From 53e9a891c3b27cf32ee7b8effa93deadad7d8a16 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Stephen L Johnson Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2000 03:56:19 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] adding file into CVS tree --- pod/spong-intro.pod | 369 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 369 insertions(+) create mode 100755 pod/spong-intro.pod diff --git a/pod/spong-intro.pod b/pod/spong-intro.pod new file mode 100755 index 0000000..70da559 --- /dev/null +++ b/pod/spong-intro.pod @@ -0,0 +1,369 @@ +=head1 NAME + +Simple System/Network Monitoring - spong v2.0 + +=head1 DESCRIPTION + +This is a B systems and network monitoring package called B. 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 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 + +Text based query program, reports information about hosts that are +monitored. + +=item B + +Web based query program, reports information about host that are monitored. + +=item B + +Program that runs on each monitored server. Reports host based information +(disk, cpu, logs, etc.) + +=item B + +Reports on network based services (smtp, ping, http, etc.) + +=item B + +Collects information reported and responds to queries about that information. + +=item B + +Called by the B program to send out notifications when +problems occur. + +=back + +=head1 Availability + +Spong's Home Page is at F. + +Perl is require to run spong. If you don't have Perl installed you can retrieve +it from the CPAN archive F, 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 + +You can retrieve the latest version of Spong from the Spong project at Source +Forge. The 'Downloads' web is at F. +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. + + +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. + +=head1 DEPENDENCES + +Perl v5.004 or greater is all that is required to set up B. 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 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 + +Frequently Asked Questions by users and their answers. + +=item L + +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 + +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 can do that you might +not have thought of. + +=item L + +Written for the person who wants to have B 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 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 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 + +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 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 +, and I will mail you a copy. + + +=head1 CHANGES + +The list of changes for the latest version of B can be found +at L + +=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 > +Internet Software Developer at The University of Iowa F + +Currently maintained by: + +Stephen L Johnson > + +Please feel free to send me bug reports, patches, suggestions, or comments. + -- 2.30.2