<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <TITLE>RE: [Nagios-users] Host checks instead of service checks</TITLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16809" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>Folks, </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>Whilst using check_dummy as a service check does resolve the pre-flight warnings, it's not the solution I think I'm looking for. </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>The total number of service checks now includes the dummy checks which i've chosen to always exit as UP so that it doesn't show up as a service problem - which to me </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>doesn't sound like the right way to do this. I want all service checks to be useful service checks rather than have checks which would need to be ignored as they don't return</DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>anything useful as with check_dummy - I wouldn't ever use that check in any Nagios SLA reporting. </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>What I really want to do is the following : </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>Hosts -->> ssh check -->> When "CRITICAL" alert under "Host problems" only. </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>The docs show a distinct difference for behaviour between Nagios 2.0b4 and Nagios 3.0.6. </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>From Nagios 2.0b4, under Host Definitions:- </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> <TABLE class=Default border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD vAlign=top>check_command:</TD> <TD>This directive is used to specify the short name of the <A href="http://193.35.206.171/nagios/docs/xodtemplate.html#command">command</A> that should be used to check if the host is up or down. Typically, this command would try and ping the host to see if it is "alive". The command must return a status of OK (0) or Nagios will assume the host is down. If you leave this argument blank, the host will not be checked - Nagios will always assume the host is up. This is useful if you are monitoring printers or other devices that are frequently turned off. The maximum amount of time that the notification command can run is controlled by the <A href="http://193.35.206.171/nagios/docs/configmain.html#host_check_timeout">host_check_timeout</A> option. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>From Nagios 3.0.6 </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> <TABLE class=Default border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD vAlign=top>check_command:</TD> <TD>This directive is used to specify the short name of the <A href="http://193.35.206.117/nagios/docs/objectdefinitions.html#command">command</A> that should be used to check if the host is up or down. Typically, this command would try and ping the host to see if it is "alive". The command must return a status of OK (0) or Nagios will assume the host is down. If you leave this argument blank, the host will not be actively checked. Thus, Nagios will likely always assume the host is up (it may show up as being in a "PENDING" state in the web interface). This is useful if you are monitoring printers or other devices that are frequently turned off. The maximum amount of time that the notification command can run is controlled by the <A href="http://193.35.206.117/nagios/docs/configmain.html#host_check_timeout">host_check_timeout</A> option. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>The difference is highlighted in RED. So on changing the "ssh check" from a service to a host definition (to prevent PENDING on the hosts), the pre-flight warnings now complain there are no services associated with the hosts. On big systems here (100 nodes+) this makes the pre-flight output really unreadable and not really accurate as surely we should be able to choose whether something is a host check or service check but not have to define BOTH!</DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>Ultimately, I just want to filter SSH check problems to appear under "Host problems" rather than under "Service problems" so users can easily spot other service problem issues and not have to trawl through 100's of lines of output in the web interface. Believe me, Nagios web interface users can be a fickle bunch! </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>A switch to tell Nagios to not complain about this would be really useful unless anyone thinks of a good reason why this would be a bad idea. </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>any help / pointers would be appreciated, even if it's to tell me politely how stupid i'm being - I can take it! </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>regards,</DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>deborah</DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left> <HR tabIndex=-1> </DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left>From: Deborah Martin [mailto:Deborah.Martin@Kognitio.com] Sent: 16 March 2009 15:34 To: 'Richard Quintin' Cc: nagios-users@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: Re: [Nagios-users] Host checks instead of service checks </DIV> <DIV></DIV> Thanks Richard. I'll give that a try. regards, deborah -----Original Message----- From: Richard Quintin [<A href="mailto:rich+nagios@quintinz.com">mailto:rich+nagios@quintinz.com</A>] Sent: 16 March 2009 15:26 To: Deborah Martin Cc: nagios-users@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: Re: [Nagios-users] Host checks instead of service checks You could use check_dummy for the host check and just have it always return OK. Or perhaps the opposite you could add a check_dummy service check for all hosts. Which you choose will depend upon your personal preference and how you want dependencies to be handled. On Mon, Mar 16, 2009 at 11:06 AM, Deborah Martin <Deborah.Martin@kognitio.com> wrote: > Hi Folks, > > Currently, the main nagios box (running old version of SuSE) and > Nagios > 2.0b4 is running just with service checks, one of which is an ssh > check (we don't allow ping) > > So in the web interface, I see all hosts as up. > > However, I've built a new box (which hopefully will replace the above) > with SLES 10SP1 and Nagios 3.0.6. I've put the same config files > (services.cfg and hosts.cfg) > > on the this new system. But now the hosts all show as "Pending". So I > then moved the ssh check from a service check to a host check and can > see that the more hosts I move the less hosts are pending. That's good so far... > > But, when I run the pre-flight check (/usr/local/nagios/bin/nagios -v > nagios.cfg), I now get warnings to say some hosts don't have any > service checks associated with it! > > This is true as some nodes will only have ssh checks against them > whilst others will have other checks against them. I'd rather it > didn't warn me as I have hundreds > > of hosts appear in the pre-flight check warnings and it now looks > incredibly untidy to see all this. > > How can I get rid of these warnings ? > > I'm probably missing something here so any help would be appreciated. > I'm wondering for example, if I should force the initial state to be > UP for hosts rather than > > moving the ssh service check to a host check. But then what would > happen if the service check found a node was down - would it reflect > that in the "host problems" ? > > regards, > deborah > > ********************************************************************** > ***** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential > and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom > they are addressed. > > Any unauthorised distribution or copying is strictly prohibited. > Whilst Kognitio Limited takes steps to prevent the transmission of > viruses via e-mail, we can not guarantee that any email or attachment > is free from computer viruses and you are strongly advised to > undertake your own anti-virus precautions. > > Kognitio grants no warranties regarding performance, use or quality of > any e-mail or attachment and undertakes no liability for loss or > damage, howsoever caused. > > Kognitio Limited, a company registered in England and Wales. > Registered number 0212 7833. 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Kognitio Inc, a company incorporated in Delaware, principal office 180 North Stetson, Suite 3500, Chicago, IL 60601, USA *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Any unauthorised distribution or copying is strictly prohibited. Whilst Kognitio Limited takes steps to prevent the transmission of viruses via e-mail, we can not guarantee that any email or attachment is free from computer viruses and you are strongly advised to undertake your own anti-virus precautions. Kognitio grants no warranties regarding performance, use or quality of any e-mail or attachment and undertakes no liability for loss or damage, howsoever caused. Kognitio Limited, a company registered in England and Wales. Registered number 0212 7833. Registered Office: 3a Waterside Park, Cookham Road, Bracknell, Berks, RG12 1RB. VAT number 864 4378 92. Kognitio Inc, a company incorporated in Delaware, principal office 180 North Stetson, Suite 3500, Chicago, IL 60601, USA *************************************************************************** </BODY></HTML>