Configuring Binary Files

Discontinued support

Support for all versions of the Binary Files monitor type is discontinued from September 20, 2019 and it is removed from the product in the 2.7.40 version.

This topic provides information about configuring the binary files.

Click Add to configure binary files for monitoring.

Field

Description

Monitor Settings

Label for new file to be added Specify the name of the label for the log file that you want to start monitoring.

Logical name

Specify the logical name of the instance that you want to monitor. Maximum 80 characters are supported in this field.

File name

Specify the full path and the filename for the file that you want to monitor.

Note: To monitor log files that have dynamic names, use the * and ?regular expressions to define the file name. For example, if a log file is named backup_date.log, where date changes each day, enter the log file name as backup_*.log.

Regular expressions are not accepted for named pipes. Maximum 900 characters are supported in this field.

Path contains environment variables Select this check box to enter a path defined by an environment variable that is resolved at run time. If you select this check box, environment variables in the binary file path are resolved. Otherwise, the binary file is treated as a pure file name.

Advanced Settings

File disposition Select ALL option if you are monitoring a dynamically named file and you want to monitor all of the files using the dynamic name specified in the File/Pipe Name field, rather than just the latest file.

Scan priority

The KM has three predefined collection intervals which can be set by configuring the Scan Priority field. This field displays the priority level at which you want the instance to be scanned.

The priority-collection interval mapping:

Scan Priority	Predefined Data Collection interval
Normal	2 minutes
Medium	10 minutes
Low	30 minutes

Normal is associated with the LogMainColl and LogRemoteMainColl collectors. Select this option to scan the file every 2 minutes.
Medium is associated with the LogMainCollP2 collector. Select this option to scan the file every 10 minutes.
Low is associated with the LogMainCollP3 collector. Select this option to scan the file every 30 minutes.

If you want to change how often the file is scanned, change the polling time of these collectors. The default scan interval is 2 minutes.

Note: You cannot select a value other than Normal for remote log instances. Attempting to do so will result in an error message.

Setting a custom collection interval:

You can set a none-default value also known as, custom collection interval, for each of the above priority values.

Navigate to your Log Management KM policy and select the Polling Intervals tab.
Click Add Polling Interval.
1. In the Monitoring solution field, select Log Management.
2. Select the version.
3. Select the Monitor Parameter as per your requirements. For more information, refer Scan priority, collection interval, and collection timeout table.
4. Set the polling interval of the monitor parameter with the custom collection interval.
5. Save the policy.

Scan priority, collection interval, and collection timeout table

Priority	Monitor Parameter	Predefined Data Collection interval	Collection timeout
Normal	LogMainColl	2 minutes	8 minutes
Medium	LogMainColl2	10 minutes	13 minutes
Low	LogMainColl3	30 minutes	33 minutes

Note: If you are using Log Management KM prior to version 2.7.30, ensure that the predefined data collection interval value does not exceed the collection timeout value.

Generate ALARM if file not modified Select this check box if you want the instance to generate an alarm if the monitored file is not modified periodically. Specify the time in minutes after which you want the KM to alarm if the file is not modified, in the minutes text box.

If no match on next scan return to OK Select this checkbox iIf the KM goes into an alarm or a warning state because the search string is found and you want the KM state to return to OK if the search string is not found on the next scan.

Binary File Settings

Filter program

Specify a filter program.

Always read at beginning

Select this check box if you want to scan the entire text file on each scan, rather than scanning only the new content.

Note: The text file will only be scanned if the file changes.

Multiline Search

Expand the Multiline Search frame to configure the start and end delimiters.

Field	Description
Start delimiter	Specify the start limit to search a block of lines containing a match string.
End delimiter	Specify the end limit to search a block of lines containing a match string.

Remote Monitoring

Expand the Remote Monitoring frame to add a remote host for monitoring.

Remote hostname: Specify the hostname for remote monitoring. This field is applicable only for UNIX and Linux platforms. UNIX KM must be installed and the Remote Monitoring policy must be defined.

Search Criteria Settings

Pattern Search Criteria: Click to configure a Pattern Search Criteria for the configured file.

Field	Description
Search Criterion
Search Identifier Name	Specify a unique label in the Search Identifier Name text box and configure a search string to define what type of messages the KM should search for.
Search String 1
NOT	(Optional) Select this checkbox if you want the KM to alarm if a string is not present in the file. Note: This option displays all the lines in the file that do not match the search string.
String	In the String text box, enter one of the following: First search string that you want to search in the text instance Regular expression for the first search string that you want to search in the text instance (4096-byte limit) Search pattern (s). Each search pattern should be a valid regular expression and should be enclosed in parentheses ({}). For example, {Job started} {Job stopped} {Job aborted}. Note The KM searches for each search pattern in the log file in the order in which you have specified the search patterns. These patterns are searched for the number of polling intervals that you specify in the Add Polling Intervals option. If all the search patterns are not found in the specified polling intervals, the KM generates an alarm. Note: BMC does not recommend performing the following actions: Entering multiple search patterns in the String1 text box, and selecting the Always Read At Beginning check box in simultaneously. Entering a single search pattern in the String1 text box. The KM might not generate any alarm in this case. For example, {`Job Started`}.
Search String 2
NOT	Select this check box if you want to identify log files in which the string is not found. For example, if we enter ERROR and FATAL as the search strings, the KM searches for the word ERROR AND FATAL at the same line.
String	Enter the second search string or regular expression.
Number Search
First number	Specify a number to specify a starting position of a search range in the matched file.
Op	Select the operator from the operator list. < <= = >= > !=
Second number	Specify a number to specify an ending position of a search range in the matched file line.
Op	Select the operator from the operator list. < <= = >= > !=
Begin token	Specify a valid beginning token value.
End token	Specify a valid ending token value.

Search Criteria Event Handling Configuration: Expand the frame to add a search criteria for handling events.

Field	Description
Override default setting	Select this checkbox to custom-define the settings for each search criterion. You can custom-define a search criterion with settings that are different from the default settings. To do so, select the Override default setting check box and custom-define the settings for each search criterion.
Threshold # 1	Specify the minimum number of text search string matches in a polling cycle required to produce a specified state.
Threshold # 1 state	Select the state that you want the KM to exhibit when a threshold is reached. None Ok Warn Alarm Note: If you want the KM to go into alarm when the search string is found 3 times in the monitored file, then you would set the value of Threshold #1 to 3 and select Alarm from the State list.
Threshold #2	Specify the minimum number of text search string matches required to produce a specified state. You can specify a different state and a different number of matches from Threshold #1. Threshold #2 should be higher than Threshold #1. To search for a minimum number of text strings across a number of polling cycles, enter values in the x:y format.
Threshold # 2 state	Select the state that you want the KM to exhibit when a threshold is reached. None Ok Warn Alarm
Custom event message	Specify the message that you want to be displayed in the events when your search string conditions are satisfied. For more information, see Customizing event messages.
Custom event origin	Specify the customized origin for events. If you do not specify the origin, the product uses the instance name as the default origin of events, which is APPCLASS.INSTANCE.textFileName. You can use built-in macros (except the %x[-%y] macro) as the customized origin for events.
Ignore duplicate events for next (mins)	Specify the time threshold for which the duplicate events will be ignored. Note: You can also modify the default search criterion settings after you configure the instance.

Default Settings For Search Criteria

Threshold # 1

Specify the minimum number of text search string matches in a polling cycle required to produce a specified state.

To search for a minimum number of text strings across a number of polling cycles, enter values in the x : y format; x represents the minimum number of text string matches, and y represents the total number of polling cycles.

Threshold # 1 state

Select the state that you want the KM to exhibit when a threshold is reached.

- None
- Ok
- Warn
- Alarm

Note: If you want the KM to go into alarm when the search string is found 3 times in the monitored file, then you would set the value of Threshold #1 to 3 and select Alarm from the State list.

Threshold #2 Specify the minimum number of text search string matches required to produce a specified state. You can specify a different state and a different number of matches from Threshold #1. Threshold #2 should be higher than Threshold #1. To search for a minimum number of text strings across a number of polling cycles, enter values in the x:y format.

Threshold # 2 state

Select the state that you want the KM to exhibit when a threshold is reached.

- None
- Ok
- Warn
- Alarm

Note: If you want the KM to go into alarm when the search string is found 3 times in the monitored file, then you would set the value of Threshold #1 to 3 and select Alarm from the State list.

Custom event message Specify the message that you want to be displayed in the events when your search string conditions are satisfied. For more information, see Customizing event messages.

Custom event origin

Specify the customized origin for events. If you do not specify the origin, the product uses the instance name as the default origin of events, which is APPCLASS.INSTANCE.textFileName. You can use built-in macros (except the %x[-%y] macro) as the customized origin for events.

Modifying this field affects the generated custom event origin causing the event to not be associated with the LOG instance level in the Central Monitoring Administration console.

Ignore duplicate events for next (mins) Specify the time threshold for which the duplicate events will be ignored. You can also modify the default search criterion settings after you configure the instance.

OK Click to save the configuration.

Close Click this button to exit without saving any changes.

Configuring Binary Files

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