Installation guide

Collect UNIX/Linux Data
When the UNIX/Linux machines are licensed and the Agent is installed, you collect data from those
machines.
Collecting data from machines adds the collected machine information to the VCM database and makes
the machine data available for reporting, running compliance, and other management options. The
collection process for UNIX/Linux collection is similar to other collections, including Windows, except that
you select UNIX data types during the collection instead of Windows data types.
Prerequisites
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License the target machines. See "License UNIX/Linux Machines" on page 109.
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Install the Agent on the target machines. See "Install the Agent on UNIX/Linux Machines" on page 109.
Procedure
1. Click Collect.
2. On the Collection Type page, select Machine Data and click OK.
3. On the Machines page, select the machines from which you are collecting data and click Next.
4. On the Data Types page, configure the collection and click Next.
a. Select the Select All check box.
b. Select Use default filters.
5. On the Important page, verify that there are no conflicts with previously scheduled or running jobs,
and click Finish.
The amount of time the first collection requires is determined by the number of machines and network
connectivity.
6. Click Administration and select Job Manager > History > Instant Collections > Past 24 Hours to
determine if the collection finished.
What to do next
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Review your collected data. See "UNIX/Linux Collection Results" on page 116.
Updates to UNIXPatch Assessment Content Affects UNIX Agent
Performance
By default, VCM Patching checks for patch updates every 4 hours. The time required to perform this
action depends on the amount of new content downloaded to the Collector during the update process.
When the UNIX patch assessment content is pushed out to the UNIX Agents, the time required to run jobs
such as collections and remote commands increases slightly. The time required varies based on how much
new or updated content must be synchronized between the Collector and the Agent. This content push
occurs when the first communication is initiated after installing the UNIX Agent package or when the
Collector has platform-applicable patch content that was added after the last communication between the
Agent and the Collector.
UNIX/Linux Collection Results
UNIX/Linux data is displayed in VCM and is available for several management actions.
The displayed data is only as current as the last time you collected the data.
vCenter Configuration Manager Administration Guide
116
VMware, Inc.