Deploying custom agents on virtual machines running Linux
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Deploying custom agents on virtual machines running Linux

This section describes how to deploy custom agents in a virtual machine running Linux in a VCS for ESX environment.

To deploy a custom agent in a virtual machine running Linux

1. Build the custom agent.

   See Building a custom agent on UNIX.

   Symantec recommends the following naming convention for the agent binary:

   resource_typeAgent

2. Place the agent in the following directory:

   /opt/VRTSvcs/bin/resource_type.

   An example for the agent binary for the CustomApp agent is:

   /opt/VRTSvcs/bin/CustomApp/CustomAppAgent

3. Implement the Monitor and Clean entry points for the agent. Agents running in a virtual machine do not use the Online and Offline entry points.
   • If you implement the entry points using scripts, name the scripts online and clean.
   • Build the Clean script such that it returns 0.

     #!/bin/sh

     exit 0;

   • Place the script files in the following directory:

     /opt/VRTSvcs/bin/resource_type/

     For example:

     /opt/VRTSvcs/bin/CustomApp/monitor

     /opt/VRTSvcs/bin/CustomApp/clean

4. The agent requires a resource type definition file. Name the resource type definition file using following the convention

   resource_typeTypes.cf.

   For example:

   CustomAppTypes.cf

5. Populate the types file with the following information:
   • The name of the agent
   • The attributes associated with the resource type, their names, types, and dimensions
   • The ArgList attribute, its data type, dimension, and its values. The ArgList value lists the other attributes of the resource.

     For example:

     // Define the resource type called FileOnOff (in

     FileOnOffTypes.cf).

     type FileOnOff (

     str PathName;

     static str ArgList[] = { PathName };

     )

6. Create an XML file for the agent. Name the file resource_type.xml.

   SeeCreating the type definition file for a custom agent.

7. Copy the existing types. cf file (/etc/VRTSvcs/conf/config/types.cf) to a different location on the virtual machine.
8. Edit the copied file to add the types information about the custom agent. Copy the contents of the file CustomAppTypes.cf to the types.cf file.
9. Verify the syntax of the updated file.
   • Copy the updated types.cf file to a directory (config_directory) on an ESX Server that is part of the VCS cluster.
   • Create a main.cf file in the same directory. In the main.cf file, add the following line:

     include "types.cf"

   • Run the following command:

     hacf -verify config_directory

     The variable config_directory refers the directory containing the types.cf file and the main.cf file.

     No error message and a return value of zero indicates that the syntax is valid.

10. If the syntax is valid, replace the current types.cf on the virtual machine with the updated file.
11. Before configuring the agent to start monitoring the application:
    • Make sure the application is running.
    • Make sure the application is configured to automatically start when the virtual machine starts.
12. In the virtual machine, navigate to /opt/VRTSvcs/bin.
13. Start the configuration utility:

    ./vcsag_config.pl

14. Follow the prompts to complete the agent configuration.

    The utility restarts the VCS agent management daemon to start monitoring the application.

The utility also configures a resource of type GuestOSApp on the ESX Server. The resource listens for updates on the state of application running inside the virtual machine.