Chroniker TaskWatch Module – Custom Test

 

Problem:  

Are there custom scripts failing or responding slow in your environment?

 

Solution:
Allow Chroniker's TaskWatch to monitor your custom scripts by measuring their response time.

 

Creating a Custom Task involves the following steps:

  1. Define a Custom Task
  2. Create Reactions
  3. Create Events
  4. Apply Events to Custom Task

 

 

 

Step by Step:

 

Define a Custom Test

1. Click Add Tasks and select the Custom Task Test

 

Example: The Add New: Custom Test page is displayed.

2. Select/Add a Group:
Click on the Group drop down menu button and select a group from this list or create a new one.
If you already have the needed group defined, select that group, and proceed to Step 3

 

a. Select <New> to get to Add Group page.  Type a unique name in the Group Alias field.
Example: Database Name and type of Task and its number “Custom_Script”.  All spaces and symbols are permitted.

b. Type numerical value in the Check Frequency (minutes) in its field. This is how often this test should be run.
Example: The default is 10 minutes, but can go as low as one minute.

c. Select a profile from the drop down list if you have a known period of downtime.
Example: Leave "select" there for continuous monitoring.

d. Enter the number of seconds before the test is considered a failure in the Connect Time-out (sec.) field.
Example: Recommended value is 15-30.

e. Enter a description of the scenario so that you and other users know the purpose of the scenario.
Example: “Custom Script 10 minute testing.”

f. Click the Add button at the bottom of the page when finished, or the Reset button to clear the values.

3. Alias:
Enter a unique Task Name. Use whichever naming convention is most useful to you.
Example:  “delete_logfile”

4. External Program:
Enter in the Path to the External Program (or script file).
Example: “c:/Program Files/Scripts/deletelog

5. Event Management:
Event Management:Select an event from the drop list for each event type.
Example: Drop lists show events you have defined already, OR skip this step and create and apply Events later.

6. Click the Add button at the bottom of the page to complete the creation of task. Or if you want to start over, click the Reset button to clear all fields. You may also click Cancel to abort the process

 

Create Reactions

Reactions are initiated when the tasks’ thresholds are exceeded.  Emails, Numerical Pages, SNMP Traps and Custom are available.

 

1. Click on the Reactions link from the top menu of any module to open the Reactions home page.
Example: The main reaction page is displayed.

2. Click the Add New Reaction button.
Example: Sub Menu opens

3. Choose the type of reaction you want from the list.
Example: Choose e-mail reaction.

Example: This displays the add email reaction page.

3. This is the unique name given to the reaction.
Example: Script_Reaction_Email.  If you are going to use this same e-mail for several tests, make the alias more generic.

4. Type the E-mail address.
Example: Separate multiple E-mail addresses with commas.

5. Type text into the subject field. This is the subject line of the E-mail to be sent.
Example: Insert one or more alert variables.  Select the variable from the drop down list and then click the Add button next to it for each.  “%al has exceeded its %th threshold.”

6. Email Body: Type the text message that will appear in the body of this E-mail alert.
Example: Insert variables as desired by selecting the variable from the drop down list and clicking Add Button. Do this for each variable you wish to add.  “The %al task has %be its %at level at %sd.  It has reached this %th with a value of %vl.”

7. Click the Add button at the bottom of the page.

 

 

Create Events

An Event is primarily defined by its event (alert) level: Down, Error, Warning or Information. Other important parameters in an event definition are thresholds and reactions. 

Example: Create an event for each event type so that you have three thresholds of monitoring, and an additional one for when the test is down completely. Or you can create very generic events and apply them to several tasks you’ll create in the future.

1. Click Events from the top menu. 

Example: The main events page is displayed.

2. Click Add new Event. 

Example: The add event page is displayed.

3. Type in the event name.  Event names can use any convention you find most helpful. 
Example: Custom_Script_Info. Make sure that each is unique to avoid confusion.

4. Select the event type from the drop list.
Example: Information.

5. Select the operator from the drop list.  The mathematical operator used to compare the retrieved value and the threshold.
Example: (>, <, >=, <=, +, -, =).

6. Type in the numerical duration the threshold must be exceeded for to initiate this event.

7. Type in the numerical threshold. 
Example: If you choose the operator “>”, than “5” may be a good value.  Do not set thresholds so low that you constantly receive an e-mail, only at a level where you actually do want to.

8. Select reaction(s) #1 and #2 (if necessary). 
Example: Use “Script_Reaction_Email”, or a reaction that you created earlier.

9. Type an alert message and include variables from the drop list as needed. 
Example: Test %al, has %be at %sd.  This is a   %at alert.

10. Type an event description. 
Example: “Custom script to delete a log sends email.”

11. Click the add button at the bottom of the page when data is correct.
Example: Newly created event is listed.

Example: If the column data is not helpful in determining what the event is for, edit that event.

 

 

Apply Events

You may apply events either from the main event page, or the edit page of each task you create.  Once applied, as the thresholds are exceeded the reactions are initiated.

 

Apply Event from Event Page

 

1. Click the Apply button for the event you’ve created.
Example: The apply event page is displayed.

2. Click the name/alias of the task(s) you want to apply the event to. It gets highlighted.
Example: If no monitors are listed, then you do not have that type of test set up yet.

3. Click the apply button at the bottom.
Example: A success screen should appear.

4. Click the continue button.

 

Apply Event from Task Edit Page

1. Click Tasks from the top menu.

2. Click the edit task icon for the Custom Task. (Icon looks like a small notepad)

3. Select the event you’ve created on the information level of event management from the drop list.

4. Click the update button at the bottom of the page.

Summary:

 

You have created a Custom Task that will send an email when the event threshold you’ve set is exceeded.  It is recommended that you create as many reactions and events as you need to monitor your systems and networks efficiently.

 

If you find that you are receiving emails constantly, edit the event’s threshold accordingly.  Or make changes to the Custom so that it does operate under desired thresholds

Now that you have a basic Custom test setup you can graph, report and monitor the data you are collecting.  You may also edit the appropriate scenario and or task to include profiles and other options.

 

Should you need further technical help on the topic of Custom monitoring with Chroniker’s TaskWatch module, feel free to contact NRG Global at: 1-626-478-2138 or email: support@NRGglobal.com.