Time for yet another tutorial this time detailing how to monitoring log files both event log and regular text files. The event log parts will build a bit on the earlier posts on monitoring the event log but since the “event log cache” feature has been replaced by the generic SimpleCache in 0.4.1 as well as 0.4.1 introducing a new SimpleFileWriter module as well  I felt it was time to re-visit this topic.

As always Netways arranged for the yearly Open Source Monitoring Conference in Nürenburg.  As always I was suckered into coming.

I had originally planned not to come but alas since my planned vacation was postponed I decided on going. This is a short review of the sessions I attended and my impressions of the conference as a whole.

Take your monitoring to the next level by creating self-resetting event log checks. Sometimes it is not only faults which can be harvested from the windows event log many applications will also report a message when the state returns to normal. This tutorial show you how to configure NSClient++ 0.4.1 to setup auto resetting event log checks. In addition to using passive checks via NSCA I will also demonstrate how to use the Cache module to benefit from real time event log checks via NRPE.

Well, since I got an email from Würth Phoenix asking me to plug their conference Which has been renamed again this year calling itself Open Source System Management Conference 2012. Ironically enough they forgot to include the link making it a bit difficult to give some information but a quick google reviled this page http://www.wuerth-phoenix.com/en/company/event/nagios-event/. Since I figured it would be a dreadfully short blog post with just a single conference I figured I’d mention the other once I know about as well.

Monitoring the event log can quickly become straining for both the computer as well as the administrator as the event log grows and grows. To make this simpler for both the administrator and the computer NSClient++ 0.4.0 introduced real-time event log monitoring. This means we no longer scan the event log instead we simply scan events as they come in. The benefit, in addition to lowering the resources required, is that we can also get notified instantly when an error occurs instead of every 5 minutes or however often we check the log. Another addition is a simple client o generate event log message to help administrators debug event log filters. This is a quick introduction to event log monitoring and real-time event log monitoring showing how to set up real-time event log monitoring both for active and passive use via NSCA and NRPE.

A rather more honest review of the OSMC conference 2011 then the spoof comparison yesterday.

Unfortunately I did not take much in the way of photos this year (don’t know why actually) so no photos.

A BIG DISCLAIMER: This is all nonsense… but…

Since I was asked repeatedly at OSMC (Open Source Monitoring Conference) by various people how the conference compared I figured I would (in the spirit of me) do a bit of a spoof comparison. So please don’t take this seriously…