Manually creating or changing configuration variables

Although not recommended, you can also use the PATROL Configuration Manager, instead of the PATROL console, to directly update the agent configuration database by manually entering rules or changing existing rules. However, you must be careful to avoid typos and you must use the following syntax guidelines. For more information, see the examples in the following sections, which show how to manually configure several PATROL KM for Microsoft Windows OS features.

• • Syntax guidelines
  • Using the child_list variable
  • Using the variable_list variable
  • Adding a rule in PCM
  • Adding a service to monitor: example
  • Adding a process to monitor: example
  • Creating an event filter: example
  • Updating parameter thresholds or poll times: example
  • Inactivating or deactivating a parameter: example

Syntax guidelines

When manually creating rules, you must substitute special codes for certain characters when those characters are part of a configuration variable name or value. These characters are used for specific purposes within pconfig. For example, the comma is used to separate values. For more information, see the following table.

Using the child_list variable

When manually creating rules, you may need to include the child_list variable. The child_list variable specifies the configuration variables that apply to the configured object. In the pconfig hierarchy, the child_list variable is placed one level higher up than the configuration variables that it references. For example, as shown in the following figure, the child_list variable in the Example folder lists the configuration variables beneath it in the hierarchy. Thus, in the following figure, the child_list variable has the following value:

child_list = " SourceList,EventIdList,UserList,StringList"

If you are unsure how or when to use the child_list variable, use a PATROL console to configure monitoring and then examine the child_list rules that are created.

Using the child_list and variable_list variables

Using the variable_list variable

When manually creating rules, you may also need to include the variable_list variable. The variable_list variable lists the variables that are associated with the configured object. In the pconfig hierarchy, the variable_list variable is placed at the same level as the variables that is references. For example, in the following figure, the variable_list variable has the following value:

variable_list = " FilterEnabled,FilterDescription,EventType,Annotation,EventReport, RetainEventDescriptions,Scheduling,

AcknowledgeBy,ConsolidationNumber,ConsolidationTime,ConsolidateEventTypes,IncludeAllSources,

IncludeAllEventIds,IncludeAllUsers,IncludeAllCategories,IncludeAllStrings,CreateInstance"

If you are unsure how or when to use the variable_list variable, use a PATROL console to configure monitoring and then examine the variable_list rules that are created.

Adding a rule in PCM

When manually adding rules within PATROL Configuration Manager, follow this general procedure.

1. Right-click the folder where you want to add the rule and select New > Ruleset.
    A new ruleset is created called NewRuleSet.
2. Rename the ruleset.
3. Right-click the new ruleset and select New Rule.
4. From the Ruleset dialog, enter the ruleset, operation, and variable. For more information about what to enter, see the examples that follow.

Adding a service to monitor: example

Assume that you want to set up the following service monitoring configuration:

• monitor the DHCP Client service
• restart the start the service when it stops
• generate a PATROL Warning when the service is stopped
• enable the monitoring of the process associated with this service

To manually create this configuration, you would create the rules shown in the following table. For more information about the configuration variable specified in these rules, see Agent-configuration-variables.

Adding a process to monitor: example

Assume that you want to set up the following process monitoring configuration:

• monitor rtserver process with argument -service
• terminate the process when the process CPU% exceeds a threshold value (defined by the AlarmThreshold variable) for 15 minutes
• generate a PATROL alarm when the process is not running
• do not generate a PATROL alarm when the process is running

To manually create this configuration, you would create the rules shown in the following table. For more information about the configuration variable specified in these rules, see Agent-configuration-variables.

Creating an event filter: example

Assume that you want to set up the following event monitoring filter:

• create an event filter named Example with the description Event Filter Example
• monitor only Warning and Error event types; do not consolidate event types when reporting. Report Warning and Error events separately.
• monitor events from application sources PerfDisk and PerfProc
• monitor event IDs 100 through 154
• monitor events generated under the username of bhunter
• monitor events that have the test string missing in the event text
• monitor events in any event category
• select the option to write event details to a text parameter
• select the option to report multiple events as one event when 5 or more events occur within 30 seconds
• select the option to notify PATROL immediately when an event filter matches the filter criteria
• when in alarm, remain in alarm until acknowledged by an operator

To manually create this configuration, you would create the rules shown in the following table. For more information about the configuration variable specified in these rules, see Agent-configuration-variables.

Updating parameter thresholds or poll times: example

Assume that you want to change the alarm thresholds for any instance of the parameter NT_CPU/CPUprcrProcessorTimePercent to the following values:

• Alarm Range 1: 80--85
• Alarm Range 2: 85--100

To manually create this configuration, you would create the rules shown in the following table.

For more information about the this rule, see the detailed description in the following table.

The following table provides a detailed description of the THRESHOLDS configuration rule.

 Understanding the THRESHOLDS rule

Inactivating or deactivating a parameter: example

Assume that you want to deactivate any instance of the parameter NT_LOGICAL_DISKS/LDldFreeSpacePercent.

To manually create this configuration, you would create the rules shown in the following table: