Topic: Monitoring Multiple SME Boxes Remotely

[Gert]

Hi

Would anyone be interested in a program to monitor multiple servers remotely?

I have developed a program that monitors my servers' online/offline status, uptime, RAID status and last affa backup success/failure in real time. It also notifies my via SMS of any activity for example a backup failure, or a server that went offline. Works great for me. 

http://netkeeper.huge.co.za/scrnshot.gif

[peterhocking]

I would be 

[jumba]

You bet I'm interested as well!!!

(It looks a little bit like a Windooze program though, it would of course be even better if it's web based or OS independent) 

[Gert]

Unfortunately it is a M$ Windoze app. If there is enough interest I will try and create an os independent version. It is still under development, but working great so far. I will upload it to my webserver today and you guys can give it a try. Maybe you guys can assist me in improving it with your feedback. Currently it also allows quick ssh access to remote hosts and quick view of RAID config by double clicking on the server block or the RAID block.

[hilton]

Gert this sounds like something very useful. Let us know when you upload that contrib please.

[m]

I have developed a program that monitors my servers' online/offline status, uptime, RAID status and last affa backup success/failure in real time. It also notifies my via SMS of any activity for example a backup failure, or a server that went offline.

Gert,
  why do you reinvent the wheel? Good old Nagios does this all and much more, it is web-based and platform independent. A SME Nagios contrib is available.

[Gert]

Nagios seems like a good and advanced util, but its not exactly what I wanted.

[Gert]

The program is now online for download at http://ghp.homelinux.net/contribs/NRSM

[Franco]

Can I run the application under wine or some other emulator? Nagios is nice but very picky, this seems a lot simpler.

Thanks,

[Gert]

Can I run the application under wine or some other emulator?

That is a good question. I will test it on wine, sure hope it works.

Nagios is nice but very picky, this seems a lot simpler.

I tried to make is as plain and simple as possible. Hopefully ill have a web based version ready in the near future.

[Gert]

It isn't running properly in wine. I will make it compatable and recompile.

[DjD]

Hi Gert

thanks for the tool - looks good.  Would it be possible to have an option for a change in the port for the ssh connection to the server?  From 22 to 222 or other options?

Thanks

[Gert]

Good idea DjD, I will add the option to change the port on a per server basis.

Also the passwords will be stored encrypted.

[DjD]

Thanks Gert,

Looking forward to it!

Regards

David

[kevinb]

Hi Gert,

I too would need to have alternate ports.

Plus I hit a snag .... in your instructions

Open "servers.mdb" which is in the program directory.

This is a MS Access DB file? I only have access to MS Access 2007 which forces me to convert the file to the new MS Access format.

Does someone have another option for modifying this file? Gert, can this file be changed to a text file?

Thanks,

Kevin

[Gert]

Yes, it can be changes to a txt file. but in my next release the program itself will modify the mdb file. and m$ access will not be required at all. the mdb file will also be encrypted for security reasons.

[Gert]

New version ready for download:

http://ghp.homelinux.net/contribs/NRSM


I have added the ability to change the ssh port on a per server basis.
Servers are now added in the program, no need for ms access.
Server passwords are now encrypted in the database.
Server host keys are now added to the registry automatically.

The howto.txt changed a bit.

Please help me with some feedback or ideas.

[bloodshoteye]

Hi, thanks for this contrib. Really like what it's going to become.

It is working ok on a XP installation with sp3, but I can't add 2 servers on the same domian.
Do I have a problem or is that how it is at the moment? - it will be great to add as many servers per domain as required.

[Gert]

It is working ok on a XP installation with sp3, but I can't add 2 servers on the same domian.
Do I have a problem or is that how it is at the moment? - it will be great to add as many servers per domain as required.

You can actually add more than one server to the same domain.

Add them as follow:

Domain:                 mydomain.co.za[1]
Server host name:   host1.mydomain.co.za

Domain:                 mydomain.co.za[2]
Server host name:   host2.mydomain.co.za

Let me know if you don't come right.

[bloodshoteye]

Gert,

Worked just as you said - thanks.
'Nother thing, I have a gateway server where I've set "Allow secure shell access using standard passwords" to "No"
This one won't make an ssh connection to NRSM unless there is a way to add a ssh private key file.

[Gert]

Yes, this won't work for now. Ill look into it. For now maybe allow standard passwords and change the ssh port to something else, like 8022 or whatever.

[mercyh]

Gert,

I just got around to installing this today. It is a nice clean tool.

Thanks a lot,

Royce

[Gert]

The pleasure is all mine Royce. 

[kryptos]

can this work if i use IP address only instead of domain name?

Regards,
Rocel

[Gert]

can this work if i use IP address only instead of domain name?

Yes

[kryptos]

hi,

i try to add a local ip address of our server but seems it doesn't connect. Does it need also putty if yes what path will I put putty on root of  drive c?

Regards,
Rocel

[Gert]

It uses putty.exe and plink.exe. But the program installs them automatically in the windows dir. See if they are there. It works fine with local ip addresses.

[mercyh]

Gert,

I just installed affa on one of my machines. I know NRSM can monitor it and somewhere I saw the instructions how to set it up. Now for some reason I cannot find them. Would you be so kind as to point me in the right direction?

Thanks,
Royce

[Gert]

Royce

You can find the howto here:

http://ghp.homelinux.net/contribs/NRSM/

[mercyh]

Got it. Should we add this to the contribs documentation?

[Gert]

Yes please.

[mercyh]

I will work on it when I get time. I may PM you with the link so you can check for accuracy.

RH

[Gert]

Ok, no problem.

[mercyh]

Installation instructions are here:

http://wiki.contribs.org/Netkeeper_Remote_Server_Monitor

[sal1504]

Gert
Program looks excellent and I will be using it, but I have a small problem. On one of my servers I have a raid 5 with 4-250gb sata drives running SMEServer 7.3. I lost one of the hard drives yesterday, but NRSM did not detect or notify me of this lost drive. NRSM still shows the raid as clean. I did a refresh and it still shows the raid as clean. Any suggestions on how to fix.

Sal

[Gert]

Sal

NRSM initially saves a snapshot of /proc/mdstat in its database. Mine looks like this:

Code: [Select]

md3 : active raid5 sdd1[3] sdc1[2] sdb1[1] sda1[0]
      2930279424 blocks level 5, 256k chunk, algorithm 2 [4/4] [UUUU]

md2 : active raid1 hda2[0]
      244091520 blocks [2/2] [UU]

md1 : active raid1 hda1[0]
      104320 blocks [2/2] [UU]

unused devices: <none>
With every refresh it compares the current /proc/mdstat with the saved one. Any change, even the slightest difference will raise a Failure warning. You can test this by opening the servers.mdb with M$ Access and make a small change in the RAID_Status field. NRSM will most definitely raise a Failure. I am confident that you lost your drive before you accepted the initial value of /proc/mdstat. An example of a lost drive would look something like this:

Code: [Select]

md3 : active raid5 sdd1[3] sdc1[2] sdb1[1] sda1[0]
      2930279424 blocks level 5, 256k chunk, algorithm 2 [4/4] [UUUU]

md2 : active raid1 hda2[0]
      244091520 blocks [2/1] [U_]

md1 : active raid1 hda1[0]
      104320 blocks [2/1] [U_]

unused devices: <none>

[sal1504]

Gert

Thanks for the quick reply. I apparently had the hard drive failure prior to installing NRSM and when it showed the raid configuration I selected OK. This is where I went wrong because I didn't look at the raid configuration. One other feature I would really like to see is NRSM to show the OS and OS Version. This would help me keep up with which machines need to be updated. I have 67 servers that I try to keep up with and this program will be of great help. Thanks for the time and effort you put into this

Sal

[kryptos]

Gert,

Does it only work if you have a raid setup? I tried other server with no raid it always says offline but with the server with raid it works fine.

Regards,
Rocel

[Gert]

Does it only work if you have a raid setup? I tried other server with no raid it always says offline but with the server with raid it works fine.

Kryptos, you don't need a raid setup in order to monitor a server. Just make sure that remote ssh is enabled on the server and that it accepts standard passwords.

[Gert]

One other feature I would really like to see is NRSM to show the OS and OS Version. This would help me keep up with which machines need to be updated.

Would there be more people interest in that feature? If so I would consider implementing it.

[kryptos]

Kryptos, you don't need a raid setup in order to monitor a server. Just make sure that remote ssh is enabled on the server and that it accepts standard passwords.

what you mean remote ssh enabled? I have enabled ssh but local connections only and the pc i use is in the same local network.

Regards,
Rocel

[Gert]

Let me put it this way. You must be able to connect to the server from putty using a username and password. If the ssh is running on port 22 (the default) then you can leave the SSH Port field blank in Server Maintenance. Otherwise enter the post number. Please let me know if you come right.

[mercyh]

Gert,

If we are doing New Feature Requests here , I would like to see a date on the backup field. (Date and/or time of last successful backup.)

[sal1504]

Gert

I agree with MercyH. That is would be a great feature also.

Sal

[jdavey]

Gert,

If we are doing New Feature Requests here , I would like to see a date on the backup field. (Date and/or time of last successful backup.)

Since you are doing all the heavy lifting - and now it appears, taking requests - in addition to the last successfull backup, about displaying the next scheduled backup?

This looks like it will become a full-time job....

[Gert]

Gert,

If we are doing New Feature Requests here , I would like to see a date on the backup field. (Date and/or time of last successful backup.)

Good Idea

[Gert]

NRSM v0.3 available.
Added Date and Time of last successful backup.
Howto.txt changed.

http://ghp.homelinux.net/contribs/NRSM

[Gert]

Found and fixed a bug with new feature. Please download both NRSM and post.pl again.

[mercyh]

Works great. 

wiki is updated

[Gert]

Thanx!

[Gert]

New update available: http://ghp.homelinux.net/contribs/NRSM/NRSM_Update_v0.2_to_v0.45.zip

Version 0.45
   - All Servers are now updated simultaneously instead of one by one. (Much quicker!)
   - Added some color.
   - Replaced initial popup for Raid Status to "Not Verified".

[Gert]

New update available: http://ghp.homelinux.net/contribs/NRSM/NRSM_Update_v0.2_to_v0.5.zip
Howto updated: http://ghp.homelinux.net/contribs/NRSM/HowTo%20(21-2-2009).txt

Version 0.5
   - Fixed bug with password encryption.
   - Added automatic resizing at startup.
   - Enhanced manual resizing.

[Franco]

Hi,
How do I go about installing the latest version?
I see v0.3 and a update from v0.2 to v0.5.

Thanks,

[Gert]

stuntshell, I was to lazy to create another installation package. Check the howto. Just install v0.3 and then update with v2 to v0.5.

[Gert]

Sorry, forgot to use * to cover the password when adding a server. Please re-download. Also the encryption has changed, you'll need to re-enter all passwords, if you get "file not found error" open servers.mdb, remove all previous passwords. If you don't have M$ Access then start with a new database from scratch.

[mercyh]

Updated wiki page to include new version.

[Gert]

Thanx Royce

[mercyh]

Thanks to you  . (You are doing all the work here.)

PS> I check affa with this every day.

[rei]

Can anyone tell me how to monitor a SME server 7.5.1....in the server-gateway mode...
I just want a simple system to show the most important activity of the server.....I tried NRSM ...but can anyone explain me better the mean of those numbers..........?????????

[Gert]

I am the developer of NRSM, maby I can help you, what numbers are you talking about?

[rei]

i tried first NRSM having the only server mode and it showed a snapshot like this that u have posted
md3 : active raid5 sdd1[3] sdc1[2] sdb1[1] sda1[0]
      2930279424 blocks level 5, 256k chunk, algorithm 2 [4/4] [UUUU]

md2 : active raid1 hda2[0]
      244091520 blocks [2/2] [UU]

md1 : active raid1 hda1[0]
      104320 blocks [2/2] [UU]

unused devices: <none>



can u explain me better what NRSM does? if i keep the server in the only server mode what is the benefit?
I'm preparing a thesis about sme server and I just want a system to prove that it works and sme is better than another server.........

[mercyh]

That screen will show the first time NRSM runs. You will get the same output if you issue

Code: [Select]

cat /proc/mdstatfrom the command line.

Once you accept that screen (be sure your raid is syncronized and clean before you do), if anything changes and raid goes out of sync or a disk goes down, NRSM will report an error in the raid status of that server.

For more information on SME raid see the following:

http://wiki.contribs.org/Raid

[Gert]

Well said, thanx Royce

[killrob]

Hi all,

i'm trying to install NRSM V.0.3 on a win 7 ultimate X64 but i got this error while installing:
"c:\windows\system32\expsrv.dll  access violation occurred while copying the file"

and the same for file vbajet32.dll

also got error in:

"an error has occurred while registering the file 'c:\program files (x86)\common files\microsoft shared\dao\dao350.dll' "
what's the problem?

thx

[Gert]

Hi killrob

I am sure you can ignore the errors and it should still work. Alternatively you can just download and install VB6 runtime files and just extract the nrsm.exe files out of the package. The program does work in win7. Let me know if you have success.

[killrob]

thx for the reply Gert, i've installed the VB6 runtime files but when installing the program got same errors i wrote before.

[img=http://s15.postimage.org/7ne1bl76v/NRSM.jpg]

is this the normal status when monitoring?

[Gert]

You can ignore the errors. Just double click on the server name and choose yes. Then it should work just fine.