Eric Loyd - Fractal Nagios - Learn how Nagios XI can be used to monitor Nagios Log Server (NLS) and Nagios Network Analyzer (NNA), how Nagios Log Server and Nagios Network Analyzer can leverage Nagios XI for alerting, and how to use Nagios Log Server and Nagios Network Analyzer to monitor each other and Nagios XI and Nagios Core, including remote execution environments.

1. Fractal Nagios:
Using Nagios XI, Core, Log Server,
Network Analyzer, Reactor, Fusion, and
Incident Manager to monitor itself.
You can do it!!
Eric Loyd • eric@bitnetix.com
@EricLoyd • @Bitnetix

2. Who is Eric? What is Bitnetix?
• Eric is the Founder and CEO of Bitnetix Incorporated and SmartVox
– 2014 Nagios MVP award winner
– Runner-up of the 2015 Nagios Log Server dashboard contest
– Presenter at #NagiosCon12, 13, 14, and now #NagiosCon15
• IT/network consulting and VoIP services
• Over 25 Years in IT and management at places like
– Rochester Institute of Technology
– Eastman Kodak
– Frontier Communications / Global Crossing
• Bitnetix started its tenth year in July of 2015
• Have been using Nagios since 2004

3. What is “Fractal Nagios?”
Nagios
Log
Server
Nagios
XI
Fusion
Reactor
Network
Analyzer
Incident
Manager
Log
Server

4. What do Each of these do?
Nagios XI
• Monitors
• Alerts
• Escalates
• Monitors
• Alerts
• Escalates
Fusion
• Ties together
multiple XI
and Core
instances
• Ties together
multiple XI
and Core
instances
Network
Analyzer
• Bandwidth
• Source
• Dest
• Ports
• Bandwidth
• Source
• Dest
• Ports
Reactor
• Like an event
handler on
steroids
• Like an event
handler on
steroids
Incident
Manager
• Tickets
• Incidents
• Callbacks
• Escalations
• Tickets
• Incidents
• Callbacks
• Escalations
Log Server
• System logs
• Applications
• Security
• System logs
• Applications
• Security
There is some overlap, but we are going to
look at an experiment:
Use all this stuff to monitor itself.

5. Nagios XI (or Core)
• Monitors hosts and services
– Active checks directly or via agents
– Passive checks sent by remote machines
• Alerts when something goes wrong/right
• Executes event handlers to try to fix things
• Escalates when nothing gets fixed

6. Nagios Reactor
• Advanced automation management
– Think “event handlers” on steroids
• Event chains, reusable blocks, etc.
• Can be used for systems administration,
deployment, updates, etc.
• Notification and reporting tools

7. Nagios Log Server
• Accepts logs/events from systems
• Organizes them into searchable indexes
• Provides dashboards, reports, and alerts
• Easily integrates Unix or Windows event
logs with application and server logs

8. Nagios Network Analyzer
• Accepts NetFlow/sFlow information from
routers, switches, and servers
• Provides intrusion detection, network
usage, bandwidth monitoring, and alerting
• Reporting capabilities

9. Nagios Incident Manager
• “Ticketing” system on steroids
• Provides semi-RESTful API to create, list,
edit, and delete tickets and callbacks
• Reporting and trending capabilities

10. Nagios Fusion
• Sort of a dashboard for separate Nagios
XI and Core instances
• Easily move through server heirarchy
• Create dashboards
– Show only what’s important
– Drill down to connect to specific servers

11. PIAT: Monitoring
Nagios XI/Core Monitors Everything

12. PIAT: Logging

13. PIAT: NetFlow

14. PIAT: Events

15. PIAT: Alerts

16. Fractal Nagios:
Questions?
Comments?
http://bitnetix.com/NW2015
Eric Loyd • eric@bitnetix.com
@EricLoyd • @Bitnetix