IBM T ivoli Monitoring v6.1 Universal Agent

IBM Tivoli Monitoring v6.1Universal Agent IBM Software Group Services for Tivoli

Agenda • Introduction • Tivoli Universal Agent Overview • Architectural overview • The Universal Agent and ITM 6.1 • Universal Agent vs. Standard Agents • Components, architecture and data flow in detail • Components • Data Providers • From Data to Applications – the Metafiles • Application appearance and handling in the TEP • Questions

The Eternal Monitoring Challenge • You want to integrate some very special boxes or devicesinto our monitoring solution • It is essential – a k.o. criteria • Unfortunately it is not supported • What will you do?

... you can use the Universal Agent • Our answer when we don’t have an out of the box solution • A highly customizable agent • The “Swiss Army Knife” of ITM 6.1 • The only toolbox you need

Introduction - what’s all about… • The IBM Tivoli Universal Agent can be used to include custom monitoring data, or data from sources not supported with other agents. • You can use all standard TEP data viewing options. • Like with other Tivoli Enterprise Monitoring Agents, the source can also be managed by writing situations and automation policies against the collected data.

Introduction - what’s all about… • It is not a solution! • It is a powerful tool to build solutions! • It does not replace existing standard agents

How it fits into the ITM 6.1 environment Data Sources TEP Data Sources Data Providers ( DP‘s ) Data Providers ( DP‘s ) TEPS ITM 6.1 Universal Agent ITM 6.1 Universal Agent TEMS ITM 6.1 Standard Agents ( OS, DB’s, applications ), also called IRA’s ( Intelligent Remote Agents )

Universal Agent and ITM 6.1 • When integrating data through the universal agent, all ITM functions are available: Reporting: • Views and workspaces • Historical data collection • Customizing queries (attribute based) • Thresholds and data filtering • Reporting through Web services Monitoring and event management: • Event Situations • Reflex automation • Policy automation

The difference between the UA and Standard Agents Standard Agents • Use a static set of hardcoded attributes • Cannot be enhanced by the field personnel to „see“ more than they are developed for The Universal Agent: • Is a full-featured IRA (intelligent remote agent) with dynamic application capabilities. • Dynamically creates custom attributes and catalogs. • Adds to monitoring solutions to make them complete. • Supports eight different types of data providers (collectors). • So it provides flexibility unlike any other ITM 6.1 agent.

What is it good for? Use the UA to: • Monitor data that is not supported with other agents. • Monitor only data of interest. • Respond quickly to changing monitoring and management scenarios. • Be in control of attributes and surfacing of data. • Create an easily expandable solution.

TEMS Hub or remote TEP UA Universal Agent Data provider (DP) to collect data and issue system commands DP Metafile Data definition file Data source Components, Architecture and Data Flow in Detail

Data Providers • Serve as the data interfaces for the UA, the “ears” of the UA • Receive data from client programs, files, databases etc. and pass it on to the UA IRA. • Although data providers normally run as threads inside the IBM Tivoli Universal Agent process, it is still useful to view them as autonomous entities • Can run stand alone ( without a local UA ) for special purposes Each Data Provider: • May support multiple applications which are defined through metafiles. • Can monitor multiple sources and extract only data that is part of the applications.

The Data Providers ( DP’s ) Universal Agent FILE SOCK API POST HTTP SNMP ODBC SCRP File Collects information from sequential files Socket Provides support for resource connected through TCP/IP or UDP API Provides a set of API calls that can be used from applications, batch files, scripts, or console commands Post Accepts console commands HTTP Monitors Web sites SNMP Includes SNMP components and trap support ODBC Integrates data from ODBC data sources SCRP Script DP (NEW) allows to integrate data from custom scripts

The File DP • Reads the contents of files on the machine where the UA is installed or networked files via NFS. • Tails files for event type data or complete contents for persistent information • Dynamic file name support for log files with numbers and dates in the name • Support of multiple rows

The Socket DP • The UA does not need to reside on the monitored host. Programs can open up a socket connection to the UA across the IP network. • Can have multiple applications and also multiple sources for a single application. • Some programming is required. Any language which supports the socket interface ( Compiler languages, i.e. C/C++, or script languages, i.e. PERL )

The API DP • Allows communication with the UA from C/C++ programs providing an API ( Application Programming Interface ) • Can also be accessed from any script language which can access the product provided API-executables. I.e. VBS or PERL • Built in socket handler

The Post DP • A convenient way to send ad hoc notifications such as messages, alerts, and status. • Uses sockets to send data to a predefined set of attributes. • Best used with the KUMPSEND program which provides a command line interface to the Post Data Provider.Example:kumpsend msg=”text” [cat=category] [dp=dp_hostname][port=dp_listening_port] [ack=Y|N]

The HTTP DP • Allows you to monitor the availability and response time of selected URLs. • Supports HTTPS and proxies • Can control the sampling interval • Averages over a 15 minute period • does not use a metafile for data definition, it uses a file with HTTP information instead

The SNMP DP • Brings the functionality of an SNMP manager to ITM 6.1, including network discovery, trap monitoring, SNMP queries, and SET operations. • Some MDL-converted standard MIBs as well as some product provided MDLs come along with the product. • Customer specific MIBs need to be converted into data definition metafiles. This can be done using a compiler, the process is to file a PMR with Tivoli support • For only receiving traps you don’t need a compiled MIB, but you can configure these traps to be converted into more meaningful expressions using a TRAPCNFG file

The ODBC DP • Allows you to collect data from ODBC-compliant databases using SQL select statements • Supports Stored Procedures - if the DSN supports it  • It is only available on Windows operating systems. • But can use remote DB’s via ODBC • Can generate Metafiles according to the DB structure • Maps tables and columns in the ODBC data source into attribute groups and attributes in the associated Metafile.

The Script DP • Sends the output of scripts to the UA • Can run the scripts as needed • Any script which sends the output to STDOUT or STDERR can be used • Data are processed like any other data from any UA DP

DP‘s eligible for agentless monitoring • HTTP DP • Monitors HTTP Pages on remote machines • API DP • API executables can run on a remote machine • ODBC DP • Can retrieve data via remote ODBC pointing to remote DB’s • Socket DP • Can receive data via IP sockets from remote machines • SNMP DP • Can receive SNMP Traps and Data from remote machines • Post DP • Requires the Post CLIs to be available on remote system

Port Requirements – Data Providers • The Universal Agent can be configured to do communications over a variety of ports. Here are typical ports used by the Universal Agent: • Port 161 Standard SNMP port (used when running SNMP UA) • Port 1919 Data Clearing House port • Port 7500 Socket Data Provider listening port • Port 7575 Post Data Provider listening port • Port 7600 API Data Provider listening port • Port 7700-7710 Console ports (one for each DP that's activated at startup) • These ports can be changed in the app. config files

Agenda • Introduction • Tivoli Universal Agent Overview • Architectural overview • The Universal Agent and ITM 6.1 • Universal Agent vs. Standard Agents • Components, architecture and data flow in detail • Components • Data Providers • From Data to Attributes – the Metafiles • Application appearance and handling in the TEP • Questions

From data to attributes – the metafiles Data characteristics are based on application knowledge and monitoring requirements Metafiles are data definition files, which map the monitored data into attributes and attribute groups. All data for the UA have to be defined and mapped in metafiles Common text editor The data definition is captured in a metafile to be referenced by a data provider xxxxxxxx.mdl //APPL//NAME//SOURCE//ATTRIBUTES. . . . .

Metafiles specify... • Name of the application • Name of each of the attribute groups that comprise the application • Source or sources of the data in each attribute group • Names and characteristics of the individual attributes • Optional help text for the application, each attribute group, and each attribute • Statements for redirecting data internally to other attribute groups • Statements for preprocessing data • Filtering statements to eliminate data overhead

From data to attribute Data source Map data into attributes Import data mapping into the TEMS Text1 aaa Text2 bbb Text3 ccc NumberA 111 NumberB 222 aaabbb ccc111222

From data to attribute Attributes the same as any other agent attributes i.e. • Can be viewed/graphed in workspaces • Can be used for alerting in situations • Can be logged to history files/database for reporting

Mapping attributes – some metafile examples This example shows a simple metafile used to monitor socket data, sent from two UNIX machines

Another metafile example… This example shows a simple metafile used to monitor a log file, created by an FTP application

...and one for those who like it a bit harder...

Importing metafiles Metafiles have to be imported in order to take affect. Usually this is done via the UA‘s console commands. But also possible via Take Action or Config File

Agenda • Introduction • Tivoli Universal Agent Overview • Architectural overview • The Universal Agent and ITM 6.1 • Universal Agent vs. Standard Agents • Components, architecture and data flow in detail • Components • Data Providers • From Data to Attributes – the Metafiles • Application appearance and handling in the TEP • Questions

...and this is how it can look...

...if everything works ok...

...some results from the complex metafile...

Creating Chart Views

Generating UA Situation Events Situation editor Situation event

Using Policy Automation

Other Universal Agent Functions The IBM Tivoli Universal Agent also: • Monitors and reports the status of data providers. • Manages version control of data definitions. • Distributes automation requests to data providers. • Can function as a UA SNMP trap emitter for sending SNMP traps to 3rd party SNMP managers

Sending SNMP Traps • The UA can function as a UA SNMP trap emitter for sending SNMP traps to 3rd party SNMP managers. • This is done through Policies:

End of Unit.

IBM T ivoli Monitoring v6.1 Universal Agent