CA Nimsoft Monitor Snap Configuration Guide for Network Connectivity Monitoring net_connect v2.9 series
Legal Notices This online help system (the "System") is for your informational purposes only and is subject to change or withdrawal by CA at any time. This System may not be copied, transferred, reproduced, disclosed, modified or duplicated, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of CA. This System is confidential and proprietary information of CA and protected by the copyright laws of the United States and international treaties. This System may not be disclosed by you or used for any purpose other than as may be permitted in a separate agreement between you and CA governing your use of the CA software to which the System relates (the CA Software ). Such agreement is not modified in any way by the terms of this notice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if you are a licensed user of the CA Software you may make one copy of the System for internal use by you and your employees, provided that all CA copyright notices and legends are affixed to the reproduced copy. The right to make a copy of the System is limited to the period during which the license for the CA Software remains in full force and effect. Should the license terminate for any reason, it shall be your responsibility to certify in writing to CA that all copies and partial copies of the System have been destroyed. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, CA PROVIDES THIS SYSTEM AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT WILL CA BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE, DIRECT OR INDIRECT, FROM THE USE OF THIS SYSTEM, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST PROFITS, LOST INVESTMENT, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, GOODWILL, OR LOST DATA, EVEN IF CA IS EXPRESSLY ADVISED IN ADVANCE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH LOSS OR DAMAGE. The manufacturer of this System is CA. Provided with Restricted Rights. Use, duplication or disclosure by the United States Government is subject to the restrictions set forth in FAR Sections 12.212, 52.227-14, and 52.227-19(c)(1) - (2) and DFARS Section 252.227-7014(b)(3), as applicable, or their successors. Copyright 2014 CA. All rights reserved. All trademarks, trade names, service marks, and logos referenced herein belong to their respective companies. Legal information on third-party and public domain software used in the Nimsoft Monitor solution is documented in Nimsoft Monitor Third-Party Licenses and Terms of Use (http://docs.nimsoft.com/prodhelp/en_us/library/legal.html).
Contents Chapter 1: Overview 5 About This Guide... 5 Related Documentation... 5 Preconfiguration Requirements... 5 Supported Platforms... 6 Chapter 2: Configuration Details 7 net_connect Node... 7 Profile-<Host Name> Node... 9 Configure a Node... 15 Configure Dynamic Alarm Thresholds... 16 Add Host... 17 Add Service... 17 Remove Service... 17 Delete Host... 18 Chapter 3: QoS Threshold Metrics 19 net_connect QoS Metrics... 19 net_connect Alert Metrics Default Settings... 20 Contents 3
Documentation Changes This table describes the version history for this document. Version Date What's New? 3.0 Added the Troubleshooting and FAQs section. Fixed some language issues throughout the document. 3.0 Documentation on the initial web-based GUI version of this probe. (Previous versions of this probe are configured using Infrastructure Manager). 4 Configuration Guide for Network Connectivity Monitoring
Chapter 1: Overview The Network Connectivity Monitoring probe measures network connectivity that is based on "ping" (ICMP ECHO) and the TCP connections to a list of user-defined services. The service can be NetBIOS, Telnet, FTP, and HTTP. The probe supports the Nimsoft Monitor family of solutions by sending quality of service (QoS) messages. This section contains the following topics: About This Guide (see page 5) Related Documentation (see page 5) Preconfiguration Requirements (see page 5) About This Guide This guide is for the CA Nimsoft Monitor Snap Administrator to help understand the configuration of the Network Connectivity Monitoring probe and provides the following information: Overview of the Network Connectivity Monitoring probe and related documentation for previous probe versions. Configuration details of the probe. Field information and common procedures for configuring the probe. Important! Description for the intuitive GUI fields is not included in the document. Related Documentation For related information that may be of interest, see the following material: Related Documentation The Release Notes for the net_connect probe (Network Connectivity Monitoring) Preconfiguration Requirements This section contains the preconfiguration requirements for the Network Connectivity Monitoring probe. Chapter 1: Overview 5
Preconfiguration Requirements Supported Platforms Refer to the Nimsoft Compatibility Support Matrix for the latest information about supported platforms. See also the Support Matrix for Nimsoft Probes for more specific information about the Network Connectivity Monitoring probe. 6 Configuration Guide for Network Connectivity Monitoring
Chapter 2: Configuration Details The Network Connectivity Monitoring probe is configured by adding host with their monitoring parameters. You can also monitor services running on the target host. This section contains the following topics: net_connect Node (see page 7) Configure a Node (see page 15) Configure Dynamic Alarm Thresholds (see page 16) Add Host (see page 17) Add Service (see page 17) Remove Service (see page 17) Delete Host (see page 18) net_connect Node The net_connect node is used to configure the general settings of the Network Connectivity Monitoring probe. These settings are applicable to all hosts the probe monitors. Navigation: net_connect Set or modify the following values as required: net_connect > Probe Information This section provides information about the probe name, probe version, start time of the probe, and the probe vendor. net_connect > General Configuration This section lets you configure the QoS and log properties of the probe. You can set the time interval for generating QoS messages and timeout settings for the Network Connectivity Monitoring probe. Log File: identifies the name of the log file for saving the probe-related logs. Default: net_connect.log Log level: sets the detail level of the log file.. Default: 0 - Fatal Note: Recommendation is to select a lower log level during the normal operation and minimize the disk consumption. You can increase the log level while debugging. Chapter 2: Configuration Details 7
net_connect Node QoS Interval: defines the interval when the probe generates the Quality of Service (QoS) messages. Default: 5 QoS Interval Unit: specifies the unit of time for generating the QoS messages. Default: min Bind to Network Interface: binds all network operations with the IP address of the controller. Default: Not selected Force Service Check: monitors the services even if the ICMP connectivity fails. Default: Not selected Concurrently Execute (Profiles): specifies the number of profiles (TCP service profiles for monitoring the connection response), which you can execute simultaneously. Default: 10 net_connect > Service Definitions This section lets you configure the services the target host for monitoring. Select any of the existing services from the list for modifying the details (Service Name and Port). You can also use the New and Delete buttons for performing the respective actions. net_connect > Message Manager This section lists the alarm messages that are defined in the Network Connectivity Monitoring probe. You can select the message details but cannot add or edit messages to the list. These alarm messages are specified while creating a monitoring profile. net_connect > Status This section contains a table of host and services with their availability status. You can view the number of attempts that are made by the probe for connecting to the host. This section displays the number of times the OK message and the Error message that are issued by the probe. This section is read-only. 8 Configuration Guide for Network Connectivity Monitoring
net_connect Node Profile-<Host Name> Node <Host Name> Node The Profile-host name node is used to view and update the host name and IP address of the host. Note: This node is named as the Profile-host name throughout this document as the host name is user-configurable. Navigation: net_connect > Profile-host name Set or modify the following values as required: Profile-host name > Net Connect Information This section is used to view and update the host name and IP address of the host. The host name node is used to configure the host-specific monitoring details. The Network Connectivity Monitoring probe generate alarms and QoS based on this configuration. Every host that you add to the Network Connectivity Monitoring probe for monitoring is added as a child node of the net_connect node. Hence, this node is referred as the host name node in this document as it displays the actual host name of the target system. Navigation: net_connect > Profile-host name > host name Set or modify the following as required: host name > Host Configuration This section defines the host name and its monitoring properties for the host. You can select the services of the host for monitoring. Host Name: defines the name of the target system, which is added to the probe for monitoring. This field is mandatory. IP Address: defines the IP address of the host, which is added to the probe for monitoring. If the field is left blank, a name lookup is performed on the provided Host Name. Check Interval Value: defines the time limit how often the probe executes the profile. The time interval is based on values of the Packets to Send and Delay Between Packets fields (of the Configuration for QoS and Alarm section). These fields are used for calculating jitter, packet loss, and latency QoS. Check Interval Unit: specifies the unit of time that is defined in the Check Interval Value field. Default: Min Chapter 2: Configuration Details 9
net_connect Node Active: activates the monitoring of the host. This field is useful to define the configuration at a time and activate it some other time as required. Default: Selected Contact Information: specifies the text (for example, the name of a contact person responsible for the host) that can be used as a variable in alarm messages. Note: Select the Ping option from the Actions drop-down list for sending a ping request and displaying the response. This option verifies the availability of the host. host name > Configuration for QoS and Alarm This section lets you configure the host-specific properties for generating QoS and Alarms. QoS Identification Method: specifies the QoS target, which specifies the object for which the QoS is generated. Generally, it is the host name which the probe is monitoring. Default: Profile Name QoS Source: specifies the QoS source from where the QoS is generated. Generally, it is the IP address of the robot where the probe is installed. Alarm Identification Method: specifies the identification object of the alarm. Generally, this object defines the source of the alarm. Default: IP Address Enable Packet Loss Monitoring: activates the QoS messages on packet loss. Default: Not selected Packets to Send: defines the number of packets to be sent on each interval. Delay Between Packets (ms): specifies a time delay between successive packets. 10 Configuration Guide for Network Connectivity Monitoring
net_connect Node ICMP Node The ICMP Metrics node is configured for defining the ICMP settings. These ICMP settings are used to get host status and availability of the services on the host. Navigation: net_connect > Profile-host name > host name > ICMP Set or modify the following values that are based on your requirement: ICMP > ICMP Configuration This section is used to configure the ICMP properties for monitoring host connectivity by using the ping service. Monitor ICMP Connectivity (ping): enables the ICMP monitoring by using the ping service. Default: Selected Packet Size: defines the size (in bytes) of each ECHO request packet. Default: 32 Message OK: specifies an alarm message from the message pool when the host status is OK within the threshold time. Default: MsgConnectOk Message Fail: specifies the alarm message from the message pool when the host does not respond within the threshold time. Default: MsgConnectFail Timeout (sec): defines the response time limit for the host, failing which the request is marked as failed. Default: 2 ICMP > Response Time This section lets you generate QoS and alarm messages when a threshold value is breached. Enable Threshold Monitoring: activates the threshold monitoring for generating alarms that are based on threshold value. Default: Not selected Response Time (ms): defines the response time of the before issuing a threshold alarm. Default: 100 Message OK: specifies an alarm message from the message pool when the host status is OK and the host is responding within the threshold time. Default: ping threshold OK Chapter 2: Configuration Details 11
net_connect Node Message Fail: specifies the alarm message from the message pool when the host does not respond within the threshold time. Default :ping threshold failed Packet Loss Node The Packet Loss node is used to configure the probe for monitoring the information packets and generating alarms and QoS. Navigation: net_connect > Profile-host name > host name > Packet Loss Set or modify the following values that are based on your requirement: Packet Loss > Packet Loss Metric This section defines the default Packet Loss metrics for generating QoS and alarms. Maximum Packets Loss: defines the maximum number of lost packets on each interval before an alarm is issued. Default: 2 Message OK: specifies an alarm message from the message pool when the packet loss is null within the threshold time. Message Fail: specifies an alarm message from the message pool when the loss of packets is more than Maximum Packet Loss within the threshold time. Packet Loss > Jitter Metric This section defines the default Jitter metric for generating QoS. Maximum Jitter: defines the maximum number of Jitter on each interval. Packet Loss > Latency Metric This section enables the Latency QoS. Services Node The Services node lets you add a service of the host system for monitoring. Each service, which is added for monitoring, is displayed as the child node under the Services node. You can also use the Port Scan option and retrieve the port number where the service is listening the incoming requests. 12 Configuration Guide for Network Connectivity Monitoring
net_connect Node <Service Name> Node The service name node is displayed as a child node of the Services node. This node represents the name of the service, which the Network Connectivity Monitoring probe is monitoring. Every monitored service of the host is displayed as a separate node. A generic term service name node is used in this document for representing the name of the service. Navigation: net_connect > Profile-host name > host name > Services > service name Set or modify the following values that are based on your requirement: service name > Handshake Configuration This section enables the handshake configuration for monitoring the services on the host. Handshake Settings: enables the handshake settings, which are necessary to monitor services running on the target host. Default: Not selected Send on connect: specifies a string for identifying a local system as the target host for the SSL purposes. Note: Use the Test Connect option from the Actions drop-down list for testing connection between the probe and the service. service name > Alarm Configuration This section is used to configure alarm and QoS messages that are related to the services being monitored on the target host. Reply in (Seconds): defines for how long (in seconds) the probe waits for a response from the service before an alarm is issued. Retries in Interval: defines a number of retries within the time interval as specified in the Reply in (Seconds) field. Delay Between Retries: defines a time delay between two successive retries. Message OK: specifies the alarm message when the service status is OK and the service is responding within the threshold time. Note: The Default message always displays a static text and cannot be modified. Message Fail: specifies the alarm message when the service does not respond within the threshold time. Chapter 2: Configuration Details 13
net_connect Node service name > Challenge Response Settings This section lets you define set of commands and expected responses to be executed on the service. Only the supporting commands of the service are provided in this section. Timeout (ms): specifies the waiting time for a response from the commands before generating an alarm. Send Command When Connected: enables the field to specify the command after connecting to the service. Default: Not selected Send Command Text: specifies the command to be executed after connecting to the service. Response Must Contain: enables the field to specify a filter on the response text containing certain text. Default: Disabled Response Must Contain the Text: specifies the actual text to be searched in the response text. Then Send Command: Enables the field to specify the command after executing the earlier command. Default: Disabled Then Send Command Text: specifies the actual command to be executed. Response Must Contain: enables the field to specify a filter on the response text containing certain text. Default: Disabled Response Must Contain the Text: specifies the actual text to be searched in the response text. Then Send Command: enables the field to specify the command after executing the earlier command. Default: Disabled Then Send Command Text: specifies the actual command to be executed. Response Must Contain: enables the field to specify a filter on the response text containing certain text. Default: Disabled Response Must Contain the Text: specifies the actual text to be searched in the response text. Note: Use the Test Response option from the Actions drop-down list for testing the command and response settings for the service. 14 Configuration Guide for Network Connectivity Monitoring
Configure a Node Configure a Node This procedure provides information to configure a section within a node. Each section within a node configure the properties of the probe for monitoring the network connection. Follow these steps: 1. Select the appropriate navigation path. 2. Update the field information and click Save. The specified section of the probe is configured. The probe is now ready to monitor your network connection over the TCP or IP. Chapter 2: Configuration Details 15
Configure Dynamic Alarm Thresholds Configure Dynamic Alarm Thresholds Dynamic thresholds are configured at the QoS metric level in each probe that publishes an alarm for a QoS metric. Important! In order to create dynamic alarm thresholds, you must have the baseline_engine probe version 2.0 installed on the robot and configured. Follow these steps for each QoS metric where you want to configure dynamic thresholds: 1. Select a node in the tree to view any associated monitors and QoS metrics. 2. Select the monitor you want to modify in the table. 3. Select the Publish Data and Compute Baseline options to enable the Dynamic Alarm Thresholds section of the configuration. 4. Choose a threshold algorithm. There are three algorithms allowed for dynamic alarm thresholds: Note: You must indicate the direction for each algorithm, either increasing or decreasing. Scalar: Each threshold is a specific value from the computed baseline. Percent: Each threshold is a specific percentage of the computed baseline. Standard Deviation: Each threshold is a measure of the variation from the computed baseline. A large standard deviation indicates that the data points are far from the computed baseline and a small standard deviation indicates that they are clustered closely around the computed baseline. Important! To change the subsystem ID, you must have the baseline_engine probe version 2.1 installed on the robot and configured. 5. (Optional) If the Subsystem ID listed in the Subsystem (default) field is not correct for your configuration, enter the correct ID in the Subsystem (override) field. 6. Save your settings. 16 Configuration Guide for Network Connectivity Monitoring
Add Host Add Host The Network Connectivity Monitoring probe saves the host details before start monitoring. You can configure the host properties and start monitoring, after adding a host to the Network Connectivity Monitoring probe. Follow these steps: 1. Click the Options icon next to the net_connect node in the navigation pane. 2. Click the Add New Host option. 3. Enter necessary information in the New Host Configuration dialog and click Submit. The host is added as a child node under the net_connect node. Every new host contains three child nodes (ICMP Metrics, Packet Loss, and Services), which are used to configure monitoring properties of the host. The new host also contains the Profile-host name node as its immediate parent node. This Profile-host name node is used to view and update the host name and IP address of the host. Add Service The Network Connectivity Monitoring probe lets you monitor services on the target host. You can configure the service properties for generating the alarms and QoS. Follow these steps: 1. Click the Options icon next to the Services node of the target host name node. 2. Select the services, which you want to monitor, in the Select Services list-box of the Add New Service dialog. Note: Use the CTRL key for selecting more than one service in the list. 3. Click Submit. The selected services are added as the child node of the Services node. You can select the service name node for configuring the properties of the respective service. Remove Service You can remove a service from the probe when it is no longer required monitoring on a target host. Follow these steps: 1. Click the Options icon next the service name node. 2. Select the Delete Service option. Chapter 2: Configuration Details 17
Delete Host 3. Click Save. The respective service name node is removed from the navigation pane and the probe does not generate alarm and QoS on those services. Delete Host You can delete the host information from the Network Connectivity Monitoring probe, which is no longer required monitoring. Navigation: net_connect > Profile-host name Follow these steps: 1. Click the Options icon next to the Profile-host name node in the navigation pane. 2. Click the Delete Host option. 3. Click Save. The selected host is removed from the navigation pane. 18 Configuration Guide for Network Connectivity Monitoring
Chapter 3: QoS Threshold Metrics Many Nimsoft Monitor probes are shipped with the default alarm threshold values. These default values provide an idea about the information to be entered in the fields. These values are not necessarily recommended best practice values. To aid in tuning thresholds and reducing false-positive alarms, this section describes the QoS metrics and provides the default alarm thresholds. This section contains the following topics: net_connect QoS Metrics (see page 19) net_connect Alert Metrics Default Settings (see page 20) net_connect QoS Metrics The following table describes the checkpoint metrics that can be configured using the Network Connectivity Monitoring probe. Monitor Name Units Description Network Protocol ICMP QOS_NET_CONNECT QOS_NET_CONNECT_PACKETLOS S QOS_NET_CONNECT_PACKET_LA TENCY QOS_NET_CONNECT_PACKET_JIT TER Network Protocol TCP QOS_NET_CONNECT QOS_NET_CONNECT_PACKETLOS S Millisecon ds Percent Millisecon ds Millisecon ds Millisecon ds Percent Network Connectivity Response Network Connectivity Response Packet Loss Network Connectivity Response Packet Latency Network Connectivity Response Packet Jitter Network Connectivity Response Network Connectivity Response Packet Loss Chapter 3: QoS Threshold Metrics 19
net_connect Alert Metrics Default Settings net_connect Alert Metrics Default Settings This section contains the QoS metric default settings for the Network Connectivity Monitoring probe. QoS Metric Error Threshold Error Severity Description Host ICMP Protocol Response Time - Major Alarm to be issued when connection to host failed. Host Execution Time - Major Alarm to be issued when host failed to execute in scheduled time interval. TCP Protocol Response Time 1000 ms Major Alarm to be issued when Ping response is above threshold limit. TCP Protocol Packet Loss 2 Major Alarm to be issued when Packet Loss is above threshold limit. ICMP Protocol Jitter - Major Alarm to be issued when Jitter is above threshold limit. Service ICMP Protocol Response Time - Major Alarm to be issued when connection to Service failed. 20 Configuration Guide for Network Connectivity Monitoring