Livestatus API is the modern method of interacting with Shinken and Nagios based systems alike.
Originally developed for Nagios, MK Livetstatus, was re-implemented in Python for use with Shinken by professional developers. The access methods and query languages are the same.
It is fast.
It is network based using TCP.
It is standard for all Nagios and Shinken monitoring systems.
It uses in-memory structures for status data
It uses a back-end database for historical reporting
It uses an SQL based query language
It has a host of powerful nuts and bolts features (authentication, caching, connection persistence, multiple object methods (JSON, Python)).
All programs and scripts use (or should use) this method to :
- Obtain the current state of hosts and services
- Obtain the current configuration related to hosts and services
- Send administrative commands (downtimes, comments, forcing checks)
- Filter information to display
- Obtain basic reports and event statistics
Shinken being a modern re-implementation of Nagios has additional features that are available in addition to the standard Livestatus API.
- Shinken Livestatus API unique features can :
- Obtain Business Impact information
- Obtain intelligent dependency status hosts or services (combines dependency and parent information)
- Obtain Business Process states (same syntax as standard host and service queries)
Livestatus uses a powerful SQL-like query language. The standard methods and parameters are defined at :
MK Livestatus reference methods and query language definition
Full list of Shinken Livestatus API methods:
- Well known Web frontends
- MK Multisite
- Thruk
- NagVis
- Splunk for Nagios
- Mobile Web frontends
- get list
- Scripts
- Downtime management scripts
- Debug scripts
Have you installed the required packages to use the Livestatus module? Install, as usual, the mod-livestatus module.
Very simple, jump to the Shinken Broker configuration <the_broker_modules> section to enable it.