Werk #1903: mk_oracle: Remote Monitoring of Oracle Databases

Component Checks & agents
Title mk_oracle: Remote Monitoring of Oracle Databases
Date Mar 29, 2015
Checkmk Edition Checkmk Raw (CRE)
Checkmk Version 1.2.7i1
Level Prominent Change
Class New Feature
Compatibility Compatible - no manual interaction needed

mk_oracle got a major improvement in monitoring Oracle Databases.

This new option allows monitoring a database from another host with a running check_mk_agent.

Requirements

You need an Oracle Client from Oracle to use this feauture. The Oracle Instant Client with SQLPlus is a required minimum. You could use an existing Oracle installation as environment for mk_oracle as well.

The plugin sends the data with piggyback. Please keep in mind, that the agent from the host with mk_oracle is responsible for the piggyback data. If you put the Check_MK check in downtime you'll put all other database checks from mk_oracle in a downtime as well.

Configuration

You need an Oracle Client. You could use the remote option from an existing Database Server to monitor another Server. It is recommended to set REMOTE_ORACLE_HOME in mk_oracle.cfg for the ORACLE_HOME which should be used for all remote connections.

An existing ORACLE_HOME could be used as well, but do not do that in mixed configurations with local and remote monitoring of Oracle Databases.

Add the following lines to mk_oracle.cfg. The path is an example for the RPM Instant Client from Oracle for 64bit on Linux. REMOTE_ORACLE_HOME=/usr/lib/oracle/11.2/client64

REMOTE_INSTANCE_1=check_mk:check_mk::dbhost:1521:piggybackhost:XE:11.2 REMOTE_INSTANCE_2=check_mk:check_mk::dbhost:1521:piggybackhost:XE2:11.2

Definition of a REMOTE_INSTANCE: REMOTE_INSTANCE_<Number>=<Configuration String>

The definition of the database connection is as follows. username:password:sysdba:Database hostname:Listener Port:piggyback Hostname:ORACLE_SID:ORACLE-Release

Notes regarding REMOTE_INSTANCE_x You need to make sure, that the name of the variable including the hostname is unique for every database in mk_oracle.cfg. The Oracle Release must be 9.2, 10.1, 10.2, 11.1, 11.2 or 12.1. No other values are allowed.

Don't forget to use the testmode before starting the inventory on the monitoring host.

More details could be found on the documentation at Check_MK: https://mathias-kettner.de/checkmk_oracle.html

The testmode is compatible with the remote mode. Details with an example are shown in the documentation.

Incompatible change:

The compatibility against old sqlplus.sh has been removed. Please remove an exiting sqlplus.sh and configure the mk_oracle.cfg. This change is a requirement for the new remote monitoring option and the only reason for this change. There is nothing to do when sqlplus.sh was not used before this Werk.

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