Specifying a Flag File Directory for Process Presence Blackout Periods

This task describes how to specify the directory that contains process presence flag files, and how to use those files as a resource external to the PATROL Agent for disabling the generation of state change alerts for the following parameters:

• Process Count Check (PROCPPCountCheck)
• Process Ownership Check (PROCPPOwnerCheck) 
• Parent PID is 1 (PROCPPParentPID1) 

You can use flag files to create the equivalent of a PATROL "blackout" for specific process presence instances, suspending warnings and alarms during regular system maintenance. To create a "blackout period" for a process presence instance, move a flag file for the process presence instance into the designated flag file directory. When PATROL finds a flag file in the specified directory, it will ignore any alarms or warnings generated for the process.

Before you begin

Before you identify the directory location, ensure that the following requirements are met for the flag file directory and the flag files.
The flag file directory must conform to the following standards:

• the directory must exist on the system
• the PATROL Agent must have read permissions on the flag directory

Flag files must conform to the following standards:

• flag files must reside in the designated flag file directory
• flag files must be named ignore_ProcessName, where ProcessName is the name assigned to the monitored process

Specifying a flag file directory

Use the following procedure to specify a directory as the flag file directory:

1. Double-click the PROCESS application container.
2. Access the PROCESS_PRESENCE application menu as described in Accessing KM Commands and InfoBoxes.
3. Select Identify Flag Directory from the pop-up menu.

4. Type the full path of the flag file directory in the Enter Full Path field.

   Do not store flag files in the /tmp directory; many UNIX systems automatically clear this directory upon system reboot.

5. Click Apply.

Suspending process monitoring for a process instance

Use the following procedure to suspend process monitoring for a process instance:

Create a file named ignore_ProcessName and copy it to the designated flag file directory.

Flag files must be named ignore_ProcessName, where ProcessName is the monitored process name. When the flag file is found in the designated directory, PATROL ignores alerts and events that are generated for the monitored process.

Resuming process monitoring for a process instance

To start monitoring the process again, remove the ignore_ProcessName file from the flag file directory.

Related topics

Using the PATROL KM for UNIX for Process Monitoring