Documentation forVirtualization Manager
Monitoring virtual environments is a key capability of Hybrid Cloud Observability Advanced and is also available in a standalone module, Virtualization Manager (VMAN). Hybrid Cloud Observability Advanced and VMAN are built on the self-hosted SolarWinds Platform.

Evaluate VMs using the Sprawl dashboard

While the AppStack provides troubleshooting of VMs through visual review, the Sprawl dashboard breaks down top issues into resource views with captured metrics. With the ease and scalability of VMs, these environments tend to sprawl over time causing overallocation of resources, systems overwhelmed with snapshots, stale or zombie VMs misusing resources, and orphaned VMDK files.

The Sprawl dashboard helps solve these issues by:

  • Pinpointing key areas of VM resource usage and metrics
  • Providing options to directly manage VMs

This example resolves issues with over and under allocated systems:

  1. To open the Sprawl dashboard, click My Dashboard > Virtualization > Sprawl.

    The Sprawl dashboard populates with VM data giving a historical view into the environment.

  2. Examine the Top 10 VMs by Over-allocated vCPUs resource to determine which VMs have over-allocated CPU amounts.

    This resource displays powered on VMs with two or more CPUs with a peak sum of CPU load that has not exceeded 30% in the last 7 days. You can directly balance CPU allocation, freeing resources for under-allocated systems.

  3. To free up CPUs, click Change CPU/Memory Resources for a virtual system. A recommended amount of CPUs is listed based on usage.

    The VM AF_Storage has 3 CPUs over-allocated based on the historical CPU load data.

  4. Enter 1 for the Number of processors. Select the option to power off and make changes to the VM.
  5. Click Save.

  6. Examine the Top 10 VMs by Over-allocated Memory resource to determine which VMs have over-allocated memory amounts.

    This resource displays powered on VMs with 2 or more MBs of memory and the average memory usage has not exceeded 30% in the last 7 days. You can directly balance the Memory allocation, freeing resources for under-allocated systems.

  7. To free up memory, click Change CPU/Memory Resources for a virtual system. A recommended amount of CPUs is listed based on usage.

    The VM lab-vmtools-win10-32bit has 3 GB over-allocated that could be used by under-allocated systems.

  8. Select 1024 MB (1 GB) from the drop-down menu.

    The drop-down menu provides multiple options based on the allocated amount or Custom Value.


  9. Click Save.

After the next polling, the sprawl dashboard updates with under and over-allocated systems. The released resources on the host can be allocated to other VMs on those hosts.