[hobbit] Feasibility of Windows Client

[Etienne Grignon]

Hi Steve, Hi Peter,


Well, with BBWin, you will be able to compile it without cygwin because I
use all win32 possibilities :) And the source code of BBWin is under GPL, so
no more problem :)

About the hobbit protocol, the agent will be able to use data messages so, I
some agents will be able to send status message used for the web page, and
data message in an easier format to be able to parse it on hobbit server
side. For the moment, I'm trying to get the same format than the original
quest bbnt client to be able to use the existing rrd parsing scripts. Of
course, in the future, we can imagine to report status and data in a similar
format than the today hobbit unix client.


About WMI, I will only use if I can't do it using native C++ api. For
example, I have made a nice external vbs using WMI to monitor my windows
wlbs (NLB) clusters because no C api was available. However, for the MSCS
clusters, even if it's possible to make it with WMI, I had prefered make the
external with the native C api. So, note that you will be soon be able to
monitor easily the two sorts of Microsoft clusters :) These 2 probes will be
integrated in the preview release. (If I have enough time, MSCS external
will be released as a native bbwin agent :) )

After posting the preview release, I think I will be able to implement a new
probe each 2 weeks, so I will try to work as Henrik :

1) first post the idea with my implementation idea
2) recolt all your ideas and remarks
3) merge the all and implement it


If anyone has ideas about the project, don't hesitate to post or to send me
directly an email :)


Peter : I did't get the attached file you posted, it doesn't seem to be
present

--
Etienne




2006/3/1, Aiello, Steve (GE, Corporate, consultant) <steve.aiello at ge.com>:
>
> I do know that the bb1.9c code does compile on windows under cygwin. My
> next check was to see if I could get the bbgen client compiled using cygwin.
> Maybe see if the hobbit code can compile under cygwin. Once compiled, you do
> not need the full cygwin resources, but the cygwin dll. I have found the BB
> win client to be very lacking in some regards. In my current environment I
> need to stay with BigBrother, and am able not upgrade to Hobbit. So I am
> left with the test thresholds configured on the client side. With the
> windows client, configuration & thresholds are handled differently than the
> *nix clients. Also windows client does not have the option to configure what
> color status to alert on. Some of my servers need to alert on Yellow. Also,
> bb windows client does not handle the full bb protocol, I have some custom
> scripts that need to submit information via 'data'. So to me having a
> windows client that is configured, and has all the same options a *nix is
> very needful.
>
> Of late I just have not had the time to dig into this, but figured I would
> let you all know compiling under cygwin with the existing source is
> possible.
>
>  -----Original Message-----
> *From:* Norton, Peter [mailto:Peter.Norton at Manage5Nines.com]
> *Sent:* Wednesday, March 01, 2006 8:10 AM
> *To:* 'hobbit at hswn.dk'
> *Subject:* RE: [hobbit] Feasibility of Windows Client
>
> This e-mail is subject to the disclaimer set out below.
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Hi Etienne,
>
>
>
> I've been playing around with getting the various bit of info, such as
> disk usage, cpu, services, etc. using WMI scripts via .vbs. I've attached
> the file.
>
>
>
> I've not touched it for a month or so, but it might be of some use. The
> [ps] section uses the Sysinternals tools plist.
>
>
>
> My original idea was to output the data in the same format as the linux
> client, so no further coding was required in the hobbit daemon.
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Peter
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> *From:* Etienne Grignon [mailto:etienne.grignon at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* 01 March 2006 12:53
> *To:* hobbit at hswn.dk
> *Subject:* Re: [hobbit] Feasibility of Windows Client
>
>
>
> Hi all,
>
> I wanted to make you the surprise but I think I have to announce it today.
>
> I'm thinking of an open source big brother hobbit client for months and
> started to code it 2 month ago.
>
> The client is coded in C++ using the platform SDK, the visual C++ toolkit
> (free edition of the compiler). I have written the program with the idea: "I
> want to make it work without installing nothing more than a default Windows
> 2000 installation".
>
> It will work as a native service and it will not be a monolithic program
> as the actual quest bbnt.  We are in 2006, I think each program should have
> been written to take part of the plug in architecture. So, the service is
> actually an engine loading native agent (dll). So, the service loads the
> agents and it schedules their execution.
>
>
> Of course, one of my agent is called externals.dll and will be able to
> execute all existing scripts that every one are using with the original
> bbnt. But, for the future, every one will be able to develop native agents
> (using a small C++ api that I wrote).
>
> So, at first, I'm working on externals agent and with important agents as
> cpu, disk and memory (respectively: cpu.dll, disk.dll, memory.dll). For
> events, I'm waiting to be able to implement the same thing that Henrik is
> making for the unix agent.
>
>  About the configuration, it is done thanks to the registry only for paths
> information, and the configuration of the service and each agent is done
> with a nice XML configuration file.
>
>  About the installer, it will be a native MSI written using the wix
> toolkit to be able to deploy the package very easily. I'm working on it but
> for the moment, but my concentration for the moment is really on the service
> and the agents.
>
>  Now, let's talk about the project name:
>
>  The software is called bbwin (project already created on bbwin) I will
> try to post the source soon after the preview release. (For the moment, I'm
> trying to find a nice way to publish posts from my subversion repository to
> the cvs sourceforge repository :)  )
>
>
> There will be 2 executables:
>
>  Bbwin.Exe : build as a native service
>
>  Bbwincmd.exe : it is a simple command line client as bb.exe on unix, it
> is compiled with my hobbit protocol C++ class implementing 95 % of the
> protocol. I posted a preview on sourceforge : http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=136450&package_id=149927&release_id=397674
>
>
>
> About compatibility, it should work well on Windows XP, Windows 2000,
> Windows 2003 and also on Windows NT 4.0 SP 6. For 64 bits, I have no
> hardware to test for the moment.
>
>
> Also, Henrik, you told us that you knew someone working on it. Would it be
> possible for you to make me in contact with him ? May be we could work
> together. Even, if for the moment, I don't have much of native agents, I
> think working together could be cool and try to get the best of the 2
> windows clients.
>
>
> So please, wait some days, I'm preparing a first preview so, you will be
> able to judge on it. I will post a new message on the list on March 15th .
>
>
> Last thing, if you are going to renew your bbnt licence pack, I think you
> should wait some time …  : )
>
>
>
>
> Etienne (aka sharpyy)
>
> From Paris
>
>
>
>
>
> 2006/3/1, Rich Smrcina <rsmrcina at wi.rr.com>:
>
> Yes, the BB windows client does work just fine.  Word is that there is a
> Hobbit windows client in development, which we are very eagerly waiting
> for.
>
> Ralph Mitchell wrote:
> > I would expect the Windows BB client to be able to report to Hobbit -
> > after all, the other various BB tests I've tried seem to work just
> > fine.  I've never used the Windows client, so I don't know if there'd
> > be much advantage in re-inventing it.
> >
> > Ralph Mitchell
> >
> >
> > On 3/1/06, Camp, Neil D. (ManTech) CTR <neil.camp at deca.mil> wrote:
> >> Question to all,
> >>
> >> What would be the feasibility of building a windows client?
> >> Would you have to write it from scratch?
> >> Could you potentially use cygwin dlls to assist?
> >> Could you use the BB windows client?
> >>
> >> I am curious, and would like to pursue this. I am not a coder
> especially
> >> for windows, but I would be willing to give it a try. I just need some
> >> suggestions and input on what direction to go, and if there would be
> any
> >> interest in a windows client. Thanks!
> >>
> >> --neil
> >>
> >> ManTech
> >> DeCA Operations Systems Administrator
> >> (804) 734-8353
> >> neil.camp at deca.mil
> >>
> >>
> >> To unsubscribe from the hobbit list, send an e-mail to
> >> hobbit-unsubscribe at hswn.dk
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> > To unsubscribe from the hobbit list, send an e-mail to
> > hobbit-unsubscribe at hswn.dk
> >
> >
>
> --
> Rich Smrcina
> VM Assist, Inc.
> Main: (262)392-2026
> Cell: (414)491-6001
> Ans Service:  (360)715-2467
> rich.smrcina at vmassist.com
>
> Catch the WAVV!  http://www.wavv.org
> WAVV 2006 - Chattanooga, TN - April 7-11, 2006
>
> To unsubscribe from the hobbit list, send an e-mail to
> hobbit-unsubscribe at hswn.dk
>
>
>
>
> --
> Etienne GRIGNON
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> This e-mail message is confidential and for use by the addressee only. If
> you are not the intended recipient, you must not use, disclose, copy or
> forward this transmission. Please return the message to the sender by
> replying to it and then delete the message from your computer. The Generics
> Group provides e-mail services for both itself and a number of its
> independent spin-out companies. The Generics Group shall not be held liable
> to any person resulting from the use of any information contained in this
> e-mail and shall not be liable to any person who acts or omits to do
> anything in reliance upon it. The Generics Group does not accept
> responsibility for changes made to this message after it was sent.
>
>


--
Etienne GRIGNON
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.xymon.com/pipermail/xymon/attachments/20060301/20e77f61/attachment.html>