Best Server Monitoring Software (Free / Cheap)

AThomasHowe

If you follow this guide it's very easy. Just set up three boxes with it. To paraphrase a bit:

On the box you want to monitor, run either:

apt-get update && apt-get install snmpd nano on debian/ubuntu etc or

yum install net-snmp nano on RedHat/CentOS

Then, run nano /etc/default/snmpd and find the line that begins with

SNMPDOPTS=

and comment it out by adding a # before it, deleting the line letter-by-letter or go to the start of the line and press ctrl+k to cut. Then paste this on a new line:

SNMPDOPTS='-Lsd -Lf /dev/null -u snmp -p /var/run/snmpd.pid'

...on Debian that is. On CentOS/RedHat, run nano /etc/default/snmpd and find the line that starts with

OPTIONS=

Then, remove that or comment it out in the same way and add the new line:

OPTIONS="-Lsd -Lf /dev/null -p /var/run/snmpd.pid"

Now, run

rm /etc/snmp/snmpd.conf && nano /etc/snmp/snmpd.conf

and paste this:

com2sec readonly default <COMMUNITY>

group MyROGroup v1 readonly

group MyROGroup v2c readonly

group MyROGroup usm readonly

view all included .1 80

access MyROGroup "" any noauth exact all none none

syslocation <LOCATION>

syscontact <CONTACT>

#This line allows Observium to detect the host OS if the distro script is installed

extend .1.3.6.1.4.1.2021.7890.1 distro /usr/bin/distro

Replacing <COMMUNITY> with what is basically the password for the server, <LOCATION> with the server location (surround in quotes if you use spaces, for example syslocation "London, UK" and <CONTACT> with your e-mail. Now run this:

cd && wget http://www.observium.org/svn/observer/trunk/scripts/distro && mv distro /usr/bin/distro && chmod 755 /usr/bin/distro

Now, restart NetSNMPd:

/etc/init.d/snmpd restart

Now on the server you're hosting observium on, run this:

cd /opt/observium && ./add_device.php <YOUR_SERVER_HOSTNAME> <COMMUNITY_AKA_PASSWORD_SET_ABOVE> v2c replcaing the appropriate parts. Then run

./discovery.php -h all && ./poller.php -h all

Should be all you need to get going with the base system.

Silvenga

AThomasHowe said: -Lsd -Lf /dev/null -p /var/run/snmpd.pid

What does that do. I just commented out the line in /etc/snmp/snmp.conf and modified /etc/default/snmpd.

AThomasHowe

It's the options that the command runs with, best to edit it back in - it's straight from the observium page.

It's basically the stuff that comes after the binary in the command when it starts a new process. It may work on the default options but best to be safe.

gutshotz

What about best that doesn't require PHP? Does Observium require PHP on the client side?

AThomasHowe

Observium only needs PHP on the server you're going to have the Web UI on, not the servers you'll be monitoring. I'll have a little write up here tomorrow probably going more in-depth if anyone needs more help, I've written most of it now before bed.

AThomasHowe

I actually finished it before bed but haven't hosted it myself or anything yet. Here's my more comprehensive guide than on the wiki anyway to get you started. Apologies for any typos, it's 4:30 AM

barryherne

Have a look at the software called Anturis as the price is quite affordable and the number of options that a user gets is great as well. Go to their official site and consider it.

hashwaltz

ServStatus, NodeQuery + StatusCake TCP monitor both enough for me. Free service.

agentmishra

this has turned out to be a nice tutorial

thanks every body