Deploying Monitors with Monitor Sets

You use SiteScope Monitor Sets to create and replicate a set of different monitors to speed the set up of monitoring for classes of servers and systems that may be replicated multiple times within your data center environment. The also allow you to templatize the organization of your monitoring to include common types of monitors, naming conventions, and monitor organization.

This section describes:

Using Monitor Sets
Creating a Monitor Set
Selecting a Monitor Set Template
Monitor Set Variables
Verifying Monitor Values
Adding Monitors Based on the Monitor Set

Using Monitor Sets

Monitor Sets are a tool that simplifies the creation of a set of SiteScope monitors for a specific class of server or for specific services that are replicated within a data center. For example, in many data centers a server (that is, machine) is designated as one of several types: a database server, or a Web server, or a storage server, or an application server. The monitoring requirements for each type of server is different. Database server monitoring includes not only CPU, disk, and memory monitoring but also service and database monitoring. A Web server requires not only CPU, disk and memory monitor but also Web server and log file monitoring. Monitor Sets allow establishing standardized monitoring configuration for a given class of server that can be easily replicated to create monitor groups.

Each monitoring configuration is contained in a monitor set template file. A monitor set template file contains the definitions for the monitors that are created. The order that the monitors are defined in the template file is the order that the monitors are created in the group.

A monitor set template also contains variables whose values are specified and referenced in any of the monitors within the template file. Variables simplify the task of specifying values that vary from machine to machine like machine name or IP address.

The values and variables specified in the template file are used to create all the monitors defined in the template file. The monitors are created in the current monitor group. The monitor set template can be used to create all the monitors in a empty group or can be used to augment monitors in an existing group.

For more information on creating a monitor set template, see Creating A Monitor Set Template.

Creating Monitors with Monitor Sets

Creating a monitor set generally involves the following three steps:

Choosing the monitor set template appropriate for the class of server to be monitored.
Entering values for the variables used within the monitor set template
Verifying the values used to create each monitor in the set

Selecting a Monitor Set Template

After selecting the Add monitor set link, SiteScope displays a list of available monitor set templates. The list contains the template description and the name of the actual template file. You may choose one monitor template from the list and then click the Configure Monitor Set button.

Name	Description	Filename
F5 Node and Pool set	Generates monitors for all nodes and pools on an F5 server (use with Dynamic Update)	BIGIPF5.mset
Example using status classifiers	Creates a URL and Ping monitor using _classifier properties for error/warning/good	Example_classifiers.mset
Example Monitor Set	Adds CPU, Disk, and Memory monitors for a server and a URL monitor	MonitorSetExample.mset
SiteScope Performance Metrics	Used to monitor the condition of the SiteScope Server itself	MonitorSetSSServer.mset
Quick HeartBeat for Win NT/2000 servers	Creates a Service monitor on a specified host (requires NT Remote set up)	NTServerHeartBeat.mset
Example URL showing _classifiers	This shows an example with _classifier properties	test.mset

Monitor Set

Monitor Set Variables

Next, a list of template variables are displayed along with their name, description and the monitors they affect. Variables may also contain default values that may be changed on this screen. In the case that the value requested is a host name or server, use the drop-down list to select UNIX remotes that you have defined via the UNIX Remotes preference page. To specify an NT/2000 remote server, enter the server name or address as it appears in the NT Remotes preference page.

Enter values for the displayed variables and select the Submit these values button.

Variable Name	Description	Enter Value	Monitor Type
$URL$	URL to monitor	or	URLMonitor
$host$	Host to monitor (UNC or IP)	or	MemoryMonitor
$server$	Server to monitor (UNC name)	or	DiskSpaceMonitor,CPUMonitor

Enter the values to be used by the monitors in this Monitor Set.

these values

Verifying Monitor Values

Each monitor in the monitor set template is now displayed in a table. The monitor type along with monitor name is displayed above the table. The first column shows the monitor's property name. The next column shows the value for that property. Values that contained variables are shaded with green. Values that are not affected by variables show no shading. The final column is for displaying errors that SiteScope has found while verifying the values. Errors are shaded in red. Errors should be corrected before proceeding to the next step, but SiteScope does not require it, however doing so may create monitors that do not function properly.

Once all the monitor values are acceptable, then select the Create Monitor Set button to create the monitors.

Property and Syntax Check for Template: Example Monitor Set

Monitor Type: CPUMonitor Name: CPU Utilization on \\localhost

Property	Value	Property or Syntax Errors
_frequency	600
_dependsCondition	good
_machine	\\localhost
_name	CPU Utilization on \\localhost

Monitor Set

Adding Monitors Based on the Monitor Set

As SiteScope creates the monitors, the monitor type and name are displayed along with messages of any errors found. A "success" message is shown if the monitors are created successfully. The process does not run the monitor.

After they have been created, you can select the return link to return the group detail page to view the status of the monitors.
Note: Errors detected during the creation of monitors using a monitor set template are independent of the status returned when the individual monitors are run. This means that the monitors may be created successfully but that the configuration settings may be incorrect or that the system being monitored is unavailable.