Nagios is badly documented :(

[Raymond Brighenti]

I found this article which gets you up and running nicely without having to 
do too much reading of the docs to start off with.
http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2002/09/05/nagios.html

Then once I'd completed it and had the basics up and going and had a start 
to understanding the ins and outs you hit the docs and with a bit of trial 
and error was plowing through the more advanced stuff.

Have to agree, has to be one of the most comprehensive and configurable 
pieces of work I've come across!

Ray

At 11:47 15/10/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>Then we will have to agree to disagree.  I, for one, feel that the
>documentation for Nagios is extremely comprehensive.  It might have me
>scratching my head here or there (eg, service dependencies), but there's
>nothing that a little trial-and-error won't reveal.  Perhaps the only
>quibble I have on the documentation might be in terms of Nagios internals.
>*shrug*
>
>I'll grant you, the modular design of Nagios required a bit more thought to
>get it initially set up, and the initial pre-flight check with the default
>config files caused a handful of warnings and errors to spew forth which
>caused me some chagrin (hint: you can comment out just about everything in
>the sample config files; you might want to keep backup copies saved off in
>another directory for future reference).
>
>You also say that Nagios is poorly documented (for) "the common user)."
>Maybe I'm missing something, but Nagios appears (to me) to be targetted for
>installation by an experienced UNIX/Linux systems administrator, not the
>common user.
>
>One of the problems of the "paint-by-numbers" approach is that everyone ends
>up with the same picture.  Want sample config files?  They're there.  Want
>more examples/suggestions?  That's what this mailing list is for.
>
>Looking for help configuring Apache?  That's not really what Nagios or this
>mailing list is about, but you might find someone willing to help you there.
>
>Looking for help configuring Sendmail so you can get your notifications?
>Again, that's not really what Nagios/this mailing list is about, but you
>might find someone (like myself) willing to help out.
>
>Nagios is vast, of that there is no doubt.  If you feel you're qualified to
>do the installation, then by all means, hang in there; frustration is a sign
>that success is just around the corner.  :)
>
>jc
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: doug.moore at ibill.com [mailto:doug.moore at ibill.com]
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2002 10:49 AM
> > To: nagios-users at lists.sourceforge.net
> > Subject: [Nagios-users] Nagios is badly documented :(
> >
> >
> > 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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