Basics for adding a plugin and using it

[Simon_hyperic]

I have been reading up on plugins.

I have moved the terminservices plgin xml for the exmaple directory on the agent to the plugins directory and created the same xml file on the server ( running linux).

I have restarted the agent and the log shows the plugin being loaded, what do i Have to do on the server and then what doe i need to do on the web gui to access this services, i have tried adding services etc, but cant see the terminal services.

Thanks for any help on this.
Simon
hyperic 3 beta.

[cwitt_hyperic]

Browse to the Platform page for the Windows machine on which you are wanting to configure the Terminal Services monitoring. On the right, toward the top of this page, click on "New Server". Give it a name, say, "HOSTNAME Terminal Services". In the "Server Type" drop-down, select the new Terminal Services type, which should be there if the plug-in is doing its thing. The required "Install Path" field baffled me for a sec, but it should not really matter what you put in here. I just put "C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost" in there. Click OK.

You will be told you have to go into "Configuration Properties" to finalize the configuration. I set my "Auto-Discovery for Sessions" to On, and clicked OK. A few minutes later, the Availability and Active Sessions showed up as indicators under Monitor. You can add "Inactive Sessions" and "Total Sessions" as well through the Metric Data tab (click on "Show All Metrics", and set collection intervals to begin collecting).

When you browse the Platform, you will now see your Terminal Services Server listed as a Deployed Server.

[Simon_hyperic]

Thanks Cwitt, thats what I thought I had to do but i dont get a terminal servers in the 'Server Type' box, so the hq server must not have registered the plugin.

On the windows agent i moved
- terminalservices-plugin.xml

from - C:\hyperic agent\pdk\examples
to -C:\hyperic agent\pdk\plugins
Then restarted the agent and the agent logs shows that it registered ok.

Then on the server I created the same xml file that was on the windows agent in:

- /home/hyperic/server-3.0.0/hq-engine/server/default/deploy/hq.ear/hq-plugins/terminalservices-plugin.xml

I am not sure where to check to see if this has picked up in terms of logs etc, the documentation on this sort of stuff is very light on the ground. Would be great if someone could do examples just like the explaination you have just given.

I wouldnt even mind doing some of the examples with picture or flash demo stuff it that would help out.

The online documentation is great for reference if you know what your talking about, but getting started is more difficult.

I am a network administrator and I understand the concept but the navigation and implimentation cant be a bit of suck it and see without nice examples.

Cheers for any futher help.

Si

[cwitt_hyperic]

In the plug-in deployment on the server side, did you restart your HQ Server? The location where you placed the plug-in on the server is one of the two places you can do so, but that particular location requires a server restart for the plug-in to be recognized. Since you are going to do a restart anyway, you may as well create the directory that will allow you to do hot plug-in deployment on the server in the future before doing so:

mkdir /home/hyperic/hq-plugins

Now, restart the HQ Server with:

/home/hyperic/server-3.0.0/bin/hq-server.sh stop
/home/hyperic/server-3.0.0/bin/hq-server.sh start

This matches the documentation found in our Plugin Development Center pages found here:

http://support.hyperic.com/confluence/display/DOCSHQ27/Plugin+Development+Center

When the plugin registers properly, you should see something like the following in /home/hyperic/server-3.0.0/logs/server.log:

2007-02-09 15:51:35,193 INFO [org.hyperic.hq.product.server.mbean.ProductPlugin
Deployer] HQ plugin terminalservices registered
2007-02-09 15:51:35,452 INFO [org.hyperic.hq.product.server.session.ProductMana
gerEJBImpl] terminalservices unknown -- registering
2007-02-09 15:51:41,996 INFO [org.hyperic.hq.product.server.session.ProductMana
gerEJBImpl] terminalservices deployment took: 1.865 seconds
2007-02-09 15:51:42,725 INFO [org.hyperic.hq.product.server.mbean.ProductPlugin
Deployer] HQ plugin terminalservices deployed

You are quite correct in your commentary on the current HQ documentation. There are holes, and places where things need to be made more clear. We have begun developing some Flash demos to complement documentation where clarity is tough to come by with words alone, and these should begin to show-up soon. The community's continued participation in these efforts through commentary (like you provided), forum participation answering the questions of others, or even the development of useful demos is very welcome.

Cheers.

[Simon_hyperic]

Cheers Chip.

Yeah had an error that pointed to a format problem with the xml file, some persky little dashes had made their way in.

Sorted the format and now everything is cool.

By the way how often do the plugins in the \home\hyperic\hq-plugin directory is check/reloaded ?

I am looking at hyperic for the compnay I work for, just waiting for some prices back from Mike.

Do you have msn etc to chat on ?

Private message me if poss.

Cheers

Simon