Deploying conf files

[high-t]

Hi.

I'm using several configuration files for my templates, for UserParameter items.
The problem is, that whenever I update a conf file, I then need to distribute it across my servers fleet.
Currently, I'm not using any Configuration Management tool, so I'm simply copying the amended files with scp. However, this is quite a tedious process, and I'm sure you have some idea to make this simpler...

BTW: Is there a way for Zabbix agent to read a remotely stored configuration file?

Thank you in advance!

[tiarnaigh]

One simple enough solution would be to kick off a remote wget/curl for instance from the remote agent of the file in question (You could host it on a http server in your network say) and then get Zabbix server to kick off the remote agent call as follows:

/usr/local/bin/zabbix_get -s hostName -k system.run["curl -k https://X.X.X.X/filename.fileExtension -o /path/on/local/server/filename.fileExtension","wait"];


Or, for a bunch of remote hosts all at once:

for i in hostA hostB hostC hostD hostE; do echo "#### $i ####"; /use/local/bin/zabbix_get -s $i -k system.run["curl -k https://X.X.X.X/filename.fileExtension -o /path/on/local/server/filename.fileExtension","wait"]; done

Once you've pulled down the file in question, you can then bounce Zabbix agent likewise using remote agent call to apply changes...........

[high-t]

Great idea, tiarnaigh, Thank you.

I like your approach. Having Zabbix Server causing a Zabbix Agent to launch a wget/curl call and retrieve the files from an HTTP source.

Going forward, the Zabbix agent needs to be restarted to read the new conf files. I don't know if Zabbix Server can get a Zabbix Agent restart itself. But I'll test that and see how it goes.

[tiarnaigh]

Yep. Sure can (Provided you're running the remote agent as root that is, and allow RemoteCommands). You can set this in your config as follows:

### Option: AllowRoot
# Allow the agent to run as 'root'. If disabled and the agent is started by 'root', the agent
# will try to switch to the user specified by the User configuration option instead.
# Has no effect if started under a regular user.
# 0 - do not allow
# 1 - allow
#
# Mandatory: no
# Default:
AllowRoot=1


### Option: EnableRemoteCommands
# Whether remote commands from Zabbix server are allowed.
# 0 - not allowed
# 1 - allowed
#
# Mandatory: no
# Default:
EnableRemoteCommands=1



Here's a sample script (updateNtp.sh) I used for something similar recently for instance (Updating all ntp.conf files across my hosts - 100+):

[root@zbx2atl0 ~]# cat updateNtp.sh
#!/bin/bash
cat allHosts.txt | while read i;
do
echo "###### $i ####";
/use/local/bin/zabbix_get -s $i -k system.run["rpm -qa --last | grep ntpdate","wait"];
/use/local/bin/zabbix_get -s $i -k system.run["/etc/init.d/ntpd stop","wait"];
/use/local/bin/zabbix_get -s $i -k system.run["curl -k https://X.X.X.X/ntp.conf -o /etc/ntp.conf","wait"];
/use/local/bin/zabbix_get -s $i -k system.run["chkconfig ntpdate on","wait"];
/use/local/bin/zabbix_get -s $i -k system.run["chkconfig ntpd on","wait"];
/use/local/bin/zabbix_get -s $i -k system.run["/etc/init.d/ntpdate start","wait"];
/use/local/bin/zabbix_get -s $i -k system.run["/etc/init.d/ntpd start","wait"];
done


To call this, simply create a list of hosts "allHosts.txt" and then run as follows say:

[root@zbx2atl0 ~]# cat allHosts.txt | while read i; do sh updateNtp.sh; done

In your case, you'd simply call say "/etc/init.d/zabbix_agentd restart" instead once you've updated your config file.

[high-t]

Awesome.

I see you're using an RPM based distro.
I'll translate this into Ubuntu'ish and give it a try.

BTW: with relation to being able to run Zabbix agent as a root, I also add it to the sudo group:

gpasswd -a zabbix sudo

Alternatively, run visudo and add the following line:

zabbix ALL=NOPASSWD: ALL

(remember to restart ssh)