beta8 - problem with template and changes

[krusty]

Hi,

i have located one probelm with templating. I use two different templates for more than 1000 hosts. If i want to change one item of one host, all items of all hosts will be changed. That was really miserable. Have i any chance to change only this item without changing all other items?

[Alexei]

Unfortunately current templating schema does not support this. If an item is taken from a template, it cnnot be unlinked and configuration of the item cannot be changed for one host only.

[krusty]

Unfortunately current templating schema does not support this. If an item is taken from a template, it cnnot be unlinked and configuration of the item cannot be changed for one host only.

That sounds not really good. Do you plan to change this in the next version? Because we need this.

[Alexei]

Not in 1.1. Initially we went with a super flexible design which allowed this, it turned to be quite difficult to understand and configure. That's why we have the templating as it is now.

Perhaps in next major release the whole templating will be improved.

[krusty]

It's a pity. I think i will downgrad to beta 1.1beta6, because we need the feature.

[Alexei]

I woudn't do this. If you use SNMP, then you may consider adding new items with a different Key but same OID. In this case, you will have two similar items (one from template, other with a different refresh rate, for example).

Is it what you want?

[krusty]

I woudn't do this. If you use SNMP, then you may consider adding new items with a different Key but same OID. In this case, you will have two similar items (one from template, other with a different refresh rate, for example).

Is it what you want?

Yes, i thought so too. But that would be many configuration. We have to delete or disable the items which was created with templates and set new items manually. Than i have to change the graphs for each host.

Possible that is a solution for us but not really nice.

[Alexei]

All right, then you may consider doing something like this:

1. Define your main template, say Main_Template
2. Define send template based on the Main_Template, Misc_Items
3. Link hosts to Main_Template/Misc_Items/

In this case you're free to change both Main_Template and Misc_Items. It
adds more flexibility. Not sure if the solution is OK to you.

[krusty]

Hi Alexei,

i have checked your solution, but that dosen't work for me. Maybe i have done something wrong.

[krusty]

Hi Alexei,

know i have had time to check it. It works but we could not use this, because i have to create many different templates. That wouldn't be nice for our server. You know we have more then 1200 hosts to monitor. Sometimes we have change the monitoring quickly and i do not want to create every time a new template that i can use for this.

I would prefer the solution like in zabbix 1.1beta7 or later. I hope you change this in the next versions.

Sorry for my english.

[technow0rker]

Maybe it would be more flexible to add the possibility to link one host to multiple templates? One could define then main template to monitor common parameters/triggers, and multiple "more detailed" templates to link with the host.

F.E.:
(main (core) templates)
Host.Unix
Host.Apache
Host.SMTP
Host.Proxy

And then

somehost->(Host.Unix+Host.Apache+Host.SMTP) or
somehost->(Host.Unix+Host.Apache+Host.Proxy)

This requires changes to DB schema and some minor changes to WEB frontend, I beleive.

Sincerely,
Alexander Khimich

[macdvd]

A possible way through?

I to have great problems with the new template system. We monitor approx 300 servers each of which is slightly different. The new template system means I have to create a new template from scratch for each machine.

Preiously I coud have a template which I could use and modify to suite each servers differences... now I cant.

This has changed the configuration time a great deal... to the extent that I may have to use another tool..

One possibility however is that If it were possible to copy a template, i could then tweek the copy and use this. I would not have to configure each machine from scratch. I could then If I wished, use the system like the old structure... where I have a template for each server I monitor.

The new system just does not work for me, I dont have two servers exactly the same anywhere, but this would fix it for me.



Steve

[Alexei]

I to have great problems with the new template system. We monitor approx 300 servers each of which is slightly different. The new template system means I have to create a new template from scratch for each machine.

What exactly is "slightly different"? Is item's refresh rate the only difference? Something else?

[Alexei]

Would it be enough to allow Refresh Period to be changed for linked items?