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Table Of Contents
When collecting data from ESX Servers, you must configure at least one VCM Agent Proxy machine. You
can configure the Collector as the Agent Proxy or configure standalone Agent Proxy machines. The
Collector communicates with the Agent Proxy and the Agent Proxy then directly communicates with the
ESX Servers using SSH and/or Web Services for necessary data collection actions. The data is processed by
the Agent Proxy and relayed to the Collector.
The minimum operating system and hardware requirements for each Agent Proxy machine are based on
the following criteria.
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Number of machines from which you are collecting data
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Type of data collected and filters used
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Frequency of collections
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Data retention
Minimum Operating System Requirements for Agent Proxy Machines
The Agent Proxy machine must be running Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2003 SP2. For
more information to install and configure the Agent Proxy, see the VCM Administration Guide.
Minimum Hardware Requirements for Agent Proxy Machines
The Agent Proxy is installed on the Collector by default. Although the Agent Proxy is available on the
Collector, it requires special configuration to operate. You must configure an Agent Proxy server to collect
data from ESX Servers. If more than 50 ESX Servers are managed, additional Agent Proxy servers must be
configured to maintain the ratio of one agent proxy for each 50 ESX Servers.
The designated VCM for Agent Proxy servers should meet the following minimum requirements for
physical hardware or virtual machines. An Agent Proxy server meeting these requirements can manage
approximately 50 ESX Servers.
Physical Requirements for Virtualization Agent Proxy
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Processor: Single Xeon or single-core 2GHz minimum
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RAM: 4GB minimum
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Disk Space: Each Agent Proxy requires an additional 93MB of disk space, above the 200MB required for
the standard Agent. You will also need:
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4MB per ESX server for data model storage
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150MB per ESX server for Agent master files
Virtual Requirements for Virtualization Agent Proxy
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CPU: One virtual CPU, 2GHz, on a supported ESX host machine.
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RAM: 4GB minimum reservation on a supported ESX host machine.
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Storage: Each Agent Proxy requires an additional 93MB of disk space, above the 200MB required for
the standard Agent on a supported ESX platform. You will also need:
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4MB per ESX server for data model storage
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150MB per ESX server for Agent master files
Hardware and Operating System Requirements for VCM Managed Machines
VMware, Inc.
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