DEVICE information is not showing in IEM (bios release date for VMWARE HOST)

Hello,

I am trying to extract some information of a VMWARE host server.

I used the following relevance in order to see all the attributes of the object “device”:

properties of type "device"

That formula shows me the following information.

initial status of <device>: string 
 pending status of <device>: string 
 model of <device>: string 
 vendor of <device>: string 
 file system type of <device>: string 
 bios version of <device>: string
 bios release date of <device>: time
 network adapters of <device>: string 
 pending restart of <device>: boolean 

properties of type “device” vmotion of : string
… and more stuff.

When I use the following relevance in VMWARE hosts,

bios version of device

it shows me the same information that ILO console shows for the BIOS version (e.g I27, P65, etc) for every VMWARE host in the company. However, when I try to get the bios release date property, it fails.

When I use the following relevance, bios release date of device it fails to show me the proper information. It throws the error:

Singular expression refers to nonexistent object.

I can see the bios release date in the ILO console but by using the previous relevance formula, the bigfix agent fails to bring this information to IEM.

Does anyone know why this might be? Any special configuration to do to IEM, extender manager o VMWARE server?

What relevance formula can I use in order to get the bios release date of a VMWARE HOST server?

What am I doing wrong?

In advance, thanks for your help!

Ivan

I presume you are trying to use this inspector which it doesn’t seem to be the one you are expecting

https://developer.bigfix.com/relevance/reference/dmi-bios_information.html#bios_release_date-of-dmi-bios_information-string

Try the following

date of bios

https://developer.bigfix.com/relevance/reference/bios.html#date-of-bios-string

AlanM,

Thanks for your help. I didnt tried before because the documentation refers to Windows, Ubunt, etc but VMWARE.

I just tried. it didnt work.

The operator “date” is not defined.

I just did a instrospection to the BIOS object for the VMWARE servers,

properties of type "bios"

I got this:

uuid of <bios>: string 
version of <bios>: string 
release date of <bios>: time 

I’m goign to try them all.

Same problem:

The operator “uuid” is not defined.
The operator “version” is not defined.
The operator “release date” is not defined.

I just realized you must be using the Proxy Agent/Management extender which has its own inspectors and not a regular agent. The links I sent won’t help there and this information might not be available through this extender

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You are correct. I am using a Proxy Agent/Management extender.

By any chance, have you seen any documentation of limitation of the Proxy Agent/Management extender ? Google is not helping me much. :-S

Thanks again.

Ivan

Every Proxy Agent / Management Extender is different and can implement the relevance it handles differently.

You would need documentation specific to the VMWare Management Extender.

Hello, thanks for your reply.

When you say “You would need documentation specific to the VMWare Management Extender.” is that documentation a PDF document from IBM? or are you talking about the C:/Program Files (x86)/BigFix Enterprise/Management Extender/Plugins/VMware ESXi 1/Inspectors/ESX.inspectors file?

I am apologize if I might be asking something that is very basic knowledge but unfortunately I am not very familiar with this technology. I am a newbie on this.

Is there a specific IBM or Bigfix site where I can get the documentation of the different Proxy Agent / Management Extenders (so that I can read it to understand how they work)?

Thanks again. I really appreciate your help.

Ivan.

I am a BigFix Expert and I know very little about the Management Extenders in general, which I blame @dexdexdex for :smile:

I do know that all of the Management Extenders are different. Documentation on Management Extenders in general would not help you with your issue. You need some sort of documentation specific to the VMWare Management Extender, which probably exists, but I have never seen or read. There may be a PDF, or there may be a knowledge center thing, or a DevWiki entry, or a developer.bigfix.com tutorial, or something @dexdexdex has but is keeping all to himself, or many other things. See here: BigFix Documentation & Resources

I had no idea about that files existence, but that could be extremely helpful in determining which “inspectors” exist for ESX.

Can you post the raw text of that file to the forum here? Don’t worry if the forum screws up the text, I can fix it after you post it. Just hit reply, paste in all of the text, and save the reply. I’ll do the rest.

Hi, @jgstew.

Once again. Thanks so much. I will continue looking for a solution. I opened a PMR with IBM. Let’s see what they recommend about it.

This is the content of the ESX.inspectors file (I have tried all the bios bla bla relevance formulas of this file):

#!/bin/bash 
################################################################## 
# @BASH_LONG_COPYRIGHT_BEGIN@ 
# @BASH_LONG_COPYRIGHT_END@ 
################################################################## 
 
# ESXI inspector file 
# This is a list of ESXi inspectors for the ESXi Management Plugin 
 
# double check with: properties whose (it as string contains "processor") on your machine 
 
# tips: multiple words instead of capital letters single words 
# add children for VMs snapshots 
# count instead of num 
# no quotes for integers 
# try to make time real time 
# convert 0s and 1s into true and false 
# try to categorize top level stuff so there are fewer top level things 
# leave stuff blank for stuff that should remain integers or actually if it's supposed to be blank just leave it as blank 
 
 
### Top Level inspectors 
data type: string 
 
 
### OS inspectors (Host) 
major version of <operating system>: version 
minor version of <operating system>: version 
vendor of <operating system>: string 
os type of <operating system>: string 
locale version of <operating system>: string 
locale build of <operating system>: string 
license product version of <operating system>: string 
build number of <operating system>: integer 
api version of <operating system>: version 
api type of <operating system>: string 
product line id of <operating system>: string 
license product name of <operating system>: string 
boot time of <operating system>: time 
 
### OS inspectors (Guest) 
[family, families] of <operating system>: string 
id of <operating system>: string 
 
 
### Patch Status Inspectors 
[patch status, patch statuses]: plural patch status 
package name of <patch status>: string 
package version of <patch status>: string 
package vendor of <patch status>: string 
package acceptance of <patch status>: string 
package install date of <patch status>: string 
 
 
###  Bios inspectors 
#"bios: bios" is not possible because it conflicts with "bios: string" in main.inspectors 
vm bios: bios 
uuid of <bios>: string 
version of <bios>: string 
release date of <bios>: time 
 
###Host Bios 
host bios: host bios 
model of <host bios>: string 
platform of <host bios>: platform 
serial number of <platform>: string 
 
### Device inspectors (Host) 
device: device 
 
[initial status, initial statuses] of <device>: string 
[pending status, pending statuses] of <device>: string 
 
# vswitches of <device>: plural vswitches 
# portgroups of <vswitches>: plural string 
# name of <vswitches>: string 
 
#IEMfSA Virtualization inspectors for vm networks 
vm networks :plural string  
 
model of <device>: string 
vendor of <device>: string 
file system type of <device>: string 
bios version of <device>: string 
bios release date of <device>:time 
 
# should be an integer 
network adapters of <device>: string 
#port number of <device>: string 
pending restart of <device>: boolean 
vmotion of <device>: string 
status of <device>: string 
maintenance mode of <device>: boolean 
 
### Device inspectors (Guest) 
state of <device>: string 
vm uuid of <device>: string 
bios uuid of <device>: string 
description of <device>: string 
vm path name of <device>: string 
clean power off of <device>: string 
virtual disk count of <device>: integer 
ethernet card count of <device>: integer 
template of <device>: boolean 
modification time of <device>: time 
 
#BEGIN: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> NEW INSPECTORS (TO BE ADDED) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 
vmkernel log enabled of <device>: boolean 
messages log enabled of <device>: boolean 
hostd log enabled of <device>: boolean 
#END: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 
 
 
 
### Network inspectors (Guest) 
 
#BEGIN: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> TO BE REMOVED <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 
#network of <device>: network 
#END: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 
 
 
#BEGIN: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> NEW INSPECTORS (TO BE ADDED) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 
# Defined in main.inspectors: network: network 
vswitch: vswitch 
vswitches: plural vswitch 
vswitches of <network>: plural vswitch 
name of <vswitch>: string 
promiscuous mode policy of <vswitch>: boolean 
mac address changes policy of <vswitch>: boolean 
forged transmits policy of <vswitch>: boolean 
 
portgroup: portgroup 
portgroups of <vswitch>: plural portgroup 
name of <portgroup>: string 
promiscuous mode policy of <portgroup>: boolean 
mac address changes policy of <portgroup>: boolean 
forged transmits policy of <portgroup>: boolean 
vlanid of <portgroup>:  integer 
 
vnic: vnic 
vnics of <network>: plural vnic 
name of <vnic>: string 
portgroup of <vnic>: string 
up of <vnic>: boolean 
mac address of <vnic>: string 
vswitch of <vnic>: string 
[address, addresses] of <vnic>: plural string 
dhcp enabled of <vnic>: boolean     
# IEMFSA for vnics 
address counter of <vnic>: string 
vnic counter of <network>: string 
 
firewall of <network>: firewall 
ruleset: ruleset 
rulesets of <firewall>: plural ruleset 
label of <ruleset>: string 
enabled of <ruleset>: boolean 
rule: rule 
rules of <ruleset>: plural rule 
port of <rule>: integer 
end port of <rule>: integer 
direction of <rule>: string 
protocol of <rule>: string 
#END: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 
 
connected of <network>: boolean 
device config id of <network>: string 
label of <network>: string 
 
#BEGIN: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> TO BE REMOVED ('adapters' has been moved to 'pnics of network') <<<<<<<<< 
# Defined in main.inspectors: adapters of <network>: plural network adapter 
# name of <network adapter>: string 
# [mac address, mac addresses] of <network adapter>: string 
#END: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 
 
#BEGIN: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> NEW INSPECTORS (TO BE ADDED) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 
pnic: pnic 
pnics of <network>: plural pnic 
 
pnic adapter: pnic adapter 
adapters of <pnic>: plural pnic adapter 
name of <pnic adapter>: string 
[mac address, mac addresses] of <pnic adapter>: string 
#END: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 
 
 
# PH 
[host service,host services] : plural host service 
[running status, running statuses ] : plural running status 
key name of <host service> : string 
label of <host service> : string 
policy of <host service> : string 
required of <host service> : string 
running status of <host service> : string 
 
### Processor inspectors (Host) 
processor: processor 
 
power management hardware support of <processor>: string 
total processor core count of <processor>: integer 
physical processor count of <processor>: integer 
logical processor count of <processor>: integer 
 
# this needs to be fixed 
power management currenty policy of <processor>: string 
 
cpu packages of <processor>: cpu package 
cpu pkg bus hz of <cpu package>: integer 
cpu pkg description of <cpu package>: string 
cpu pkg hz of <cpu package>: integer 
cpu pkg vendor of <cpu package>: string 
 
### Processor inspectors (Guest) 
count of <processor>: integer 
 
 
### RAM inspectors (Guest) 
overhead of <ram>: integer 
 
 
### Host inspectors (Guest) 
host: host 
name of <host>: string 
 
 
### Tool inspectors (Guest) 
tool: tool 
[status, statuses] of <tool>: string 
[running status, running statuses] of <tool>: string 
version of <tool>: version 
 
 
### Usage Statistic inspectors (Guest) 
usage statistic: usage statistic 
overall cpu of <usage statistic>: hertz 
memory of <usage statistic>: integer 
maximum cpu of <usage statistic>: hertz 
[maximum memory, maximum memories] of <usage statistic>: integer 
[host memory, host memories] of <usage statistic>: integer 
 
 
### Drive inspectors (Guest) 
drives: plural drive 
name of <drive>: string 
 
 
### Snapshot inspectors (Guest) 
snapshots: plural snapshot 
creation time of <snapshot>: time 
description of <snapshot>: string 
name of <snapshot>: string 
id of <snapshot>: integer 
quiesced of <snapshot>: boolean 
replay supported of <snapshot>: boolean 
type of <snapshot>: string 
value of <snapshot>: string 
vm state of <snapshot>: string 
children of <snapshot>: snapshot 
 
 
### Guest VM inspectors (Host) 
guest vms: plural guest vm 
name of <guest vm>: string 
network of <guest vm>: network 
operating system of <guest vm>: operating system 
host of <guest vm>: host 
tool of <guest vm>: tool 
processor of <guest vm>: processor 
ram of <guest vm>: ram 
usage statistic of <guest vm>: usage statistic 
drives of <guest vm>: drive 
device of <guest vm>: device 
snapshots of <guest vm>: snapshot 
 
#IEMfSA Virtualization inspectors for datacenters 
disk of <guest vm>: disk 
hard driver counter of <guest vm>: string 
hard drivers of <guest vm>: plural hard driver 
 
#IEMfSA Virtualization inspectors for datacenters 
datacenters: plural datacenter 
name of <datacenter>: string 
datastores of <datacenter>: plural datastore 
name of <datastore>: string 
free space of <datastore>: string 
max file size of <datastore>: string 
timestamp of <datastore>: string 
url of <datastore>: string 
iso images of <datastore>: plural iso image 
path of <iso image>: string 
 
#IEMfSA Virtualization inspectors for hard drivers 
hard drivers: plural hard driver 
unitnumber of <hard driver>: string 
datastore name of <hard driver>: string 
controllerkey of <hard driver>: string 
label of <hard driver>: string 
capacity of <hard driver>: string 
key of <hard driver>: string 
 
#IEMfSA Virtualization inspectors for VM name 
name: string 
 
#IEMfSA Virtualization inspectors for disk for Guest VM 
disk: disk 
provisioned storage of <disk> : string 
used storage of <disk> : string 
unshared storage of <disk> : string 
 
#IEMfSA Virtualization inspectors for disk for last time refreshed 
last time refreshed: string 
last time refreshed of <guest vm>: string 
 
#Adding information about processor - 21/10/2013 
resource settings of <processor>: resource setting 
 
#Adding information about memory - 21/10/2013 
resource settings of <ram>: resource setting 
 
#They properties below are common to ram and processor - 21/10/2013 
reservation of <resource setting>: integer 
limit of <resource setting>: string 
overhead limit of <resource setting>: string 
shares of <resource setting>: string

Try the following:

release date of vm bios
1 Like

Singular expression refers to nonexistent object

:disappointed:

How about the others?

uuid of vm bios

version of vm bios

Hello,

Just to let you know that I opened a PMR with IBM regarding this issue. They said it was a bug.

We couldn’t get other information either like IPADDRESS of the host server. They send us the fix. Now, we can retrieve things that we couldn’t before from VMWARE host servers through the proxy agent.

2 Likes