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Monitoring RAID status

5 messages in this thread

list Thorsten Erdmann · Thu, 13 Apr 2006 15:52:33 +0200 ·
Hi,

I once extended the BigBrothers Disk Script to show a status dot and the sync status of mirrored disks in front of every filesystems status line. Now I migrated to Hobbit. Nearly all works fine but this extension causes the disk graphs to fail. If I understand it right, the do_disk.c program simply reads each line of the status file and displays the fifth column as the disk usage. Since my outfile from the client has two columns in front of each line this fails. The disk usage is now on column seven.

I can now alter the C code but that's bad if I ever install a new version of Hobbit. So is there any idea out there how to add data to an output file without disturbing the Hobbit's standard functions.

BTW: the disk test on a RedHat Box shows one "graph" to much. It's only a non referenced link, so I think Hobbit tries to interpret things that it cannot read, maybe the title line of the DF commmand's output.

Thanks for help
Thorsten Erdmann
list Henrik Størner · Mon, 29 May 2006 23:18:05 +0200 ·
Hi Thorsten,
quoted from Thorsten Erdmann

On Thu, Apr 13, 2006 at 03:52:33PM +0200, user-06a84d0fcc19@xymon.invalid wrote:
I once extended the BigBrothers Disk Script to show a status dot and the sync status of mirrored disks in front of every filesystems status line. Now I migrated to Hobbit. Nearly all works fine but this extension causes the disk graphs to fail. If I understand it right, the do_disk.c program simply reads each line of the status file and displays the fifth column as the disk usage. Since my outfile from the client has two columns in front of each line this fails. The disk usage is now on column seven.
You're reading the code correctly. It's not the optimal way of doing it,
but it works in most cases.
I can now alter the C code but that's bad if I ever install a new version of Hobbit. So is there any idea out there how to add data to an output file without disturbing the Hobbit's standard functions.
The optimal solution would be to change the code to look for the column
header indicating where the used percentage is, so that it would adjust
to changes in the column layout automatically. However, this is tricky
to get right with the variations in df output that Hobbit must handle.

I don't have an easy solution for you right now, I'm afraid. Other than
changing the do_disk code yourself.
BTW: the disk test on a RedHat Box shows one "graph" to much. It's only a non referenced link, so I think Hobbit tries to interpret things that it cannot read, maybe the title line of the DF commmand's output.
Getting that count of filesystems right is another very difficult excercise.


Henrik
list Dan Vande More · Mon, 29 May 2006 18:36:10 -0500 ·
I'd recommend simply making a new test + script + column name - like
raidstat or something. That way you still get your hobbit graphs, you
still check your disks, and it's compatible between upgrades. This way
it's a logical separation too - disk (space) status and raid status.
If you have a heterogenous network, you could make the extra script
"smart" too, and have it distinguish between devices like I do - one
for Solaris Solstice software mirror, one for IBM ipssend and one for
mdstat.

Just my 2 cents.
quoted from Henrik Størner


On 5/29/06, Henrik Stoerner <user-ce4a2c883f75@xymon.invalid> wrote:
Hi Thorsten,

On Thu, Apr 13, 2006 at 03:52:33PM +0200, user-06a84d0fcc19@xymon.invalid wrote:
I once extended the BigBrothers Disk Script to show a status dot and the
sync status of mirrored disks in front of every filesystems status line.
Now I migrated to Hobbit. Nearly all works fine but this extension causes
the disk graphs to fail. If I understand it right, the do_disk.c program
simply reads each line of the status file and displays the fifth column as
the disk usage. Since my outfile from the client has two columns in front
of each line this fails. The disk usage is now on column seven.
You're reading the code correctly. It's not the optimal way of doing it,
but it works in most cases.
I can now alter the C code but that's bad if I ever install a new version
of Hobbit. So is there any idea out there how to add data to an output
file without disturbing the Hobbit's standard functions.
The optimal solution would be to change the code to look for the column
header indicating where the used percentage is, so that it would adjust
to changes in the column layout automatically. However, this is tricky
to get right with the variations in df output that Hobbit must handle.

I don't have an easy solution for you right now, I'm afraid. Other than
changing the do_disk code yourself.
BTW: the disk test on a RedHat Box shows one "graph" to much. It's only a
non referenced link, so I think Hobbit tries to interpret things that it
cannot read, maybe the title line of the DF commmand's output.
Getting that count of filesystems right is another very difficult excercise.


Henrik

list Rob MacGregor · Tue, 30 May 2006 12:13:36 +0100 ·
quoted from Dan Vande More
On 5/29/06, Henrik Stoerner <user-ce4a2c883f75@xymon.invalid> wrote:
The optimal solution would be to change the code to look for the column
header indicating where the used percentage is, so that it would adjust
to changes in the column layout automatically. However, this is tricky
to get right with the variations in df output that Hobbit must handle.
IMO the percentage used is, these days, less useful.  On a 3 TB file
system, the difference between 99% and 100% isn't as useful as knowing
there are still 5 GB of storage free (or in my particular case knowing
there is at least 800 MB free).

Is there any chance of making future versions of hobbit support
reporting by the remaining free space, rather than the percentage
free?

-- 
                 Please keep list traffic on the list.

Rob MacGregor
      Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he
        doesn't become a monster.                  Friedrich Nietzsche
list Henrik Størner · Tue, 30 May 2006 18:08:02 +0200 ·
quoted from Rob MacGregor
On Tue, May 30, 2006 at 12:13:36PM +0100, Rob MacGregor wrote:
Is there any chance of making future versions of hobbit support
reporting by the remaining free space, rather than the percentage
free?
Yes, it's one of the two outstanding items on my list before the 4.2
release (the other is the backend-handling of IRIX clients).


Regards,
Henrik