smokeping_examples

# NAME

smokeping_examples - Examples of Smokeping configuration

# OVERVIEW

This document provides some examples of Smokeping configuration files. All the examples can be found in the `examples` directory in the Smokeping documentation. Note that the DNS names in the examples are non-functional.

Details of the syntax and all the variables are found in the smokeping_config manpage and in the documentation of the corresponding probe, if applicable.

This manual is automatically generated from the Smokeping source code, specifically the Smokeping::Examples module.

# DESCRIPTION

Currently the examples differ only in the `Probes` and `Targets` sections. The other sections are taken from the `etc/config.dist` configuration template in the Smokeping distribution so that the example files are complete.

If you would like to provide more examples, document the other sections or enhance the existing examples, please do so, preferably by sending the proposed changes to the smokeping-users mailing list.

## Example 1: config.simple

Probe configuration

       *** Probes ***
       +FPing
       binary = /usr/bin/fping

Probe explanation
  Here we have just one probe, fping, pinging four hosts.

  The fping probe is using the default parameters, some of them supplied from the Database section (``step'' and ``pings''), and some of them by the probe module.

Target configuration

       *** Targets ***
       probe = FPing

       menu = Top
       title = Network Latency Grapher
       remark = Welcome to this SmokePing website.

       + mysite1
       menu = Site 1
       title = Hosts in Site 1

       ++ myhost1
       host = myhost1.mysite1.example
       ++ myhost2
       host = myhost2.mysite1.example

       + mysite2
       menu = Site 2
       title = Hosts in Site 2

       ++ myhost3
       host = myhost3.mysite2.example
       ++ myhost4
       host = myhost4.mysite2.example

Target explanation
  The hosts are located in two sites of two hosts each, and the configuration has been divided to site sections ('+') and host subsections ('++') accordingly.

## Example 2: config.multiple-probes

Probe configuration

       *** Probes ***
       + FPing
       binary = /usr/bin/fping
       packetsize = 1000

       + DNS
       binary = /usr/bin/dig
       lookup = name.example
       pings = 5
       step = 180

       + EchoPingHttp
       pings = 5
       url = /test-url

Probe explanation
  Here we have three probes: FPing for the regular ICMP pings, DNS for name server latency measurement and EchoPingHttp for web servers.

  The FPing probe runs with the default parameters, except that the ICMP packet size is 1000 bytes instead of the default 56 bytes.

  The DNS and EchoPingHttp probes have been configured to be a bit more gentle with the servers, as they only do 5 queries (pings) instead of the default 20 (or whatever is specified in the Database section). However, DNS queries are made more often: 5 queries every 3 minutes instead of every 5 minutes.

Target configuration

       *** Targets ***
       probe = FPing
       menu = Top
       title = Network Latency Grapher
       remark = Welcome to this SmokePing website.

       + network
       menu = Net latency
       title = Network latency (ICMP pings)

       ++ myhost1
       host = myhost1.example
       ++ myhost2
       host = myhost2.example

       + services
       menu = Service latency
       title = Service latency (DNS, HTTP)

       ++ DNS
       probe = DNS
       menu = DNS latency
       title = Service latency (DNS)

       +++ dns1
       host = dns1.example

       +++ dns2
       host = dns2.example

       ++ HTTP
       menu = HTTP latency
       title = Service latency (HTTP)

       +++ www1
       host = www1.example

       +++ www2
       host = www2.example

Target explanation
  The target tree has been divided by the probe used. This does not have to be the case: every target (sub)section can use a different probe, and the same probe can be used in different parts of the config tree.

## Example 3: config.fping-instances

Probe configuration

       *** Probes ***
       + FPing
       binary = /usr/bin/fping

       ++ FPingNormal
       offset = 0%

       ++ FPingLarge
       packetsize = 5000
       offset = 50%

Probe explanation
  This example demonstrates the concept of probe instances. The FPingLarge and FPingNormal probes are independent of each other, they just use the same module, FPing. FPingNormal uses the default parameters, and so does FPingLarge except for the 5 kilobyte packetsize. Both use the same fping binary, and its path is configured FPing top section.

  The 'offset' parameters make sure the probes don't run at the same time - FPingNormal is run every 'full' 5 minutes (eg. 8:00, 8:05, 8:10 and so on, in wallclock time) while FPingLarge is run halfway through these intervals (eg. 8:02:30, 8:07:30 etc.)

  The top FPing section does not define a probe in itself because it has subsections. If we really wanted to have one probe named ``FPing'', we could do so by making a subsection by that name.

Target configuration

       *** Targets ***
       probe = FPingNormal
       menu = Top
       title = Network Latency Grapher
       remark = Welcome to this SmokePing website.

       + network
       menu = Net latency
       title = Network latency (ICMP pings)

       ++ myhost1
       menu = myhost1
       title = ICMP latency for myhost1

       +++ normal
       title = Normal packetsize (56 bytes)
       probe = FPingNormal
       host = myhost1.example

       +++ large
       title = Large packetsize (5000 bytes)
       probe = FPingLarge
       host = myhost1.example

       ++ myhost2
       menu = myhost2
       title = ICMP latency for myhost2

       +++ normal
       title = Normal packetsize (56 bytes)
       probe = FPingNormal
       host = myhost2.example

       +++ large
       title = Large packetsize (5000 bytes)
       probe = FPingLarge
       host = myhost2.example

Target explanation
  The target section shows two host, myhost1.example and myhost2.example, being pinged with two differently sized ICMP packets. This time the tree is divided by the target host rather than the probe.

## Example 4: config.targetvars-with-Curl

Probe configuration

       *** Probes ***
       + Curl
       # probe-specific variables
       binary = /usr/bin/curl
       step = 60

       # a default for this target-specific variable
       urlformat = http://%host/

Probe explanation
  This example explains the difference between probe- and target-specific variables. We use the Curl probe for this.

  Every probe supports at least some probe-specific variables. The values of these variables are common to all the targets of the probe, and they can only be configured in the Probes section. In this case, the probe-specific variables are ``binary'' and ``step''.

  Target-specific variables are supported by most probes, the most notable exception being the FPing probe and its derivatives. Target-specific variables can have different values for different targets. They can be configured in both Probes and Targets sections. The values assigned in the Probes section function become default values that can be overridden in the Targets section.

  The documentation of each probe states which of its variables are probe-specific and which are target-specific.

  In this case the ``urlformat'' variable is a target-specific one. It is also quite uncommon, because it can contain a placeholder for the ``host'' variable in the Targets section. This is not a general feature, its usage is only limited to the ``urlformat'' variable and the ``%host%'' escape.

  (The reason why the FPing probe does not support target-specific variables is simply the fact that the fping program measures all its targets in one go, so they all have the same parameters. The other probes ping their targets one at a time.)

Target configuration

       *** Targets ***
       probe = Curl
       menu = Top
       title = Network Latency Grapher
       remark = Welcome to this SmokePing website.

       + HTTP
       menu = http
       title = HTTP latency

       ++ myhost1
       menu = myhost1
       title = HTTP latency for myhost1
       host = myhost1.example

       ++ myhost2
       menu = myhost2
       title = HTTP latency for myhost2
       host = myhost2.example

       ++ myhost3
       menu = myhost3
       title = HTTP latency for myhost3 (port 8080!)
       host = myhost3.example
       urlformat = http://%host%:8080/

       + FTP
       menu = ftp
       title = FTP latency
       urlformat = ftp://%host%/

       ++ myhost1
       menu = myhost1
       title = FTP latency for myhost1
       host = myhost1.example

       ++ myhost2
       menu = myhost2
       title = FTP latency for myhost2
       host = myhost2.example

Target explanation
  The target tree is divided into an HTTP branch and an FTP one. The servers ``myhost1.example'' and ``myhost2.example'' are probed in both. The third server, ``myhost3.example'', only has an HTTP server, and it's in a non-standard port (8080).

  The ``urlformat'' variable is specified for the whole FTP branch as ``ftp://%host%/''. For the HTTP branch, the default from the Probes section is used, except for myhost3, which overrides it to tag the port number into the URL.

  The myhost3 assignment could just as well have included the hostname verbatim (ie. urlformat = http://myhost3.example:8080/) instead of using the %host% placeholder, but the host variable would still have been required (even though it wouldn't have been used for anything).

## Example 5: config.echoping

Probe configuration

       *** Probes ***
       + FPing
       binary = /usr/bin/fping

       # these expect to find echoping in /usr/bin
       # if not, you'll have to specify the location separately for each probe
       # + EchoPing         # uses TCP or UDP echo (port 7)
       # + EchoPingDiscard  # uses TCP or UDP discard (port 9)
       # + EchoPingChargen  # uses TCP chargen (port 19)
       + EchoPingSmtp       # SMTP (25/tcp) for mail servers
       + EchoPingHttps      # HTTPS (443/tcp) for web servers
       + EchoPingHttp       # HTTP (80/tcp) for web servers and caches
       + EchoPingIcp        # ICP (3130/udp) for caches

Probe explanation
  This example shows most of the echoping-derived probes in action.

Target configuration

       *** Targets ***
       # default probe
       probe = FPing

       menu = Top
       title = Network Latency Grapher
       remark = Welcome to this SmokePing website.

       + MyServers

       menu = My Servers
       title = My Servers

       ++ www-server
       menu = www-server
       title = Web Server (www-server) / ICMP
       # probe = FPing propagated from top
       host = www-server.example

       +++ http
       menu = http
       title = Web Server (www-server) / HTTP
       probe = EchoPingHttp
       host = www-server.example
       # default url is /

       +++ https
       menu = https
       title = Web Server (www-server) / HTTPS
       probe = EchoPingHttps
       host = www-server.example

       ++ cache
       menu = www-cache
       title = Web Cache (www-cache) / ICMP
       host = www-cache.example

       +++ http
       menu = http
       title = www-cache / HTTP
       probe = EchoPingHttp
       host = www-cache.example
       port = 8080 # use the squid port
       url = http://www.somehost.example/

       +++ icp
       menu = icp
       title = www-cache / ICP
       probe = EchoPingIcp
       host = www-cache.example
       url = http://www.somehost.example/

       ++ mail
       menu = mail-server
       title = Mail Server (mail-server) / ICMP
       host = mail-server.example

       +++ smtp
       menu = mail-server / SMTP
       title = Mail Server (mail-server) / SMTP
       probe = EchoPingSmtp
       host = mail-server.example

Target explanation
  All the servers are pinged both with ICMP (the FPing probe) and their respective echoping probe. The proxy server, www-cache, is probed with both HTTP requests and ICP requests for the same URL.

## Example 6: config.template

Probe configuration

       *** Probes ***

       + FPing

       binary = /usr/sepp/bin/fping

Probe explanation
  This is the template configuration file distributed with Smokeping. It is included in the examples as well for the sake of completeness.

Target configuration

       *** Targets ***

       probe = FPing

       menu = Top
       title = Network Latency Grapher
       remark = Welcome to the SmokePing website of xxx Company. \
                Here you will learn all about the latency of our network.

       + World

       menu = World
       title = Worldwide Connectivity

       ++ Europe

       menu = Europe
       title =European Connectivity

       +++ Switzerland

       menu = Switzerland
       title =Swiss Connectivity
       alerts = bigloss,someloss,startloss

       ++++ SBB

       menu = SBB/CFF/FFS
       title =Swiss Federal Railways Webserver
       host = www.railway-server.abc

       ++++ Tiscali

       menu = Tiscali Web
       title = Tiscali Webserver www.tiscali.abc
       host = www.tiscali-web.abc

       +++ UK

       menu = United Kingdom
       title = United Kingdom

       ++++ UCL

       menu = UCL
       title = UCL
       host = www.ucl-abc.acc.uk

       ++ USA

       menu = North America
       title =North American Connectivity

       +++ MIT

       menu = MIT
       title = Massachusetts Institute of Technology Webserver
       host = www.gurkoman.ybc

       +++ IU

       menu = IU
       title = Indiana University
       host = www.iu.ali

       +++ UCB

       menu = U. C. Berkeley
       title = U. C. Berkeley Webserver
       host = www.berkly.udi

       +++ UCSD

       menu = U. C. San Diego
       title = U. C. San Diego Webserver
       host = www.ucsdddar.art

       +++ Sun

       menu = Sun Microsystems
       title = Sun Microsystems Webserver
       host = www.sun-web.com

Target explanation
  This is the template configuration file distributed with Smokeping. It is included in the examples as well for the sake of completeness.

# COPYRIGHT

Copyright 2005 by Niko Tyni.

# LICENSE

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.

# AUTHOR

Niko Tyni <ntyni@iki.fi>

# SEE ALSO

The other Smokeping documents, especially the smokeping_config manpage.