Overview

When accessing the Hosts Configuration Page, an Host Table is displayed, listing all Hosts objects.

This table contains the following informations :

  • Differences
  • Name
  • Description
  • Address
  • Realm
  • PollerTag
  • Host Template
  • Sources
  • Status

This page also provides, on the left, an action Menu, used to :

  • Add a new Host
  • Show Hosts detected by Automatic Modules
  • Accept differencies on selected elements

 

 

On the top of the table, A tool bar let Administrators the ability to :

  • Enable, Disable, Delete or Duplicate selected Hosts
  • Filter List by Name
  • Filter List by Template applied on Hosts

 

 

Create a new Host

To create a new Host, use the button "Add new [Host]" located in the Action Menu

 

Host creation form will be displayed.

This form is composed of tabs, corresponding to categories of properties :

  • Generic

  • Data

  • Monitoring

  • Checks

  • Notifications

  • Advanced

 

The left menu give to Administrators the ability to :

  • Validate the new host
  • Cancel the action
  • Delete the host

For each category, a corresponding form is displayed.

Generic

Generic properties contains the minimum properties requiered to create an Host :

  • Name

    • the name of the Host

    • this field is requiered

  • Description
    • extended description, displayed in Host Widget
    • Name is used if nothing is filled
  • Address
    • address used to join the host on the network
    • can be an IP Address, or a resolvable hostname (Short or FQDN)
  • Host Templates to inherit
    • list of templates the new host should herit to
    • templates name are suggested when starting to fill the field
  • Add in Hostgroups
    • a list of available Hostgroups the new host should be in
    • more than one hostgroup can be selected
  • Realm
    • realm from which the host should be monitored
    • only one choice can be made
  • Priroty
    • the priority is a feature used to show the criticality level of hosts
    • there is no impact on check method or notifications
    • by default, level of Host Template is used
  • Networks parents
    • this field is used to determine hosts located between poller and the new Host
    • filling this property helps in problem resolution, and in impact calculation
  • Enabled
    • this property determines if the host will be used or not by Shinken
    • a disabled host is still present in configuration, but is not scheduled, and is not visible on the WebUI
    • by default, the value is inherited by the template

Data

 

Data is used to show and create variables used by Shinken to perform checks.

Those values are also called Macros.

As shown on the picture, when creating a new host, no data are available, even if the new host inherit from Template.

 

To see data that will be applied to host, it is necessary to first validate the new host, and come-back to its configuration.

Data are displayed in two sections :

  • Local : data for this host only (custom data)
  • From Templates : data inherited from one or more templates

Data from templates are seperated by template names.

This allow Administrators to see what and where data have been get.

Data are represented by a Key and a Value.

When data are local, both of them can be modified.

When data are inherited, only values can be modified.

Monitoring

This form is used to configure properties that define monitoring for the host itself.

Monitoring is defined by the following properties :

  • Check Period
    • defines the period on which host will be checked
    • field is a list of values, corresponding to timeperiods defined in Time Periods
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is filled
  • Check Command
    • defines the short name of the command used to check if the host is available
    • field is a list of choices, defined by the Commands configuration
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is filled
  • Args
    • used to pass arguments to the Check Command
    • by default this value is empty
  • Max Check Attemps
    • defines the number of failed check attempt before declaring the host as down
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is filled
  • Check Interval
    • defines the number of minutes between two check of the host
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is filled
  • Retry Interval
    • defines the number of minutes before scheduling a re-check if the last one returned a non-UP state.
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is filled
  • Active Checks Enabled
    • defines if scheduled check will be enabled or not for this host
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is filled
  • Passive Checks Enabled
    • defines if passive check will be enabled or not for this host
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is filled
  • Maintenance Period
    • defines a reccuring downtime for the host. During the selected period, no notifications are sent
    • value is taken from the list of Time Periods
    • value is none per default, which means no downtime for the host

Checks

 


Checks is a read-only form, used to provide informations about checks (services) that will be made for the host.

By default, if no template applies on host, no check will be made.

If the host inehrits from a template which has checks attached to it, checks will be filled with the description of those services.

In this example, we can see 3 checks, inherited from http template, and https template. Checks are displayed in tables, showing the following :

  • Name of the Check
  • Contacts Groups for the Check
  • Host templates using the Check
  • Check Command used
  • A "Try this check" action, allowing to try the check before validating

Name of check is a link to the check configuration of the selected object.

Checks shown on this form can be one of following type : Check or Check Template.

Notifications

Notification is a form displaying all required fields to configure notifications properties :

  • Notification Enabled
    • used to enable or disable notifications for the host
    • value is taken from templates if any, or enabled by default
  • Contacts
    • multi-value field, used to define contacts to notify
    • values are taken from Contact Configuration, displayed as a list of name
    • value is taken from templates if any, or none by default
  • Contact Groups
    • multi-value field, used to define contact groups to notify
    • values are taken from Contact Group Configuration, displayed as a list of name
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided
  • Notification Interval
    • used to set the number of minutes before re-notifying contacts
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided
  • Notification Period
    • directive used to specify the time period during notifications will be sent
    • list of value corresponds to Time Periods defined
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided
  • Notification Options 
    • list of flags, used to dertmine what state should generate a notification
    • field is a list of values seperated by a comma :
      • d : down
      • u : unreachable
      • r : recovery
      • f : flapping
      • s : scheduled downtime
      • n : none
    • list of value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided (d,u,r,f)
  • First notification delay
    • number of minutes, used to set the delay before sending a notification
    • if 0 is provided, notifications are sent immediatly for the host
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided
  • Escalations
    • multi values field, used to set escalations object on the host
    • list of values is taken from Escalation Configuration
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided 

Advanced

Advanced form is used to set advanced features of monitoring.

Following values can be set :

  • Poller Tag
    • this field provides a list of Pollers configured (see Define new pollers)
    • only one value can be provided
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided
  • Proces Perf Data
    • used to enable or disable the Perf Data Process for the host
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided
  • Flap Detection Enabled
    • used to enable or disable the flap detection for the host
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided
  • Flapping Options 
    • used to determine what host states should be used to detect flapping
    • value is a list of comma seperated flags, making a combination of following values :
      • o : UP
      • d : DOWN
      • u : UNREACHABLE
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided
  • Low Flap
    • percentage used to determine the low state threshold for the flap detection calculation
    • value is set using an horizontal cursor
    • if value of 0 is provided, the global threshold will be used
    • default value is 0
  • High Flap
    • percentage used to determine the high state threshold for the flap detection calculation
    • value is set using an horizontal cursor
    • if value of 0 is provided, the global threshold will be used
    • default value is 0
  • Automatic Event Handler 
    • value used to determine if event handler is enabled or disabled
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided
  • Event Handler command
    • used to set the command that should be run when a change of state is detected
    • field is a list of Commands configured
    • Args can be provided to the selected command
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided
  • Check Freshness
    • used to determine if freshness must be enabled or disabled 
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided
  • Freshness Threshold
    • used to set the freshness threshold, in seconds
    • if 0 is provide das value, Shinken will try to set it automaticaly
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided
  • Business impact modulations 
  • Macro modulations 
    • used to set a modulation of macro values, giving possibility to set different threshold based on time period
    • the field is a list of Data Modulation
    • value is taken from templates if any, or default value is provided

 

Modify a host

To modify properties of a host, first go on the Hosts page, from the Main menu, and then click on the host name you want to modify.

The form displayed is the same as the form used to create a new Host. All fields are filled with Host properties.

Once changes have been made, configuration of the Host must be saved by clicking the Validate button available on the left menu.

Cancel button revert all changes to precedent configuration.

Delete a host

To delete a host, you can use the form of the host, or delete it directly from the list page.

From the Form page

First go to the Hosts page, from the Main menu, then click on the host name you want to delete.

Once in the page displaying the form, click on the Delete button available on the left menu.

A confirmation popup will be displayed.

 

From the Main page

First go to the Hosts page, from the Main menu, then click on the check box placed on the first column of the table.

Use the Action menu on the top to select Delete, and click to the Launch Button.

A confirmation popup will be displayed.

Duplicate a host