Install location

[4SplunkUser]

Splunk Add-on for vCenter Logs does not have anything under the installation tab.

Do we just need to install it on the serch head for the vCenter logs to be interpreted correctly or is it something that can be used to get the log into Splunk via API calls?

Better documentation would be great as it is a Splunk supported app. 

[livehybrid]

Hi @4SplunkUser 

The installation docs can be found at https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/AddOns/released/VMWvcenterlogs/InstallOverview

This details the various places that the app should be installed depending on your configuration / architecture.

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[kiran_panchavat]

@4SplunkUser 

You need to install the Splunk Add-on for vCenter Logs (specifically the Splunk_TA_vcenter package) on your search head if you want the search-time field extractions to work correctly. This ensures that when you search the vCenter log data in Splunk, the fields (e.g., event types, timestamps, etc.) are properly parsed and displayed.

You can install the Splunk Add-on for vCenter Logs (Splunk_TA_vcenter) on a Heavy Forwarder (HF), and in some cases, it makes a lot of sense depending on your Splunk architecture. 

The add-on has both index-time (e.g., line breaking, timestamp recognition) and search-time (e.g., field extractions) components. Installing it on the HF ensures index-time processing happens there, which can reduce load on indexers. However, you’ll still need it on the search head for search-time fields.

I can see that the add-on is capable of parsing data for the following sourcetypes:-

vmware:vclog:vpxd

vmware:vclog:vpxd-alert

vmware:vclog:vpxd-profiler

vmware:vclog:vws

vmware:vclog:cim-diag

vmware:vclog:stats

Ingest vCenter Logs to Splunk:-

• Configure ESXi/vCenter to send logs to a syslog receiver (UF/HF).

• Use the Splunk Add-on on that receiver to parse those logs.

• Ensure the add-on is also installed on the HF/Search Head as per your environment. 

NOTE: Ensure that your logs align with the expected sourcetypes defined in the props.conf and transforms.conf configurations.