Introduction

Are you a service provider or an organization that charges departments for VMware infrastructure usage? If so, you’re likely familiar with VMware Chargeback (formerly known as Tenant App) for creating bills. With the release of Aria Operations 8.16, VMware announced the integration of the standalone Chargeback app into Operations, promising a more streamlined billing process.

This integration makes sense, as Chargeback heavily relies on Operations for generating bills and reports. The result is a comprehensive system where you can manage all costing and chargeback within the new Aria Operations interface. However, the migration process isn’t without its challenges.

In this post, we’ll walk you through the essential steps to migrate VMware Chargeback to Aria Operations 8.18, highlighting potential pitfalls and offering solutions based on real-world experience. Whether you’re planning your migration or troubleshooting issues, these tips will help ensure a smooth transition to the new integrated billing system.

Understanding the New Costing Tab in Aria Operations

The new Costing tab in Aria Operations offers an integrated view of all billing-related information.

The integration brings all costing and chargeback functionalities directly into Aria Operations, providing a unified interface for managing your billing processes. This new setup allows for more efficient management and reporting of infrastructure costs. See also my previous post on Aria Operations 8.18.

Migration Process: Steps and Gotchas

While VMware provides some documentation on the migration process, there are several important steps and potential issues that aren’t covered. Based on recent experience helping a customer, here’s a comprehensive guide to the migration process:

1. Upgrade Chargeback to the Latest Version

Gotcha: The migration button mentioned in the documentation may not be visible in older versions of Chargeback.

Solution:

• Access the management interface at https://<chargeback IP address>:5480
• Upgrade Chargeback to version 8.16
• After the upgrade, the “Migrate” button should appear in the left menu

Troubleshooting: If the upgrade fails, consult article 372444 in the Broadcom support portal for assistance.

2. Ensure Compatibility with Aria Operations

Gotcha: The “Initiate Migration” button may be unclickable even after upgrading Chargeback.

Solution:

• Verify that your Aria Operations is at least version 8.16
• Ensure the Management Pack for Cloud Director is also at least 8.16
• Upgrade these components if necessary before proceeding with the migration

3. Initiate and Complete the Migration

Once all prerequisites are met:

• Click the “Migrate” button in the Chargeback UI
• Click “Initiate Migration” to start the process
• The migration will copy all data, including existing bills, to Aria Operations

4. Post-Migration Steps

After successful migration:

• Price policies from Chargeback are created as rate cards in Aria Operations
• Review and verify the migrated data for accuracy
• Consider migrating rate cards to policies for better management

5. Configure New Pricing Policies

Important Note: In the new pricing policies:

• There’s a VM pricing tab that isn’t active by default (used for Showback in non-service provider environments)
• The vCD pricing tab is active by default
• Link new policies to their corresponding objects

Conclusion

Migrating VMware Chargeback to Aria Operations 8.18 is a crucial step for service providers, especially those in the new Broadcom program who need to bill customers efficiently. While the process involves several steps and potential challenges, the benefits of an integrated billing system make it worthwhile.

By following these tips and being aware of the potential gotchas, you can ensure a smoother migration process. Remember to:

1. Upgrade all components to the required versions
2. Follow the step-by-step migration process
3. Verify and configure your pricing policies post-migration

If you need further assistance with this migration or have questions about optimizing your VMware environment, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can contact me through my profile page at comdivision for personalized support.

---

Have you recently migrated your VMware Chargeback to Aria Operations? Share your experience or ask questions in the comments below!