KS-Soft. Network Management Solutions
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister    ProfileProfile    Log inLog in 

Reporting-based "Alert-Profile" - Reduce mails in

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    KS-Soft Forum Index -> Wish list
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
KarlZ



Joined: 30 Apr 2021
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Sun May 09, 2021 2:07 am    Post subject: Reporting-based "Alert-Profile" - Reduce mails in Reply with quote

I am using Hostmonitor since a lot of year. And I am very happy with the system and Alex Support!

I would like to add a few thoughts out a daily experience.

Every monitoring system (or their admins) has the problem to find a "balance" between needed Mails too much mails in admins mailbox.

So, if problems arise in a network, normally there is a great number of tests, that will send mails to the admin. Most of the mails are not needed because the have the same cause...

--> It would be great to get ONE Mail with a simple report of all problems (Hostmonitors report function ist great!)


Basic Concept:
Make two classes of test: critical and non critical
- non Criticial tests --> report problems [b]once a day[/b] by sending one status report
- critical tests failed: Send info with a shorter delay, but also send a report for all failed tests with one mail



[b]Suggestion 1 for critical failed tests:[/b]
Critical tests should me marked as critical (this could be a very simple one click action - reduce complexity)


[b]Suggestion 2 - send stataus mail daily
[/b]
It should do possible (in an easy way!) to send a daily report by mail. If there are no failed tests (inside the report), this should be seen in the subject (so no need open the Mail!!!)

--> NON critical failures do NOT need immediate action
--> this can be fixed the next day with next regular status report


[b]Suggestion 3 - send critical status mail
[/b]
If critical tests failed, the system should wait a short time (configurable), because normally other tests will fail, too.
But then it should send a consolidated report, too (not lot's of mails)

Please think about it.
The configuration would be very easy (option critical / non critical)
And [b]one[/b] (highly configurable) Status-Mail mechanism must be setup to meet admins need (delay etc...)

Regards
Karl.
[/b]
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
KS-Soft



Joined: 03 Apr 2002
Posts: 12792
Location: USA

PostPosted: Sun May 09, 2021 10:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you.

I think its easy to create such setup without any new options.
Non-critical tests, report+e-mail once a day? You need to setup either
- 1 report using global or per-folder settings + 1 action
- or 1 test + 2 actions (if you need different e-mails or no e-mail at all when everything is fine)

Usually you may avoid a lot of mails when some critical system fails (e.g. your router) - set Master test and make other tests dependent on the master. You can set several levels of master-dependent relations, e.g.
- MasterLevel0 - ping your router. If there is no network connection, no reason to perform any other test
- MasterLevel1 - ping target server. If server does not respond, do not perform other tests related to this server
and so on
https://www.ks-soft.net/hostmon.eng/mframe.htm#tests.htm#Master

Related options

Recheck dependant test items when master test status has been changed
This option tells HostMonitor to recheck all dependant test items immediately after their master test failure or recovery (otherwise tests will be executed on regular schedule). This helps to maintain more accurate statistic information.

Consider status of the master test obsolete after N seconds
This parameter is used by the program to determine whether the Master test status is up-to-date. Before starting a dependent test HostMonitor checks the status values of the Master tests defined on it. If Master test was performed more than N seconds ago, HostMonitor will recheck the Master test item before checking dependant items.
Please note: HostMonitor makes an exception for SNMP Trap test methods. If such test is used as Master test, its status never considered as obsolete. In other words status of Master SNMP Trap test will always be considered as up-to-date, regardless of the time when last trap message was received.

Regards
Alex
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
KarlZ



Joined: 30 Apr 2021
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Sun May 09, 2021 10:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for detailled answer

I have already uses dependicies / mastertests in the past. Normally I use a Ping as master-test for a server and all other as dependant test.

I will work though your infos in detail to see, where I can improve my concepts.

One thought:
The problem with intensive use of dependencies (Router etc...) is, that the resulting tests will get very complex it is not easy to create these job in a way, so that they can be copied to another server without any changes...
It may work, but the complexity will get higher and higher
--> not really easy to manage over years (with different people - not all knowing all details...)

Maybe you "rethink" about my suggestion. It would an other way to do the job with less knownledge --> just keep it simple --> simple things can be managed over years by every admin.

But be sure, I will work with your tipps!
Thanks
Karl.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
KS-Soft



Joined: 03 Apr 2002
Posts: 12792
Location: USA

PostPosted: Sun May 09, 2021 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
The problem with intensive use of dependencies (Router etc...) is, that the resulting tests will get very complex it is not easy to create these job in a way, so that they can be copied to another server without any changes...

When you copy just dependent test(s) HostMonitor may adjust (find and assign new Master) Master test automatically.

Adjust test settings automatically
This option tells HostMonitor to adjust some settings according to target host OS and detected protocols. E.g. if you copy CPU Usage test from Windows to Linux host, HostMonitor may change OS property from "Windows (RPC)" to "UNIX (SNMP)"; also HostMonitor may change SNMP profile specified for the tests; change OS property for Memory tests; adjust Drive Free Space tests for Windows, UNIX or NetApp devices and so on.

If Master tests not copied, try to find new masters using existing tests as examples
This option can be very useful when you already have set of test items related to target hosts but you want to replicate some new test methods. If you copy just dependent items, this option tells HostMonitor to check test items located in target folder, find tests with similar "master-pattern" and set the same masters for new test items.
Example: if you replicate Memory_A test that depends on 1 external Ping test and 1 internal TCP_A test (TCP_A and Memory_A tests check the same host_A), then HostMonitor will try to find test related to target host_B that depends on 1 external Ping test and 1 internal TCP_B test (related to target host_B). This way new Memory_B test (related to host_B) will depend on Ping and TCP_B masters.
If you replicate set of master and dependent items, then HostMonitor adjusts master-dependent relations regardless of this option.

https://www.ks-soft.net/hostmon.eng/mframe.htm#netmap.htm

"Check and copy" function offers Adjust Masters option as well.
With this option enabled, if dependant tests copied with master(s) then HostMonitor adjusts master-dependant relations for newly created tests. E.g. if you copy 6 tests (5 UPS tests that depends on 1 Ping test) then new UPS tests will depend on new Ping test (if you are using folder-related variables for target IP address, then new tests will start to monitor new device without any manual adjustments).

Quote:
Maybe you "rethink" about my suggestion. It would an other way to do the job with less knownledge --> just keep it simple --> simple things can be managed over years by every admin.

Probably we can add couple options related to reports.

Regards
Alex
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
KarlZ



Joined: 30 Apr 2021
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Sun May 09, 2021 11:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks!
I will test all these things - much more than I knew!


Other thing:
I will send you a private mail next week regarding the licenses. I have to check this with my colleagues.
And we will buy an update for our own license. I have to check which one we need.

Regards
Karl.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    KS-Soft Forum Index -> Wish list All times are GMT - 6 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group

KS-Soft Forum Index