Biggest Problem with Nagios: Poor Setup/Installation

[jeff vier]

On Mon, 2004-08-16 at 13:49 -0700, Sam Stave wrote:
> OK so that was a completely asinine response.\
> 
> First of all I have read *all* the documentation. in
> addition I have been going throug the lists archive,
> and posting to the list. I have read that PDF and
> other contributed documentation as well.
> 
> So, since you are such an expert why not replying with
> something more than "What?"

When I have no idea what you are talking about, I feel "What?" is a
valid response.

> For example:
> > It requires that a host be defined, but there is no
> > file name
> > requirement.  In fact, I have no host.cfg.  or
> > hosts.cfg, which is
> > default.
> Actually when you install nagios, it does not create
> these files as you may be well aware. However it DOES
> state that you should use make install-config to
> create the sample config files - of which there is a
> hosts.cfg. NO place does it state that having no
> host.cfg is a Default way to have the system
> configured.

I think running "make install-config" is part of installing nagios.  As
it is in the documentation under "Configuration overview", which is the
first step in the "Configuring Nagios" section.  That's the section
right after "Installing Nagios".

> It is obvious from your response that you are merely
> attempting to make yourself feel better about your
> understanding being greater than anothers - rather
> than actually contributing anything of true value.

Similarly, I think that your instructions which are, at times,
contradictory to published documentation are at least confusing and at
worst misleading.

> Why not expand upon how you state not having a host
> file is a default. I just went back again and read the
> object definition documentation - and nowhere does it
> state that no host file is defult. Infact since the
> make install-config CREATES a hosts.cfg file - it
> would lead one to believe that having this file is in
> fact the default.

I never said it was default.
YOU said "Nagios requires that one host definition be placed in the
host.cfg file".
Nagios doesn't require such a thing at all.

Running the aforementioned "make install-config" creates a file (in the
etc/ subdirectory of the nagios install directory) named "hosts.cfg".
This file is, however, not a requirement in any way.  It is simply the
default location for host_definition clauses, but you are free to put
them anywhere.

> I also did mention that what i had wrote was jsut off
> the top of my head.... but it was a hell of a lot more
> clear than what my experience has been in reading all
> the docs and some of the respondants to issues on this
> list, such as is evident from the pompous rediculous
> response of mr vier here.

What docs are you reading?  There is a docs/ subdirectory in
~nagios/share/ that has *all* of this information at length.  A link to
this documentation is off of the "Home" page in the nagios web
interface.

You can certainly regard me as pompous if you like, though I prefer the
more apropos "arrogant".  Also, it's "ridiculous".

> anyway - the point is that it should be fairly obvious
> that some people do find defficiencies in the
> documentation - as some people need things spelled out
> in a non-technical description more than others, and I
> hope to alleviate that to as much a degree as I can -
> as opposed to making attacks with no value-add on the
> list...

This is a technical product for technical monitoring.  Technical
descriptions are the norm, I would think.

YOU are not lending much help in discovering these deficiencies, either.
Providing your own duplicate (though incorrect) documentation does not
provide insight into any shortcomings of the documentation.

Perhaps something like "in the Object configuration file options
section, it said I need to oil my muffler bearings when CLEARLY it
should note that it requires that I first cross-drill my brake lines".
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From: Sam Stave <sam_stave at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Nagios-users] Biggest Problem with Nagios: Poor     	Setup/Installation
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 12:05:12 -0700 (PDT)
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