Zabbix-Zapcat integration questions

[vkarai]

Hello:

I have an Ubuntu Linux 9.04 workstation and have successfully

• installed zabbix-agent, zabbix-frontend and zabbix-server - all of them v 1.6.1.3
• installed MySQL (v 5.1.3) and provisioned it with initial values
• started the Zabbix server
• deployed Zapcat 1.2 to Tomcat 6
• started Tomcat 6
• exported the Tomcat 6 MBean definitions that Zapcat generates for you imported the Tomcat 6 MBean definitions from Zapcat into Zabbix server
• now seeing the new host definition (Tomcat server having JMX agent) added JMX attributes for custom MBeans for an app deployed to Tomcat 6 (In Zabbix using Configuration/Items and then Create Item)

So far so good. Now I have the following questions for gurus who are knowledgeable in both Zabbix and Zapcat since my bias is very Java centric. I don't really care to monitor routers, switches or whatever - just JMX MBeans from my Java app.

Questions
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• Using Zapcat, can I somehow export all the MBeans - the Tomcat JVM MBeans as well as the MBeans from my custom Java app. MBeans were created and exported using Java 6 and Spring 3. Right now it seems that the Zapcat exporter only knows about Tomcat JVM MBeans.
• If the MBean attributes for my custom Java web app cant be exported by Zapcat, is there any way to somehow define them to Zabbix in a a batch process (say via an XML file)
• In my Java web application, now being monitored by Zabbix can I also define a trapper as defined here (in the Java web app) such that the Zabbix server monitors my Java web app (specifically the Tomcat and my webapp's MBeans)
• my Java web app generates traps (for the Zabbix server to consume)
• n the Java code that connects to the Zabbix server (where we do new ZabbixTrapper(...)), do we need to provide any System properties or will the code know that it needs to connect to the Zabbix server on the correct port?
• Is it possible for JMX enabled methods of MBeans to be invoked from Zabbix? It doesn't seem to be the case that Zapcat can somehow expose MBean methods to Zabbix - just the MBean attributes.

Specifically, my main interests are
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• the ability to export (in one shot) all my MBeans - Tomcat JVM MBeans as well as my webapp's MBeans
• the ability to generate traps from my custom Java webapp (same code that's being monitored) for consumption by Zabbix

Thanks in advance.

[jthakrar]

Hello Vkarai,


Look at the Java JVM agent from mikoomi.com.

Mikoomi has a a Zabbix appliance that comes bundled with JVM monitoring.
It uses an agent that does not require an Zabbix agent on the JVM host and nor does it require you to use up the standard Zabbix agent port on the JVM host.

In addition, you can monitor multiple JVMs on the same host.
However each JVM has to be configured as a "unique" host.

See the install instructions on the agent.

You will have further customize the Mikoomi Java JVM agent as follows -
1) Use the jar helper file that comes with the Mikoomi Java JVM agent to query your custom mbean attributes
2) Update the Java JVM template (or create a copy from the Mikoomi JVM template) to define your mbean attributes
3) Define triggers for your custom mbean