GenericDBd

The Unified Assurance Event Generic DB Aggregator is a generic integration that connects to a database and runs a query to collect rows of data. The results are then parsed with customizable rules and de-duplicated events are created within Unified Assurance.

Generic DB Aggregator Setup

1. Review the query in the SelectSQLFile file referenced in the configuration to see the data that will be selected for processing. Update the query as needed.

2. Review the logic in the rules files referenced in the configuration to see the processing that will be done on the events that are selected:

   • LoadRules will be run during application startup to load data that might be needed during processing.

   • IncludeRules will be read during application startup to load additional files that might be called during processing.

   • BaseRules will be run for each event that is selected from the query.

   Update the logic as needed.

3. Enable the default Service, unless a specific configuration option is needed:

   Configuration -> Broker Control -> Services

Default Service

Default Configuration

Best Practices

The following list shows you the best practices for working with this application:

• When connecting to a non Unified Assurance database, the recommended approach is to create an entry in the Databases UI, however, if a particular database type is not available, see the FreeTDS Configuration and Use documentation for additional examples using FreeTDS to connect to other databases.

  Configuration -> Databases -> Databases

• When configuring the application settings, if a particular database type can not be configured on the Databases UI, the configuration can use the DSN, Username, Password and other settings, but several of these have been marked as DEPRICATED within the application.

Rules

This collector uses the Unified Assurance standard rules architecture in Perl syntax. For information about creating rules, see the following in Unified Assurance Developer's Guide:

• Core for information about core rules functions.

• Events for information about Event rules functions.

• Application Logging

Tokens

The aggregator exposes the following tokens for rules processing.

$CustomHash->{SubObject} = &share({});

Example Integration

In this example, the aggregator will connect to a MS SQL Server on a VMWare VCenter Server.

1. Go to the Databases UI:

   Configuration -> Databases -> Databases

2. Create a new entry with the following options set:

   • Database Name => VMWare VCenter

   • Database Type => MS SQL Server/Sybase

   • The rest of the settings should be set as needed in the environment.

   • Click Submit.

3. Go to the Rules UI:

   Configuration -> Rules

4. Expand the folder path: core -> default -> collection -> event

5. Select the event folder, then click on the Add -> Add Folder button. Enter the folder name vcenter, then click Submit. Enter a commit message, then click OK.

6. Click on the vcenter folder, then click Add -> Add File. Enter the following:

   • File Name => vcenter.sql

   • Logic

         SELECT T.DESCRIPTIONID  AS Description, 
                DATEDIFF(s, '1970-01-01 00:00:00', T.QUEUE_TIME) AS EventTime, 
                T.USERNAME       AS UserName, 
                VM.IP_ADDRESS    AS IP, 
                VM.DNS_NAME      AS DNS
           FROM [VIM_VCDB].[dbo].[VPX_TASK] AS T
      LEFT JOIN [VIM_VCDB].[dbo].[VPX_VM]   AS VM 
             ON T.ENTITY_ID = VM.ID
          WHERE TOOLS_STATUS != 0
     

   • Click Submit, then enter a commit message, then click OK.

7. Click on the vcenter folder, then click Add -> Add File. Enter the following:

   • File Name => vcenter.rules

   • Logic

     $Log->Message('ALWAYS', "Running Rules");
     
     $Severity = 1;
     
     if( $EventData->{Description} =~ "shutdown" ){
         $EventType = "VMState - Down";
         $Severity  = 5;
     }
     elsif( $EventData->{Description} =~ "PowerOn" ){
         $EventType = "VMState - Up";
         $Severity  = 0;
     }
     $Event->{'EventType'}     = $EventType;
     $Event->{'FirstReported'} = $EventData->{EventTime};
     $Event->{'IPAddress'}     = $EventData->{IP};
     $Event->{'Node'}          = $EventData->{DNS};
     $Event->{'OwnerName'}     = $EventData->{UserName};
     $Event->{'Severity'}      = $Severity;
     $Event->{'SubMethod'}     = "VCenter Events";
     $Event->{'Summary'}       = $EventData->{Description};
     $Event->{'EventKey'}      = $Event->{'SubMethod'} . $Event->{'Node'} . $Event->{'EventType'} . $Event->{'Summary'};
     

   • Click Submit, then enter a commit message, then click OK.

8. Click on the vcenter folder, then click Add -> Add File. Enter the following:

   • File Name => vcenter.includes

   • Logic

     # this file is intentionally being left blank.
     

   • Click Submit, then enter a commit message, then click OK.

9. Click on the vcenter folder, then click Add -> Add File. Enter the following:

   • File Name => vcenter.load

   • Logic

     # this file is intentionally being left blank.
     

   • Click Submit, then enter a commit message, then click OK.

10. Go to the Services UI:

    Configuration -> Broker Control -> Services

11. Select the Event Database Aggregator, then click the Clone button. Set the following:

    • Service Name => VCenter Event Database Aggregator

    • Status => Enabled

    • BaseRules => collection/event/vcenter/vcenter.rules

    • IncludeRules => collection/event/vcenter/vcenter.includes

    • LoadRules => collection/event/vcenter/vcenter.load

    • SourceSchemaName => VMWare VCenter

    • Click Submit.

12. Verify the service starts and events are received.

Administration Details

The following list shows the technical details you will need for advanced administration of the application:

• Package - coreCollection-app

• Synopsis - ./GenericDBd [OPTIONS]

• Options:

   -c, --AppConfigID N   Application Config ID (Service, Job, or Request ID)
   -?, -h, --Help        Print usage and exit
  

• Threaded - Multithreaded