These instructions are based on using the Debian distribution; some of the information might be different for another distribution.

Features

Nagios is a popular open source computer system and network monitoring software application. It watches hosts and services, alerting users when things go wrong and again when they get better. Nagios allows you to monitor anything. All hosts and services are monitored through plug-ins which are simple shell-scripts and programs. plug-ins can written in any language. The language you choose needs the ability to print using stdout and return exit codes.

Learn more about Nagios by referring the other links at the bottom of this page.

Requirements

Linux (or UNIX variant)
Configured network (Most of the monitoring plug-ins works over the network)
When using CGIs you also need:
- A webserver (e.g. Apache HTTPD)
- gd library for "statusmap" and "trends" CGIs

Installation

There are many ways to install Nagios including using a package-manager or building from source. Datameer X recommends building from source, because it's easier to understand how Nagios works and where the different files are stored.

See http://www.nagios.org/download/core/thanks/

If you don't want to build from source, read the next sub-section(s).

Install Nagios on Debian5 with apt

Words such as <address> or <port> are placeholders and needs to be replaced with your settings.

Install packages using the following command:
```
# aptitude install nagios3 nagios-plug-ins
```
Configure Apache to allow access to the Nagios web interface:
```
# htpasswd -c /etc/nagios3/htpasswd.users nagiosadmin
```
Edit /etc/nagios3/nagios.cfg and set check_external_commands to 1.

Update permissions for Nagios and Apache:

# /etc/init.d/nagios3 stop
# dpkg-statoverride --update --add nagios www-data 2710 /var/lib/nagios3/rw
# dpkg-statoverride --update --add nagios nagios 751 /var/lib/nagios3
# /etc/init.d/nagios3 start

Look at the Nagios UI:
```
http://<address>/nagios3
```

Install Datameer X Job Status plug-in

Install PHP:
```
# aptitude install php5-cli
```

Create /etc/nagios3/conf.d/das_host.cfg

define host{
	use generic-host ; Inherit default values from a template
	host_name das_server



	;Insert your environment
	address <address>



}

Create file /etc/nagios3/conf.d/das_service.cfg

define service{
	use generic-service ; Name of service template to use
	host_name das_server ; The hosts where this service is available
	service_description DAS_JobStatus ; How should Webinterface display this service as name



	;Insert your environment
	check_command check_das!<user>:<password>@<address>!<port>!<jobConfigurationId> ; The command with parameters to get the job status via rest api



	max_check_attempts 1 ; How many retries if state isn't OK
	check_interval 1 ; How long it takes for a one check-interval (minutes)
	retry_interval 1 ; How long it takes for a one recheck-interval (minutes)
	notification_interval 0 ; How long it takes for a one resend-notification interval (minutes) 0 means no resend
	first_notification_delay 0 ; How long to wait before sending a first notification (minutes) 0 means immediately
	notifications_enabled 1 ; Enable/Disable Notification
}

If you need to change your configurations frequently, then refer to http://www.ubuntugeek.com/nagios-configuration-tools-web-frontends-or-gui.html.

Create /usr/lib/nagios/plug-ins/check_das file and paste the check_das code from Job Status plug-in section of this page.

Set execute permissions

# chmod +x /usr/lib/nagios/plug-ins/check_das

Create /etc/nagios-plug-ins/config/check_das.cfg:
```
define command{
    command_name check_das
    command_line /usr/lib/nagios/plug-ins/check_das -m $ARG1$ -s $ARG2$ -d $ARG3$
}
```
This is the most useful command for nagios; job-history is more interesting for munin or nagiosgrapher, and job-details just returns the job-configuration details.

Restart Nagios:
```
/etc/init.d/nagios3 restart
```

Configuration

Refer to Nagios Configuration.

Adding a command

A command is a predefined configuration for a shell script which acts as a Nagios plug-in. It defines the name for that command and the parameters used. The values for the command parameters are placeholders, which are replaced later with the correct values. By default, you can find the Command-Configuration-File in <nagios-root>/etc/objects/commands.cfg.

Example

define command{
        command_name    my_command
        command_line    $USER1$/myprogram -a $ARG1$ -b $ARG2$ -c $ARG3$
        }

In this example, we define a command_name called my_command. The name is used later to describe which command we want to use for monitoring a service. The command_name doesn't need to be the same as the name of the program (it is only usee for identifying the command). Next, define the command_line. This parameter tells Nagios how the program is used. Nagios supports macros which allows you to avoid editing the command every time you want to use an another parameter for that command. Macros are similar to variables which are replaced later with the correct values. In this example, $USER1$ contains the path to the Nagios plug-ins. Then, define the file name of the program and the parameters for that program. Replace the parameter values through macros called $ARGn$ (where n = order number). These argument-macros are replaced later (inside the service-definition) with correct values in the same order described in the command.

Further information about configuration.

Adding a service

A service definition is used to identify a service. The term "service" is used very loosely. It can mean an actual service that runs on the host (POP, SMTP, HTTP, etc.) or some other type of metric associated with the host (such as the response to a ping, number of logged in users, amount of free disk space, etc.). By default, you can find the Service-Configuration-File for the local machine in <nagios-root>/etc/objects/localhost.cfg.

Example

define service{
        use                       local-service
        host_name                 localhost
        service_description       My Own Service
        check_command             my_command!value_a!value_b!value_c
        }

In this example, use specifies to use the Service-Template local-service. It's a template containing settings used for all local services. Define host_name to be the names of machines which runs or are associated with that service. The service_description is a description displayed inside Nagios. The check_command option runs the command my_command with some parameters. Those parameters are separated with a "!" (exclamation mark). The service shown in this example uses three parameters (the three we defined in the command definition) for that command. In this case, my_command!value_a!value_b!value_c executes (internally) <path-to-plug-ins>/myprogram -a value_a -b value_b -c value_c

Learn more.

Plug-ins

Job status

This plug-in monitors the status of a job from Datameer X and requires php5-cli installed. It's getting the JSON value from REST-API through accessing

http://<address>:<port>/rest/job-configuration/job-status/<jobConfigurationId>

It writes a string to stdout which can be parsed by Nagios and returns an exit code which is used as the current status of the service you are monitoring.

Syntax:

# /usr/lib/nagios/plug-ins/check_das -m <address> -s <port> -d <jobConfigurationId>

Command line parameters:

Parameter	Default value	Description
-b	2048	Read buffer length for the JSON-Output, which contains the JobStatus information.
-d	0	The job ConfigurationID from the job you want to monitor
-h		Shows the Help for this script
-m	127.0.0.1	The machine where the Datameer X application has been installed
-s	8080	The port which Datameer X uses
-v		Shows the version of this script

Execution examples:

You can execute each Nagios plug-in manually, they all return a standardized line, which might be useful for testing.

Command	Description
`/usr/lib/nagios/plug-ins/check_das`	Monitor Job-ConfigurationID "0" from "127.0.0.1:8080"
`/usr/lib/nagios/plug-ins/check_das -d 42`	Monitor JobConfigurationID "42" from "127.0.0.1:8080"
`/usr/lib/nagios/plug-ins/check_das -m mydomain.com -s 8043 -d 61`	Monitor JobConfigurationID "61" from "mydomain.com:8043"
`/usr/lib/nagios/plug-ins/check_das -m myusername:mypwd@mydomain.com -s 443 -d 89`	Monitor JobConfigurationID "89" from "mydomain.com:443" with User "myusername" and Password "mypwd"

Nagios command:

define command{
        command_name    check_das #The Name of the Command
        command_line    $USER1$/check_das -m $ARG1$ -s $ARG2$ -d $ARG3$ #The Command with Parameters
        }

Nagios service:

define service{
        use                             local-service         ; Name of service template to use
        host_name                       localhost             ; The hosts where this service is available
        service_description             DAS_JobStatus         ; How should Webinterface display this service as name
        check_command                   check_das!127.0.0.1!8080!1 ; The command with parameters
        max_check_attempts              1                     ; How many retries if state isn't OK
        check_interval                  1                     ; How long it takes for a one check-interval (minutes)
        retry_interval                  1                     ; How long it takes for a one recheck-interval (minutes)
        notification_interval           0                     ; How long it takes for a one resend-notification interval (minutes) 0 means no resend
        first_notification_delay        0                     ; How long to wait before sending a first notification (minutes) 0 means immediately
        notifications_enabled           1                     ; Enable/Disable Notification
        }

The parameters below check_command are used to send the failure notification only one time.

Script code:

check_das

#!/usr/bin/php
<?php
// Debug?
define("DEBUG",TRUE);

// Name of that Service
define("SERVICE","DAS_JOBSTATUS");

// Define Returncodes
define("RC_OK",0);
define("RC_WARNING",1);
define("RC_CRITICAL",2);
define("RC_UNKNOWN",3);

// Function: Convert RC to Name
function rc2name($rc) {
	switch ($rc) {
		case 0: return "OK"; break;
		case 1: return "WARNING"; break;
		case 2: return "CRITICAL"; break;
		case 3: default: return "UNKNOWN"; break;
	}
}

// Function: Return Nagios-plug-in-Service-Output
function npso($rc,$msg) {
	print SERVICE." ".rc2name($rc)." - ".$msg."\n";
	exit($rc);
}

// Avoid Access from another SAPI than CLI
if (PHP_SAPI !== "cli") {
	npso(RC_UNKNOWN,"Invalid Access from '".PHP_SAPI."'");
}

// Set Environment depending on Debugging-Mode
if (DEBUG) {
	ini_set("display_errors","On");
	error_reporting(E_ALL);
}
else {
	ini_set("display_errors","Off");
	error_reporting(0);
}

// Allow external File-Access
ini_set("allow_url_fopen","On");

// Disallow external Include
ini_set("allow_url_include","Off");

// Define Getopt
$opt_short = "";
$opt_short .= "h"; // Show Help
$opt_short .= "v"; // Show Version
$opt_short .= "b:"; // Readbuffer
$opt_short .= "d:"; // ConfigurationID
$opt_short .= "m:"; // Host
$opt_short .= "s:"; // Port

// Get Options
$options = getopt($opt_short);

// Print Help
if (empty($options) OR isset($options["h"])) {
	 print <<<ENDHLP
Usage: check_das [-h] [-v] [-d <jobConfigurationId>] [-b <length>] [-m <host>] [-s <port>]
-h = Show this Help
-v = Show Version
-d = ConfigurationID (Default = 0)
-b = Readbuffer-Length for getting JSON in bytes (Default = 2048)
-m = The Machine where Datameer X installed (Default = 127.0.0.1)
-s = The Port wich Datameer X uses (Default = 8080)
Note: Parameter 'm' allows URI-Specification (Context: between http:// and :<port>)

ENDHLP;
	exit(RC_UNKNOWN);
}

// Print Version
if (isset($options["v"])) {
	 print <<<ENDHLP
Version 1.1 (PHP5-CLI)
Edit from 2010-07-19 to 2011-02-15 by T. Schumacher
(C) 2010-2011 Datameer X  Inc. All rights reserved.

ENDHLP;
	exit(RC_UNKNOWN);
}

// Get Readbuffer
if (isset($options["b"])) $buffer = (integer)$options["b"];
else $buffer = 2048;

// Get Configuration-ID
if (isset($options["d"])) $cid = (integer)$options["d"];
else $cid = 0;

// Get Host
if (isset($options["m"])) $host = (string)$options["m"];
else $host = "127.0.0.1";

// Get Port
if (isset($options["s"])) $port = (integer)$options["s"];
else $port = 8080;

// Declare Path
$path = "http://".$host.":".$port."/rest/job-configuration/job-status/".$cid;

// Open external File
if (!($handler = fopen($path,"r"))) {
	 npso(RC_UNKNOWN,"Could not open target");
}

// Read external File
if (!($raw = fread($handler,$buffer))) {
	@fclose($handler);
	npso(RC_UNKNOWN,"Could not read target");
}

// Close external File
@fclose($handler);

// Get Data
$data = json_decode(trim($raw));

// ConfigurationID found
if (isset($data->id) AND isset($data->jobStatus)) {

	// Process JobStatus
	switch ($data->jobStatus) {

		// Job canceled
		case "CANCELED":
			npso(RC_WARNING,"Job #".$data->id." canceled");
		break;

		// Job completed
		case "COMPLETED":
			npso(RC_OK,"Job #".$data->id." completed");
		break;

		// Job completed with warnings
		case "COMPLETED_WITH_WARNINGS":
			npso(RC_WARNING,"Job #".$data->id." completed with warnings");
		break;

		// Job failed
		case "ERROR":
			npso(RC_CRITICAL,"Job #".$data->id." failed");
		break;

		// Job queued
		case "QUEUED":
			npso(RC_OK,"Job #".$data->id." queued");
		break;

		// Job running
		case "RUNNING":
			npso(RC_OK,"Job #".$data->id." running");
		break;

		// Waiting for another Job
		case "WAITING_FOR_OTHER_JOB":
			npso(RC_OK,"Job #".$data->id." completed");
		break;

		// Unknown Status
		default:
			npso(RC_CRITICAL,"Unknown Status '".$data->jobStatus."'");
		break;
	}
}

// ConfigurationID unknown
else {
	npso(RC_CRITICAL,"Unknown ID '".$cid."'");
}

// End
print "\n";

Links

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