Nagios XI - Folder Watch Wizard

Folder Watch Wizard Overview

This document describes how a user can take advantage of the Folder Watch wizard in Nagios XI. It will describe how to configure the wizard and how to customize the wizard using search patterns and wildcards to get a picture of a file system.

Wizard Configuration

It should be noted that when running this wizard on a remote host using SSH it is required that users set up passwordless access to the remote host. Nagios has created a guide for specifically monitoring a remote machine over SSH with Nagios XI. If you are planning on using the Folder Watch wizard on remote hosts you will have to follow the guide for each remote host, the guide is located here: http://assets.nagios.com/downloads/nagiosxi/docs/Monitoring_Hosts_Using_SSH.pdf

The final step of the guide will ask you to log in to test the connection and this is an important step in allowing the Folder Watch wizard to access the server after the user accepts the rsa key.

Navigate to the Nagios Log Server Wizard by selecting Configure > Run the Monitoring Wizard > Folder Watch

Configure

Folder to Watch: First indicate the full path to the directory that you want to configure the wizard for. If running the wizard locally, uncheck the SSH checkbox and click Next .
Server Address: The address of the remote host the directory is located.
SSH: This will run the wizard on the indicated server address.
Username: This is the username that was setup on the remote host for passwordless access using a SSH key.

> Click Next

In Step 3 we will fill in the information for the wizard options and what services will be used for this directory and host.

Directory Details

The directory you are running the wizard on will be displayed first at the top.

Host Name: This will be the host name associated with the services the wizard will create. The server address from the first stage will be imported, but you can use a existing hostname to tie services into using this field.
Service Name Prefix: This will help users identify the services the Folder Watch wizard will create. (example: host1_/tmp_ )

Wizard Options

These options will be applied to the services that will be configured below.

Include Subdirectories: This option will include all subdirectories and files in the services below. Checking this box will activate this functionality.
Include Hidden Files: If you want to include all hidden files click this checkbox. (Hidden file example: .ssh)
Query Type: Choose which type of query the services will make. Choices are Both files and directories, Only files or only directories.

Directory Services

This is where you choose and configure the services you will run on the directory you are running the wizard on. These will be affected by the choices made in the Wizard Options.

Regular Expression: This is the main part that each services will be run against. It is the query that will be used to return the statistics of count, age or size based on the matching of file or directory to this expression. Using wildcards allows the querying of all files present in the directory. The plugin used to run the wizard uses a regular regex and a simple wildcard could be '.*'
File Count: This service will count the number of matches made against the regular expression. To activate this service check the checkbox next to the service name. This number will also reflect the Query Type based on files, directories or both.

Format: The formatting for this service is <comparison><warning value><comparison><critical value>
Settings: Comparison values will check for more (>), less (<) or equal (=) to a warning or critical value.
Example: Warning status if name-*.txt is = to 2 or Critical status if name-*.txt is > 3 would look like: =2 >3

File Age: This service will check the age of the file or directory indicated in seconds. To activate this service check the checkbox next to the service name. This number will also reflect the Query Type based on files, directories or both.
1. Format: The formatting for this service is <warning value><critical value><comparison>
2. Settings:Comparison here will be one of 3 options -
  1. Warning/Critical: Regular warning and critical values that will be used against the query and create a status alert when the values have been exceeded.
  2. Inside Range: Generate a warning or critical value when file age is inside this range.
  3. Outside Range: Generate a warning or critical value when file age is outside this range.
3. Example: Check name-*.txt for inside or outside range of 1 to 2 days would be: 86400 172800 Inside Range (Outside Range)
File Size: This service will check the size of the file or directories indicated in bytes. To activate this service check the checkbox next to the service name. This number will also reflect the Query Type based on files, directories or both. This check may include a 0 for the lowest age.
1. Format: The formatting for this service is <warning value><critical value><comparison>
2. Settings: Comparison here will be one of 3 options -
  1. Warning/Critical: Regular warning and critical values that will be used against the query and create a status alert when the values have been exceeded.
  2. Inside Range: Generate a warning or critical value when file size is inside this range.
  3. Outside Range: Generate a warning or critical value when file size is outside this range.
3. Example: Check name-*.txt for inside or outside range of 35 to 40 Megabytes would be: 35000000 40000000 Inside Range (Outside Range)

> Click Next

Complete the remaining steps in the wizard to complete the folder watch monitoring.

Final Thoughts

For any support related questions please visit the Nagios Support Forums at:

http://support.nagios.com/forum/