Hostgroup Allocations

[belvdr]

NagiosXI 2012R2.8c:

If I edit/add a host and allocate a hostgroup from the host definition, I cannot remove it when editing the hostgroup itself. When editing the hostgroup, the host is not listed as a member and is grayed out on the left.

This seems counterintuitive, as I should be able to modify hostgroups in either place.

Thoughts?

[tmcdonald]

That does seem counter-intuitive. Have you filed a feature request for it?

[belvdr]

I haven't because I cannot figure out how to do so.

EDIT: Nevermind. I figured it out.

[BanditBBS]

Wow, can't believe I am going to say this....

While I agree that it seems weird, there is a difference. In one case you are adding a host to a hostgroup and the other case you are adding a hostgroup to a host. They both give the desired end effect, but are completely different things. Scott explained this once to me very well(I think it was Scott) that made me understand and maybe even accept the difference.

[belvdr]

Wow, can't believe I am going to say this....

While I agree that it seems weird, there is a difference. In one case you are adding a host to a hostgroup and the other case you are adding a hostgroup to a host. They both give the desired end effect, but are completely different things. Scott explained this once to me very well(I think it was Scott) that made me understand and maybe even accept the difference.

Coming from a database perspective, there should be no difference as it's just a relation. But, as perspectives go, everyone has one and they are usually different.

[BanditBBS]

Wow, can't believe I am going to say this....

While I agree that it seems weird, there is a difference. In one case you are adding a host to a hostgroup and the other case you are adding a hostgroup to a host. They both give the desired end effect, but are completely different things. Scott explained this once to me very well(I think it was Scott) that made me understand and maybe even accept the difference.

Coming from a database perspective, there should be no difference as it's just a relation. But, as perspectives go, everyone has one and they are usually different.

I agree with that as well. The difference here is, sure, they could change the way the database is written, but then what about the 2 different ways to write the nagios core files? I can't recall if there is zero effect difference in the 2 different relations...someone with more knowledge than me will have to jump in. I was just throwing out what I've been told before.

[belvdr]

I agree with that as well. The difference here is, sure, they could change the way the database is written, but then what about the 2 different ways to write the nagios core files? I can't recall if there is zero effect difference in the 2 different relations...someone with more knowledge than me will have to jump in. I was just throwing out what I've been told before.

No arguments here, but it makes my head hurt.

[sreinhardt]

Purely from a DB perspective, there is very little difference. However from a nagios and flat file configuration perspective, they are vastly different and really only end up limiting you instead of extending options.

To start, the lowest level of reasoning why this is not available, is that we attempt to disallow modification of items, outside of the scope of the item you are presently modifying. So when modifying a host, you should have access to all of its features and options, however you cannot modify it's service definitions or hostgroup definitions, outside of adding or removing a hostgroup.

As bandit mentioned, this opens the realm of us managing your configurations for you, instead of offering the full abilities of nagios configurations to you. Imagine modifying a hostgroup and adding a new host to it, how do we as XI developers know whether you intended that to be on the host or group configuration file? Take that one step further into templates, how do we know if you want to attempt to add something to a template, group in the template, or the end object inheriting these settings?

Additionally the addition of modifying items outside the scope of the current object you are on, opens up the question of when and where do you stop access to items that are not in this direct object. If you are editing a host, do you only give access to hostgroups and service groups, does it extend to relevant services, or on to other hosts that use the same settings\groups\templates?

Basically, it get's really messy to manage really quick, and we all would have to agree on what object the settings you are currently modifying actually apply to. It is much simpler for all to make the design decision to limit access to the single object you are currently working on, and yet still provide a way to indicate on other objects that others are included or excluded already from this one. I hope that explained it in somewhat of a fashion that makes sense, without hurting your head further.

[belvdr]

Hi Spenser,

Maybe I'm missing a core concept. From a configuration or operational perspective, what's the difference if the host is connected to a hostgroup by the host config or the hostgroup config?

Tom

[tmcdonald]

There is no functional difference. It all has to do with configuration management. There are arguments for and against each.