF mode.
2. Review the selection and click Next.

Step 9: Configure product

1. Select a Node Size.
2. Select FIPS mode. Please note that once enabled it cannot be disabled.
3. Select a Certificate for Aria Operations for Logs
4. Enter the admin email.
5. Select a Password from the Locker. This password will be used to log in post deployment.
6. Integrate with Identity Manager for additional SSO integration.
7. Enable Monitor with Operations in order to automatically configure the integration.
8. Enter an IP Address to server as the Cluster Virtual IP.
9. Enter an FQDN to server as the Cluster FQDN.
10. Select a Cluster Virtual IP.
11. Complete the VM configuration details.
12. Click Next.

Step 10: Precheck

1. Click on Run Precheck to make sure the configurations are correct.
2. Review the generated report.
3. Click Next.

Step 11: Summary

1. Review the Summary.
2. Click on Topology.
3. Review the Topology.
4. Click Submit.

Step 12: Post-Deployment Configuration

1. Log In: After deployment is complete, log in to the Aria Operations for Logs UI using the management URL.
2. Initial Configuration: Set up:
   • Log retention policies to ensure optimal storage usage.
   • Time synchronization (NTP) settings for accurate log timestamps.
3. Agent Deployment: If necessary, deploy agents to additional VMware components like vSAN or vIDM to enable log forwarding from those sources.

Step 13: Set Up Alerts, Dashboards, and Custom Content

1. Dashboards:
   • Navigate to Dashboards within the Aria Operations for Logs UI and set up predefined content packs for vSphere, NSX-T, and other VMware products. These provide predefined dashboards, queries, and alerts for each integrated product.
   • Build custom dashboards based on your specific log analysis needs.
2. Alerts:
   • Configure alerts for specific log events, such as critical system failures, warnings, or network issues.
   • Set up email or SNMP notifications to ensure that administrators are alerted in real time.

Step 10: Fine-Tune and Optimize

1. Retention Policies: Go to Administration > Retention to configure log retention policies based on your storage capacity and compliance requirements.
2. Monitoring: Use interactive analytics to drill down into logs and identify trends, issues, or anomalies across the environment.

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Conclusion

Deploying VMware Aria Operations for Logs in a VCF 5.2.1 environment using Aria Lifecycle Manager provides a robust, centralized log management solution. This integration allows for enhanced visibility, real-time troubleshooting, and improved performance monitoring across your entire VMware infrastructure.