Multiple VMware vCenter / Multiple Datacenter

[mbuyukkarakas]

Hello all,

I couldnt find a way to add multiple vcenters / multiple datacenters to a single Zabbix server.

When I use the actual vmware templates and create several vcenter hosts, and add the templates as written in the manual ; system cannot discover hosts / hypervisors from the second and next vcenters. I'm assuming this is happening because of the hypervisor discovery prototype's Host Group "Virtual Machines".
Then I tried to duplicate the vmware templates but zabbix doesnt gave me the chance to do that.
Next I tried to duplicate the discovery rules in a single template, but it wasn't possible either.

What should I do to solve this ? Could you help me please ?

Thanks Best regards.

Mehmet

[steeladept]

I have not gotten to the point of trying to monitor my vcenters yet (other than as another host); but I think you *might* be targetting the wrong item for those templates. As best as I can tell from looking at the items and Applications of the template (not the manual), of the default templates are as follows:

Template VM VMware - Targets the vcenter servers - maybe. Very unclear what this template is for and would need to play with it more to verify, but it appears this may be the case.
Template VM VMware Guest - Targets guest machines to get vm details
Template VM VMware Hypervisor - Targets ESXi Hosts for underlying host details.

Your description doesn't say which template(s) you are applying where, but it sounds like you are applying all 3 to the vcenters and it is getting confused? As for duplicating templates and discovery rules, you *should* be able to do exactly that. Continue to root around and learn how to do so, it will help with your understanding of how Zabbix works internally layer on layer. I am still learning myself, but I do know it will allow me to create those items, applications, and discovery rules, as long as everything else is already in place. It is just all about learning where to go, and this is a beast to learn those details!

I will add I often find the Zabbix Manual quite confusing and often appears wrong. I have never placed a ticket with the team, however, because once I find the answer, I find the Manual wasn't wrong, it just either assumed something I didn't know or it was talking about something other than where I was. Far too many similar terms cause me to misunderstand many parts of it. Screenshots would help tremendously, but I know what a pain that is to manage, especially as they upgrade version to version.