need expert advice/suggestions

[Taylor Dondich]

I hate to toot our own horn here in the Nagios Users mailing list (not 
the reason why I joined it).  However, our configuration tool really 
does support what you are trying to do.  Lilac Configurator has support 
for templates, but we take it one step further.  Unlike Nagios, we 
support attaching services to host templates.  So when you create a new 
host and have it inherit from a template, it brings in all services 
attached to that template.  We do the same for escalations and 
depedencies.  Something we feel Nagios should have, but doesn't.  So our 
tool supports it then exports it to a configuration format that Nagios 
understands.  Give it a whirl, I think it may help out your 
configuration in the way you desire.

The url is at:  http://www.lilacplatform.com

-- 
Taylor Dondich (tdondich at lilacnetworks.com)
CEO at Lilac Networks (http://www.lilacnetworks.com)
Provider of quality support for open source monitoring solutions
View our open source Nagios Configuration Tool at http://www.lilacplatform.com



MAHESH, SIDDACHETTY M (SIDDACHETTY M) wrote:
> Hi list,
>
>    I am trying out Nagios v3. I followed the documentation and it was easy getting the system up and running. 
>
>    Now that the base system is working as expected, I am trying to improve the configuration to avoid duplication of information using templates and clean up the configuration. So, I would like your feedback/suggestions on my approach.
>
>    Let me explain the scenario. I have multiple hosts that can run a combination of applications. Each application can have one or more services associated with it. 
>
> My idea is as follows:
> 1. Each application is mapped to a service group template (APP_xyz_SVC_GRP. The services in that application are associated with that application service group.
>
> define servicegroup {
>         servicegroup_name               APP_xyz_SVC_GRP
>         register                        0
> }
>
> define service {
>         name                            SSH
>         use                             generic-service
>         servicegroups                   APP_xyz_SVC_GRP
>         service_description             SSH
>         check_command                   check_ssh
>         register                        0
> }
>
> These application level templates do not change often.
>
>
> 2. Each host has a service group associated with it that is based on the actual applications installed on that host. The host.cfg for that host looks like
>
> 	define host {
>         use linux-server
>         host_name HOST_abc
>         address 10.10.10.10
>         hostgroups HOSTGROUP_123
> }
>
> 	define servicegroup {
>         servicegroup_name       HOST_abc_SVCS
>         servicegroup_members  APP_xyz_SVC_GRP, APP_aaa_SVC_GRP, APP_bbb_SVC_GRP
> 	}
>
>
> The list of hosts and applications are dynamic and can change over time. 
>
> 1. The first problem I see is that the host.cfg requires the actual service definition - I cannot use the template service SSH directly. So, for each application service, I need to add the following lines to my host.cfg
>
> define service {
>         use             SSH
>         host_name       HOST_abc
>         servicegroups   HOST_abc_SVCS
> }
>
>     Is there a solution that can avoid the above service redefinition?
> 	
> 2. servicegroup definition does not include a host_name or similar directive - that would have simplified adding all services in the servicegroup to a host. Is there a way to achieve this - this will resolve problem #1 above. Basically auto-instantiate (or register) the template services in a group with associated host.
>
>
> Note that both the hosts and applications running on the hosts are dynamic. The applications are fixed - they are part of a limited set. The eventual end goal is to auto-generate the nagios configuration. For this, I need the basic building blocks in place.
>
> In case someone has encountered this problem before and has a better solution/design, please let me know.
>
> Thanks,
> Mahesh
>
>
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>   



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Join us December 9, 2009 for the Red Hat Virtual Experience,
a free event focused on virtualization and cloud computing. 
Attend in-depth sessions from your desk. Your couch. Anywhere.
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::: Messages without supporting info will risk being sent to /dev/null