[mrtg] Re: remote statistics

[Alex van den Bogaerdt]

Duane Powers wrote:

> > The rule of the thumb is:
> > First make sure you can get the numbers (using SNMP or otherwise). Only
> > then start even thinking about MRTG.
> > 
> > I hope this generic answer will do.
> 
> Well, it starts to help :o)
> 
> I was thinking SNMP _was_ the way to collect remote statistics, I guess 
> I just need to find a primer on snmp.

It normally is.  However, the M from MRTG does *not* stand for Magic.
MRTG can only work if the underlaying structures work.  You need to
have working power, a working computer, a working way of collecting
the statistics.  How you get this done is not really important to
MRTG.  If you can get values using a script then this is fine with
MRTG, you don't need SNMP even if you want to monitor a remote box.

I find that generally the best way to setup a (MRTG) system is:

1) determine the needs for monitoring, what do I need to know
2) find out how to collect these statistics, where do I get them
3) find out if MRTG is the best tool for the job
4) find out how to get the numbers into MRTG

Sometimes (3) is answered with "no", hence the counters on the mrtg
faq page.  I could collect statistics from the web server but I find
it much more useful to use somebody elses product.  Sometimes (1) or
(2) dictate it shouldn't, or even can't, be done with MRTG.  Usually
when 1..3 are all in favour of MRTG, number 4 is the easy part.

cheers
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