GenericDBCollectord
Overview
The Unified Assurance Metric Generic Database Collector executes a customizable database query and process the results into metrics. This application utilizes rules for maximum flexibility and customization capability.
The default query and rules will poll the Unified Assurance Event database and get a count of the number of events per severity level, then save the results as metrics. Other functionality is also possible, but will require changes to the query that is used and to the rules to process the resulting data.
Generic Database Collector Setup
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Review the query in the SelectSQLFile file referenced in the configuration to see the data that will be selected for processing. Update the query as needed.
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Review the logic in the rules files referenced in the configuration to see the processing that will be done on the events that are selected:
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LoadRules will be executed during application startup to load data that might be needed during processing.
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IncludeRules will be read during application startup to load additional files that might be called during processing.
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BaseRules will be executed for each event that is selected from the query above.
Update the logic as needed.
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Enable the default Service, unless a specific configuration option is needed:
Default Service
Field | Value |
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Package Name | coreCollection-app |
Service Name | Metric Database Collector |
Service Program | bin/core/collection/GenericDBCollectord |
Service Arguments | |
Service Description | Metric rules-based database collector |
Failover Type | Standalone (Supported: Standalone, Primary/Backup) |
Status | Disabled |
Privileged | (Checked) |
Default Configuration
Name | Value | Possible Values | Notes |
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BaseRules | collection/metric/db/base.rules | Text, 255 characters | Relative path to Base Rules. |
BranchDir | core/default | Text, 255 characters | relative path to Rules dir. |
CheckTime | 900 | Integer | How often (in seconds) where the application checks to see if there are any relevant changes. |
IncludeRules | collection/metric/db/base.includes | Text, 255 characters | Relative path to Include Rules. |
LoadRules | collection/metric/db/base.load | Text, 255 characters | Relative path to Load Rules. |
LogFile | logs/MetricDBCollector.log | Text, 255 characters | Relative path to Log File. |
LogLevel | ERROR | OFF, FATAL, ERROR, WARN, INFO, DEBUG | Logging level used by application. |
PollTime | 300 | Integer | How often the collector will start a poll cycle, in seconds. |
SelectSQLFile | collection/metric/db/base.sql | Text, 255 characters | Relative path to SQL file containing database query. |
SourceSchemaName | Events | Text, 255 characters | Database Schema name matching an entry in the Databases configuration; Connects and supports failover as per that configuration. Cannot be used in conjunction with "DatabaseID". |
Threads | 3 | Integer | Number of process threads created. The aggregator takes a third of this value (rounded up) for database threads unless overridden by the "DBThreads" application configuration. |
DatabaseID | Text, 255 characters | Optional - Specific Database entry in the Databases configuration. Connects but does not support failover. Cannot be used in conjunction with "SourceSchemaName" | |
DBThreads | Integer | Optional - Number of database threads to be created. If not specified, defaults to a third (rounded up) of "Threads" application configuration. | |
ThresholdThreads | Integer | Optional - Number of threshold threads to be created. Enables the checking of thresholds in the application instead of the Default Threshold Engine. If not specified, application threshold checking is disabled. | |
SendAllViolations | Disabled | Enabled/Disabled | Optional - If enabled, thresholds will send violation notifications every poll cycle rather than only on state change. Requires 'ThresholdThreads' |
DSN | Text, 255 characters | Optional - Details the database connection information and driver. DEPRECATED - Use SourceSchemaName or DatabaseID | |
Password | Text, 255 characters | Optional - Database login password. DEPRECATED - NOT ENCRYPTED, Use the Database configuration password | |
Username | Text, 255 characters | Optional - Database login username. DEPRECATED - Use the Database configuration username |
Best Practices
The following list shows you the best practices when using this collector.
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When utilizing a multi-server architecture, this service may be configured differently from other services depending on which server the collector will be connecting to:
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If using an internal Unified Assurance database, this Service would be configured on whichever server has that database.
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If using an external database, this Service would be configured on the Collector servers.
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NOTE: At this time, this application does not support IPv6 communication with MSSQL databases.
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Depending on the specific use case, the metrics that are created when using this application can be for a specific server, or data can be retrieved that would be relevant to many different devices. While the default rules provide an example of setting a single Device ID for the resulting metrics, the rules would need to be updated to be able to process data that is relevant to multiple devices.
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When connecting to a non Unified Assurance database, the recommended approach is to create an entry in the Databases UI, however, if a particular database type is not available, see the "FreeTDS Configuration and Use" documentation for additional examples using FreeTDS to connect to other databases.
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When configuring the application settings, if a particular database type can not be configured on the "Databases" UI, the configuration can use the "DSN", "Username", "Password" and other settings, but several of these have been marked as DEPRICATED within the application.
Rules
This collector uses the Unified Assurance standard rules architecture, which are 100% Perl syntax. Refer to the following articles to assist in rules creation:
Tokens
The collector exposes the following tokens for rules processing.
Token | Description |
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$Message | Hash reference to data row from query. Use $Message->{'FieldName'} to access the "FieldName" data. |
$AppConfig | Hash reference to the application configuration name-value pairs that were configured. (i.e. use $AppConfig->{'Host'} to retrieve the set value for 'Host'.) |
$CustomHash | Custom key, value cache available across all rules. Contents commonly defined in Load Rules then used in Base or other rules. NOTE: This variable is a shared object and any additional sub hashes or arrays must be shared before use or it will cause the error: "Invalid value for shared scalar". Instantiate the sub hash/array using '&share({})' e.g. $CustomHash->{SubObject} = &share({}); |
$StorageHash | Internal cache used as the StorageHash option when calling rules functions such as FindDeviceID(). NOTE: The structure of this cache is subject to change! Not recommended for custom global storage or manual manipulation; use $CustomHash. |
Administration Details
The following list shows the technical details you will need for advanced administration of the application:
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Package - coreCollection-app
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Synopsis -
./GenericDBCollectord [OPTIONS]
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Options:
-c, --AppConfigID N Application Config ID (Service, Job, or Request ID) -?, -h, --Help Print usage and exit
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Threaded - Multi-Threaded