How to integrate Al’exa with monitoring systems
As first step it is necessary to install the NSclient++ 0.3.9 on the Al'exa virtual machine by
downloading it from https://www.nsclient.org/nscp/downloads
NOTE: NSClient++ should not be registered as a service (because windows services cannot
interact with the desktop and gui):
The following components should be enabled:
On the "Allowed hosts:" input box, add your Nagios server. In that way your Nagios server(s)
will be able to communicate with the Al'exa vm. You can also add them later into the
configuration file.
Now, open the configuration file of the NSClient++ (named NSC.ini) and uncomment (if
commented) the string CheckExternalScripts.dll:
Increase the command timeout and allow external script argument:
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You have to put the line allow_arguments=1 also under the [NRPE] section
Insert the entry for the Al'exa Test Cases (into the External Scripts section):
Of course you have to edit the Python folder and Al'exa test cases directory according to your
environment.
Now you have to create a shortcut with the following target: "C:\Program
Files\NSClient++\nsclient++.exe" "/test"(Of course you have to edit the nsclient++ folder
according to your environment)
Put that shortcut into the startup folder of the account that will execute the testcases:
That account should have the rights to run the NSClient++ and Al'exa Test Cases.
In this way when you login into the virtual machine the NSClient++ will run automatically:
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NOTE: you can set the option to minimize the NSClient++ console. So in this way, when you
logon into the machine, the NSClient++ console will be minimized (and you'll have the desktop
free). See below:
If NSClient++ will not startup automatically then you should check the UAC settings.
As you have seen, Al'exa needs an active Windows session in order to work properly. So you
have to login into Windows with the same account that NSClient++ has into the startup folder.
You will see the NSClient++ that starts automatically. If you lock the machine or logoff, then
Al'exa will stop to work.
Setup the Nagios Server
You can use several methods to configure Nagios to contact the NSClient++. In this tutorial it is
explained how to use the nrpe method.
First of all you have to configure the commands for your service. So open the file commands.cfg
and insert the following lines:
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define command{
command_name check_alexa
command_line
$USER1$/check_nrpe -H $HOSTADDRESS$ -t 600 -c check_alexa -a
$ARG1$
}
A timeout of 600 seconds is set for the nrpe command.
Now you have to use the above command into the cfg file for the Al'exa machine. So, in that cfg
file put the following lines:
define service{
use
host_name
service_description
check_command
}
insert-your-service-template
insert-the-alexa-host-name
insert-the-service-description
check_alexa!your-remote-testcase-filename
You can run only one test case at a time on the same machine. If you have to run more test
cases on the same machine you have several options: for example you can configure one
active service that executes in succession the testcases (as passive checks), you can also
adjust the time periods of the checks and so on...
An important note:
I suggest you to set the Al'exa log level to error if you run it with Nagios, otherwise you will have
soon a full hard drive. To do That just go to the log section of your test case(s):
Click on the red arrow (on the left) and expand the code. Edit the line as follow:
Log.Enable = True
Log.DebugImages = False
Log.Level = "error"
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