NSClient + NRPE == NRPE+ (was: Rewriting nscli ent? (was NSClient 1.0.8.0 Installation Problem))

[Roy Sigurd Karlsbakk]

ok.
So why not:
	- Rewrite nsclient in C or C++ (and perhaps renaming it?)
	- Rewrite NRPE in perl to allow it to work in any environment

Whaddayathink?

On Tuesday 13 May 2003 12:46, Michael.Wirtgen at miwi-dv.com wrote:
> hi all,
>
> just some thoughts and ideas for comments...
>
> - Perl for services
> Even if the idea of using perl with a wrapper for this is tempting, wearing
> my windows hat, I'd always prefer something really "talking" to the SCM
> instead of using a wrapper. I've done that several times in the past, using
> svcany an the like, results were mixed. I think it can be done, but if
> someone is taking the effort for a rewrite, why not use C and accommodate
> the existing sources to compile on non UX platforms.
>
> - "Porting" NRPE to windows
> While putting together nrpe_nt (my attempt at "porting" nrpe), I found that
> there is not TOO much stuff to be changed. Before attempting a complete
> rewrite I'd suggest to review the existing sources, and split up nrpe.c
> into two files, a generic one, and a platform dependent one. The platform
> dependent file would (for windows) roughly contain: main(),
> wait_for_connections() and handle_connection(), plus some additional code
> to make stuff like services work.
> (Talk to the SCM etc.). stuff like utils.c and common.h compiled on win
> with ~4-5 one line patches.
>
> - Integrating nrpe with nsclient functionality
> Personally, I think nsclient and nrpe serve different purposes on windows
> (or could do so in a "clean" design):
> nsclient is platform specific to windows, and not easily modified to allow
> for custom plugins.
> nrpe allows only for plugins, doesn't care for specific checks at all, just
> executes them.
>
> The way I would like to use both, would be:
> nsclient as a local agent, running continuous checks for stuff, that has to
> be checked local and/or requires activity, that can't be done in a plugin
> (eg. register callback to some windows functions like spooler/filesystem
> events etc). These could be reported back passive checks.
>
> nrpe as a "gateway" to windows checks, to either local or remote windows
> hosts.
> This allows distributed active checks, without the need for an agent like
> nsclient on every monitored host. (A lot of my customers are really
> reluctant to install any additional agent "only for monitoring").
>
> It would be possible to integrate nrpe functions with nsclient, but you
> would either:
>
> - Start with from the delphi nsclient sources
> Roys arguments about which languages to be used applies here, as in fact
> not too much people use delphi these days.
> Also, it would make nsclient an even more complex beast to maintain.
>
> - Start a complete rewrite in perl
> If you'd add all nsclient functionality, the code would be platform
> specific to windows again, wasting the initial reason to do a rewrite.
>
> Pheew, that has become a little lengthy...
> So in summary I'd suggest:
> a) don't mix functionality between nsclient and nrpe, as they serve
> different purposes
> b) If someone is willing to start a rewrite, don't go with perl easily
> because "it's platform independent". It may bite back later...
>
> thanks for your attention
> cheers
> MiWi
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Roy Sigurd Karlsbakk [mailto:roy at karlsbakk.net]
> Sent: Dienstag, 13. Mai 2003 10:48
> To: Subhendu Ghosh; nagios-users at lists.sourceforge.net
> Subject: [Nagios-users] NSClient + NRPE == NRPE+ (was: Rewriting
> nsclient? (was NSClient 1.0.8.0 Installation Problem))
>
> On Friday 09 May 2003 18:50, Subhendu Ghosh wrote:
> > ActiveState has a perl to binary/service converter.
>
> hi all.
>
> As Ghosh says above, we can use perl to write services. Is it only me, or
> would this allow us to standardize on perl for a new NRPE+ with NRPE +
> NSClient functionality? I guess we can read Windoze counters from perl
> without problems?
>
> roy

-- 
Roy Sigurd Karlsbakk, Datavaktmester
ProntoTV AS - http://www.pronto.tv/
Tel: +47 9801 3356

Computers are like air conditioners.
They stop working when you open Windows.



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