The Network Monitoring Monologue

This blog has moved!

theopenmonologue — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:37:54 +0000

This blog was a test for me personally to see if there was any interest in network monitoring and news and stuff related to op5 where i work. The test has been successful, so I have now moved this blog to our new official op5 blog. We have set up a blog platform in order to collect the 5 different blogs, individuals at op5 has started. We hope to make it easier for you as a user to find and follow the posts from any of us.

Work on Merlin Progresses and goes distributed

theopenmonologue — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:44:18 +0000

One of the key components of op5 Monitor 5 is the Merlin Module, an open source project developed and maintained by op5 and Andreas Ericsson. Merlin is a Module for Effortless Redundancy and Loadbalancing In Nagios, and the goal is to use it for setting up distributed op5/Nagios installations and allowing Nagios processes to exchange information directly.

Andreas has written an article on the progress with the Merlin Module and comment the state of the module like this:

“A lot of people have opened their eyes to Merlin and are now using it in production environments. Bold? Maybe, but they really don’t have that many alternatives, and Merlin has been running steadily in a lot of production networks for weeks (or even months) now.

Next step now is to merge the reports-module with merlin. This is necessary in order to allow each poller node to be a fully fledged monitoring server in its own right, while all checkresults must still be sent to the master so it has all the information. It shouldn’t take long really, and I’ve already merged over the improved hash library and all its tests from the reports-module, as well as some other things.”

Web services monitoring made easy with op5 Cloud Monitor

theopenmonologue — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:23:05 +0000

Is it worth taking 5 minutes to set up a monitoring service of your business critical web based services? That what it takes to set up an account, create a virtual server and to have op5 Cloud Monitor up and running! op5 Cloud Monitor is based on the open source based op5 Monitor and services from City Cloud.

You can choose to install a monitoring server just by selecting the op5 image in City Clouds App Center and have it up and running within a few minutes. op5 can monitor both the servers that you have in the Cloud and other web based services such as your web shop or home page. op5 will offer the Cloud Monitor exclusively through City Cloud thus making it possible to buy monitoring on demand.

op5 brings out the essence in Cloud Computing and shows the true meaning of how to run your applications in the cloud. Using City Cloud, you have your own server, running your own copy of a monitoring application and best of all, You are in charge how it´s being used.

So, If you are in need of monitoring and want to be in control of both cost and performance, check out City Cloud and the op5 Cloud Monitor. If you want to learn more about op5, visit www.op5.com.

Here are some screenshots from the op5 Cloud monitor

New premium service from op5

theopenmonologue — Tue, 25 May 2010 09:36:06 +0000

op5 Premium Support is an extension of the support plan for organizations with high demands on availability and response times in the support services for op5s network operations products. The premium service is well suited for customers with complex configurations in redundandant or distributed installations, and with high availability requirements of their monitoring systems. The plan include a short response time, which means you have access to the support service you need, when you need it. We can also assist directly by remote administration access to your system to quickly help fix any issue. The premium plan also include the possibility to use op5 products in a test or staging environment to test new configurations and new releases before being used in production.

op5 Monitor on Android and iPhone

theopenmonologue — Tue, 18 May 2010 10:07:47 +0000

There are several Nagios apps available for both Android and iPhone. Since op5 Monitor is built on Nagios, some of these apps also work for your op5 Monitor system. Here are two apps, one for Android and one for iPhone that works fine:

Android app for op5 Monitor

Nagroid, available from Android Market is developed for Nagios but works just fine for op5 Monitor. Nagroid is very basic in its features, you can view the warnings/alarms to see the status on your checks, and thats it… Oh, and there is a direct link so that you can browse to your system.

Nagroid is usefull and free but very basic. You will find a short guide for the configuration of Nagroid for op5 Monitor here, thank you IT-slaven for the guide!

Nagdroid Android app for op5 Monitor

Touchmon iPhone app for op5 Monitor

The iPhone app Touchmon also work with iPod Touch and has come further than Nagroid when it comes to look and feel, with a more modern and user friendly interface, but also when it comes to what you can use the app for. With Touchmon you can Monitor your system health, acknowledge problems and set downtimes!

Touchmon for op5 Monitor

Curious about the news in the latest version of op5 Monitor?

theopenmonologue — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:49:13 +0000

Join the online webinar op5 is hosting on Wednesday April 28th. Features in focus:

News in the new user interface
Widgets
NagVis visualization module
Automap
How to check Port status

op5 Monitor 5 is here

theopenmonologue — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:21:03 +0000

We are proud to present the new version of op5 Monitor, taking the next step in Network Monitoring. op5 Monitor 5 is designed to give an effective overview and control via easily available visualizations of data and events, according to your business needs. We aim to provide you with a world class tool for operational control. With todays fast changing IT that includes virtualisation, cloud computing, outsourcing etc. the real challenge is to maintain operational control and op5 Monitor 5.0 is adding essential features to help you with that.

The goal for this new version has been to give the whole system a new modern and improved user interface. “With the new interface we have solved many major issues regarding usability and flexibility to make customizations and improvements” says Peter Östlin, Developer Manager at op5.

Some of the key features in op5 Monitor 5

A new, flexible and modern PHP based user interface
- Search and filtering of information with pagination
- Complete PHP logic that separates data from visualisation
- Widgets that can be personalized
- Multi language support (gettext)
- Template/skin support
A new database back-end
- Extended support for third party data bases
- Load balancing and redundancy
- Support for clustering
Authentication, support common authentication protocols
Smart Search for searching, sorting and filtering large volumes of data.
GEOMap with Google map integration
Port status to keep track of unused switch ports

Go to op5 to read more about the release, register for webinar or download the trial software

Join the release party for the new Network Monitor Software from op5

theopenmonologue — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:07:06 +0000

Only 7 days left until op5 Monitor 5.0 is being released!

op5 Monitor 5 has been available as beta since February and we have released new beta versions almost every week fixing bugs and issues that have been reported in. We have now reached a release candidate stage and the RC can be downloaded from here >>>

Join the release party

We are planning a small get together at our offices in Stockholm and Gothenburg to celebrate the release. Join us on Thuesday 13/4 at 16.00 for some beer and first hand look on all the new shiny features. Let us know if you are coming.

What is op5 Monitor 5 all about?

We have set the ambitions high with this new release and I for one think that op5 Monitor truly is a new breed of network monitoring system that can help IT departments to take IT closer to their business, making operational data more widely understandable. We believe that as IT becomes a central part of many businesses, it is also crucial for the business to understand how their IT effects their business.We want the data produced to be able to be used by managers and company boards in decision making and strategy meetings.

op5 Monitor 5.0 Beta is now available for imidiate download

theopenmonologue — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:17:27 +0000

op5 Monitor 5.0 Beta is now available for immediate download. The release of op5 Monitor 5.0 public release date april 13 is getting closer and we now release a virtual appliance beta release for testing and evaluation. The beta contain all the major features and news scheduled for the 5.0 final release. Please observe that the release is not intended for use in production envirnoment.

Access your op5 Support Tickets Online

theopenmonologue — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:36:15 +0000

In our yearly customer satisfaction survey we have gotten the feedback that our customers want to access their support tickets history on our website. As we are a customer oriented company we have been working hard to make this service available . So I am pleased to be able to launch this feature at https://tickets.op5.com. This service is available for all op5 customers and it is possible create, track and review support ticket history.

op5 New Online Support Ticket System