PATROL InfoBoxes
InfoBoxes exist for all PATROL objects by default. That is, if you choose InfoBox from any PATROL object's icon menu, an InfoBox pops up displaying information about the managed object. Some InfoBox items are default items; that is, the commands for these default items are permanently defined by PATROL and should not be changed or deleted. However, you can add your own InfoBox items to provide users with relevant information about a specific application object. Example InfoBoxes for Windows and UNIX are shown in the following figure.
Example InfoBoxes on Windows and UNIX
The following table presents some of the PATROL default InfoBox items for application classes and instances.
Typical InfoBox defaults provided by PATROL
Item | Description |
|---|---|
Icon Type | Indicates the type of object the icon represents. For a Knowledge Module this field will contain Application or Container indicating an application instance or class. |
State | Indicates the state of the application or the worst state of any of its propagated parameters. |
Application Class | Indicates the application class to which the application instance belongs. The PATROL Console does not present this field when the icon type is Container. For a Knowledge Module, the field will contain the NAME value specified in Knowledge Module APPLICATION definition. |
Default User Name | Indicates the user name of the default user. |
Worst Parameter | Names the application parameter that is in a state of warning or alarm. |
History Retention | Displays the current retention period for application parameter data. |
An InfoBox lists the results of specific data collection commands. Each monitored object in PATROL has its own InfoBox. For example, the InfoBox for a database application class could display the last time the transaction log was dumped or the date on which the database was created. The InfoBox for a computer could display the host name, IP address, and machine class.
An InfoBox item has the following properties:
- Used for object classes and instances
- Initiated by the PATROL Console
- Run by the PATROL Agent
Create InfoBox items in your PATROL KM product for the following objects:
- Computer classes
- Application classes
Note
Parameter and application class InfoBox items are defined by PATROL. You cannot change or add to them.
How an InfoBox works
Each InfoBox is made up of several items. Each item in an InfoBox has an associated command script. The script can be a PSL script, a shell script, or an application-specific script. InfoBox definitions are saved in the .km file in the section labeled INFO_BOX. The output of each script is returned to the PATROL Console and forms the data that is displayed in the InfoBox.
Unlike parameters, InfoBox items are not scheduled by the PATROL Agent's internal run queue. InfoBox commands execute each time you display or update the InfoBox.
When the InfoBox is displayed, the scripts for all the items are sent to the PATROL Agent for execution. The PATROL Agent does the following:
- Accesses the InfoBox definitions for the application class to which the object belongs.
- Executes as ad hoc commands when the InfoBox is opened by a user and returns the output to the console.
Why create an InfoBox
An InfoBox provides a quick overview of pertinent information about a specific PATROL KM application. You can create an InfoBox as a mechanism for displaying such information so that it is concise and easily accessible.
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