[Xymon] Can custom client-side tests leverage the server-side value in analysis.cfg?

[Jeremy Laidman]

On Tue, 17 Oct 2023 at 12:22, Grant Taylor via Xymon <xymon at xymon.com>
wrote:

> Sounds like use what's best for the situation, even if there might be a
> slight affinity one way or the other.
>

Yes. One of the things I love about Xymon is that it's extremely flexible
so that you get to choose from a range of different ways to solve a
problem, based on your skillset, environment, and preferences. It's modular
and extensible.


> > With central mode, client data messages are sent to the server, into
> > the xymond daemon. Then code on the server asks the xymond daemon for
> > the client message of each host, parses them for possible problems,
> > and constructs a status message with the colour in the header and a
> > text report in the body.
>
> My understanding is that's one way to do it.
>

Yes, one way (see my previous comment ;-). But it's also the way Xymon does
it internally. Well, kind-of. Instead of "asks the xymond daemon" a xymon
module connects to a channel and receives from the xymon daemon. But the
data flow is pretty much the same, and I suppose that's what I was trying
to convey, while avoiding the technical complexities.

My understanding that another way to do it is to hook in as a channel
> and receive a copy of all messages (of the proper type) and act
> appropriately.
>

Yes indeed. You're really getting into the nitty-gritty of things. Most
Xymon admins never have to know that channels are a thing, because they're
mostly used for Xymon to talk to itself (eg to parse a client data message
and create status messages). So consider yourself levelled-up!

When writing server-side extensions that use client data, you can write
your own parser that periodically fetches the latest client message, or you
can tap into the channel to get it. Xymon taps into the channel.

I'm trying to get my hands on a compilation of any version for AIX 5.3
> (?).  For now I'm running the hobbitclient-aix.sh via telnet w/ echo
> scheduled via cron.  It's working and providing most of what I need and
> much of what I want.
>

Oh my! Isn't AIX5.3 like a decade beyond end-of-support?

I've sort of taken what previous colleagues poked once in a while and
> ran with it to make things better for $DAY_JOB, myself, and a friend
> that I help.  I've also intrigued another friend enough to install and
> play with it.
>
> I think I say that I'm liking Xymon.  ;-)
>

Good to see.


> > The patch is applied to the packages available from the Terabithia
> > repository, but I don't believe it's included when Xymon is built from
> > original source code.
>
> Please elaborate and / or point me where I can go do some more reading.
>

About the "sections" patch? I don't know much about the background to its
conception and existence, but there's probably a CHANGELOG and that might
provide some info. If you haven't yet, perhaps install an RPM from the
Terabithia website, or unpack an SRPM to review any extra README files or
the like.

I've seen references to 4.4 being in alpha status.
>

Yes indeed. I've not started testing this yet myself.

Yep.  Naming things and knowing where / how to start counting are three
> of the hardest things in computers.
>

LoL.

Cheers
Jeremy
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