Deploying Unified Cloud Proxy in VCF 9 Operations

Operations 8.18 introduced this idea of the Cloud Proxy for log forwarding, which we discussed previously here. In VCF 9 Operations we now have full support for Logs Agents, Syslog, and vCenter event/tasks/alarms. Let's deploy one!

Log into the Broadcom Support Portal and search for VMware Cloud Foundation, all binaries can be found here.

Download the VMware Cloud Foundation Operations Collector, which used to be called the Cloud Proxy, and before that the Remote Collector. Once downloaded, go to vCenter and deploy.

But first we'll need the Unique Registration Key provided in VCF Operations. Go to Administration - Cloud Proxies - ADD.

The Key in step 5 will be used in the vCenter deployment, which we'll do now.

Once deployed, power it on. It should look like this after a few minutes.

Back in VCF Operations you'll notice the new Unified Cloud Proxy.

To start using it, I went into Administration - Integrations and told my vCenter Adapter Instance to start collecting logs.

I set the Collector/Group to my new Unified Cloud Proxy, checked the Activate Log Collection box, and told it to Collect logs using the collector/group. Hovering over the information bubble gives you insight into what it's actually doing, very similar to the verbiage that was in Operation for Logs vSphere Integrations previously.

Looking back at Infrastructure Operations - Analyze, we now have logs!

As you can see they are coming through the Unified Cloud Proxy, as shown in the forwarder field of each event/log. You also have visibility into log collection from Infrastructure Operations - Configurations - Logs - Log Collection.