--- /dev/null
+=head1 NAME
+
+Simple System/Network Monitoring - spong v2.0
+
+=head1 DESCRIPTION
+
+This is a B<simple> systems and network monitoring package called B<Spong>. It
+has the following features:
+
+=over
+
+=item *
+
+client based monitoring (CPU, disk, processes, logs, etc...)
+
+=item *
+
+monitoring of network services (smtp, http, ping, pop, dns, etc...)
+
+=item *
+
+grouping of hosts (routers, servers, workstations, PCs)
+
+=item *
+
+rules based messaging when problems occur
+
+=item *
+
+configurable on a host by host basis
+
+=item *
+
+results displayed via text or web based interface
+
+=item *
+
+history of problems
+
+=item *
+
+verbose information to help diagnosis problems
+
+=item *
+
+easily expandable via a plugin module facility
+
+=back
+
+
+This is hopefully a I<simple> tool. It does not compete with Tivoli, OpenView,
+UniCenter, or any other commercial packages, and I have no intention of
+trying to turn it into one. It is not SNMP based, it communicates via simple
+TCP based messages. It is written in Perl, so hopefully it can be run on
+multiple systems (including NT - although it has not been ported yet -
+but is on the todo list).
+
+I'm a strong believer in KISS (keep it simple stupid), and hopefully
+this package is as simple as possible (but no simpler). Spong is broken
+up into components that each do a specific thing. Listed are some of the
+(key) components:
+
+=over
+
+=item B<spong>
+
+Text based query program, reports information about hosts that are
+monitored.
+
+=item B<www-spong>
+
+Web based query program, reports information about host that are monitored.
+
+=item B<spong-client>
+
+Program that runs on each monitored server. Reports host based information
+(disk, cpu, logs, etc.)
+
+=item B<spong-network>
+
+Reports on network based services (smtp, ping, http, etc.)
+
+=item B<spong-server>
+
+Collects information reported and responds to queries about that information.
+
+=item B<spong-message>
+
+Called by the B<spong-server> program to send out notifications when
+problems occur.
+
+=back
+
+=head1 Availability
+
+Spong's Home Page is at F<http://spong.sourceforge.net/>.
+
+Perl is require to run spong. If you don't have Perl installed you can retrieve
+it from the CPAN archive F<http://www.cpan.org/CPAN/>, along with other
+optional modules such at the Net::DNS module. I would suggest having at least
+version 5.004 installed (otherwise you will need to download the CGI.pm module
+as well). You can get the latest version of Perl at
+F<http://www.perl.com/CPAN/src/latest.tar.gz>
+
+You can retrieve the latest version of Spong from the Spong project at Source
+Forge. The 'Downloads' web is at F<http://spong.sourceforge.net/downloads.html>.
+This distribution contain the spong source, documentation, and gif images.
+
+=head1 SUPPORT
+
+There are two mailings setup for Spong: spong-users and spong-annouce.
+
+spong-users is for general discussions or getting help for Spong. You can
+ubscribe by sending a message to spong-users-request@lists.sourceforge.net
+with the work subscribe in the message. Or be visiting the mailing lists
+home page at F<http://lists.sourceforce.net/mailman/listinfo/spong-users>.
+
+
+spong-annouce
+is a low-volume mailing which will be used for annoucements and news concerning
+Spong. It is moderated, but feel free to submit any pertinet items. You can
+ubscribe by sending a message to spong-annouce-request@lists.sourceforge.net
+with the work subscribe in the message. Or be visiting the mailing lists
+home page at F<http://lists.sourceforce.net/mailman/listinfo/spong-annouce>.
+
+=head1 DEPENDENCES
+
+Perl v5.004 or greater is all that is required to set up B<Spong>. A web server
+where you can install a CGI program, and a web browser that can display
+tables and frames are required for use of the web interface to Spong. If
+you want to monitor DNS servers remotely, then you will need to install
+the Net::DNS Perl module (available at CPAN). Spong will run fine without
+this module, you just will not be able to monitor the DNS service.
+
+These scripts should run on any Unix system (and to ``some'' degree
+any environment where Perl is available).
+
+
+=head1 DOCUMENTATION
+
+Don't let the amount of documentation scare you, I still think B<Spong> is
+simple to setup and use.
+
+The documentation is provided in perl POD format (the old Perl pod
+format just didn't do all that I wanted). The installation process will create
+HTML, text and man fomatted versions of the documentation. The HTML
+documentation can be located anywhere. It's crosslinks should survive a move
+intact.
+
+There are four main documents that describe spong from different
+perspectives.
+
+=over
+
+=item L<FAQ|spongfaq.pod>
+
+Frequently Asked Questions by users and their answers.
+
+=item L<User's Guide|user-guide>
+
+Geared towards the person who will be using the spong text or web based
+clients. This is the documentation that will be seen when the user clicks
+on the Help button provided in www-spong.
+
+=item L<Administrator's Guide|admin-guide>
+
+Written for the person who will be installing spong, and setting up the
+various configuration files. This provides a step by step installation
+process and gives some suggestions on things B<Spong> can do that you might
+not have thought of.
+
+=item L<Developer's Guide|developer-guide>
+
+Written for the person who wants to have B<Spong> look differently, or what
+to add some new feature in their version of spong, or whats to incorporate
+spong output in other programs. This details the B<Spong> internals, and
+describes the various protocols that are used.
+
+=back
+
+There are also specific "man" pages for each program and configuration
+file which provide detailed explanations of each option, command line argument,
+etc... Finally, if you are in a pinch, the code is readable enough (and
+well commented) to provide some help as well.
+
+I hopefully have provided enough documentation that the only email
+I get are suggestions for new features and bug reports - but if you are
+stuck, feel free to send me email and I will respond if I can.
+
+=head1 FILES
+
+Here is a description of the directories and files that come in this package
+prior to installation. More specific descriptions of each file are available
+in the various documentation that comes with spong.
+
+config:
+
+spong.conf distributed config file
+
+spong.conf.<os> os specific config changes
+
+spong.hosts host/service config file
+
+spong.groups group config file
+
+src:
+
+spong.pl text based spong display client
+
+spong-client.pl collects/reports cpu,disk,etc info
+
+spong-network.pl collects/reports network service info
+
+spong-server.pl listens for/saves spong status updates
+
+spong-message.pl alerts humans there's a problem
+
+spong-ack.pl text based acknowledgement program
+
+www-spong.pl web based spong display client
+
+www-spong-ack.pl web based acknowledgement program</pre>
+
+docs:
+
+<*>.html documentation for the above files
+
+gifs: various icons used by www-spong
+
+
+=head1 LICENSING
+
+Copyright 1999,200, Stephen L Johnson
+
+Like Perl, B<Spong> may be copied only under the terms of either the Artistic
+License or the GNU General Public License, which may be found in the Perl 5.0
+source kit. If either file is not available to you, send email to
+<F<sjohnson@monsters.org>, and I will mail you a copy.
+
+
+=head1 CHANGES
+
+The list of changes for the latest version of B<Spong> can be found
+at L<http://spong.sourceforge.net/documentation/CHANGES>
+
+=over
+
+=item Version 2.6
+
+Notification rules enhanced with matching and excluding by host groups.
+Added delayed and repeat notifications. Module Plugin mechanisms added
+to spong-client, spong-network, spong-server, and spong-message programs.
+Programs now automatic background themselves. Event duration added to spong-server
+database. NTP and SSH checks added to spong-network.
+
+=item Version 2.5
+
+First releae by Stephen L Johnson. Rules based notifications added,
+a limited Big Brother Server emulation was to allow Big Bother Clients
+to be used. A new log monitoring routnie which tracks last position read.
+Enhanced network checks to eliminate momentary network problems.
+
+=item Version 2.0
+
+A OO redesign of the spong-server and display programs, added acknowledgments
+and group support, added a text based interface, made www interface more
+extensible.
+
+
+=item Version 1.1
+
+Primarily a bug fix release with a few minor features (dns,http config,multiple
+interfaces) added.
+
+=item Version 1.0
+
+Initial public release, mostly based on Big Brother package from Sean MacGuire.
+
+=back
+
+
+=head1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
+
+=head2 By Ed Hill
+
+Many ideas (and some code) came from two similar packages. We have used
+a program call "Pong" here at The University of Iowa for about a year.
+Pong was written by Helen Harrison at SAS Institute and a paper on it was
+presented at the Usenix LISA conference. Pong would allow us to do simple
+monitoring of systems (via ping) and would report machine status via a
+web page. The name of this package (Son of PONG, but pronounced as its
+spelled "spong") is an obvious rip off...
+
+Originally, the main concepts and design came from Big Brother written by Sean
+MacGuire. That package was written in C and sh scripts which I ``ported'' to
+Perl, making many changes along the way (like adding more information to the
+messages going from the client to the server, adding history, changing the way
+that information is displayed, added some configuration options, etc.).
+
+There didn't seem to be any interest in my perl code from the author
+of BB, so I've changed the name so there would be any confusion between
+this package and its inspiration.
+
+I'd also like to thank the many people who have contributed patches
+and comments, and where willing to try out spong and help me work out a
+few of the early problems.
+
+=head2 by Stephen L johnson
+
+I first found Big Brother and liked what it did. But I was put as a bit by
+it being written in C and shell scripts. While purusing the Big Brother mailing
+lists archives I ran across references to Spong, and it being written in Perl.
+This was Spong 1.1
+
+I tried it out but there were some stablity problems. So I reluctantly dropped
+Spong in favor of Big Brother. I didn't like some of the limitations of
+Big Brother, so I started hacking on the source code. To me it was akin to
+writing in assembler and getting a tooth pulled. I don't like either one.
+
+Fortunately I found a link to Ed Hill's installation of Spong 2.1 at the
+University of Iowa. I feel in love with Spong all over again. I asked Ed Hill
+if I could have Spong 2.1. He sent me the distribution and I started evaluating
+it again.
+
+Spong 2.1 was a big improvement over Spong 1.1 in terms of stablility
+and features. I rolled the changes that I made to Big Brother into Spong 2.1
+and I have been changing things ever since.
+
+Ed Hill had stopped development of Spong and I was spending so much time on
+Spong. I asked Ed if I could take over development of Spong. He gave his
+blessing and the torch was passed in October of 1999.
+
+I would like to thank Ed Hill for creating Spong and allowing me to take up the
+development touch. The current Spong user and development community is small
+but growing. There are still a lot of rough edges to need to be smoothed. I
+would like to thank them for their patient in allowing me to whip the Spong
+distribution into shape and helping me work out the numerous installation
+problems.
+
+=head1 BUGS
+
+=head2 Known Problems in v2.6
+
+Here are a list of problems, and possible fixes that have been reported
+for version 2.8. I will update this section as bugs come in (if there are
+any 8-). These fixes will all be included in the next release of spong,
+but if you can't wait - here are some suggestions.
+
+=over
+
+=item Memory leak in spong-network on RedHat 6.0
+
+spong-network has a memory leak when running on a Linux system and gligc 2.1.1.
+The program memory core size grows after each check cycle. The fix is to
+upgrade the glibc from version 2.1.1 to version 2.1.2.
+
+=head1 AUTHOR
+
+Ported by:
+
+Ed Hill <F<ed-hill@uiowa.edu>>
+Internet Software Developer at The University of Iowa F<http://www.uiowa.edu/>
+
+Currently maintained by:
+
+Stephen L Johnson <F<sjohnson@monsters.org>>
+
+Please feel free to send me bug reports, patches, suggestions, or comments.
+
projects / spong.git / commitdiff