Hyperic plugin

[Klug]

I'm testing the Hyperic HQ plugin for Zimbra and hit a couple tiny issues.

First of all, the plugin has to be run by a user with "special" rights because it has to access Zimbra's PID files. I can run it as root or Zimbra user.
I don't like running it as root and I'm not sure of any side effects of running it as zimbra's user.
Which one would be best ?

Second of all, the plugin correctly discovers itself, Zimbra's plugin, Apache 2.0.54 (used by the spell engine) and four mySQL processes (logger and co).
But none of them are usable because not setup : for Apache it needs server-status and for mySQL a user with process rights.
I could (and will, certainly) add them manually but they'll be wipe out on next Zimbra's upgrade.
Would it be possible to get the needed apache setup and a mysql user to be added in Zimbra's distribution in order to have these handy for any supervision tool ?

(Yes I know, I have to create a RFE for it but I just want to know what other things about it.)

[johnmark]

Hi there,

As Hyperic's community manager, thanks for trying out the new Zimbra plugin. You can certainly run the Hyperic HQ agent as root, but the old sysadmin adage about not wanting to do that should probably be adhered to. However, running as Zimbra user may well present other issues - such as the ability to access other application log files, for example. You might want to try a generic sysadmin user that has just enough access to everything you want to monitor.

As for future Zimbra product upgrades, do they wipe out any manual configuration that you do? Let us know if you need us to lobby anyone

-John Mark
Hyperic Community Manager

[scottf76]

Thanks for checking out the plugin. If you have any suggestions to alleviate your concerns please let me know. I wrote it, so hopefully it should not be too big a deal to make changes so that it runs smoothly.

Keep in mind if you change your Zimbra user layout the user will need permissions to all the processes (and the .pid files) in order to effectively retrieve metrics from all the processes. Solaris 10 has a nice way of handling this with their Least Privilege / RBAC user security. Maybe Zimbra can use something like that when they do the Solaris port.

thanks!

[Klug]

Hi both of you 8)

Originally Posted by johnmark

However, running as Zimbra user may well present other issues - such as the ability to access other application log files, for example.

Zimbra is usually set up "alone" on a server, so no need to access other application log files (unless the system log files fit in this category).

Originally Posted by johnmark

As for future Zimbra product upgrades, do they wipe out any manual configuration that you do?

Yes it does : update replaces the modified files with brand new ones, which is both understandable (because the software version might thus the config file) and a PITA (because you have to redo all your own setting each time).

Some users made their own shell script to redo their setting "automatically" after an update, I guess that's currently the best way to go : Upgrading from 4.5.3 to 4.5.6

Originally Posted by scottf76

if you change your Zimbra user layout

I won't 8)
But you conforted me in running the Agent under Zimbra's user.

I'll let you know (through this thread) if I have additionnal questions.

[marwa]

slt,
j'ai un serveur hyperic installé et je veu monitorer mon serveur zimbra j'ai installé l'agent, hyperic détecte tous les service de mon serveur zimbra sauf le sevice zimbra comment puis je resourdre mon probleme!!!!
merci d'avance