How to perform active checks with a System Monitor such as Nagios/op5

Scope

Nagios® is an Open Source System Monitor that is available at http://www.nagios.org. An ecosystem of more or less compatible System Monitors has evolved, e.g. op5®, that makes use of a similar design and configuration.
You can monitor JobScheduler by use of Plugins that check the availability of the daemon/service.

Active Checks and Passive Checks

Active Checks are initiated from the System Monitor server and are performed on a regular basis, e.g. every 5 minutes.
- The only purpose of Active Checks is to verify the availability of the JobScheduler application.
- This type of check does not provide information about the execution status of individual jobs.
- The System Monitor Plugins explained in this article are intended for Active Checks only.
Passive Checks are initiated from JobScheduler and report individual execution results to a System Monitor.
- The JobScheduler Monitoring Interface is a complete solution for the management of complex Passive Checks.

Download and Installation of the Plugins

Download

Four Plugins are available for download:

JobScheduler Master: https://download.sos-berlin.com/SystemMonitor/check_jobscheduler.pl
JobScheduler Master via JOC Cockpit: https://download.sos-berlin.com/SystemMonitor/check_jobscheduler_with_joc.pl
JobScheduler Universal Agent: https://download.sos-berlin.com/SystemMonitor/check_jobscheduler_agent.pl
JobScheduler Universal Agent via JOC Cockpit: https://download.sos-berlin.com/SystemMonitor/check_jobscheduler_agent_with_joc.pl

Installation

Copy the files to the plugin directory of your System Monitor installation.

Configuration of the Plugins

The configuration for the JobScheduler Master and Agent Plugins includes to define

a System Monitor Command that specifies the parameterization of the Plugin and
a System Monitor Service which is the visible point of control in the System Monitor console.

JobScheduler Master Plugin

Sample Configuration

Sample JobScheduler Master Command configuration

# 'check_jobscheduler' command definition
define command {
    command_name                check_jobscheduler
    command_line                /opt/plugins/check_jobscheduler.pl -H $HOSTADRESS$ -p $ARG1$ -t $ARG2$ (-u $ARG3$)
}

Sample JobScheduler Master Service configuration

 define service {
 use                             generic-service                 
 host_name                       localhost
 service_description             JobScheduler
 is_volatile                     0
 check_period                    24x7
 max_check_attempts              1
 normal_check_interval           1
 retry_check_interval            1
 contact_groups                  admins
 notification_options            w,u,c,r
 notification_interval           960
 notification_period             24x7
 check_command     check_jobscheduler!homer.sos!4444!0!!
 active_checks_enabled           1          
 passive_checks_enabled          0  
}

Parameterization

Parameter		Default	Description
-H,	--hostname	—	Name or IP address of the host (`homer.sos`) on which JobScheduler is running
-p	--port	—	Port that JobScheduler listens to (`4444`)
-t	--timeout	30s	Timeout for establishing the connection to JobScheduler
-u	--user	—	User and password for HTTP authentication

Example:

Example Active Check for JobScheduler Master

#JobScheduler running on a server 'test' using port 4444 and HTTP authentication (user and password 'test')
 
<path_to_plugins>/check_jobscheduler.pl -H test -p 4444 -t 30 -u test:test

Notes

Perl > 5.8 is required and the Perl package NET::HTTP. You can download and install Perl packages from e.g. http://www.cpan.

JobScheduler Cluster/Master Plugin via JOC Cockpit with HTTP(S)

Sample Configuration

Sample JobScheduler Master Command configuration

# 'check_jobscheduler_with_joc' command definition
define command {
    command_name                check_jobscheduler_with_joc
    command_line                /opt/plugins/check_jobscheduler_with_joc.pl -j $ARG1$ -i $ARG2$ -a $ARG3$ -t $ARG4$
}

Sample JobScheduler Master Service configuration

 define service {
 use                             generic-service                 
 host_name                       localhost
 service_description             JobSchedulerCluster
 is_volatile                     0
 check_period                    24x7
 max_check_attempts              1
 normal_check_interval           1
 retry_check_interval            1
 contact_groups                  admins
 notification_options            w,u,c,r
 notification_interval           960
 notification_period             24x7
 check_command     check_jobscheduler_with_joc!http://localhost:4446!myJobSchedulerId!test:test!5!
 active_checks_enabled           1          
 passive_checks_enabled          0  
}

Parameterization

Parameter		Default	Description
-j	--joc-url	—	Url of JOC Cockpit (http or https are supported)
-i	--id	—	Id of a JobScheduler Cluster
-a	--account	—	Account for HTTP authentication to JOC Cockpit (=<user:password>)
-H	--hostname	—	Name or IP address of a JobScheduler Master host. Only required to check a specific cluster member
-p	--port	—	HTTP port that JobScheduler listens to (`40444`). Only required to check a specific cluster member
-t	--timeout	30s	Timeout for establishing the connection to JOC Cockpit
-d	--detailed	—	If set and the Cluster has more than one Master and not all Masters are running then the message contains host:port of each Master

Example:

Example Active Check for JobScheduler Cluster with JOC Cockpit

#JobScheduler running with the id 'test' and JOC Cockpit has the url http://localhost:4446 where the account (user and password 'test') has access
 
<path_to_plugins>/check_jobscheduler_with_joc.pl -j http://localhost:4446 -i test -a test:test

Example Active Check for JobScheduler Master with JOC Cockpit

#JobScheduler running with the id 'test' and JOC Cockpit has the url http://localhost:4446 where the account (user and password 'test') has access
 
<path_to_plugins>/check_jobscheduler_with_joc.pl -j http://localhost:4446 -i test -a test:test -H galadriel -p 4444

Notes

JOC Cockpit installation since 1.11.4 is required.
Perl > 5.8 is required and some Perl packages are required. You can download and install Perl packages from e.g. http://www.cpan.
- HTTP::Request
- LWP::UserAgent
- LWP::Protocol::https (if https is used to connect to JOC Cockpit)
- JSON
- MIME::Base64

JobScheduler Agent Plugin

A service Command has to be declared before configuring the System Monitor Service that makes use of this Command.

Sample Configuration

Sample JobScheduler Agent command configuration

# 'check_jobscheduler_agent' command definition
define command {
    command_name                check_jobscheduler_agent
    command_line                /opt/plugins/check_jobscheduler_agent.pl -u $ARG1$ -a $ARG2$ -o $ARG3$ -t $ARG4$
}

When configuring the System Monitor Service then Command parameters have to be specified that are separated by exclamation marks, e.g.

Sample JobScheduler Agent Command parameterization

http://galadriel.sos:4445/jobscheduler/agent/api/overview!'{totalTaskCount},{currentTaskCount}'!'{startedAt},{totalTaskCount},{currentTaskCount},{isTerminating}'!20

Parameterization

Parameter		Default	Description
-u,	--url	—	URL for the HTTP connection that addresses the Agent via host (`galadriel.sos`) and port (`4445)` that the Agent is listening to followed by a fixed path (`/jobscheduler/agent/api/overview`).
-a	--attributes	—	List of attributes that are used to check the Agent availability. The specified attributes are recommended to check if the Agent answer if formally correct.
-o	--outputvars	—	List of attributes that are used for output of the script and that will be displayed in the System Monitor `startedAt`: point in time when the Agent was started. `totalTaskCount`: total number of jobs that have been executed during the lifetime of the Agent. `currentTaskCount`: number of jobs that are currently executed by the Agent. `isTerminating`: indicates whether the Agent is currently shutting down. Depending on the shutdown command that has been used an Agent will let run currently executed jobs before terminating
-t	--timeout	15s	Timeout for establishing the connection to the Agent

Notes

Consider the use of the HTTPS protocol instead of the HTTP if the Agent is configured for use with Secure HTTPS communication.
Perl > 5.8 is required and some Perl packages are required. You can download and install Perl packages from e.g. http://www.cpan
- HTTP::Request::Common
- LWP::UserAgent
- JSON
- ```
Data::Dumper
```

JobScheduler Agent Plugin via JOC Cockpit with HTTP(S)

A service Command has to be declared before configuring the System Monitor Service that makes use of this Command.

Sample Configuration

Sample JobScheduler Agent command configuration with JOC Cockpit

# 'check_jobscheduler_agent_with_joc' command definition
define command {
    command_name                check_jobscheduler_agent_with_joc
    command_line                /opt/plugins/check_jobscheduler_agent_with_joc.pl -j $ARG1$ -i $ARG2$ -a $ARG3$ -t $ARG4$
}

define service {
 use                             generic-service                 
 host_name                       localhost
 service_description             JobSchedulerAgents
 is_volatile                     0
 check_period                    24x7
 max_check_attempts              1
 normal_check_interval           1
 retry_check_interval            1
 contact_groups                  admins
 notification_options            w,u,c,r
 notification_interval           960
 notification_period             24x7
 check_command     check_jobscheduler_agent_with_joc!http://localhost:4446!myJobSchedulerId!test:test!5!
 active_checks_enabled           1          
 passive_checks_enabled          0  
}

Parameterization

Parameter		Default	Description
-j	--joc-url	—	Url of JOC Cockpit (http or https are supported)
-i	--id	—	Id of a JobScheduler Cluster
-a	--account	—	Account for HTTP authentication to JOC Cockpit (=<user:password>)
-A	--agent	—	Url of an Agent, optional, can be specified several times
-t	--timeout	30s	Timeout for establishing the connection to JOC Cockpit
-d	--detailed	—	If set and the Cluster has more than one Master and not all Masters are running then the message contains host:port of each Master

Example:

Example Active Check for all JobScheduler Agents with JOC Cockpit

#JobScheduler running with the id 'test' and JOC Cockpit has the url http://localhost:4446 where the account (user and password 'test') has access
 
<path_to_plugins>/check_jobscheduler_agent_with_joc.pl -j http://localhost:4446 -i test -a test:test

Example Active Check for some JobScheduler Agents with JOC Cockpit

#JobScheduler running with the id 'test' and JOC Cockpit has the url http://localhost:4446 where the account (user and password 'test') has access
 
<path_to_plugins>/check_jobscheduler_agent_with_joc.pl -j http://localhost:4446 -i test -a test:test -A http://galadriel:4445 -A http://galadriel:4455 -d

Notes

JOC Cockpit installation since 1.11.4 is required.
Perl > 5.8 is required and some Perl packages are required. You can download and install Perl packages from e.g. http://www.cpan.
- HTTP::Request
- LWP::UserAgent
- LWP::Protocol::https (if https is used to connect to JOC Cockpit)
- JSON
- MIME::Base64
- Cwd

Report Script per Agent

check_jobscheduler_agent_with_joc.pl calls an optional script report_jobscheduler_agent.pl per Agent.
This script does not connect to JOC Cockpit or perform any checks but simply serves to create individual notifications per Agent to the System Monitor.
The script is executed if it is available from the same directory as the calling script and has to be executable.
The script is parameterized to transfer the message type and notification to the System Monitor.
- report_jobscheduler_agent.pl <joc-cockpit-url> <scheduler-id> <agent-url> <agent-status>
- <joc-cockpit-url> is the URL that has been specivied as a parameter to the script check_jobscheduler_agent_with_joc.pl
- <scheduler-id> is the JobScheduler Master ID that has been specified as a parameter to the script check_jobscheduler_agent_with_joc.pl
- <agent-url> is the URL identifying the Agent
- <agent-status> is one of "RUNNING" , "UNREACHABLE", "TERMINATING", "UNKNOWN_AGENT"
  Example report_jobscheduler_agent.pl
```
#!/usr/bin/env perl
use strict;
use warnings;
 
my ($jocUrl, $schedulerId, $agentUrl, $agentStateText) = @ARGV;
# do something with $jocUrl, $schedulerId, $agentUrl, $agentStateText
```

Change Management References Web Services

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Scope

Active Checks and Passive Checks

Download and Installation of the Plugins

Download

Installation

Configuration of the Plugins

JobScheduler Master Plugin

JobScheduler Cluster/Master Plugin via JOC Cockpit with HTTP(S)

JobScheduler Agent Plugin

JobScheduler Agent Plugin via JOC Cockpit with HTTP(S)

See also

Change Management References Web Services