Modem monitoring

11 messages in this thread

list Jim Smith · Mon, 12 Jun 2006 14:55:26 -0500 ·

I've been using Big Brother for about 4 years and have been testing
Hobbit and plan to switch over soon. I have a situation that I have
never been able to figure out how to address, so I'd like to throw it
out here and see if anyone has any ideas.

We have a terminal server with 7 fax modems connected to it. A Unix
server uses it to fax reports out to various doctor's offices around
town. For reasons that we've never been able to figure out, one or more
of the modems will occasionally "lock-up", i.e. quit responding to
commands. This usually locks the associated serial port on the terminal
server as well.

I would like to be able to monitor these modems by connecting to their
port on the terminal server, i.e. 192.168.1.15:2001, send them an "AT"
command, wait a few seconds for a response, then disconnect. I can't
figure out a way to connect to them with the additional requirement of
having to use the network port that they addressed by on the terminal
server...in this case, 2001 through 2007.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

And , by the way, I think Hobbit is great! I think it is a big
improvement upon Big Brother, although I must admit that we're on the
"better than free" license since we are a non-profit, so I haven't seen
what Quest may have done with it.

Thanks in advance!

Jim Smith

NOTICE: This email contains confidential or proprietary information which may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the named recipient(s). If an addressing error has misdirected the email, please notify the author by replying to this message. If you are not the named recipient, you are not authorized to use, disclose, distribute, copy, print or rely on this email, and should immediately delete it from your computer system.

list Tom Georgoulias · Mon, 12 Jun 2006 16:14:26 -0400 ·

▸ quoted from Jim Smith

Smith, Jim wrote:

I would like to be able to monitor these modems by connecting to their
port on the terminal server, i.e. 192.168.1.15:2001, send them an "AT"
command, wait a few seconds for a response, then disconnect.  I can't
figure out a way to connect to them with the additional requirement of
having to use the network port that they addressed by on the terminal
server...in this case, 2001 through 2007.

Kind of thinking out loud here, but what if you make a custom entry in the bb-services file, with the send command containing AT (and whatever else you need), and what you should expect back.  CHeck the bb-services man page for details on this, as well as the bb-hosts man page.

I set up a couple of custom network tests using the bb-services file for some proprietary applications, and it seems to work pretty well.

I never tried to do what you want to do, but a custom entry in bb-services would be my first approach.  Someone else with much more knowledge and experience might weight in on this as well.

Tom

list John A. Milburn · Mon, 12 Jun 2006 15:20:04 -0500 ·

You may be able to get the information from WMI using a vbscript.
 
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/scripts/apps/server/fax/de
fault.mspx

▸ quoted from Jim Smith

From: Smith, Jim [mailto:user-dc30f243a817@xymon.invalid] 
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 2:55 PM
To: user-ae9b8668bcde@xymon.invalid
Subject: [hobbit] Modem monitoring

I've been using Big Brother for about 4 years and have been testing
Hobbit and plan to switch over soon.  I have a situation that I have
never been able to figure out how to address, so I'd like to throw it
out here and see if anyone has any ideas.

We have a terminal server with 7 fax modems connected to it.  A Unix
server uses it to fax reports out to various doctor's offices around
town.  For reasons that we've never been able to figure out, one or more
of the modems will occasionally "lock-up", i.e. quit responding to
commands.  This usually locks the associated serial port on the terminal
server as well.

I would like to be able to monitor these modems by connecting to their
port on the terminal server, i.e. 192.168.1.15:2001, send them an "AT"
command, wait a few seconds for a response, then disconnect.  I can't
figure out a way to connect to them with the additional requirement of
having to use the network port that they addressed by on the terminal
server...in this case, 2001 through 2007.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

And , by the way, I think Hobbit is great!  I think it is a big
improvement upon Big Brother, although I must admit that we're on the
"better than free" license since we are a non-profit, so I haven't seen
what Quest may have done with it.

Thanks in advance!

Jim Smith

NOTICE: This email contains confidential or proprietary information
which may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the named
recipient(s). If an addressing error has misdirected the email, please
notify the author by replying to this message. If you are not the named
recipient, you are not authorized to use, disclose, distribute, copy,
print or rely on this email, and should immediately delete it from your
computer system.

list Jim Smith · Mon, 12 Jun 2006 15:25:49 -0500 ·

Thanks a bunch for that quick reply!  I'll do as you suggest.

▸ quoted from Tom Georgoulias


-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Georgoulias [mailto:user-6a0b8b0f0ae1@xymon.invalid] Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 3:14 PM
To: user-ae9b8668bcde@xymon.invalid
Subject: Re: [hobbit] Modem monitoring

Smith, Jim wrote:

I would like to be able to monitor these modems by connecting to their
port on the terminal server, i.e. 192.168.1.15:2001, send them an "AT"
command, wait a few seconds for a response, then disconnect.  I can't
figure out a way to connect to them with the additional requirement of
having to use the network port that they addressed by on the terminal
server...in this case, 2001 through 2007.

Kind of thinking out loud here, but what if you make a custom entry in the bb-services file, with the send command containing AT (and whatever else you need), and what you should expect back.  CHeck the bb-services man page for details on this, as well as the bb-hosts man page.

I set up a couple of custom network tests using the bb-services file for

some proprietary applications, and it seems to work pretty well.

I never tried to do what you want to do, but a custom entry in bb-services would be my first approach.  Someone else with much more knowledge and experience might weight in on this as well.

Tom


NOTICE: This email contains confidential or proprietary information which may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the named recipient(s). If an addressing error has misdirected the email, please notify the author by replying to this message. If you are not the named recipient, you are not authorized to use, disclose, distribute, copy, print or rely on this email, and should immediately delete it from your computer system.

list Jim Smith · Mon, 12 Jun 2006 15:26:38 -0500 ·

Thanks, but I'm running on AIX.

▸ quoted from John A. Milburn

From: Milburn, John A. [mailto:user-c7622ce9fc20@xymon.invalid] 
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 3:20 PM
To: user-ae9b8668bcde@xymon.invalid
Subject: RE: [hobbit] Modem monitoring

You may be able to get the information from WMI using a vbscript.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/scripts/apps/server/fax/de
fault.mspx

From: Smith, Jim [mailto:user-dc30f243a817@xymon.invalid] 
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 2:55 PM
To: user-ae9b8668bcde@xymon.invalid
Subject: [hobbit] Modem monitoring

I've been using Big Brother for about 4 years and have been testing
Hobbit and plan to switch over soon.  I have a situation that I have
never been able to figure out how to address, so I'd like to throw it
out here and see if anyone has any ideas.

We have a terminal server with 7 fax modems connected to it.  A Unix
server uses it to fax reports out to various doctor's offices around
town.  For reasons that we've never been able to figure out, one or more
of the modems will occasionally "lock-up", i.e. quit responding to
commands.  This usually locks the associated serial port on the terminal
server as well.

I would like to be able to monitor these modems by connecting to their
port on the terminal server, i.e. 192.168.1.15:2001, send them an "AT"
command, wait a few seconds for a response, then disconnect.  I can't
figure out a way to connect to them with the additional requirement of
having to use the network port that they addressed by on the terminal
server...in this case, 2001 through 2007.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

And , by the way, I think Hobbit is great!  I think it is a big
improvement upon Big Brother, although I must admit that we're on the
"better than free" license since we are a non-profit, so I haven't seen
what Quest may have done with it.

Thanks in advance!

Jim Smith

NOTICE: This email contains confidential or proprietary information
which may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the named
recipient(s). If an addressing error has misdirected the email, please
notify the author by replying to this message. If you are not the named
recipient, you are not authorized to use, disclose, distribute, copy,
print or rely on this email, and should immediately delete it from your
computer system. 

NOTICE: This email contains confidential or proprietary information which may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the named recipient(s). If an addressing error has misdirected the email, please notify the author by replying to this message. If you are not the named recipient, you are not authorized to use, disclose, distribute, copy, print or rely on this email, and should immediately delete it from your computer system.

list Jim Smith · Mon, 12 Jun 2006 17:42:56 -0500 ·

It works!  However, I only want it to test once or twice an hour.  If I
can figure that part out, I'll be in good shape!

▸ quoted from Jim Smith



-----Original Message-----
From: Smith, Jim [mailto:user-dc30f243a817@xymon.invalid] 
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 3:26 PM
To: user-ae9b8668bcde@xymon.invalid
Subject: RE: [hobbit] Modem monitoring

Thanks a bunch for that quick reply!  I'll do as you suggest.

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Georgoulias [mailto:user-6a0b8b0f0ae1@xymon.invalid] 
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 3:14 PM
To: user-ae9b8668bcde@xymon.invalid
Subject: Re: [hobbit] Modem monitoring

Smith, Jim wrote:

I would like to be able to monitor these modems by connecting to their
port on the terminal server, i.e. 192.168.1.15:2001, send them an "AT"
command, wait a few seconds for a response, then disconnect.  I can't
figure out a way to connect to them with the additional requirement of
having to use the network port that they addressed by on the terminal
server...in this case, 2001 through 2007.

Kind of thinking out loud here, but what if you make a custom entry in 
the bb-services file, with the send command containing AT (and whatever 
else you need), and what you should expect back.  CHeck the bb-services 
man page for details on this, as well as the bb-hosts man page.

I set up a couple of custom network tests using the bb-services file for

some proprietary applications, and it seems to work pretty well.

I never tried to do what you want to do, but a custom entry in 
bb-services would be my first approach.  Someone else with much more 
knowledge and experience might weight in on this as well.

Tom


NOTICE: This email contains confidential or proprietary information
which may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the named
recipient(s). If an addressing error has misdirected the email, please
notify the author by replying to this message. If you are not the named
recipient, you are not authorized to use, disclose, distribute, copy,
print or rely on this email, and should immediately delete it from your
computer system.


NOTICE: This email contains confidential or proprietary information which may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the named recipient(s). If an addressing error has misdirected the email, please notify the author by replying to this message. If you are not the named recipient, you are not authorized to use, disclose, distribute, copy, print or rely on this email, and should immediately delete it from your computer system.

list Henrik Størner · Tue, 13 Jun 2006 06:38:51 +0200 ·

▸ quoted from Jim Smith

On Mon, Jun 12, 2006 at 05:42:56PM -0500, Smith, Jim wrote:

It works!  However, I only want it to test once or twice an hour.  If I
can figure that part out, I'll be in good shape!

You can use the "NET:..." definition in the bb-hosts file to split
up your network tests into two groups: Those that are for the modems,
and all the others. First setup your modem tests as a separate group
of tests:

* Change the entries in your bb-hosts file for these modems and
  add "NET:modem"
* Create a script ~hobbit/server/ext/modemtest with:
    #!/bin/sh
    BBLOCATION=modem bbtest-net --ping --check-response
  Remember to make it executable (chmod 755 ...)
* Add a new section to the ~hobbit/server/etc/hobbitlaunch.cfg
  file to run this script once an hour:
    [modemtests]
	ENVFILE /usr/lib/hobbit/server/etc/hobbitserver.cfg
	NEEDS hobbitd
	CMD $BBHOME/ext/modemtest
	LOGFILE $BBSERVERLOGS/modemtest.log
	INTERVAL 1h

This runs your modem tests once an hour. Now, you also want to NOT
run them together with the standard network tests. To do that:

* Change ~hobbit/server/etc/hobbitserver.cfg and add 
    BBLOCATION="standard"
  This makes the BBLOCATION setting be "standard" by default.
* Change the CMD line in the [bbnet] section in hobbitlaunch.cfg
  and add the --test-untagged option:
    [bbnet]
	ENVFILE /usr/lib/hobbit/server/etc/hobbitserver.cfg
	NEEDS hobbitd
	CMD bbtest-net --report --ping --checkresponse --test-untagged
	LOGFILE $BBSERVERLOGS/bb-network.log
	INTERVAL 5m
  The --test-untagged option means that there is an implicit
  "NET:standard" definition on all entries in the bb-hosts file,
  which do not have an explicit NET:... definition.


Regards,
Henrik

list Ralph Mitchell · Mon, 12 Jun 2006 23:55:52 -0500 ·

Have you considered "expect"??  It's an extension to Tcl that can spawn a
program, such as telnet, and then send commands to it.  I have a script that
telnets to a given server, answers TACACS prompt if necessary, and logs in,
then su's to root - if the password is provided.

You should be able to spawn a telnet command to a specific IP + port number,
just as you would on the command line.  Send the AT command, wait for the
response.  If it times out, do one thing, if the response occurs, do another
thing.  Lather, rinse, repeat.

I haven't yet got into running much stuff via Hobbit, but I've had a lot of
success over the last 5 years firing off Big Brother scripts from cron.

Ralph Mitchell

▸ quoted from Jim Smith



On 6/12/06, Smith, Jim <user-dc30f243a817@xymon.invalid> wrote:

 *I've been using Big Brother for about 4 years and have been testing
Hobbit and plan to switch over soon.  I have a situation that I have never
been able to figure out how to address, so I'd like to throw it out here and
see if anyone has any ideas.*

* *

*We have a terminal server with 7 fax modems connected to it.  A Unix
server uses it to fax reports out to various doctor's offices around town.
For reasons that we've never been able to figure out, one or more of the
modems will occasionally "lock-up", i.e. quit responding to commands.
This usually locks the associated serial port on the terminal server as
well.*

* *

*I would like to be able to monitor these modems by connecting to their
port on the terminal server, i.e. 192.168.1.15:2001, send them an "AT"
command, wait a few seconds for a response, then disconnect.  I can't figure
out a way to connect to them with the additional requirement of having to
use the network port that they addressed by on the terminal server…in this
case, 2001 through 2007.*

* *

*Any help would be greatly appreciated.*

* *

*And , by the way, I think Hobbit is great!  I think it is a big
improvement upon Big Brother, although I must admit that we're on the
"better than free" license since we are a non-profit, so I haven't seen what
Quest may have done with it.*

* *

*Thanks in advance!*

* *

*Jim Smith*

* *
 NOTICE: This email contains confidential or proprietary information which
may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the named recipient(s).
If an addressing error has misdirected the email, please notify the author
by replying to this message. If you are not the named recipient, you are not
authorized to use, disclose, distribute, copy, print or rely on this email,
and should immediately delete it from your computer system.

list Jim Smith · Tue, 13 Jun 2006 07:30:41 -0500 ·

Thanks, Henrik!  I'll do this today!

Jim Smith

▸ quoted from Henrik Størner



-----Original Message-----
From: Henrik Stoerner [mailto:user-ce4a2c883f75@xymon.invalid] 
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 11:39 PM
To: user-ae9b8668bcde@xymon.invalid
Subject: Re: [hobbit] Modem monitoring

On Mon, Jun 12, 2006 at 05:42:56PM -0500, Smith, Jim wrote:

It works!  However, I only want it to test once or twice an hour.  If

can figure that part out, I'll be in good shape!

You can use the "NET:..." definition in the bb-hosts file to split
up your network tests into two groups: Those that are for the modems,
and all the others. First setup your modem tests as a separate group
of tests:

* Change the entries in your bb-hosts file for these modems and
add "NET:modem"
* Create a script ~hobbit/server/ext/modemtest with:
#!/bin/sh
BBLOCATION=modem bbtest-net --ping --check-response
Remember to make it executable (chmod 755 ...)
* Add a new section to the ~hobbit/server/etc/hobbitlaunch.cfg
file to run this script once an hour:
[modemtests]
ENVFILE /usr/lib/hobbit/server/etc/hobbitserver.cfg
NEEDS hobbitd
CMD $BBHOME/ext/modemtest
LOGFILE $BBSERVERLOGS/modemtest.log
INTERVAL 1h

This runs your modem tests once an hour. Now, you also want to NOT
run them together with the standard network tests. To do that:

* Change ~hobbit/server/etc/hobbitserver.cfg and add
BBLOCATION="standard"
This makes the BBLOCATION setting be "standard" by default.
* Change the CMD line in the [bbnet] section in hobbitlaunch.cfg
and add the --test-untagged option:
[bbnet]
ENVFILE /usr/lib/hobbit/server/etc/hobbitserver.cfg
NEEDS hobbitd
CMD bbtest-net --report --ping --checkresponse --test-untagged
LOGFILE $BBSERVERLOGS/bb-network.log
INTERVAL 5m
The --test-untagged option means that there is an implicit
"NET:standard" definition on all entries in the bb-hosts file,
which do not have an explicit NET:... definition.

Regards,
Henrik

list Jim Smith · Tue, 13 Jun 2006 07:32:08 -0500 ·

Thanks, Ralph.  I'll keep this in mind.

▸ quoted from Ralph Mitchell

From: Ralph Mitchell [mailto:user-00a5e44c48c0@xymon.invalid] 
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 11:56 PM
To: user-ae9b8668bcde@xymon.invalid
Subject: Re: [hobbit] Modem monitoring

Have you considered "expect"??  It's an extension to Tcl that can spawn
a program, such as telnet, and then send commands to it.  I have a
script that telnets to a given server, answers TACACS prompt if
necessary, and logs in, then su's to root - if the password is provided.

You should be able to spawn a telnet command to a specific IP + port
number, just as you would on the command line.  Send the AT command,
wait for the response.  If it times out, do one thing, if the response
occurs, do another thing.  Lather, rinse, repeat. 

I haven't yet got into running much stuff via Hobbit, but I've had a lot
of success over the last 5 years firing off Big Brother scripts from
cron.

Ralph Mitchell

On 6/12/06, Smith, Jim <user-dc30f243a817@xymon.invalid> wrote:

I've been using Big Brother for about 4 years and have been testing
Hobbit and plan to switch over soon.  I have a situation that I have
never been able to figure out how to address, so I'd like to throw it
out here and see if anyone has any ideas.

We have a terminal server with 7 fax modems connected to it.  A Unix
server uses it to fax reports out to various doctor's offices around
town.  For reasons that we've never been able to figure out, one or more
of the modems will occasionally "lock-up", i.e. quit responding to
commands.  This usually locks the associated serial port on the terminal
server as well.

I would like to be able to monitor these modems by connecting to their
port on the terminal server, i.e. 192.168.1.15:2001, send them an "AT"
command, wait a few seconds for a response, then disconnect.  I can't
figure out a way to connect to them with the additional requirement of
having to use the network port that they addressed by on the terminal
server...in this case, 2001 through 2007.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

And , by the way, I think Hobbit is great!  I think it is a big
improvement upon Big Brother, although I must admit that we're on the
"better than free" license since we are a non-profit, so I haven't seen
what Quest may have done with it.

Thanks in advance!

Jim Smith

NOTICE: This email contains confidential or proprietary information
which may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the named
recipient(s). If an addressing error has misdirected the email, please
notify the author by replying to this message. If you are not the named
recipient, you are not authorized to use, disclose, distribute, copy,
print or rely on this email, and should immediately delete it from your
computer system. 

NOTICE: This email contains confidential or proprietary information which may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the named recipient(s). If an addressing error has misdirected the email, please notify the author by replying to this message. If you are not the named recipient, you are not authorized to use, disclose, distribute, copy, print or rely on this email, and should immediately delete it from your computer system.

list Jim Smith · Tue, 13 Jun 2006 14:20:16 -0500 ·

Henrik,

You got me on the right track.  Here is what I have done to get this to
work like I wanted:

My external test "modemtest.sh" contains:
#!/bin/sh
BBLOCATION=modem bbtest-net --dns=ip

My hobbitlaunch.cfg has this added:
[modemtests]
        ENVFILE /home/hobbit/server/etc/hobbitserver.cfg
        NEEDS hobbitd
        CMD $BBHOME/ext/modemtest.sh
        LOGFILE $BBSERVERLOGS/modemtest.log
        INTERVAL 15m

I added BBLOCATION="standard" and added the -test-untagged option to
bbnet.

I added a new service to bb-services:
[faxmodem]
   send "AT\r\n"
   expect "OK"
   options telnet

My bb-hosts file contains lines like this for the modems:
192.168.9.222    labfax1 # NET:modem faxmodem:3001 noconn

So far it seems to be working pretty well.  I started out with --debug
in my external test to see what was actually happening.  That was a big
help!

I'll probably keep messing around with this for a while to make sure it
is really doing what it appears to be doing.

Next I want to get the bbretest-net.sh working.  I'll try to figure that
part out on my own.  <grin>

Thanks a bunch!  This is great!

▸ quoted from Jim Smith


Jim Smith


-----Original Message-----
From: Henrik Stoerner [mailto:user-ce4a2c883f75@xymon.invalid] 
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 11:39 PM
To: user-ae9b8668bcde@xymon.invalid
Subject: Re: [hobbit] Modem monitoring

On Mon, Jun 12, 2006 at 05:42:56PM -0500, Smith, Jim wrote:

It works!  However, I only want it to test once or twice an hour.  If

can figure that part out, I'll be in good shape!

This runs your modem tests once an hour. Now, you also want to NOT
run them together with the standard network tests. To do that:

Regards,
Henrik

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