Integrating NetScaler monitoring with System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) involves several preparation and configuration tasks. Getting familiar with the NetScaler discovery procedure helpsSCOM and NetScaler admins troubleshoot issues related to the setup and synchronization between NetScaler and SCOM.

For SCOM to use the monitoring capabilities of  Citrix Management Pack for NetScaler (MPNS), three component discovery stages must be completed.

First, every NetScaler instance to be monitored must be discovered as a Network Device (Node) object. This serves as a basis for the next step - identifying NetScaler Network Devices from the Network Devices list. Finally, each NetScaler Network Device must be added as a NetScaler Appliance. Once a NetScaler Appliance is discovered, monitoring for that particular instance can start.

Discoveries must always be triggered in this order. For example, the NetScaler Appliance can’t be created if the NetScaler Network Device is missing. Similarly, populating the NetScaler Network Devices list requires the presence of previously discovered Network Device (Node) counterparts. Knowledge of the erroneous stage helps narrow down the cause while troubleshooting.

This post gives an overview of the NetScaler discovery process with SCOM and MPNS, outlining all stages in the order they must be carried out. The Verification section explains how to make sure that a particular phase is completed as expected, and the Troubleshooting section suggests steps to be followed when problems occur.

Step 1: Network Device (Node) Discovery

Network devices, including NetScaler, can be discovered and monitored out of the box, thanks to SCOM’s native Network Devices discovery. This step is a prerequisite for later discoveries following MPNS installation. At this stage, MPNS does not necessarily have to be installed, because Microsoft’s management packs that provide this functionality are already installed with the Operations Manager.
The Network discovery setup is described in detail in the latest version of the Citrix SCOM Management Pack for NetScaler User Guide. Note that the NetScaler devices must be discovered using SNMP. Typically, you need to enter the following information in the discovery wizard:

• The management server (or gateway server) that will run the discovery
• The resource pool for monitoring
• The list of network devices, and the protocol (access mode) and credentials used to access them.

For general instructions on network device discovery, see How to Discover Network Devices in Operations Manager on the Microsoft TechNet website.

Verification

Make sure that the NetScalers planned for monitoring are available under both:

• Administration > Network Management > Network Devices and
• Monitoring > Network Monitoring > Network Devices

Discovery process starts with adding NetScaler as a Network Device:

Troubleshooting

• The Community string on NetScaler must match the Run As Account name for SNMP discovery on the SCOM side. The Run As Account distribution list must include the management server used for network device discovery.
• Make sure that NetScaler has the SNMP manager list empty. Else, the management server running the discovery process must be added as well.
• NetScaler must be accessible on UDP port number 161 from the management server.

Step 2: NetScaler Network Device Discovery

After installing MPNS, you must import the management pack files to the management server. SCOM gets the NetScaler Network Device class and its discovery workflow definitions from the MP files.

NetScaler Network Device objects are a subset of the Network Device (Node) instances. System Object ID parameter is used to differentiate NetScaler instances from other devices during discovery.

Verification

Make sure that the discovered NetScaler devices are available under Monitoring > Citrix NetScaler > NetScaler Devices.

MPNS discovers previously existing Nodes as NetScaler Devices:

Troubleshooting

Make sure that:

1. First, NetScaler instances are discovered as Network Devices (Nodes).
2. Then, MP files are imported to the management server.

Step 3: NetScaler Appliance Discovery

Now, it is important that the NetScaler Network Device instance exists. A NetScaler Appliance object is created if the NetScaler it represents is accessible from the management server using the NITRO API. Successful NetScaler Appliance discovery ensures that MPNS is fully installed and configured correctly. Information about other sub-components will follow and NetScaler monitoring is expected to start.

Verification

Make sure that the NetScaler Appliances are available under:

• Monitoring > Citrix NetScaler > NetScaler Appliances
• Monitoring > Citrix Library > NetScaler Appliances
• Monitoring > Citrix NetScaler > Topology

Final result is the Topology view showing the NetScaler Appliance objects and thier sub-components:

Troubleshooting

• NetScaler user account configuration:
  • Make sure that the Run As Account of "Basic Authentication" type is created. This is for accessing the NetScaler appliance from the management server.
  • Make sure that a user with the same credentials exists on the NetScaler appliance itself and that the command policy (which defines permissions) is correct.
  • This account must be added to the Citrix NetScaler Appliance Action Account profile.
•  Discovery resource pool and MPNS agent installation on the resource pool members:
  • Find the resource pool to which the NetScaler instance belongs, such as , "All Management Server Resource Pool."
  • Install the MPNS agent on the SCOM management servers that are members of the resource pool.
  • The Run As Account from the Citrix NetScaler Appliance Action Account profile (as described earlier) must be distributed to the resource pool.
•  Firewall problems:
  • Incoming traffic to NetScaler's TCP ports numbers 80 and 443 might be blocked due to a firewall. Make sure that the members of the resource pool are allowed to access NetScaler.

This article describes how to monitor NetScaler with SCOM management packs.