======================================================================
Halcyon PrimeAlert (R) Agent for Windows
Version 5.2.0
For use with Sun Management Center
README
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Overview
======================================================================
PrimeAlert Agent for Windows monitors system resources
and and applications running on Microsoft Windows through
Sun Management Center.
This file consists of the following sections:
- Included Components
- Definitions
- Supported Platforms
- Informational Text Files
- Installation and Uninstallation Instructions
- Troubleshooting
- Release Notes
- Help Documentation
- License Agreement
- Agent Overview
- Using the PrimeAlert Agent for Windows
- Monitoring the Windows Host with an Sun Management Center Console
- Module Features
Included Components
======================================================================
This distribution includes the following PrimeAlert products:
PrimeAlert Agent for Windows
PrimeAlert SystemAlert for Windows
PrimeAlert MIB-II System
PrimeAlert Agent Statistics
PrimeAlert EventLogAlert
PrimeAlert LogFileAlert
PrimeAlert ProcessAlert
The six PrimeAlert modules bundled with the PrimeAlert Agent for
Windows provide the agent with a basic level of functionality.
Definitions
======================================================================
- Halcyon has developed 'PrimeAlert Agents' for a number of platforms
(Windows 2000/XP/2003, HP-UX, and Linux) that allow non-Solaris
hosts to be monitored by Sun Management Center.
- <INSTALLDIR> is a user-selected directory for installing PrimeAlert
agent and console files on a Windows host. The default value is
C:\Program Files\Halcyon\PrimeAlert.
Supported Platforms
======================================================================
PrimeAlert Agent for Windows is only supported for the following
software product(s):
Sun Management Center 3.5-4.0
Microsoft Windows 2000, XP and Server 2003
The following table summarizes the platform support for the various
components contained within this distribution:
Operating Base Agent Server Console
System Product Layer Layer Layer
----------------- ----------------- ----- ------ -------
Solaris 2.8-2.10 Sun MC 3.5-4.0 x
Windows 2000/XP PrimeAlert Agent x
Server 2003 for Windows
Note: Halcyon officially supports the versions listed above as the
product was tested against these releases. It is possible
that the product may function correctly with other versions.
Informational Text Files
======================================================================
A number of useful informational text files are included with this
distribution:
- README.txt
- README.install.txt
- TroubleShooting.txt
- ReleaseNotes.txt
- LICENSE.txt
- COPYRIGHT.txt
These files are located in the base directory of the distribution
tarball, and after installation, in the directory:
After installation on a Solaris host -
/var/opt/SUNWsymon/install/HALWinAgent
After installation on a Windows host -
<INSTALLDIR>docs\HALWinAgent
Installation and Uninstallation Instructions
======================================================================
For installation or uninstallation instructions, refer to the
following file:
- README.install.txt
Troubleshooting
======================================================================
For troubleshooting information, refer to the following file:
- TroubleShooting.txt
Release Notes
======================================================================
For information about bug fixes, enhancements, known problems, and
upgrade strategy for the current release, refer to the following file:
- ReleaseNotes.txt
Help Documentation
======================================================================
To view the Help documentation for each of the six modules included
with the PrimeAlert Agent for Windows, open the following files in the
"doc" subdirectory of the HALWinAgent_5.2.0 directory in the tar file
HALWinAgent_5.2.0.tar:
./doc/WinSystemAlert/HALWinSystemAlert-h.html
./doc/MIB-II/HALMIBII-h.html
./doc/WinAgentStats/HALWinAgentStats-h.html
./doc/WinEventLogAlert/HALWinEventLogAlert-h.html
./doc/WinLogFileAlert/HALWinLogFileAlert-h.html
./doc/WinProcessAlert/HALWinProcessAlert-h.html
This documentation is also available by selecting "Help" from a
module's pop-up menu in the console's Details window. This will
redirect the user to the latest documentation on Halcyon's
website (www.halcyoninc.com).
License Agreement
======================================================================
Please read the license agreement in the following file:
- LICENSE.txt
Without purchasing a license, this module will only operate for an
evaluation period of 30 days from installation.
If you wish to purchase a license to use this Halcyon PrimeAlert
product, please contact us at:
Web: http://www.HalcyonInc.com
Email: info@HalcyonInc.com
Tel: 416-932-4647
Fax: 416-932-4711
Agent Overview
======================================================================
The PrimeAlert Agent for Windows monitors the health and statistics of
a host running Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server
2003. The agent has been verified to run on these versions of the
Windows operating system. The PrimeAlert Agent for Windows seamlessly
integrates with Sun Management Center, such that Windows hosts running
this agent can be managed and viewed from a Sun Management Center
console.
The following modules are provided with this release:
- PrimeAlert SystemAlert for Windows
- PrimeAlert MIB-II System
- PrimeAlert Agent Statistics
- PrimeAlert EventLogAlert
- PrimeAlert LogFileAlert
- PrimeAlert ProcessAlert
The first four modules are loaded by default when the PrimeAlert Agent
for Windows is first started; note that PrimeAlert MIB-II System cannot
be unloaded by the user.
For a description of these modules, please read the documentation on
Halcyon's website:
http://www.halcyoninc.com/products/NTAgent/help/HALWindows-h.html
Using the PrimeAlert Agent for Windows
======================================================================
Starting the Agent
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You can choose to start the PrimeAlert Agent during installation.
Since the agent is a service, it can also be controlled via the
Services applet in the Windows Control Panel. The service name is
"Halcyon PrimeAlert Agent". That is also where you can specify a
different user/password to run the service.
Configuration
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Typically, configuration of the PrimeAlert Agent for Windows is done
during installation. If you want to specify different settings after
installation, edit the text file <INSTALLDIR>local\cfg\domain-config.x.
The following lines can be specified in domain-config.x:
# Agent Configuration
agent = {
# Agent Port
snmpPort = <port number>
# Enabled logging channels
activeChannels = <channel ...>
# channel can be: error warning info debug status history syslog
}
# Server Configuration
# <component> is either trap or event
<component> = {
# Server Component Port
snmpPort = <port number>
# Server Component Server Name
<component>Server = <server name>
# Enabled logging channels
activeChannels = <channel ...>
}
If host names or port numbers are changed, the Windows agent must be
reseeded. On the Windows agent host, run the following commands in a
Command Prompt window:
X:\> cd <INSTALLDIR>local\cfg
X:\<INSTALLDIR>local\cfg> ..\..\install\sbin\paAgent - tool usm-seed -s <seed> -p <public> agent
where <seed> is the super-user seed that was used during the Sun Management
Center server layer installation, and <public> is the public user seed
(default "public").
After reseeding the agent, restart the Halcyon PrimeAlert Agent service.
Logging
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The PrimeAlert Agent for Windows creates several log files that can
be used for debugging purposes. These log files use a special format
called clog. Clog files are circular log files that remain at a fixed
size. The following tools can be used to view the log files:
<INSTALLDIR>install\bin\ctail.exe: This is similar to the UNIX command
tail. It displays the last few lines of a file. New lines are displayed
as they are added to the file.
<INSTALLDIR>install\bin\ccat.exe: This is similar to the UNIX command
cat. It prints the whole file on standard output.
The following log files are created by the agent --
<INSTALLDIR>local\log\agent.log:
This log file contains runtime information about the PrimeAlert Agent
for Windows. Lines containing critical error messages begin with
"error".
<INSTALLDIR>local\log\agentStatus.log:
This log file contains events generated by the PrimeAlert Agent for
Windows.
<INSTALLDIR>local\log\history.log:
This log file contains information about monitored items for which the
history function has been enabled. This can be done in the Sun
Management Center console by using the History tab of the Attribute
Editor.
Monitoring the Windows Host with an Sun Management Center Console
======================================================================
This section provides instructions on how to configure your Sun
Management Center console to monitor hosts running the PrimeAlert Agent
for Windows.
In the following examples, it is assumed that you are logged into a Sun
Management Center console and an administrative domain is available.
Creating a Windows Node
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Before you can monitor the PrimeAlert Agent, you need to create a
Windows node in the Sun Management Center topology.
Using the Sun Management Center console, do the following:
1. In the main console window, select "Edit" from the menu bar and then
"Create Object...".
2. Select the "Node" tab in the resulting dialog box.
3. Select "SNMP Ping" from the "Monitor Via" picklist.
4. Enter a label in the "Node Label" field, e.g.
Colorado (XP)
5. Enter a description in the "Description" field, e.g.
Windows XP Host on 4th floor, main building
6. Enter the hostname in the "Hostname" field, e.g.
colorado
7. Optionally enter the IP address in the "IP Address" field, e.g.
192.1.4.5
8. Enter the port number in the "Port" field. This is the port
number you provided during installation . The default is 161.
161
Note: If it was necessary to install the PrimeAlert Agent for
Windows on another port (e.g. because there was already an
agent using UDP port 161) then specify the port you used.
9. Click "OK". A new node is inserted into the topology window.
10. In the main console window, select (click on) the PrimeAlert agent
host that was just added to the current domain.
11. Select "Edit" from the menu bar and then "Modify...".
12. Select the "Node" tab in the resulting dialog box.
13. Select "Sun Management Center Agent - Host" from the "Monitor Via"
picklist.
14. Click "OK".
Monitor the Windows Host
----------------------------------------------------------------------
After you have created the Windows node, you can monitor the host.
Using the Sun Management Center console, do the following:
1. Select the Windows node in the topology window.
2. Right-click on the selected Windows node and choose "Details" from
the pop-up menu.
Or:
1. Double-click on the Windows node.
A new details window is displayed that contains information about the
Windows host. By default, four of the modules bundled with the
PrimeAlert Agent for Windows are loaded; they appear in the 'Operating
System' and 'Local Applications' groups.
Documentation for a particular installed module can be found on
Halcyon's website (http://www.halcyoninc.com/docs/). A link to the site
is available from the module's context sensitive menus in the Sun
Management Center console.
Module Features
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PrimeAlert Agent Statistics
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This module monitors statistics about the internal state of the agent
and of the agent process.
Note: If the Memory Usage and Virtual Memory Size values exceed the
Critical alarm thresholds (default is set to 70000 Kb for Virtual
Memory Usage), the agent will exit automatically.
PrimeAlert SystemAlert for Windows
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This module monitors key system resources of the Windows host.
Monitored resources include:
- Processors
- Logical and physical disks
- Real and virtual memory
- Operating system objects (processes, threads, handles, etc.)
Note: To enable the Disk I/O Statistics, run 'diskperf -ye' and reboot.
PrimeAlert EventLogAlert
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This module monitors the Windows event logs. This module may be loaded
three times, once for each event log (System, Security, and
Application).
For systems running Windows Server 2003 R2 and later, two extra event
logs can be monitored. These are the Hardware and Forwarded Events
logs.
When the module is loaded, a program named evdump is spawned and writes
any new events to a log file located in <INSTALLDIR>local\log. The
module then monitors this log file. The evdump program is killed if the
module is unloaded or disabled.
The log file is scanned for user-defined regular expressions that can
be entered using the Sun Management Center console. If the regular
expression contains a bracketed substring, then the text that matches
the first bracketed substring is used for the Last Matched Event.
Otherwise, the text that matches the entire regular expression is used
for the Last Matched Event.
For example, if the event in the log file is:
2006-07-28 10:11:12 Error: myapp exited abnormally
then the table below shows the Last Matched Event for the given regular
expression:
Regular Expression Last Matched Event
------------------------------------------
Error Error
Error.* Error: myapp exited abnormally
Error: (.*) myapp exited abnormally
Error: (.*) exited myapp
.*Error:.* 2006-07-28 10:11:12 Error: myapp exited
abnormally
PrimeAlert LogFileAlert
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This module can be used to monitor log files for error messages.
The log file to monitor is specified when the module is loaded. The
path to the log file must be delimited by '/'s and not '\'s. For
example:
C:/Program Files/Halcyon/PrimeAlert/local/log/agent.log
The file name may include some strftime()-style format characters to
dynamically generate a filename based on the current time. For example:
myapp%y%m%d.log
would translate into something like:
myapp990728.log
The specified log file is then scanned for user-defined regular
expressions. This allows for monitoring log files that are created on
a daily basis without having to modify the module parameters.
The specification of regular expressions is similar to that of the
EventLogAlert module, except that bracketed substrings are not
supported. When a match in the log file is found, the Total Matches
counter for that regular expression is incremented. If the Total
Matches counter exceeds the alarm limit threshold, as specified by
using the Attribute Editor in the Sun Management Center console, the
last matched line is provided in the alarm status tool tip. In
addition, a new alarm is generated for each match above the threshold
(the old alarm is closed).
The format of the time expression can be looked up in the UNIX man page
for strftime. Useful parameters are:
%d - day of month (1-31)
%w - weekday (0-6; Sunday = 0)
%m - month (1-12)
%y - year (without century)
%Y - year (including century)
%S - second (0-59)
%M - minute (0-59)
%H - hour (0-23)
%T - time as %H:%M:%S
PrimeAlert ProcessAlert
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PrimeAlert ProcessAlert monitors process statistics.
When specifying processes to monitor, the Process Pattern must match
the process name as viewed by the Performance Monitoring tool under
Administrative Tools.
Note, these process names are not necessarily the same as stated by
Task Manager (i.e. don't include '.exe').
PrimeAlert MIB-II System
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PrimeAlert MIB-II System provides information about the MIB used by the
PrimeAlert Agent for Windows.
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