SOCFortress Integrations — IBM Hardware Management Console (HMC)
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Intro
SOCFortress integration and visualisation tools allow security analysts the virtualisation and triage of IBM HMC logs and events using a single pane of glass.
About IBM HMC
IBM HMC, or Hardware Management Console, is a dedicated system used to manage and control IBM Power Systems servers. It’s specifically designed to handle complex virtualised environments, providing administrators with tools to perform system monitoring, configuration, and administrative tasks across multiple servers.
HMC is typically found in environments with high-availability and disaster-recovery needs. For organisations that run private clouds or cloud-like infrastructures on IBM hardware, HMC is a critical tool for managing and scaling resources. In hybrid environments, IBM HMC can integrate with other management platforms, allowing businesses to manage both on-premises and hybrid workloads.
Main features and capabilities
- Centralised Management of IBM Power Systems
— IBM HMC provides a centralised interface to manage one or more Power Systems, which are often deployed in large-scale environments.
— It allows administrators to configure hardware resources, manage virtual machines (called logical partitions, or LPARs), and allocate resources based on workload requirements. - Virtualisation Management
— HMC supports PowerVM, IBM’s virtualization technology, allowing for the creation and management of LPARs.
— Through HMC, admins can allocate CPU, memory, and other resources to virtual machines, optimize workloads, and set up dynamic adjustments based on performance needs. - Partition Management
— HMC enables partitioning of physical resources into separate virtual machines, each with isolated resources, operating systems, and applications.
— It allows for creating, deleting, and reconfiguring LPARs, as well as assigning or redistributing resources among them as needed. - System Monitoring and Alerts
— The console continuously monitors system health and performance, alerting admins of any issues. This helps prevent failures and minimizes downtime.
— It provides detailed logs and diagnostic information, which is essential for troubleshooting and proactive system maintenance. - Remote Management
— HMC supports remote access, meaning administrators can manage IBM Power Systems from any location with network access.
— Remote capabilities are crucial for larger or distributed organizations that rely on data centers in different locations. - Integrated Service Management
— HMC allows for integration with IBM service and support to streamline maintenance activities, schedule firmware updates, and handle critical patches.
— It can automatically report errors to IBM, initiate remote diagnostic sessions, and even arrange repair services if needed. - Automation and Scripting
— HMC offers an API and CLI (Command Line Interface) support, allowing for automation scripts and integrations with other management tools.
— This makes it easier to implement consistent configurations, automate routine tasks, and manage large infrastructures efficiently.
Ingesting IBM HMC Logs and Events
HMC rsyslog supports the following types of connection to use for forwarding syslog messages to remote rsyslog server.
- UDP — Unencrypted UDP
- TCP — Unencrypted TCP
- TLS — TLS encrypted TCP
When analysing logs from IBM HMC, events will be generated by various daemons like systemd, dhcpd, sendmail, crond, logrotate, etc.
Each of these daemons serves a specific purpose, and their logs contain information related to system operations, services, and tasks.
Logs from systemd typically contain information about the system boot process, service status (whether they are running or failed), and resource usage. They also record events like service start/stop, failures, crashes, and resource consumption.
dhcpd (the DHCP server daemon), responsible for assigning IP addresses and other network configuration details to clients on the network.
These logs provide information about DHCP requests, leases, renewals, and errors.
sendmail,the mail transfer agent (MTA) used for routing and delivering email messages.
Visualisations
SOCFortress Landing Page:
Events received and logs by node:
Logs by daemon and log severity:
Need Help?
The functionality discussed in this post, and so much more, are available via the SOCFortress platform. Let SOCFortress help you and your team keep your infrastructure secure.
Website: https://www.socfortress.co/
Contact Us: https://www.socfortress.co/contact_form.html
