I'm looking for some input, feedback, suggestions, warnings on applications for managing virtual infrastructure. The environment is VMware infrastructure using NetApp Storage. The goals are to get functionality such as monitoring, provisioning, chargeback, reporting and automation. However I want to have as much information integrated into one pane as possible. I don't want to have storage info in one pane, VMware info in one pane, physical switch information in another pane, and then have to try to put all the info together myself to determine what is happening in the environment.
I'm wondering what solutions people have used and how broad and effective they are in visualing all aspects of the environment. For example, there are solutions from BMC, vKernel, NetApp, VMware, Cisco, Veeam, CA, Tivoli etc. They all do at least one thing well in one place of the environment (storage monitoring and provisioning, VMware monitoring and reporiting, Networking monitoring, etc.) Some do more than one thing and give you visibility into mulitple places of the environment. All have strengths and weaknesses. If you have experience with using a product or a set of products together, I'd like to get your opinion on what works and what doesn't. Or if youi have links to pages that summarize experiences with these issues. Thanks for your feedback.
