Zenoss Core Network and System Monitoring: A step-by-step guide to configuring, using, and adapting this free Open Source network monitoring system - with ... Mark R. Hinkle, VP of Community Zenoss Inc.

276 Pages·2008·12.54 MB·English

by  Michael Badger

Zenoss Core Network and
System Monitoring
A step-by-step guide to configuring, using, and adapting
the free open-source network monitoring system
Michael Badger

BIRMINGHAM - MUMBAI
Zenoss Core Network and System Monitoring
Copyright © 2008 Packt Publishing
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However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
First published: June 2008
Production Reference: 1060608
Published by Packt Publishing Ltd.
32 Lincoln Road
Olton
Birmingham, B27 6PA, UK.
ISBN 978-1-847194-28-2
www.packtpub.com
Cover Image by Nilesh R. Mohite ([email protected])
Credits
Author Project Coordinator
Michael Badger Zenab Kapasi
Reviewers Indexer
Mark Turner Monica Ajmera
Matt Ray
Mark Hinkle Proofreader
Erik Dahl Camille Guy
Acquisition Editor Production Coordinator
Bansari Barot Shantanu Zagade
Technical Editor Cover Work
Usha Iyer Shantanu Zagade
Editorial Team Leader
Akshara Aware
Project Manager
Abhijeet Deobhakta
Foreword
As the world becomes more connected, the complexity of information technology
is expanding. Information workers rely on an expanding number of technologies
to collaborate: email, instant messaging, web forums, and wikis. Organizations that
at one time relied solely on paper are becoming more dependent on information
systems. In addition there is an increase in network-enabled devices including
security systems, building environmental controls, power meters, and more. IT
administrative staffers are responsible for a growing number of services and the IT
fabric used by organizations is continuing to become more intricate.
The way we develop technology is also changing. Highly skilled programmers once
wrote their code secretly behind closed doors. This is the old way of doing things
Today millions of people develop, distribute, and use open-source software that is
produced collaboratively over the Internet. The new model thrives on user input and
collaboration. It enables the users of software to take control and become produces of
technology the barrier for participation has been lowered.
The trends of open source software use and a growing complexity in information
technology have lead to the perfect storm for the adoption of open source systems
management. It's no longer good enough to have tools that are purpose-built. It's
just as important to have management tools that are easy to deploy, easy to use, and
easy to integrate with existing systems. This presents an opportunity for system and
network administrators to deploy open source systems management tools that can
be adapted to an ever-changing environment.
Zenoss Core was developed to be both adaptable and scalable yet easy enough for
even the smallest organizations to use. Released under the GNU Public License
(version 2.0) Zenoss has been downloaded over 500,000 times and used by thousands
of IT professionals every day to monitor and manage IT infrastructure. The Zenoss
community that supports and contributes to Zenoss has grown to over 33,000
members who consistently help improve and expand Zenoss' capabilities.
The open-source development and distribution model is the key factor that allows
users of the software to have full access, not just to run the program, but also to
modify and redistribute it. This freedom is one reason that Zenoss' popularity
has risen so quickly. Zenoss Core presents a unique opportunity for systems
management professionals, as it is enterprise-grade software but also free and
open source.
In true open-source fashion, this book was not written by Zenoss project members or
Zenoss Inc. employees. It was authored by one of our community members who was
passionate about our software and took it upon himself to share his knowledge. We
are very proud that our software generates that kind of enthusiasm and hope that
our efforts and the efforts of our community of users are evident as you use
Zenoss Core.
Mark R. Hinkle
VP of Community Zenoss Inc.
http://community.zenoss.com
About the Author
Michael Badger is a technical writer with a BS in Technical and Professional
Communication from the Pennsylvania College of Technology/Penn State. He has
been helping users understand, troubleshoot, and use technology for the better part
of 15 years. In the 1990's, he rose through the ranks at the industry leading internet
service provider, MindSpring, to manage a technical support call center in Dallas,
TX. He later found himself supporting and writing about Win4Lin, a Windows
virtualization solution for Linux. Today, he prefers to fill a generalist's role with a
focus on automated web application testing and writing—always looking to learn
the next cool application or technology. For fun, he prefers to be outside in the wilds
of Central Pennsylvania fishing, hiking, and hunting.
Acknowledgement
I'd like to thank Mark Hinkle for connecting me with Packt Publishing and helping
me get this book started. You believe in my writing and my work ethic, and for that,
I can only say thank you. I am honored to call you my friend.
Thank you, Zenoss, Inc., for providing me with support in the way of training
and resources. Chet Luther, your superb training and support accelerated my
Zenoss learning curve dramatically. Thank you, Drew Bray, for providing some
documentation to help me get started in my research.
Bill Karpovich and Erik Dahl, I enjoyed our conversations. Of course, without Erik I
wouldn't have a software application to write about. Thank you.
I owe a special thank you to my primary reviewers, Mark Turner and Kells Kearney.
I appreciate every last comment you provided to me, and have no doubt that your
work has improved the quality of this book. Mark, it has been a pleasure to work
with you again, and I hope that we can collaborate on future projects. Kells, thank
you for accepting my invitation to review, and I look forward to working with you in
the future.
I'd like to thank my writing mentor, Charles Kemnitz, for preparing me to write my
first book. Your guidance and disciplined advice gave me the confidence to know
that once I started writing, I would finish.
Christie, my dear wife, I owe you so much. Perhaps there were better times to write
a book, but now is my opportunity. You encouraged me to take it. Now we can
pause to take an inventory of our accomplishments: We're settled in a new house, we
finished the baby's room, Cameron was born, and I wrote a book. I'd say that was a
productive six months.
About the Reviewer
Mark Turner has worked with open source since 1994 in IT management, sales
engineering, and client services roles. His focus has been on Linux, asterisk,
OpenLDAP, and network management solutions. His last role was with Zenoss as
a client services engineer where he provided consulting, support, and training for
Zenoss customers.
Table of Contents
Preface 1
Chapter 1: Introduction 7
What is Zenoss? 7
Web Portal 8
Device Management 9
Availability and Performance Monitors 10
Event Management 13
System Reports 13
Zenoss Inc. 13
Summary 14
Chapter 2: System Architecture 15
User Layer 16
Data Layer 17
Collection Layer 18
Device Management 19
Performance And Availability 20
Event Information 22
Summary 23
Chapter 3: Installation and Set up 25
Server Specifications 26
Supported Operating Systems 26
Zenoss Dependencies 27
Quick Start with Virtual Appliance 27
Install Virtual Appliance 28
Working with The Virtual Appliance 29
Binary Installation 31
Source Installation 32
Ubuntu Notes 32