The Tivoli Service Automation Manager is a component based on the Tivoli Process Automation Engine that implements a data model, workflows, and applications for automating the management of IT services by using the notion of service definitions and service deployment instances.

As shown in Figure 1, Tivoli Service Automation Manager requires a fully hypervised environment to function properly. For either a proof-of-concept or internal education purpose, setting up a fully hypervised environment takes a lot of time, effort, and skill, not to mention acquiring and configuring the hardware and software resources.

The IBM Cloud Simulator for Tivoli Service Automation Manager is a package offering of Tivoli Service Automation Manager and IBM Cloud Simulator; IBM Cloud Simulator acts as a simulator for infrastructure provisioning components. This simulation component defines and populates data center infrastructure objects (servers, network, and storage) for Tivoli Service Automation Manager, effectively eliminating the requirement of real physical infrastructure.

The offering is available on IBM SmartCloud Enterprise and provides a working Tivoli Service Automation Manager image that is preconfigured to simulate a customer's environment, delivering the benefit of reducing the complexity required to establish a first-step proof-of-concept prototype by eliminating the need to customize the automation layer to work with the real customer environment. It also offers users the self-service experience of private cloud service management and administration functions.

Using the cloud simulator

From experience developing the IBM Cloud Simulator for Tivoli Service Automation Manager image, we'd like to outline a few situations and projects where using the simulator can benefit a developer:

• Customer-specific UI (user interface) labeling. During a proof-of-concept development (PoC), it is common for a customer to ask to have UI labeling that includes adding customer logo on login and home page, the Tivoli Service Automation Manager portal, as well as adding and modifying text phrases across different offerings (for example, the display that indicates the instance/hour cost for a selected image and hardware resources). With the cloud simulator, it is relatively easy to develop all UI changes and reconfigure the UI. The same changes can be migrated to the production Tivoli Service Automation Manager system at a later time.
  
  
• Co-existence of multiple hypervisor pools. Most customer PoCs will include a minimum of two hypervisors; most customers want to observe how the system behaves under varied multiple hypervisor pool scenarios. They are especially interested in observing the process of how you authorize these pools to different customers (tenants) on Tivoli Service Automation Manager.
  
  
• Integrating with external systems. Integration is a key use case regardless of customer; for example, a cloud service provider wants to expose Tivoli Service Automation Manager services using external and established marketplace portals. Such an integration includes invoking Tivoli Service Automation Manager's REST API to create a request, track it, and find its status. The simulator simplifies this.

Now let's look at what's in the preconfigured cloud simulator image.

Back to top

The preconfigured cloud simulator

The IBM Cloud Simulator for Tivoli Service Automation Manager image comes bundled with the operating system, Tivoli Service Automation Manager, and the simulator components. The image bundle comes (in a preconfigured mode) with:

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux V5.5 (64-bit)
• Tivoli Service Automation Manager V7.2.2 (co-location of Administrator and Management server)
• The IBM Cloud Simulator installable
• TPM tcdriver IBMCloudSimulator.tcdriver
• Rc2sim installable
• Automated startup scripts

The preconfiguration mode is structured as the following:

• One customer (product out-of-box): PMRDPCUST, a default customer ID to manage customers in Tivoli Service Automation Manager.
• One cloud administrator (product out-of-box): PMRDPCAUSR, a default cloud administrator to manage images/users.
• Five hypervisor pools (see Table 1): The cloud simulator is preconfigured with five hypervisor pools, one for each hypervisor type.
• Preconfigured back-end system with five servers per hypervisor, discovered and listed in a pool: The discovered servers are part of pool resources (CPU, memory, and storage) and are ready for create server requests.
• Two simulated images that are pre-created per hypervisor (see Table 1).

The following are important usernames and default passwords that are part of the IBM Cloud Simulator server:

• PMRDPCAUSR/maxadmin
• PMSCADMUSR/maxadmin
• Maxadmin/simcloud

If a user wants to know the credentials for any other Tivoli Service Automation Manager user, you have to make an inquiry of the support team or image owner.

The image is configured to relay email notification using Gmail. A user can configure Gmail account IDs to Tivoli Service Automation Manager self-service users when creating new users. Note: The PMRDPUSER (out-of-box) user will not be configured with any email ID. Configure the email ID to receive notifications to PMRDPUSER actions.

Let's walk through the steps for requesting a simulator instance.

Back to top

Requesting a cloud simulator instance

This section provides a step-by-step guide from sign-on through sign-out for the easiest and simplest way of accessing the service using a preconfigured, autostart server.

To create a cloud simulator instance:

1. Go to the IBM SmartCloud Enterprise page.
2. Enter your SmartCloud Enterprise username and password.
   
   Figure 3. Sign in screen
   
   
   
3. Click Submit.
4. Click the Overview tab, then click Add an instance to get started.
   
   Figure 4. Add an instance on Overview tab
   
   
   
5. Click the Add instance button on the Control Panel tab.
   
   Figure 5. Add instance button
   
   
   
6. Select the following:
   1. View list: Public.
   2. Select Data Center: Select any data center. Currently, there are six data centers on SmartCloud Enterprise. You probably want to select one geographically nearest to you
      
      Figure 6. Select a data center
      
      
      
   3. Image: IBM Cloud Simulator for TivSAM - 64-bit DUO, for example. Choose the latest version of the image.
      
      Figure 7. Choose the IBM Cloud Simulator for TivSAM image
      
      
      
7. Click Next.
8. On Step 2 of 4: configure image, select the following:
   1. Request Name: Descriptive name of a request.
   2. Key: Select the right key to use for this image.
   3. Keep the other default values.
      
      Figure 8. Configure the image
      
      
      
9. Click Next.
10. Review the details and click Finish.
11. Wait for server instance to provision.
12. Once the server is provisioned, the server status changes to Active.
    
    Figure 9. Active server status
    
    
    

Note the IP address of the instance. It will be required in the remaining steps.

Next, run the Tivoli Service Automation Manager autostart script.

Back to top

Run the Tivoli Service Automation Manager autostart script

Once the cloud simulator instance is active, a one-time configuration task is required.

1. SSH Login to an instance server as idcuser. See the IBM SmartCloud Enterprise User's Guide for information.
2. Run the script. In the SSH console on the server, run the following commands:

   # sudo /bin/bash # cd /home/idcuser/tools # ./tsamautoconfigure.sh # reboot

   
   

   The last command reboots the system.

After the reboot of the server, wait for the server to start the Tivoli Service Automation Manager server automatically. This usually takes about 10 minutes. To check the Tivoli Service Automation Manager server, go to https://<ipaddress>:444/SimpleSRM/login.jsp.

Now we'll provision the server with the Tivoli Service Automation Manager Self-Service Portal.

Back to top

Provision a server using Tivoli Service Automation Manager Self-Service Portal

To provision the server using the Tivoli Service Automation Manager Self-Service Portal:

1. Login to the Self-Service UI.
2. Enable the default PMRDPCUST customer.
3. Create a team.
4. Register an image into the pools.
5. Request a virtual server.
6. Check the provisioning status.

Login to the Self-Service UI

Login to the SimpleSRM portal at https://<ipaddress>:444/SimpleSRM/login.jsp with the username PMRDPCAUSR. Refer to the password section of the IBM SmartCloud Enterprise User's Guide for details on passwords.

Enable PMRDPCUST

PMRDPCUST is a default customer that comes preconfigured. On first login, the SimpleSRM portal displays only one set of parameters to enable the default customer. To enable PMRDPCUST:

1. Navigate to offering Home > Request a New Service > Manage Customers > Create Customers.
2. Select Network Configuration Template: Common Dual Network on the Create Customer offering page. Click OK.
3. Wait for a request to change status from New to Resolve under My Requests.
4. Logout of the SimpleSRM portal by clicking Logout on the top-right side of the page.
5. On the next login, you'll see a change in the set of offerings listed under Home > Request a New Service > Virtual Server Management.

Create a team

All the projects created in the Tivoli Service Automation Manager Self-Service Portal require a team, a project they can be assigned to. Before progressing to create a project with an assigned server, create a team:

1. Login to SimpleSRM portal https://<ipaddress>:444/SimpleSRM/login.jsp:
   • Username: PMRDPCAUSR
   • Password: xxxxx
2. Navigate to offering Home > Request a New Service > Virtual Server Management > Manage Users and Teams > Create Team.
3. Fill in the details:
   • Name: Team name.
   • Project Account: Project Account code.
   • Selected users: Select the user PMRDPCAUSR under Users and click > to move into Selected users.
4. Click OK.
5. Wait for the request to change the status from New to Resolve under My Requests.

Register an image into pools

One of the other requirements to create projects is to have at least one image listed under the image catalog. To register an image:

1. Login to SimpleSRM portal https://<ipaddress>:444/SimpleSRM/login.jsp:
   • Username: PMRDPCAUSR
   • Password: xxxxx
2. Navigate to offering Home > Request a New Service > Virtual Server Management > Manage Image Library > Register VMware Image.
   • Select the offering for your requirements; for demonstration Register VMware Image is selected.
3. In the General section fill in the details:
   • Virtual server image name: Name of the Image.
   • Description of the Virtual Server Image: Image description.
   • Cloud Server Pool: Select the cloud resource pool.
   • Discovered Image: Select the correct VMware image; preconfigured images have hypervisor name as a prefix so they are easily identified.
4. Click Next.
5. Under the Resources section, fill in the Minimum and Recommended resource values. Click Next.
6. In the Network Configuration section, select Management then click Next.
7. Under Platform Settings, fill in the appropriate required fields; this varies based on the hypervisor; use any dummy password.
8. Click Next > Next.
9. On the Summary page, review the details and click Finish.
10. Wait for the request to change the status from New to Resolve under My Requests.

Request a project to create virtual servers

Once the image is registered into the catalog, make a request to create virtual server:

1. Navigate to offering Home > Request a New Service > Virtual Server Management > Create Project with VMware Server.
2. Select the offering for your requirements; for demonstration, the VMware offering is selected.
3. In the Project Details section fill in the details:
   • Project Name: Name of the project.
   • Project Description: Project description.
   • Start Date: Project starting date.
   • Start Time: Project starting time.
   • End Date: Project end date.
4. Click Next.
5. In the Requesting Image section select:
   • Resource Group Used to Reserve Resources: pool to provision.
   • Select the image from Image to be Deployed.
   • Number of Servers to be Provisioned: Number of servers for provisioning.
6. Click Next.
7. In the Server Details section, select the required CPU, memory, and storage space.
8. Click Next > Next > Next > Next.
9. Review the details of the request in the Summary section.
10. Click Finish.
11. Wait for the request to change the status from New to Resolve under My Requests.

Check the provisioning status

On the successful provisioning of the server, you can run a ping test to check to determine if the provisioned server is active. Find the provisioned server IP address and run the ping test:

1. Login to SimpleSRM portal https://<ipaddress>:444/SimpleSRM/login.jsp:
   • Username: PMRDPCAUSR
   • Password: xxxxx
2. Click Manager Servers in the My Projects widget on the home page.
3. Make sure the total number of servers requested are listed in the list.

Please note that

1. The provisioned servers are simulated and therefore are not real.
2. Simulated servers can respond to IP ping actions.
3. The simulated server IP addresses are valid within the scope of the cloud simulator instance; that means you can't ping the simulated servers from outside the simulator.

Back to top

In conclusion, some administration tasks

Finally, we'll show you a how to perform some administrative tasks for both the Tivoli Service Automation Manager server and the back-end system — manual start, stop, and restart.

Tivoli Service Automation Manager server

To start the server:

1. SSH into the cloud simulator server (on SmartCloud) as idcuser.
2. sudo as root user by running:

   # sudo /bin/bash

   
   
3. Run the Tivoli Service Automation Manager start command:

   # /etc/init.d/tsam_middleware.sh start

   
   

The start can take 10 minutes or more; wait for it.

To stop the server:

1. SSH into the cloud simulator server (on SmartCloud) as idcuser.
2. sudo as root user by running:

   # sudo /bin/bash

   
   
3. Run the Tivoli Service Automation Manager stop command:

   # /etc/init.d/tsam_middleware.sh stop

   
   

To restart the server:

1. SSH into the cloud simulator server (on SmartCloud) as idcuser.
2. sudo as root user by running:

   # sudo /bin/bash

   
   
3. Run the Tivoli Service Automation Manager restart command:

   # /etc/init.d/tsam_middleware.sh restart

   
   

Back-end system administration

To start:

1. SSH into the cloud simulator server (on SmartCloud) as idcuser.
2. sudo as root user by running:

   # sudo /bin/bash

   
   
3. Run the Tivoli Service Automation Manager start command:

   # /etc/init.d/rc2sim.sh start

   
   

The start can take 10 minutes or more; wait for it.

To stop:

1. SSH into the cloud simulator server (on SmartCloud) as idcuser.
2. sudo as root user by running:

   # sudo /bin/bash

   
   
3. Run the Tivoli Service Automation Manager stop command:

   # /etc/init.d/rc2sim.sh stop

   
   

To restart:

1. SSH into the cloud simulator server (on SmartCloud) as idcuser.
2. sudo as root user by running:

   # sudo /bin/bash

   
   
3. Run the Tivoli Service Automation Manager restart command:

   # /etc/init.d/rc2sim.sh restart

   
   

Resources

Learn

• Read the IBM SmartCloud Enterprise User's Guide for overview and using information. This guide is available after you login to SmartCloud Enterprise portal.
  
  
• For more on how to perform tasks in the IBM Cloud, visit these resources:
  • Up and download files from a Windows instance.
  • Install IIS web server on Windows 2008 R2.
  • Create an IBM Cloud instance with the Linux command line.
  • Create an IBM Cloud instance with the Windows command line.
  • Extend your corporate network with the IBM Cloud.
  • High availability apps in the IBM Cloud.
  • Parameterize cloud images for custom instances on the fly.
  • Windows-targeted approaches to IBM Cloud provisioning.
  • Deploy products using rapid deployment service.
  • Integrate your authentication policy using a proxy.
  • Configure the Linux Logical Volume Manager.
  • Deploy a complex topology using a deployment utility tool.
  • Provision and configure an instance that spans a public and private VLAN.
  • Secure IBM Cloud access for Android devices.
  • Recover data in IBM SmartCloud Enterprise.
  • Secure virtual machine instances in the cloud.
  
  
• In the developerWorks cloud developer resources, discover and share knowledge and experience of application and services developers building their projects for cloud deployment.
  
  
• Find out how to access IBM SmartCloud Enterprise.
  
  

Get products and technologies

• Get Learning Modules & User Documentation from the Cloud Simulator forTivoli Service Automation Manager on the SmartCloud Enterprise wiki.
  
  
• See the product images available for IBM SmartCloud Enterprise.
  
  

Discuss

• Join a cloud computing group on developerWorks.
  
  
• Read all the great cloud blogs on developerWorks.
  
  
• Join the developerWorks community, a professional network and unified set of community tools for connecting, sharing, and collaborating.
  
  

About the authors

Rate this article

Comments

Back to top

Table of contents

• Using the cloud simulator
• The preconfigured cloud simulator
• Requesting a cloud simulator instance
• Run the Tivoli Service Automation Manager autostart script
• Provision a server using Tivoli Service Automation Manager Self-Service Portal
• In conclusion, some administration tasks
• Resources
• About the authors
• Comments

Next steps from IBM

Learn more, join the cloud community

---

• Community: Cloud computing conversations led by IBM community members
• Buy: Try IBM software on IBM SmartCloud Enterprise

Dig deeper into Cloud computing on developerWorks

IBM SmartCloud trial. No charge.

Unleash the power of hybrid cloud computing today!

---

Public and private solutions in one trial.

Special offers