OpenNMS Integrations for Cisco USC Manager and Nutanix

Antonio Russo founded ARS Informatica in July 1998, specializing in OpenNMS support and IT solutions in Italy. Over the years, the company has led numerous projects utilizing leading-edge technologies in IT systems, networking, and security. Russo’s expertise in computer programming, systems administration, networking, and IT security has established him as a trusted consultant and a key figure in the IT field. He has delivered tailored solutions to optimize and modernize IT infrastructure for a diverse range of organizations across the country. His deep understanding of enterprise systems and his focus on scalable and efficient solutions have earned him a reputation as a leading innovator in Italy’s IT landscape. Recently he developed two new OpenNMS integrations to support client initiatives.

Cisco UCS Manager Integration

A major regional bank faced a critical need to establish a unified supervisory system that could provide a comprehensive, top-down view of their complex IT infrastructure. Cisco UCS Manager was already in place to oversee the server environment, but it functioned in isolation, lacking integration with other systems managing virtualization and related subsystems. This siloed approach created inefficiencies and hindered the bank’s ability to maintain seamless operational oversight.

Russo created an integration to bridge the gap between Cisco UCS Manager and OpenNMS, enabling OpenNMS to gather data from lower-layer management systems and seamlessly push data to the overarching monitoring platform.

The key elements of this project included:

Unifying Data Collection: While Cisco UCS Manager handled server management, the bank operated numerous other subsystems for virtualization, storage, and network management. Russo’s integration allowed OpenNMS to collect data from all these disparate sources and share it with the UCS Manager. This ensured that UCS Manager functions as the central supervisory platform for monitoring and management.
Improved IT Visibility and Oversight: Russo's integration allowed the bank’s IT team to achieve comprehensive visibility across their infrastructure. This holistic approach helped streamline monitoring, ensuring that issues could be identified and addressed quickly, without the need to toggle between multiple tools.
Automation and Synchronization: The integration automated the process of synchronizing data between Cisco UCS Manager and OpenNMS, removing the need for manual updates. This was especially critical for managing the dynamic nature of the bank’s IT environment, where servers and virtualization assets were frequently modified, added, or retired.
Scalable Monitoring Framework: Russo’s work laid the foundation for a scalable monitoring architecture. By integrating Cisco UCS with OpenNMS, he ensured that the bank could expand its IT operations without compromising on visibility or control. The solution not only addressed immediate challenges but also positioned the bank for future growth and technological advancements.

His work enabled the bank to transition from fragmented management systems to a unified, efficient supervisory platform, significantly improving operational efficiency and infrastructure reliability.

Get the Cisco UCS Manager Plugin here: https://github.com/rssntn67/opennms-cisco-ucs-plugin/
Source code is available here: https://github.com/rssntn67/opennms-cisco-ucs-plugin/releases
Documentation is also available on ARS INFO Site: https://www.arsinfo.it/docs/opennms-cisco-ucs-plugin/public/index.html

Nutanix Integration

A local community faced significant challenges in managing their IT infrastructure network. The network includes approximately 10,000 devices, but the lack of a centralized inventory system created confusion and inefficiencies. Additionally, the community operates two virtualization platforms—VMware and Nutanix—further complicating management efforts.

To resolve these issues, the city developed a change management database (CMDB) that inventoried and organized infrastructure data. Russo replaced the old network management platform with OpenNMS and created a Nutanix OpenNMS integration to enable seamless data exchange between OpenNMS and the CMDB.

Key aspects of the project included:

Data Synchronization: The CMDB became the master repository for physical devices, while OpenNMS handled the dynamic virtual machine data. With around 100 virtual machines created and decommissioned monthly, Russo's integration automated collection of these updates via OpenNMS, ensuring accurate records in the CMDB and reducing manual work.
Automation: Russo set up an additional OpenNMS instance to scan the network for unknown physical devices. Any unrecognized IP addresses are flagged and sent to the CMDB for further management, creating a seamless process for tracking both physical and virtual assets.
Network Optimization: His integration enabled the replacement of the city's outdated network management systems, allowing for better visibility and control over their assets while improving operational efficiency.

Russo’s contributions to the project spanned several years, transforming the city’s network and infrastructure monitoring capabilities.

Get the OpenNMS Nutanix plug in here: https://github.com/rssntn67/opennms-nutanix-plugin
Source code is available here on Github: https://github.com/rssntn67/opennms-nutanix-plugin/releases
Documentation is available here: https://www.arsinfo.it/docs/opennms-nutanix-plugin/public/nutanix/3.0.3-SNAPSHOT/index.html

Share Your Solutions

If you’re someone like Antonio who has built OpenNMS integrations or other features to overcome challenges in your network or for your clients, let us know! Submit your code to have it included in the OpenNMS code base. Here’s some info on how to get started.