Werk #5744: Export of rule packs in MKP packages

Rule packs of the Event Console can now be exported in MKP packages, i.e. they can be downloaded, versioned, and shared with other Check_MK installations. This is e.g. useful in setups with independent instances where rule packs can now be defined centrally in one instance and distributed to other instances as predefined packages. For distributed instances the primary mechanism to synchronize rule packs remains the synchronization via WATO.

To export a rule pack it has to be made exportable by clicking on the corresponding action in the rule pack overview of the WATO module Event Console. After that the rule pack is available for MKP export in the WATO module Extension Packages, i.e. it can be seen in the packaged files when a package is created or edited. If a rule pack is exported in a MKP it cannot be deleted directly in the WATO module Event Console anymore and it's ID and title cannot be changed. The rules of the rule pack can still be modified via the edit rules menu. If a rule of a MKP rule pack is modified, deleted or a new rule is created the MKP rule pack becomes a modified MKP rule pack. This means that the modified version of the rule pack becomes valid, but the exported MKP rule pack remains unchanged. To synchronize the MKP rule pack with the modified MKP rule pack there are two options: the modified rule pack can be resetted to the MKP version or the MKP can be updated by the modified version. Both options are available via the corresponding action of the rule pack in the WATO module Event Console.

If a MKP including Event Console rule packs is uploaded to a site the included rule packs will be added to the end of the existing rule packs. They can be moved freely between the existing rule packs without changing the MKP. Furthermore, rule packs provided in a MKP can be enabled and disabled without restrictions. Note however that the information if a rule pack is enabled or disabled is persisted in the MKP. This makes it possible to ship e.g. three rule packs for different versions of a software which are disabled by default. After uploading the MKP the rule pack for a specific version can be activated. If a MKP with exported rule packs is deleted the rule packs provided by that MKP are deleted as well. To keel the rule packs and to remove the MKP the MKP has to be dissolved. As a result the rule packs that were provided by that MKP are still available. After dissolving a MKP the rule packs will be exportable.

In a distributed monitoring setup there are the two existing options "Replicate Event Console configuration to this site" and "Replicate extensions (MKPs and files in ~/local/)" which have an impact on exportable and exported rule packs. By enabling the replication of the event console configuration all Event Console rule packs are synchronized with slave sites, but only by enabling the replication of MKPs the MKP information of rule packs is synchronized. This has an implication on the representation and behaviour of rule packs of a slave sites if the WATO configuration of the slave site is enabled. If for example only the replication of the event console configuration is enabled the slave site will show a synchronized MKP rule pack as exportable but not as a rule pack provided by a MKP. Therefore, rule packs can be provided by the master and bundled in MKPs by the slave site. If the rule pack export is used it is not advisable to use the MKP replication without the replication of the Event Console configuration because the rule packs are provided to the slave in .mk files, but they WILL NOT be recognized by the Event Console. The preferred method to share only specific rule packs is to disable both replication options and to upload MKPs containing these rule packs to the corresponding slave sites.

To avoid errors in a distributed monitoring setup the rule pack export SHOULD only be used when ALL slave sites support the MKP rule pack export. If a slave site does not support the rule pack export either the replication of the Event Console configuration should be disabled for that site or the export of rule packs should not be used at all.

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