Example of Integrating NetPing Devices with the LibreNMS Monitoring System

  • Published In: Tutorial
  • Created Date: 2018-02-13
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The same as Zabbix, Nagios, PRTG Network Monitor and others, LibreNMS is a monitoring and surveillance system for network devices and servers.

The aim of the LibreNMS project is to create a monitoring system with as simple control as possible to survey devices. A system is distributed under the GPLv3 license. A detailed information can be found on the official website of the project: http://www.librenms.org/.

Let us examine an example of the integrating LibreNMS with a UniPing server solution v4/SMS monitoring unit.

A solution that is offered in this article allows surveying the parameters received from temperature and humidity sensors connected to a UniPing server solution v4/SMS monitoring unit. A system draws graphs of the availability of a device, temperature and humidity change, represents top and bottom thresholds of normal values that are specified in corresponding parameters of a device. When the thresholds of normal values are exceeded, or a connected UniPing server solution v4/SMS monitoring unit is reloaded or unavailable, the system adds corresponding logs to the Log File.

An advantage of this solution is a simplicity of its deployment. Any change in a configuration of sensors available at a UniPing server solution v4/SMS monitoring unit, as well as adding or removing sensors does not need any interventions in a LibreNMS configuration and are made automatically.

Requirements

To implement a described solution, there is a need to have the next equipment:

It is necessary to fulfill the initial installation and software configuration of LibreNMS to a PC/server.

In our example, we use LibreNMS v. 1.36-1 installed on Ubuntu Server 16.04.3 LTS. This software or a distributive on its basis can be deployed in a virtual environment. For the additional information, there is a need to address the official documentation on the product and/or corresponding resources on the Internet.

Configuring UniPing server solution v4/SMS

Plug the sensors listed in the section «Requirements» to a UniPing server solution v4/SMS monitoring unit, and set a device to the operating condition according to the corresponding sections of a user guide and a firmware description. Connect a UniPing server solution v4/SMS monitoring unit to a local network of the organization.

Let's say that a UniPing server solution v4/SMS monitoring unit will be available via an SNMP protocol in the network of the organization with the next parameters:

  • IP address/host: 192.168.1.200
  • SNMP port: 161
  • Community reads: snmpread

Configuring LibreNMS

Starting with the version LibreNMS v. 1.33-184, a partial support of NetPing devices out of the box is implemented, which helped the users to avoid manual editing of configuration files. Unfortunately, the functionality of the control and management of IO lines of NetPing devices is currently unavailable.

After the installation of LibreNMS, let us go to a web interface. In a browser, we indicate an IP address of our server for a monitoring system LibreNMS and enter login and password that were created at the installation. Then, click the button «Login».

Signing to LibreNMS

Adding a new device: select a menu item «Devices» (1) and add a new device by the menu section «Add Device» (2):

Adding a new device in LibreNMS

Fill in the fields in a form for adding a device:

In the field «Hostname», indicate an IP address of a UniPing server solution v4/SMS monitoring unit (1). In the field «Port», indicate a port for a data exchange via an SNMP protocol (2). In the field «Community», indicate community reads for a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device (3). Click the button «Add Device» (4) to add a device with specified parameters to a monitoring system:

Filling in a form for adding a device in LibreNMS

After adding a device, an automatic test of a device availability in the network will be performed, and the process of obtaining information about a configuration and status of a UniPing server solution v4/SMS monitoring unit will be initiated. A process continues no more than 5-10 minutes.

If we go to the section «Devices»-«All Devices»-«Environment»:

Go to a device list in LibreNMS

A list of devices connected to a monitoring system will be available with a brief information about a status of a device, a manufacturer, a name, a device address, and a number of open ports and connected sensors to a device, operation system, uptime, geographic location, and a list of pictograms of possible actions with a device:

List of devices in LibreNMS

When clicking a name of a device, a general information becomes available: a description, contact data, location, uptime, data from sensors, etc.:

Page of UniPing Server Solution v4SMS in LibreNMS

A tab «Graphs» displays detailed graphs about a life of a device in different time periods:

Tab Graphs in LibreNMS

A tab «Health» displays summary data from sensors connected to a device:

Tab Health in LibreNMS

Humidity data are displayed separately, with the indication of the thresholds of normal values:

Humidity graphs with the indication of thresholds of normal values in LibreNMS

Temperature data are displayed separately with the indication of thresholds of normal values:

Temperature graphs in LibreNMS

Let us configure a LibreNMS start page.

Let us place a world map with our UniPing server solution v4/SMS monitoring unit displayed on it, temperature and humidity graphs, and a status of devices. Let us go to the section «Overview»-«Dashboard»:

Go to the page Dashboard in LibreNMS

Click the button «Edit Dashboard»:

Editing Dashboard in LibreNMS

In the field «Add Widgets», select necessary widgets from the list «Select Widget»:

Widget list in LibreNMS

To add a map with a geographic location of devices, select a widget «World Map». There is no need to configure this widget. Just locate it in a convenient place in a window using a mouse :

Choosing a World Map widget in LibreNMS

To display a total status of devices connected to a monitoring system, add a widget «Device Summary horizontal» or «Device Summary vertical» (with a horizontal or vertical information representation correspondingly).There is no need to configure this widget either, just locate it in a convenient place in a window using a mouse:

Adding a widget Device Summary in LibreNMS

To display the graphs, select a widget «Graph»:

Selecting a widget Graph in LibreNMS

Configure a widget for displaying the graphs.

Select data that will be displayed on a graph in a field «Graph» (1). Then, set an interval for a variable in a field «Range» (2). Select a device that supplies data for a graph in a field «Device» (3) and click the button «Set» (4) to save and apply configurations. Using this method, you will be able to configure displaying of all necessary graphs:

Configuring a widget Graph in LibreNMS

A final apperance of a start page:

LibreNMS Dashboards

Result

In this way, a monitoring system LibreNMS is integrated with a UniPing server solution v4/SMS monitoring unit to control parameters in server rooms located in geographically distinct locations of the planet. A detailed integration and functionality of NetPing devices will help to prevent possible emergencies with server and network equipment beforehand, which in turn helps to avoid possible financial losses while services are unavailable.


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