E-Series discovery in ServiceNow / SMI-S

KarelBP — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 10:50:26 GMT

Hi,

I'm trying to do discovery for E-Series in ServiceNow. ONTAPs were easy, added local SSH user on each ONTAP and gave credentials to ServiceNow, it worked (except it treats SVMs as assets), but I don't know what to do with E-Series.

I tried to install E-Series SMI-S Provider on my test server, so that I can do this: https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/paris-it-operations-management/page/product/discovery/reference/r_DataCollDiscoStorageviaSMISCIM.html

Does anybody please have a step-by-step manual to how to make the SMI-S provider work on a Windows system? I always do something wrong, the Installation and Configuration Guide is not very clear. I chose not to use authentication during testing. All our storages are password protected, so think I shouldn't specify any during installation and add them later with ArrayMgmtUtil. That, if run in interactive mode, asks for user and password. So I tried adding a user using cimuser -a -u <cimuser> -w <password>. It refuses to do so until there's a local user on the system, but password shorter than 8 characters, which conflicts with our password policy. Does the password for the user in SMI-S have to be the same as system password?

I got the thing partially working last night, was able to do queries using cimcli, but now I broke it again. I'd like it to:

1] run over HTTPS using custom certificate with

2] user + password and

3] reachable from outside with any tool which can talk CIM, plus

4] do a query with PowerShell. BTW, I can't find module SMISConfig mentioned in the guide.

I'd very much appreciate ideas/help from somebody who has successfully set up the E-Series SMI-S Provider and is able to pull data from it into another system.

Thanks,

Karel

Re: E-Series discovery in ServiceNow / SMI-S

KarelBP — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 06:34:58 GMT

So here's another attempt, putting here all steps I tried:

1. created local user CIMtest, password in my KeePass, member of Users group (not Administrators), but ran the installation with {my_domain_account}

2. running installer: not adding any storage, adding user CIMtest with 5 char password (last 5 of above, hoping the application password has nothing to do with system password), user added successfully, adding firewall exclusions

3. checking services, cimserver running, slpd stoppe
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> get-service -Name cimserver
  Status Name DisplayName
  ------ ---- -----------
  Running cimserver Pegasus CIM Object Manager
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> get-service -Name slpd
  Status Name DisplayName
  ----- ---- -----------
  Stopped slpd Service Location Protocol

4. Start slpd service
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> Start-Service -Name slp
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> Get-Service -Name slpd
  Status Name DisplayName
  ------ ---- -----------
  Running slpd Service Location Protocol

5. Setting slp=true in cimconfig
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> cimconfig -s slp=true -p
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> cimconfig -g slp
  Failed to get the config property.
  HTTP Error (400 Bad Request): Detail = "Authorization header error".
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> cimconfig -g slp
  Current value: false
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> Restart-Service -Name cimserver
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> Get-Service -Name cimserver
  Status Name DisplayName
  ------ ---- -----------
  Running cimserver Pegasus CIM Object Manager
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> cimconfig -g slp
  Current value: false
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> cimconfig -s slp=true
  CIM_ERR_ACCESS_DENIED: Must be a privileged user to do this CIM operation.
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> cimuser -l
  CIM_ERR_ACCESS_DENIED: Superuser authority is required to run this CIM operation.
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> cimconfig -g enableAuthentication
  Current value: true

Oh… so adding the user also turned authentication on. If we didn't add a user, would it remain off by default?

6. Trying local user to RDP
  a. FAIL! User not allowed to RDP.

7. Added user to Remote Desktop Users
  a. allowed to log in
  b. trying to list CIM users
  PS C:\Users\CIMtest> cimuser -l
  CIM_ERR_ACCESS_DENIED: Superuser authority is required to run this CIM operation.

8. Removed user from Remote Desktop Users and added into local Administrators group instead (I'll be contacted by security tomorrow), new RDP sesssion and try the same as above

AHA! User must be a local system administrator, wasn't mentioned in the manual:

  PS C:\Users\CIMtest> cimuser -l
  CIMtest
  PS C:\Users\CIMtest> cimconfig -s slp=true -p
  Planned value for the property slp is set to "true" in CIMServer.
  PS C:\Users\CIMtest> Restart-Service -Name cimserver
  PS C:\Users\CIMtest> cimconfig -g slp
  Current value: true

Should I have then added myself in step 2?

9. Back in {my_domain_account} account:
  a. Let's see if I can see the service
  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> slptool findsrvtypes
  service:wbem:http
  service:wbem:https

  PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> Search-SmisProvider
  AbsolutePath : /
  AbsoluteUri : http://{management_station}.{company_domain}:5988/
  LocalPath : /
  Authority : {management_station}.{company_domain}:5988
  HostNameType : Dns
  IsDefaultPort : False
  IsFile : False
  IsLoopback : False
  PathAndQuery : /
  Segments : {/}
  IsUnc : False
  Host : {management_station}.{company_domain}
  Port : 5988
  Query :
  Fragment :
  Scheme : http
  OriginalString : HTTP://{management_station}.{company_domain}:5988
  DnsSafeHost : {management_station}.{company_domain}
  IdnHost : {management_station}.{company_domain}
  IsAbsoluteUri : True
  UserEscaped : False
  UserInfo :

  AbsolutePath : /
  AbsoluteUri : https://{management_station}.{company_domain}:5989/
  LocalPath : /
  Authority : {management_station}.{company_domain}:5989
  HostNameType : Dns
  IsDefaultPort : False
  IsFile : False
  IsLoopback : False
  PathAndQuery : /
  Segments : {/}
  IsUnc : False
  Host : {management_station}.{company_domain}
  Port : 5989
  Query :
  Fragment :
  Scheme : https
  OriginalString : HTTPS://{management_station}.{company_domain}:5989
  DnsSafeHost : {management_station}.{company_domain}
  IdnHost : {management_station}.{company_domain}
  IsAbsoluteUri : True
  UserEscaped : False
  UserInfo :

Very well, I can see published service with both slptool and Search-SmisProvider.

Command 'cimcli ns' takes long, but eventually shows namespaces. If tried in CIMtest user's account, it shows them immediately... okay, so let's try how things work in different accounts.

10. Back in CIMtest's account:
a. PS C:\Users\CIMtest> ArrayMgmtUtil -AddArray -l <management_station's_IP>:5988 -n root/netapp/santricity -u CIMtest -p {application_password} -ArrayIP <first_storage's_IP> -ArrayPass {array_password}
i. FAIL, but I’m doing it locally as CIMtest user and the [-l <CIMOM Host IP:CIMOMPort>] looks like I don't need to use it. Let's see…

  b. PS C:\Users\CIMtest> ArrayMgmtUtil -AddArray -n root/netapp/santricity -u CIMtest -p {application_password} -ArrayIP <first_storage's_IP> -ArrayPass {array_password}
      i. FAIL, but I'm doing it locally as CIMtest user and [-u <CIMOM User> -p <password>] looks like I don't need it either. Let's try…
  c. PS C:\Users\CIMtest> ArrayMgmtUtil -AddArray -n root/netapp/santricity -ArrayIP <first_storage's_IP> -ArrayPass {array_password}
      i. FAIL, heck, I have enough, let's go to interactive mode…
  d. PS C:\Users\CIMtest> ArrayMgmtUtil

  Enter CIMOM IP address:{management_station}
  Enter CIMOM Port:5988
  Enter CIMOM user name:CIMtest
  Enter CIMOM user password:{application_password}
  Do you want to use secure connection? [y/n]:n
  Do you want to use SSL certificate? [y/n]:n
  1. Add Array
  2. Add Host
  3. Remove Array
  4. Remove Host
  5. Get Snapshot Volume Repository Size
  6. Set Snapshot Volume Repository Size
  7. Get Snapshot Group Repository Size
  8. Set Snapshot Group Repository Size
  9. Exit
  Enter your choice:1
  Enter storage array IP address:{first_storage's_IP}
  Is this storage array password protected? [y/n]:y
  Enter storage array password:{array_password}
  Storage array added successfully
  addedSystem //{management_station}/root/netapp/santricity:NETAPP_StorageSystem.CreationClassName="NETAPP_StorageSystem",Name="{first_array_ID}"

11. Back in {my_domain_account} account, trying to add a second storage:
  a. ArrayMgmtUtil -AddArray -l <management_station's_IP>:5988 -u CIMtest -p {application_password} -n root/netapp/santricity -ArrayIP {first_storage's_IP} -ArrayPass {array_password}
      i. FAIL, going straight to interactive mode
  b. PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> ArrayMgmtUtil
  Enter CIMOM IP address:{management_station}
  Enter CIMOM Port:5988
  Enter CIMOM user name:CIMtest
  Enter CIMOM user password:{application_password}
  Do you want to use secure connection? [y/n]:n
  Do you want to use SSL certificate? [y/n]:n
  1. Add Array
  2. Add Host
  3. Remove Array
  4. Remove Host
  5. Get Snapshot Volume Repository Size
  6. Set Snapshot Volume Repository Size
  7. Get Snapshot Group Repository Size
  8. Set Snapshot Group Repository Size
  9. Exit
  Enter your choice:1
  Enter storage array IP address:{second_storage's_IP}
  Is this storage array password protected? [y/n]:y
  Enter storage array password:{array_password}
  Storage array added successfully
  addedSystem //{management_station}/root/netapp/santricity:NETAPP_StorageSystem.CreationClassName="NETAPP_StorageSystem",Name="{second_array_ID}"

OH! I am able to add a storage in {my_domain_account} account using the the CIMtest user and password!

12. Trying to count how many storage systems are registered with 'cimcli cci -n root/netapp/santricity NETAPP_StorageSystem' (tried first in my account)
a. takes time in my account
b. immediate response in CIMtest's account

13. Trying to see details of the storages with 'cimcli ei -n root/netapp/santricity NETAPP_StorageSystem' (tried first in CIMtest's account)
a. immediate response in CIMtest's account
b. takes time in my account

14. What if, what if, what if I add myself into the CIMOM users? (trying in CIMtest's account)
FAIL!
PS C:\Users\CIMtest> cimuser -a -u {my_domain_account} -w {my_domain_password}
Failed to add user.
CIM_ERR_FAILED: The specified user is not a valid user on the local system, user name: {my_domain_account}

OH! Domain users will always have it hard here…

15. Back in {my_domain_account} account, tring combinatons of CIMtest's account and local system password and application password. Let's see if I can register the SMIS provider with PowerShell:

PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> Register-SmisProvider -ConnectionUri http://{management_station}.{company_domain}:5988/
cmdlet Register-SmisProvider at command pipeline position 1
Supply values for the following parameters:
(Type !? for Help.)
Credential => Tried CIMtest user and application password.
Register-SmisProvider : Internal Error.
At line:1 char:1
+ Register-SmisProvider -ConnectionUri http://{management_station}.{company_domain}:59 ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Register-SmisProvider], CimException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId SmisConfigProv_GenericFailure,Microsoft.Windows.StorageManagementService.Configuration.Cmdlets.RegisterSmisProviderCommand

PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> Register-SmisProvider -ConnectionUri http://{management_station}.{company_domain}:5988/
cmdlet Register-SmisProvider at command pipeline position 1
Supply values for the following parameters:
(Type !? for Help.)
Credential => Tried CIMtest user and server password.
Register-SmisProvider : Access is denied.
At line:1 char:1
+ Register-SmisProvider -ConnectionUri http://{management_station}.{company_domain}:59 ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : PermissionDenied: (:) [Register-SmisProvider], CimException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : HRESULT 0x80070005,Microsoft.Windows.StorageManagementService.Configuration.Cmdlets.RegisterSmisProviderCommand

PS C:\Users\{my_domain_account}> Register-SmisProvider -ConnectionUri {management_station}.{company_domain}:5988
cmdlet Register-SmisProvider at command pipeline position 1
Supply values for the following parameters:
(Type !? for Help.)
Credential
Register-SmisProvider : Internal Error.
At line:1 char:1
+ Register-SmisProvider -ConnectionUri {management_station}.{company_domain}:5988
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Register-SmisProvider], CimException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : SmisConfigProv_GenericFailure,Microsoft.Windows.StorageManagementService.Configuration.Cmdlets.RegisterSmisProviderCommand

After this I closed the lid of my laptop and went to bed.

topic Re: E-Series discovery in ServiceNow / SMI-S in EF & E-Series, SANtricity, and Related Plug-ins

E-Series discovery in ServiceNow / SMI-S

Re: E-Series discovery in ServiceNow / SMI-S