Nagios is badly documented :(

[doug.moore at ibill.com]

yes, Nagios is poorly documented the common user. There needs to be a
"paint-by-numbers" section on how to add services to nagios for one. How
about a 1-2-3 to getting users proper authentication via the cgi.cfg file?
How about a 1-2-3 on how to setup nagios for Service Check Scheduling, state
types and time periods. 

As it stands now, a newbie has to "sift" through pages and pages of
documentation and config files to learn this. Trial and error... mostly
error and trial.  

There is still no documentation of the relationship of the various cfg
files. I for one still don't 100% understand how all these thing tie
together. 

Nagios does have adequate install documentation but  after that if falls
very short.  I realize that docs are the last thing anyone wants to do, but
for a product as complicated as this, it really is going to have to produce
them to survive in the long term.  People learn by example, nagios is
lacking severely in the example area for configuring major areas of the
program.  

No, sorry the examples in the .cfg files don't count. Why? again, you don't
know the dependencies between the cfg files. Yep, having a contact-group of
novell-admins doesn't do much when it isn't documented where it appears and
what it all effects. 

Not bashing the product, but just pointing out what every review of nagios
states, Nagios has terrible documentation.   



-----Original Message-----
From: Anoop Atre [mailto:anoopa at hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2002 11:25 AM
To: nagios-users at lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: Re: [Nagios-users] config file


Ok I have to object to this, I don't think nagios is that badly
documented.
Atleast for the initial setup and then there is -h for the plugins.

I installed it and had it up in at pretty much the speed with which I've
setup
other software (didn't even use rpms and I hear they work (mostly)
pretty
much out of the box)

It just needs a little rtfm and stfw, not that I still need some help
with certain things
but on the whole nagios is not as bad as quite a few people make it out
to be.
No I am not an 'expert' of sorts, hells I don't even code as much : )

Ethan maybe you could setup the information on the origins of the damned
word nagios on the main nagios page (maybe a click on the word it self
brings
up the info..what it means, where it's from, how do you pronounce it,
etc)
it's just funny how every week there is that same question again : )

I would highly recomend newbies (including moi) should read the
following text
put together by 'da man' (have to scroll down a bit.
http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

~
ps. doesn't mean I haven't asked 'dumb' questions on this list or on
others : )

----- Original Message -----
From: <doug.moore at ibill.com>
To: <andrewm659 at hotmail.com>; <nagios-users at lists.sourceforge.net>
Sent: Monday, October 14, 2002 4:22 PM
Subject: RE: [Nagios-users] config file


> The final part of the install process creates samples for all the .cfg
files
> located in /usr/local/nagios/etc
>
> did you run
> make all
> make install
> make install-init
> make install-config
>
> The "install-config" will make sample config files for all the .cfg
files
> you need. Now, understanding how each are inter-related is another
story!!!
> :)
>
> you need more than just the nagios.cfg file to get nagios to work.
Almost
> every flipping .cfg file in the nagios etc directory is dependent on
each
> other.
>
> Welcome to nagios, the *worst* documented network management program
out
> there! :)
>
>
> Once you get past the install docs (which are ok), you have to rely on
this
> list for the rest. There is no "here is how you add a device, follow
the
> these steps... 1, 2, 3, 4 docs.
>
> Forget about finding a document on how each file in etc is dependent
on each
> other and what step-by-step changes to make when adding
> devices/commands/services/hosts, etc.. It doesn't exist as far as I
know.
>
> The guys on this list are great for support and answering questions!
>
> My advice, get nagios working with ONE device and service (ping is
easy) and
> expand out from there.  That only took me around 20 hrs!!
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew Meyer [mailto:andrewm659 at hotmail.com]
> Sent: Monday, October 14, 2002 4:56 PM
> To: nagios-users at lists.sourceforge.net
> Subject: [Nagios-users] config file
>
>
> could anyone send me there config file please.  I am confused as of
how to
> set one up.
>
> Andrew Meyer
>
>
>
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