Main parameters Tab: Group Entity Parameters

Host Parameters

A host has several parameter sections. Some host parameters provide the default values for their child monitor and template parameters.

• The Name and Grouping section contains a human-readable host name that is used in all kinds of reports. This name can be changed but should be unique throughout the monitoring system. The host’s parent nodes (Agent and Host Groups) are listed in this section as clickable links. The host can be moved to another group using the Move… button:

  

  

  You can assign custom icon for the host using the dropdown control next to Icon. By default, a host uses an icon defined for its host group. It is possible to upload and use your own icon(s).

• The Host Definition section contains parameters used to identify a host within the monitoring system by providing its DNS hostname and/or IP address and to specify whether the DNS name or the IP address should be used to poll the host’s resources. Both parameters can be changed. In addition, this section contains the Admin web interface – a URL that is used to address the host via the Admin Tools > Device web interface drop-down menu. This parameter can be changed, too.
• The Host Maintenance section contains the Maintenance Period parameter that you can use to indicate temporary host unavailability due to periodic or one-time maintenance. To edit this parameter click the Edit button, and modify the values in the Maintenance Period editor:

  

• The Polling interval section defines the default frequency of monitor state checks (polls) for all the host’s child monitors. A minimum interval is 15 seconds. The default value is set to 1 min. and can be changed. The available units are: seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months. By default, this section is inherited from the host’s parent host group, but can be set to be host-specific and can be modified after that. Note that the changed parameter will be immediately applied to all the host children that inherit it. Also, you can set the host children to inherit this section immediately by clicking the Enforce return to inheritance for children button:

  

  

• The Dependency settings section defines the default Dependency settings section for all the host’s (or any other entity’s) child monitors. The state of a current monitor depends on the state of the monitor specified in this section: if the specified monitor changes its state say to Down (as in the example below), then the current monitor immediately changes its state to Stopped by dependency.

  

  It is possible to indicate dependency from PING monitor on current host (this is the default and reasonable choice because it makes no sense to poll host resources when it is not reachable), or to indicate a particular monitor:

  

  You can use the following conditions to create dependencies:

  

  For example, you can configure some monitor to enter Warning state when important operation such as regular backup starts, and define other “guard” monitor that depends on the first one and stops as soon as that monitor is not in Warning state. This way, “guard” monitor will only be active when backup operation is ongoing.

  Monitors on remote agents also may depend on remote agent connection state. By default, a host section is inherited from its parent host group, and hence, can not be edited directly. You need to either edit the parent parameter, or make this parameter host-specific by unchecking the Inherit from checkbox, and editing it directly. Also, you can set the host’s children to inherit this section immediately by clicking the Enforce return to inheritance for children button.

• The Regular reporting section allows you to send host (or any other entity) status reports by email on a regular basis (daily, weekly or monthly). By default, the Notes (in reports) field contains the monitor creation date and can be modified. By default, the Report by email filed is empty. Click the Edit button to open the report schedule editor window:

  

• The Credentials section contains drop-down menus to select user credentials the monitoring system uses to access resources on this host. Each kind of credentials (Windows-like: Domain/User/Password, UNIX-like: User/Password and, SNMP: Version/Community) can be selected independently. By default, a host inherits the credentials parameters from its parent host group. You can set the host’s children to inherit this section immediately by clicking the Enforce return to inheritance for children button.

  

• The Selected Objects and their Contents section contains a set of objects currently selected in the Tree View pane. Only visible objects are counted in the selection. If a group object (an template, host, host group or monitor category) is selected, then all its visible children such as hosts, monitor types, and monitors are also considered to be selected. The section allows you to view a brief summary status of the selected objects.

Template Parameters

A Template has standard parameter sections:

• The Name and Grouping section contains a changeable template name and a clickable link to its parent host, host group and agent.
• The Template Monitors section contains a list of all the monitors included in the template. The table shows if a monitor is enabled or disabled and if the monitor is a part of the template or added to the template by the user. You can enable or disable the template monitors by checking/unchecking them in this table. A disabled monitor becomes hidden (not deleted), all its data is saved, and it can be enabled at any time.
• Polling interval
• Dependency settings
• Regular reporting
• Credentials
• Selected Objects and their Contents

Host Group Parameters

A Host group (Servers, Network Equipment, Desktops and Notebooks, Printers and UPS, Miscellaneous, and any custom group you may have created) has standard parameter sections:

• The Name and Grouping section contains a changeable group name and a chain of clickable links to its parent nodes (Agent and Host Groups).
  You can move the host group to another location using the Move… button.
  You can also select an icon that will be applied by default to all hosts and nested host groups within the group. By default, nested host groups use parent group icon and top-level groups use some specific icon.
  Note: you can browse for a custom icon which will be scaled and copied to a standard directory, $IphostDataDir/icons.
• Polling interval
• Dependency settings
• Regular reporting
• Credentials
• Selected Objects and their Contents

Agent Parameters

Parameters for any Agent, whether local or network, contain the following sections:

• The Name and Grouping section contains a changeable Agent name
• Polling interval
• Dependency settings
• Regular reporting
• Credentials
• Selected Objects and their Contents

Root Entity Parameters

The root entity settings contain the following sections:

• Polling interval
• Dependency settings
• Regular reporting
• Credentials
• Selected Objects and their Contents

Monitor Type Parameters

Most of the monitor type parameters provide the default values for corresponding monitor parameters. The network discovery process uses these default parameters when it creates new monitors during discovery. You can adjust them before starting discovery (for example, set specific credentials for your mail servers). The default parameters are also used when monitors are created manually.

The monitor type parameter sections are listed below:

• The Monitor Definition section contains the default values for all the monitor-type specific parameters and allows you to modify these parameters
• Regular reporting
• Selected Objects and their Contents

Monitor Category Parameters

The Monitor category parameters contain only two standard sections:

• Regular reporting
• Selected Objects and their Contents

Monitor State Parameters

The monitor state parameters contain only two standard sections:

• Regular reporting
• Selected Objects and their Contents