From b41b00d78b39164aa52aedf4ff8ba5899d575b60 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Stephen L Johnson Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2000 14:20:38 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] updated README file using spong-intro.pod file --- README | 512 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------------------- 1 file changed, 285 insertions(+), 227 deletions(-) diff --git a/README b/README index c444da6..168bce3 100755 --- a/README +++ b/README @@ -1,282 +1,340 @@ +NAME + Simple System/Network Monitoring - spong v2.7 -Simple System/Network Monitoring - spong v1.1 +DESCRIPTION + This is a simple systems and network monitoring package called + Spong. It has the following features: -Description -=========== + * client based monitoring (CPU, disk, processes, logs, etc...) -This is a simple system monitoring package called spong. It has the -following features: + * monitoring of network services (smtp, http, ping, pop, dns, + etc...) - * client based monitoring (CPU, disk, processes, logs, etc...) - * monitoring of network services (smtp, http, ping, pop, dns, etc...) - * grouping of hosts (routers, servers, workstations, PCs) - * host specific contact information - * host specific downtime information - * configurable on a client by client basis - * results displayed via the web - * history of problems - * messaging (via email or pager) when problems occur - * verbose information to help diagnosis problems + * grouping of hosts (routers, servers, workstations, PCs) -This is hopefully a *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). + * rules based messaging when problems occur -I'm a strong believer in KISS (keep it simple stupid), and hopefully this -package is as simple as possible (but no simpler). There are just 5 "pieces", -1 program that runs on "client" machines, and 4 programs that run on your web -server (where the results are displayed). There are also only 2 config files, -one that defines OS and system specific information, and one that defines what -hosts you want to monitor, and who to contact when there is a problem. + * configurable on a host by host basis + * results displayed via text or web based interface -Changes between v1.1 and v1.0 -============================= + * history of problems -This is primarily a bug fix release with a few minor features added. -Everything done in this release is based on feedback that I got from my -co-workers and people who decided to take a look at spong after my message to -the BB list. The most significant changes are: + * verbose information to help diagnosis problems - BUG: Fixed problem with defunct processes under Solaris. - FEATURE: Made the http check more configurable. - FEATURE: Added a DNS check (if you have the Net::DNS library installed) - FEATURE: Added the ability to check multiple interfaces on a host. - CHANGE: Got rid of the Makefile, now build/installation is done via a - simple perl build script. + * easily expandable via a plug-in module facility -You can get a more detailed summary of changes at: + This is hopefully a *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 to-do list). - http://strobe.weeg.uiowa.edu/~edhill/public/spong/changes.html + 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: -You can also see a list of features that I hope to add to spong at: + * spong - http://strobe.weeg.uiowa.edu/~edhill/public/spong/todo.html + Text based query program, reports information about hosts + that are monitored. + * www-spong -Availability -============ - -Perl is require to run spong. If you don't have Perl installed you can -retrieve it from the CPAN (http://www.perl.com/CPAN/) archive, along -with other optional modules such at the Net::DNS module at: - - http://www.perl.com/CPAN/src/latest.tar.gz - -You can retrieve the latest version of spong from my machine at: - - http://strobe.weeg.uiowa.edu/~edhill/public/spong/spong.tar.gz - -You can see some screen shots of spong in action (note these are just examples -of HTML that is produced - not the actual programming running - most people -don't want this level of system information public to the world (if they can -help it). - - Main Spong Page - http://strobe.weeg.uiowa.edu/~edhill/public/spong/example/main.html - Spong showing only Unix machines by group - http://strobe.weeg.uiowa.edu/~edhill/public/spong/example/unix.html - History of problems - http://strobe.weeg.uiowa.edu/~edhill/public/spong/example/history.html - Host summary page - http://strobe.weeg.uiowa.edu/~edhill/public/spong/example/host.html - Service specific summary page - http://strobe.weeg.uiowa.edu/~edhill/public/spong/example/service.html - -This distribution contain the spong source, documentation, and gif images. - - -Notification -============ - -I have sent up a mailing list that I will post to when I have released a new -version of spong. Anyone can join this list, but the traffic will be only one -way (me posting information about new-releases). If enough people are -interested in creating a list for discussion spong in general, I will set one -up at that time. - -To join the spong-announce mailing list, send a message to -majordomo@strobe.weeg.uiowa.edu with the sentence: - - subscribe spong-announce - -in the body of the message. To have yourself removed from the spong-announce -mailing list, send a message to majordomo@strobe.weeg.uiowa.edu with the -sentence unsubscribe spong-announce in the body of the message. + Web based query program, reports information about host that + are monitored. -The traffic on the list will be very light - about 1 message per month. + * spong-client + Program that runs on each monitored server. Reports host + based information (disk, cpu, logs, etc.) -Dependencies -============ + * spong-network -Perl v5.003 or greater, a web server that will allow you to run CGI programs, -and a web browser that can display tables are required. + Reports on network based services (smtp, ping, http, etc.) -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. + * spong-server -These scripts should run on any Unix or NT system (and to ``some'' degree any -environment where Perl is available). + Collects information reported and responds to queries about + that information. + * spong-message -Installation -============ + Called by the spong-server program to send out notifications + when problems occur. -To build and install the spong server do the following on the machine running -your web server. - - 1. Edit the "build" script, and set the variables at the top of that script - according to where you want spong installed, and where certain programs - that spong relies on are located. - - 2. Check to make sure there is a config/spong.conf. file corresponding - to your operating system, if not - create one. This file contains paths - and command line arguments to helper programs that are used to determine - things like disk usage, etc... If you have to create your own - spong.conf. file, then please email it to me so that I can add it to - the distribution. - - 3. Make sure you are in the directory that you unpacked spong in and type: - ./build where is the name corresponding to your - operating system. You can type ./build help to generate a list of - valid operating system strings. - - When the build completes, you will be left with some new directories in - the folder that you unpacked spong in. The build process takes the - spong source (and documentation), and replaces some "tokens" with values - that you have supplied at the top of the build script. The build - process also creates a spong.conf file, and generates various types of - documentation based on the POD files that come with spong. - - 4. Now, type ./build install. Note that the install process - makes no assumptions about what user you want to run spong as (you don't - have to run it as root). This means that you have to be a little more - careful when you install spong (making sure it has the correct - permissions, and that you have permission to copy the www pages into - your web server's document tree). - - 5. Now edit the spong.conf, and spong.hosts files that you just installed - and season to taste. You should now be able to read the manual pages - for each. - -Now you will have the executables and configuration files in place on the -server. You need to start the spong-server and spong-network programs. The -spong-server program will listen for reports from various agents, and the -spong-network program will start testing the hosts you have defined for any -problems. After starting those programs, you should start seeing files show up -in the SPONGSTATUS directory that you defined in the spong.conf file. - -For each client machine you will need to install the just the spong-client and -a spong.conf file and make sure they start up when your system is rebooted. +Availability + Spong's Home Page is at 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 + 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 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 + http://spong.sourceforge.net/downloads.html. This distribution + contain the spong source, documentation, and gif images. + +SUPPORT + There are two mailings setup for Spong: spong-users and spong- + announce. + + spong-users is for general discussions or getting help for + Spong. You can subscribe 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 + http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/spong-users. + + spong-announce is a low-volume mailing which will be used for + announcements and news concerning Spong. It is moderated, but + feel free to submit any pertinent items. You can subscribe by + sending a message to spong-announce- + request@lists.sourceforge.net with the work subscribe in the + message. Or be visiting the mailing lists home page at + http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/spong-announce. + +DEPENDENCES + Perl v5.004 or greater is all that is required to set up 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). + +DOCUMENTATION + Don't let the amount of documentation scare you, I still think + 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 formatted versions of the + documentation. The HTML documentation can be located anywhere. + It's cross-links should survive a move intact. + + There are four main documents that describe spong from different + perspectives. + + * FAQ + + Frequently Asked Questions by users and their answers. + + * 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. + + * Administrator's 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 Spong can do that you might not have thought of. + + * Developer's Guide + + Written for the person who wants to have Spong look + differently, or what to add some new feature in their + version of spong, or wants to incorporate spong output in + other programs. This details the Spong internals, and + describes the various protocols that are used. + + 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. + +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: -Documentation -============= + spong.conf distributed config file -The documentation is in pod format, which you can convert to html or manual -pages using the various pod2xxx tools that come with Perl. The documentation -is brief but hopefully enough to help you get things installed, and provide -enough information for you to modify it as you see fit. If you are in a pinch, -the code is readable enough (and well commented) to provide some help as well. + spong.conf. os specific config changes -There is a README file that describes the overall system (this file), and there -are pod files available for each program, and the 2 configuration files that -come with spong. + spong.hosts host/service config file -On installation, the pod files are used to generate both HTML documentation, -and man pages. + spong.groups group config file + src: -Files -===== + spong.pl text based spong display client -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. + spong-client.pl collects/reports cpu,disk,etc info + spong-network.pl collects/reports network service info - config: - spong.conf distributed config file - spong.conf. os specific config changes - spong.hosts host/service config file - - src: - 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-display.pl displays spong status via CGI program - spong-message.pl alerts humans there's a problem - <*>.pod documentation for the above files - - www: - gifs: various icons used by spong-display - docs: location of html versions of man pages - history: history files kept here - hosts: host specific html files - screens: html "screens" used to create the GUI - status: location of status information - tmp: temporary storage directory + 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 -Licensing -========= + www-spong.pl web based spong display client -Copyright 1997, Ed Hill - The University of Iowa + www-spong-ack.pl web based acknowledgement program -Like Perl, 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 ed-hill@uiowa.edu, and I will mail you a -copy. + docs: + <*>.html documentation for the above files -History -======= + gifs: various icons used by www-spong -Version 1.1 Primarily a bug fix release with a few minor features (dns,http - config,multiple interfaces) added. +LICENSING + Copyright 1999,200, Stephen L Johnson -Version 1.0 Initial public release, mostly based on Big Brother package - from Sean MacGuire. + Like Perl, 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 Internet Software Developer at The + University of Iowa http://www.uiowa.edu/ + + Currently maintained by: + + Stephen L Johnson + + Please feel free to send me bug reports, patches, suggestions, + or comments. -Please feel free to send me bug reports, patches, suggestions, or comments. -- 2.30.2