How to Monitor vSphere Performance Using Nagios XI’s vSphere Wizard

Picture of Ayub Huruse
Ayub Huruse
IT Specialist

VMware vSphere is a cornerstone of modern virtualization, but performance bottlenecks can disrupt critical operations. Nagios XI’s vSphere Configuration Wizard, a Premium feature included with an active support and maintenance subscription, simplifies monitoring, allowing you to track ESX/ESXi hosts and guest virtual machines (VMs) with minimal setup and no deep technical expertise required.

Why Use the vSphere Configuration Wizard?

The vSphere Configuration Wizard lets you track a comprehensive set of performance indicators on vSphere in just a few clicks. It automatically discovers hosts and VMs, then sets up checks for critical metrics so you can maintain optimal performance and troubleshoot issues quickly.

  • Automatic Discovery: Scan ESX/ESXi hosts or vCenter Server to detect inventory instantly.
  • Unified Dashboard: View hosts and guest VM statuses side by side in Nagios XI’s intuitive interface.
  • Custom Thresholds: Apply warning and critical levels tailored to your environment’s needs.
  • Actionable Alerts: Receive precise notifications when metrics fall outside healthy ranges.

Metrics You Can Monitor

Monitor key VMware metrics for both hosts and guests, including:

  • Host CPU & Memory: Usage (MB/%), highest CPU share, ballooning, and swap rates.
  • Datastore & Virtual Disk: Read/write latency, throughput, free space, and IOPS.
  • Network: Throughput, packet loss, errors, and dropped packets.
  • Guest VM Health: Power state, tools status, CPU ready time, and memory overhead.
  • Services: Status (Up/Down) for VMware tools and agents.

Select your desired metrics and customize thresholds directly in the wizard to match your service level agreements (SLAs).

Getting Started

1. Install Prerequisites: Install the required Python packages on your Nagios XI server using the following commands:

python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip --break-system-packages
python3 -m pip install --upgrade setuptools wheel --break-system-packages
python3 -m pip install --upgrade importlib metadata --break-system-packages
python3 -m pip install --upgrade pyvmomi --break-system-packages

Note: On some distributions, you can install python3-pyvmomi via your package manager.

2. Launch the Wizard: Navigate to Configure → Configuration Wizards → vSphere in Nagios XI. Enter your ESX/ESXi or vCenter credentials, then on Step 2, choose which hosts, VMs, and metrics to monitor.

vSphere Configuration Wizards
vSphere step 2.

3. Start Monitoring: Complete the wizard—new services appear automatically, and Nagios XI begins collecting data and alerting based on your thresholds.

Monitoring with the vSphere Wizard.
vSphere services.

Additional Resources

Empower your team with instant vSphere monitoring that scales across hosts and VMs. Start using the vSphere Configuration Wizard today to ensure your virtual infrastructure stays responsive and reliable!

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