Simple Checks - Can some clarify how they work

[entorno]

Hello all.

I've setup Zabbix 1.1.4 on a SLES 10 server (Compiled Zabbix from source tarball etc).

My situation is as follows:

I have the Zabbix server daemon running, and also the agent (on localhost) on the SLES box... all seems fine.

We have various servers running HTTP, SMTP, POP3 etc, and want to be able to monitor that those services are up. At this moment we do not want to install the agent on these machines, thus I assume we need to use Simple Checks.

However, when I add a new host, Zabbix webUI insists I enter a port number aswell, 10050 for example, but the boxes won't have the agent...

I'm totally lost as the way I should configure Zabbix server to handle "hosts" that have no agents....

Could someone explain the process please?

Many thanks and kind regards

[Alexei]

The port won't be used if you're using simple checks only. Just ignore it (leave it as it is).

[entorno]

Hi Alexei,

Firstly thank you kindly for your quick reply.

Could you clarify the "items" section for me plese?

I'm looking at http://www.zabbix.com/manual/v1.1/co...ems_simple.php

When I add a simple check, the "key"


17601 pop3 pop<*,110> 30 90 365 Simple check Not supported Port number must be numeric in [pop<*,110>]

I've tried different syntax's, all of which fail :-(

Could you advise please?

Many thanks,

Entorno

[Alexei]

Everything between < and > is optional. Normally use key 'pop'. If your pop3 server is running on a different port (123), use 'pop,123'

[entorno]

:-) again, thanks for the quick reply....

I will try that right now... very much appreciate the help!

All the best

[entorno]

Ok, great, that seems to be working...

Thanks!

[arli]

Simple checks are still confusing

I'm trying to use templates to perform a simple check. I want to create a template to monitor let's say Oracle DB listener port without having agent on the Oracle machine.

So I open the manual and look up Simple Checks for tcp port:
tcp,<ip>,<port> Checks if TCP service is running and accepting connections
0 – TCP service is down
1 – TCP service is running
2 – timeout

I create new template and new item for it like so:
Type: Simple check
Units: is left empty
Use multiplier: Do not use

First tryout
Key: tcp,{IPADDRESS},1521
Response: Item is not added - Incorrect key format 'key_name[param1,param2,...]'
Does this mean, that macros are not supported in simple checks?
OK, I posted question about that already to this thread:

http://www.zabbix.com/forum/showthread.php?p=39294#post39294

But just in case, I'll try also with IP address.
Second tryout
Key: tcp,192.168.110.75,1521
Response: Item updated - but not supported
Log:
8290:20090305:115724 Too many parameters in [tcp,192.168.110.75,1521]
8290:20090305:115754 Parameter [tcp,192.168.110.75,1521] is not supported by agent on host [testserver] Old status [0]

I don't understand, why is Zabbix telling me, that parameter is not supported by agent on testserver?!? There is no agent installed there and that's the reason I'm using simple check in the firstplace.

Everything between < and > is optional. Normally use key 'pop'. If your pop3 server is running on a different port (123), use 'pop,123'

If according to manual - "all simple check accepts two optional parameters: ip and port", then how can two parameters bee too many and how to understand example given by Alexei, where first parameter is left out?

I understand this is pretty old thread, so there could have been only one parameter then, but how come it still not taking two parameters today?

[Calimero]

I think there's a problem in the manual. AFAIK simple checks have no "IP" argument as zabbix_server uses the IP (or DNS name) specified on host level.

Hence:
tcp,80

[NOB]

Manual (1.6.8) is wrong

I think there's a problem in the manual. AFAIK simple checks have no "IP" argument as zabbix_server uses the IP (or DNS name) specified on host level.

Hence:
tcp,80

Confirmed by checking the source for 1.6.8.

Regards

Norbert.