Management
Competent system management is essential in any organisation if their computer systems and other networked devices are to deliver optimum performance. This section aims to provide a variety of documents which can streamline and simplify the routine tasks performed as part of general systems and network management.
Currently, documentation on the use of the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to remotely gather management information and the Cacti graphing and reporting tool to visualise this information once collected is available.
Successfully managing a network of computers requires access to accurate, timely information regarding the current and historical state of the devices which comprise said network. Once a network grows beyond a fairly small size it becomes essential that this information is available using a simple, intuitive interface. Cacti is a “complete network graphing solution designed to harness the power of RRDTool's data storage and graphing functionality” . The Cacti application also provides “a fast poller, advanced graph template features, multiple data acquisition methods, and user management” so is an ideal choice for most small to medium sized enterprises.
This documentation aims to be a thorough introduction to the Cacti application from installation to advanced use. Topics covered include monitoring hardware (disk space, temperature sensors, harddisk SMART data, etc) and monitoring software (number of processes, memory use, etc) as well as monitoring network devices (interface throughput, dropped packets, etc). Later sections also explore how to create custom Data Query descriptions and Graph Templates allowing the data monitored by the Cacti application to be extended to include almost any metric of any device you may have on your network.
Successfully managing a computer system, especially one used in a production environment, requires detailed information relating to the performance of each subsystem as well as the software which makes the system useful. Successfully managing a network of computers, on the other hand, requires an automated method of extracting, storing and presenting this information if it is to be of practical value. The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is designed to facilitate exactly this whilst also providing a limited ability to reconfigure systems remotely.
This documentation aims to be a thorough introduction to the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) from installation to advanced use. Topics covered include Access Control, Basic Queries, Tabular Queries, Monitoring Hardware (disk space, temperature sensors, harddisk SMART data, etc) and Monitoring Software (number of processes, memory use, etc) as well as monitoring network devices (interface throughput, dropped packets, etc).