Monitoring windows systems with munin and snmp

Posted by chris on Thu 30 Mar 2006 at 09:30

Previously we learned how to use munin to monitor Debian machines. Now - we need to add some Windows boxes to the mix.

First - so that the discussion makes sense - here are the machines I have involved

galatea.chrissearle.org - debian sarge - runs both munin (server) and munin-node (client)
dauntless.chrissearle.org - debian sarge - runs munin-node (client)
czar.home.chrissearle.org - debian sid - runs munin-node (client)
shah.home.chrissearle.org - XP Pro - does not run munin
goldeneagle.home.chrissearle.org - XP Pro - does not run munin
dolphin.home.chrissearle.org - OSX - not yet running munin
bonnet.home.chrissearle.org - OpenBSD - not yet running munin
nornour.home.chrissearle.org - OpenBSD laptop - not yet running munin.

Galatea is the munin server - and the one that displays the relevant graphs etc.

Dauntless and Czar were already in place - see the previous article.

The aim of today was to see what could be added for Shah and Golden Eagle.

First we need to install snmp on these boxes. I did this a long time back for mrtg - but - more info is available on the munin website:

http://munin.projects.linpro.no/wiki/faq#QHowtomonitorWindowsXPboxesviaSNMPplugins

In brief (copied from munin's site at the above URL):

Install SNMP service: Start, Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs, Add/Remove Windows Components, Management and Monitoring Tools, Details, Simple Network Management Protocol, OK, Next, insert CD or supply a directory with WinXP installation files.
Configure SNMP service: Start, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services, look for SNMP Service in the list, Properties, Security, Send authentication trap, Accept SNMP packets from any host (or specify vesta host here), Apply.

Now we need to install the correct client node plugins. This needs to run on a munin-node box - either your main server - or another client. For my network the best place to run them is czar.home.chrissearle.org.

So - on that machine run the following:

munin-node-configure-snmp shah.home.chrissearle.org
munin-node-configure-snmp goldeneagle.home.chrissearle.org

Note - this is different to the FAQ where it states to leave the domain off. In my setup - probably because I run on a client rather than the server the domain needed to be present.

This will output a list of possible services:

czar:/var/log/munin# munin-node-configure-snmp goldeneagle.home.chrissearle.org
ln -s /usr/share/munin/plugins/snmp__df /etc/munin/plugins/snmp_goldeneagle.home.chrissearle.org_df
ln -s /usr/share/munin/plugins/snmp__if_err_ /etc/munin/plugins/snmp_goldeneagle.home.chrissearle.org_if_err_2
ln -s /usr/share/munin/plugins/snmp__if_ /etc/munin/plugins/snmp_goldeneagle.home.chrissearle.org_if_2
ln -s /usr/share/munin/plugins/snmp__processes /etc/munin/plugins/snmp_goldeneagle.home.chrissearle.org_processes
ln -s /usr/share/munin/plugins/snmp__users /etc/munin/plugins/snmp_goldeneagle.home.chrissearle.org_users

Restart munin-node after adding these lines.

Finally - we need to add the config to the munin server

In /etc/munin/munin.conf add the servers with the IP address of the server that has the plugins installed. For example:

[galatea.chrissearle.org]
       address 217.8.135.183

[dauntless.chrissearle.org]
       address 217.8.135.165

[czar.home.chrissearle.org]
       address 192.168.1.5

[shah.home.chrissearle.org]
       address 192.168.1.5

[goldeneagle.home.chrissearle.org]
       address 192.168.1.5

You should now see info on these servers in the munin graphs (at least once cron has run)

I see no reason why this could not monitor other snmp devices - but the only one I have (an el-cheapo wifi access point) doesn't actually broadcast any useful info - just its name (I guess just so they could stick snmp on the box)

Oh - bonus points if anyone can tell me my server naming scheme without going hunting on the net ;)

This article can be found online at the Debian Administration website at the following bookmarkable URL (along with associated comments):

http://www.debian-administration.org/article/Monitoring_windows_systems_with_munin_and_snmp