System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 - Needs Attention

[alexmvp]

I just installed Microsoft Systems Center 2008 and I added a new x64 Windows Server 2008 host and a Windows 2003 Virtual Server R2 SP1 Host.

 

Under the Host Groups, I Click All Hosts and my 2 Hosts show up with a Status of Needs Attention.

 

When drill into their properties I click the Status page and it shows:

 

Connection Status: Responding

Agent Status: Responding

Agent Version: Up-to-date

Virtualization service status: Running

Virtualization service version: Upgrade Available

 

I "think" I've tried everything but I can't figure out how to update them. I've ran Windows Update, Microsoft Update etc... and it tells me there's no updates.

 

Anyone have any clues?

 

What "really" threw me off was I added a third W2k3 server running Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 and it comes up with a Status of OK.... I'm freaking out here!

 

Thanks

[Steve Krause]

Ah yes... The infamous "Needs Attention" issue with SCVMM. I ran into the same problem when installed VMM 2008.

 

First, for your Hyper-V server running Server 2008, take a look at the Release Notes.

 

Virtual Machine Manager 2008 Release Notes

 

First thing it talks about is this very issue:

 

Missing Hyper-V or BITS update causes hosts to go into a Needs Attention state

VMM requires an important update from Hyper-V and a critical update from Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS). Without these updates, VMM hosts display in the state of “Needs Attention” and the virtualization service version as “Upgrade available”.

Download and install the following updates on all of your Hyper-V hosts:

 

Hyper-V Update for Windows Server 2008 x64 Edition (KB 956589) on the Microsoft Download Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=113199.

 

Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) update (KB 956774) on the Microsoft Download Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=128540.

 

Install those 2 updates from the Release notes and you should be fine on the Hyper-V box.

 

In regards to your Windows 2003 Box running VS 2005 R2 reporting Needs Attention , that's an easy one:

 

Open the SC VMM Console, Click All hosts, Right-Click the Virtual HOST reporting Status of "Needs Attention", Click Update Virtual Server.

 

Note - When you do this it will tell you that you need to save the state on all your GUEST VM's currently running on the Host (I think it's a prompt of box with an OK to continue... Can't remember). Anyway, once the update is done, be sure to go back and restart the Guest systems which were put into a Saved State.

 

Remember - The "Update Virtual Server" only works for Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 boxes. The option actually isn't even there for Hyper-V boxes.

 

Hope this helps. Should fix you up.

[alexmvp]

Hi Mrgroove. Just got an email that you replied to my Post. Thanks for the FAST reply!

 

I was able to update the Virtual Server 2005 just like you said and it's now fixed (reporting OK status now instead of "Needs Attention / Upgrade Available".

 

As for the Windows Server 2008 Enterprise box running Hyper-V however.... It's still reporting the Needs Attention even after I installed the 2 patches from the release notes (KB956774 and KB956589).

 

BTW - This is the same box running my SC Virtual Machine Manager service and admin console. Is that a problem?

 

Thanks!

[Steve Krause]

Anytime Alex. Glad to see were 50% there.

 

BTW - This is the same box running my SC Virtual Machine Manager service and admin console. Is that a problem?

 

 

Nope, that's not a problem. It's actually a common config.

 

As for the Windows Server 2008 Enterprise box running Hyper-V however.... It's still reporting the Needs Attention even after I installed the 2 patches from the release notes (KB956774 and KB956589).

 

I assume you restarted your server after the install? If yes, try to bounce the BITS service (Background Intelligent Transfer Service). Just open services.msc and restart it. It should also restart the VMM Agent since that's dependent on BITS.

 

Try that out and let me know.

[alexmvp]

I assume you restarted your server after the install? If yes, try to bounce the BITS service (Background Intelligent Transfer Service). Just open services.msc and restart it. It should also restart the VMM Agent since that's dependent on BITS.

 

Try that out and let me know.

 

Yes, I did a reboot after installing the patches (both hotfixes required a reboot and prompted me). However, I did like you suggested. First I closed down SCVMM 2008, restarted the BITS service (which also restarted the VMM Agent Service) and when I re-opened SCVMM Console, I was GOLDEN! All fixed. All hosts are reporting an OK status. no more "Needs Attention".

 

Thanks!