doc::Smokeping::probes::baseSmdoc::Smokeping::probes::basefork(3)



NAME
       Smokeping::probes::basefork - Yet Another Base Class for
       implementing SmokePing Probes

OVERVIEW
       Like Smokeping::probes::basevars, but supports the probe-
       specific property `forks' to determine how many processes
       should be run concurrently. The targets are pinged one at
       a time, and the number of pings sent can vary between tar-
       gets.

SYNOPSIS
        *** Probes ***

        +basefork

        forks = 5
        offset = 50%
        step = 300
        timeout = 15

        # The following variables can be overridden in each target section
        pings = 5

        # [...]

        *** Targets ***

        probe = basefork # if this should be the default probe

        # [...]

        + mytarget
        # probe = basefork # if the default probe is something else
        host = my.host
        pings = 5

DESCRIPTION
       Not all pinger programs support testing multiple hosts in
       a single go like fping(1). If the measurement takes long
       enough, there may be not enough time perform all the tests
       in the time available. For example, if the test takes 30
       seconds, measuring ten hosts already fills up the
       SmokePing default five minute step.

       Thus, it may be necessary to do some of the tests concur-
       rently. This module defines the ping method that forks the
       requested number of concurrent processes and calls the
       pingone method that derived classes must provide.

       The pingone method is called with one argument: a hash
       containing the target that is to be measured. The contents
       of the hash are described in Smokeping::probes::base-
       vars(3pm).

       The number of concurrent processes is determined by the
       probe-specific variable `forks' and is 5 by default. If
       there are more targets than this value, another round of
       forks is done after the first processes are finished. This
       continues until all the targets have been tested.

       The timeout in which each child has to finish is set to 5
       seconds multiplied by the maximum number of 'pings' of the
       targets. You can set the base timeout differently if you
       want to, using the timeout property of the probe in the
       master config file (this again will be multiplied by the
       maximum number of pings). The probe itself can also pro-
       vide another default value if desired by modifying the
       _default value of the timeout variable.

       If the child isn't finished when the timeout occurs, it
       will be killed along with any processes it has started.

       The number of pings sent can be specified in the target-
       specific variable 'pings'.

VARIABLES
       Supported probe-specific variables:

       forks
           Run this many concurrent processes at maximum

           Example value: 5

           Default value: 5

       offset
           If you run many probes concurrently you may want to
           prevent them from hitting your network all at the same
           time. Using the probe-specific offset parameter you
           can change the point in time when each probe will be
           run. Offset is specified in % of total interval, or
           alternatively as 'random', and the offset from the
           'General' section is used if nothing is specified
           here. Note that this does NOT influence the rrds
           itself, it is just a matter of when data acqusition is
           initiated.  (This variable is only applicable if the
           variable 'concurrentprobes' is set in the 'General'
           section.)

           Example value: 50%

       step
           Duration of the base interval that this probe should
           use, if different from the one specified in the
           'Database' section. Note that the step in the RRD
           files is fixed when they are originally generated, and
           if you change the step parameter afterwards, you'll
           have to delete the old RRD files or somehow convert
           them. (This variable is only applicable if the vari-
           able 'concurrentprobes' is set in the 'General' sec-
           tion.)

           Example value: 300

       timeout
           How long a single 'ping' takes at maximum

           Example value: 15

           Default value: 5

       Supported target-specific variables:

       pings
           How many pings should be sent to each target, if dif-
           ferent from the global value specified in the Database
           section. Note that the number of pings in the RRD
           files is fixed when they are originally generated, and
           if you change this parameter afterwards, you'll have
           to delete the old RRD files or somehow convert them.

           Example value: 5

AUTHORS
       Niko Tyni <ntyni@iki.fi>

SEE ALSO
       Smokeping::probes::basevars, Smokeping::probes::EchoPing



2.0.9                       20doc::Smokeping::probes::basefork(3)
