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20116 Views 10 Replies Latest reply: Jan 7, 2009 6:05 PM by chardy RSS
realmelancon Rank: White Belt
realmelancon
30 posts since
Jun 30, 2008
Currently Being Moderated

Nov 3, 2008 3:50 PM

Question about Zenoss collectors / Remote servers

Using Core version. We have finally configured our first collector by following the instructions in this document:

http://www.zenoss.com/community/docs/howtos/setting-up-multiple-zenperfsnmp-collectors-across-different-hosts

Now. The events are generated and the remote daemons are running on the collector, and sending informations to the central Zope, and Mysql DB. I think that's OK.

The only problems we have are:

- When we look at the servers defined on the Collector, we cannot see the disk space used, free, etc... in the OS tab.

- No RRD files... We just can't see the RRD graphics (it looks like they are updated in the collector, is it normal ?), if yes shouldn't the central server know where to get it ?

- Minor: The Performance monitor doesnt show any values/graphs for the collector. But we do see it for the localhost/central server.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
-Real.
  • chardy Rank: White Belt
    chardy
    23 posts since
    Nov 18, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    1. Nov 18, 2008 6:58 PM (in response to realmelancon)
    RE: Question about Zenoss collectors / Remote servers
    Alas,

    I couldn't get the Wiki entry to work. It turned into a hodgepodge of the wiki instructions, and using the search tool, tcpdump, python hackery, and extensive debugging turned on to get this all to work.

    Key parts I followed in the Wiki

    1. Created CNAMES
    2. Opened Ports
    3. zenrender needs to be turned on the remote collector
    http://forums.zenoss.com/viewtopic.php?t=7257&highlight=remote+collector+zenrender

    and

    http://forums.zenoss.com/viewtopic.php?t=2218&highlight=remote+collector+zenrender

    Make sure your $ZENHOME/bin/zenoss contains the services you want to run. Since you are talking to a centralized zenhub it stays off. Right or wrong, this is what mine looks like

    C="$C zeoctl"
    C="$C zopectl"
    #C="$C zenhub"
    C="$C zenping"
    #C="$C zensyslog"
    #C="$C zenstatus"
    C="$C zenactions"
    #C="$C zentrap"
    C="$C zenmodeler"
    C="$C zenrender"
    C="$C zenperfsnmp"
    C="$C zencommand"
    C="$C zenprocess"
    #C="$C zenmail"

    Can't find the link now, but somewhere a bug report was opened up to make almost all the packages talk to a central zenhub(maybe posted by Chet?). As you can see, zenping is running as well, and picks up the hosts assigned to it.


    4) Create the performance monitor named after the remote collector. Then forget everything else and put http://centralhubhost:8090/remote.collectordomain.com substituting the correct names in.

    Then forget everything else in step 4. This is based off of http://forums.zenoss.com/viewtopic.php?t=3672&highlight=8090 and
    http://forums.zenoss.com/viewtopic.php?t=7257&highlight=8090

    ZenOSS uses XML-RPC when you point the renderserver to 8090, and issues a call to zenrender on the remote collector. The remote collector then reads the RRD files on it's filesystem, creates the graphic, and ships it back to the Central Hub.

    Ignore Step 5

    6) do this when you edit all the $ZENHOME/etc/*conf files. Make sure you keep the 8100 in the line.

    7) You can use this, or what I did above..

    8) Didn't have to worry about

    9) From what I can tell, zenhub is putting events right into the centralhub

    10) Make sure you change the collectors for the devices you have in the central hub. They need to have the remote collector as their collector.

    Then you should be sitting in Happy City, with all kinds of performance metrics being checked.

    Caveat. Zenpacks must live in the same place, since the centralized server issues the same command globally.

    As always $ZENHOME/log/*.log is your friend and learning zendmd isn't to bad of an idea eather. If you have a question, or the ZenOSS dudes think I've posted something wrong here, let me know.
  • jmp242 ZenossMaster
    jmp242
    4,060 posts since
    Mar 7, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    2. Nov 19, 2008 8:11 AM (in response to chardy)
    Question about Zenoss collectors / Remote servers
    Have you thought about updating/appending your info to the Wiki? There
    are a lot of question about distributed setups, and it sounds like this
    achieves that with Core?
    --
    James Pulver
    Information Technology Area Supervisor
    LEPP Computer Group
    Cornell University



    chardy wrote:

     

     

    Alas,

    I couldn't get the Wiki entry to work. It turned into a hodgepodge of the wiki instructions, and using the search tool, tcpdump, python hackery, and extensive debugging turned on to get this all to work.

    Key parts I followed in the Wiki

    1. Created CNAMES
    2. Opened Ports
    3. zenrender needs to be turned on the remote collector
    http://forums.zenoss.com/viewtopic.php?t=7257&highlight=remote+collector+zenrender

    and

    http://forums.zenoss.com/viewtopic.php?t=2218&highlight=remote+collector+zenrender

    Make sure your ZENHOME/bin/zenoss contains the services you want to run. Since you are talking to a centralized zenhub it stays off. Right or wrong, this is what mine looks like

    C="C zeoctl"
    C="C zopectl"
    #C="C zenhub"
    C="C zenping"
    #C="C zensyslog"
    #C="C zenstatus"
    C="C zenactions"
    #C="C zentrap"
    C="C zenmodeler"
    C="C zenrender"
    C="C zenperfsnmp"
    C="C zencommand"
    C="C zenprocess"
    #C="C zenmail"

    Can't find the link now, but somewhere a bug report was opened up to make almost all the packages talk to a central zenhub(maybe posted by Chet?). As you can see, zenping is running as well, and picks up the hosts assigned to it.


    4) Create the performance monitor named after the remote collector. Then forget everything else and put http://centralhubhost:8090/remote.collectordomain.com substituting the correct names in.

    Then forget everything else in step 4. This is based off of http://forums.zenoss.com/viewtopic.php?t=3672&highlight=8090 and
    http://forums.zenoss.com/viewtopic.php?t=7257&highlight=8090

    ZenOSS uses XML-RPC when you point the renderserver to 8090, and issues a call to zenrender on the remote collector. The remote collector then reads the RRD files on it's filesystem, creates the graphic, and ships it back to the Central Hub.

    Ignore Step 5

    6) do this when you edit all the ZENHOME/etc/*conf files. Make sure you keep the 8100 in the line.

    7) You can use this, or what I did above..

    8) Didn't have to worry about

    9) From what I can tell, zenhub is putting events right into the centralhub

    10) Make sure you change the collectors for the devices you have in the central hub. They need to have the remote collector as their collector.

    Then you should be sitting in Happy City, with all kinds of performance metrics being checked.

    Caveat. Zenpacks must live in the same place, since the centralized server issues the same command globally.

    As always ZENHOME/log/*.log is your friend and learning zendmd isn't to bad of an idea eather. If you have a question, or the ZenOSS dudes think I've posted something wrong here, let me know.







    _______________________________________________
    zenoss-users mailing list
    zenoss-users@zenoss.org
    http://lists.zenoss.org/mailman/listinfo/zenoss-users

    _______________________________________________
    zenoss-users mailing list
    zenoss-users@zenoss.org
    http://lists.zenoss.org/mailman/listinfo/zenoss-users
  • chardy Rank: White Belt
    chardy
    23 posts since
    Nov 18, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    3. Nov 19, 2008 11:41 AM (in response to jmp242)
    RE: Question about Zenoss collectors / Remote servers
    If

    1) I could get someone to verify this for me, since I have it working in my environment, but would like to confirm the process works

    and

    2) Someone gives me a quick howto on the Wiki .
  • realmelancon Rank: White Belt
    realmelancon
    30 posts since
    Jun 30, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    4. Nov 19, 2008 2:25 PM (in response to chardy)
    RE: Question about Zenoss collectors / Remote servers
    chardy, can you provide an example of your .conf files on the collector.

    I have something like:

    

file: $ZENHOME/etc/zenperfsnmp.conf

monitor  collector.zenoss.domain
hubhost  mainserver.zenoss.domain


    Thanks in advance.
    -Real.
  • chardy Rank: White Belt
    chardy
    23 posts since
    Nov 18, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    5. Nov 19, 2008 5:56 PM (in response to realmelancon)
    RE: Question about Zenoss collectors / Remote servers
    All monitors that are feeding back to the central zenhub need to have the following in ther .conf file.

    cat $ZENHOME/etc/zenperfsnmp.conf

    monitor collector.zenoss.domain
    hubhost mainserver.zenoss.domain


    Exactly like yours.

    The monitor line and the host name for the collector on the mainserver have to be the exact same.

    What issue are you having?
  • Matt Ray Rank: Zen Master
    Matt Ray
    2,484 posts since
    Apr 5, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    6. Nov 20, 2008 9:48 PM (in response to chardy)
    Question about Zenoss collectors / Remote servers
    Login to the website (with your forum credentials) and go to:
    http://www.zenoss.com/community/wiki/user-contributed/

    Click "add item" near the top right. Select "page" and add whatever
    content you want.

    At some point we'll revisit replacing the wiki, right now there's only
    so many hours in the day and I'm headed out on vacation.

    Thanks,
    Matt Ray
    Zenoss Community Manager
    community.zenoss.com
    mray@zenoss.com



    On Nov 19, 2008, at 10:41 AM, chardy wrote:

     

     

    If

    1) I could get someone to verify this for me, since I have it
    working in my environment, but would like to confirm the process works

    and

    2) Someone gives me a quick howto on the Wiki .







    _______________________________________________
    zenoss-users mailing list
    zenoss-users@zenoss.org
    http://lists.zenoss.org/mailman/listinfo/zenoss-users


    _______________________________________________
    zenoss-users mailing list
    zenoss-users@zenoss.org
    http://lists.zenoss.org/mailman/listinfo/zenoss-users
  • jmp242 ZenossMaster
    jmp242
    4,060 posts since
    Mar 7, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    7. Nov 21, 2008 8:44 AM (in response to jmp242)
    Question about Zenoss collectors / Remote servers
    Have a good vacation Matt Ray. You deserve it!
    --
    James Pulver
    Information Technology Area Supervisor
    LEPP Computer Group
    Cornell University



    Matt Ray wrote:

     

     

    Login to the website (with your forum credentials) and go to:
    http://www.zenoss.com/community/wiki/user-contributed/

    Click "add item" near the top right. Select "page" and add whatever
    content you want.

    At some point we'll revisit replacing the wiki, right now there's only
    so many hours in the day and I'm headed out on vacation.

    Thanks,
    Matt Ray
    Zenoss Community Manager
    community.zenoss.com
    mray@zenoss.com



    On Nov 19, 2008, at 10:41 AM, chardy wrote:

     

     

    If

    1) I could get someone to verify this for me, since I have it
    working in my environment, but would like to confirm the process works

    and

    2) Someone gives me a quick howto on the Wiki .







    _______________________________________________
    zenoss-users mailing list
    zenoss-users@zenoss.org
    http://lists.zenoss.org/mailman/listinfo/zenoss-users


    _______________________________________________
    zenoss-users mailing list
    zenoss-users@zenoss.org
    http://lists.zenoss.org/mailman/listinfo/zenoss-users


    _______________________________________________
    zenoss-users mailing list
    zenoss-users@zenoss.org
    http://lists.zenoss.org/mailman/listinfo/zenoss-users
  • jmp242 ZenossMaster
    jmp242
    4,060 posts since
    Mar 7, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    8. Nov 21, 2008 8:44 AM (in response to Matt Ray)
    Question about Zenoss collectors / Remote servers
    Have a good vacation Matt Ray. You deserve it!
    --
    James Pulver
    Information Technology Area Supervisor
    LEPP Computer Group
    Cornell University



    Matt Ray wrote:

     

     

    Login to the website (with your forum credentials) and go to:
    http://www.zenoss.com/community/wiki/user-contributed/

    Click "add item" near the top right. Select "page" and add whatever
    content you want.

    At some point we'll revisit replacing the wiki, right now there's only
    so many hours in the day and I'm headed out on vacation.

    Thanks,
    Matt Ray
    Zenoss Community Manager
    community.zenoss.com
    mray@zenoss.com



    On Nov 19, 2008, at 10:41 AM, chardy wrote:

     

     

    If

    1) I could get someone to verify this for me, since I have it
    working in my environment, but would like to confirm the process works

    and

    2) Someone gives me a quick howto on the Wiki .







    _______________________________________________
    zenoss-users mailing list
    zenoss-users@zenoss.org
    http://lists.zenoss.org/mailman/listinfo/zenoss-users


    _______________________________________________
    zenoss-users mailing list
    zenoss-users@zenoss.org
    http://lists.zenoss.org/mailman/listinfo/zenoss-users


    _______________________________________________
    zenoss-users mailing list
    zenoss-users@zenoss.org
    http://lists.zenoss.org/mailman/listinfo/zenoss-users
  • fdeckert Rank: Green Belt
    fdeckert
    110 posts since
    Jul 2, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    9. Jan 7, 2009 5:12 AM (in response to jmp242)
    RE: Question about Zenoss collectors / Remote servers
    Hi guys

    This thread what extremely useful for me to install a couple of collectors, so I tried to create a first page describing the whole process.

    As i'm not wiki fluent, the page I tried to create on http://www.zenoss.com/community/wiki/tips-and-tricks/ diseapeared.

    so I created a first draft on my home page http://www.zenoss.com/Members/fdeckert/how-to-install-distributed-collectors/

    I'll try to improve the document later on :-)
    --

    Florian Deckert
    SopraGroup - France
  • chardy Rank: White Belt
    chardy
    23 posts since
    Nov 18, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    10. Jan 7, 2009 6:05 PM (in response to fdeckert)
    RE: Question about Zenoss collectors / Remote servers
    Of note, the zenrender process will sometimes just die. It is cron'd to restart every hour now.

    Zendisc, if run via cron, will discover new devices if you have the subnet that the remote collector lives in, in the subnet area of the remote collector properties.

    And for some reason, zenping/zenperfsnmp seem to be broken as far as sometimes they are trying to ping subnets that don't belong to them.


    I've also been toying around with using something like syslog-ng 2.x to grab the zen logs and help us when things do go off into the grass.

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