[HOWTO] Testing the PHP Script Server

[TheWitness]

All,

If you are having problems with the PHP Script Server, please follow the instructions below:

1) Start PHP Script Server

Use the following command to start the script server: "php <path_cacti>/script_server.php"

You wll receive a message from PHP indicating "PHP Script Server Started Properly". If you get any warning messages, then you have to fix them right away.

2) Obtain a Script Command from the Poller Cache

a) To do this Goto System Utilities->View Poller Cache
b) Search for "Action: 2"
c) Copy the portion of the script starting with the full path and working
to the end of line. For example:

[chris.y2k.r1]

THAT!!!! Is good to know.

What are the symptoms of a problematic script server..... For us php dummies out there..?

[ymartin59]

Hello,
I would like to know what are advantages of the method "script server" compared to "snmp query" ?
When I compare "net-snmp_disk.xml" description and "ss_host_disk.php" design, and according to the poller cache information, I think the "net-snmp_disk" should be faster to process than script server 'host_disk" because cmd.php or cactid can collect value from a single OID directly without invoking a script. Am I right ?

When designing a new data collector, is it better to use "snmp query" (when possible of course ) or "script server" ?

[TheWitness]

SNMP Queries will always be orders of magnitude faster especially using Cactid due to the fact that we are using RAW protocol with SNMP vs. a script that essentially does the same. The Script Server speeds up scripts when compared to a native shell or perl call however.

TheWitness

[dam11]

Hello,

I've got a problem with the migration from an existing PHP script to Script Server method, I just follow the doc steps ("Migration of Existing PHP Scripts to Script Server") and my graphs are stopped (nothing in the poller cache).
So, I have to manually create new graphs with the script server method, it goes very well (results tested with the CLI script_server.php are right compared to stand alone script).
The opposite transition works fine (from stand alone script to script server).
Did I miss another step during the migration ?

Thanks for your answers.

PS : I'm using cacti-0.8.6j under Linux.

[TheWitness]

I would have to see specificatlly what you did. It does work though. Prior to migration, you should always test your script as both script and non-script. The nice thing about the script itself, it should work both ways. Once you have that done, and graphing, you can change your data input method to be script server. Last step is to re-populate your poller cache.

TheWitness

[dam11]

Okay, I will try to explain
This is the verbose query for qos_plug.php :

[TheWitness]

The "plller" quote you showed is actually the "poller cache". So from that, it would, in fact, appear to be being added. However, it is likely not running for some reason. Have you tested outside of the poller yet:

The scneario would be as follows:

[dam11]

I already followed this scenario and the result seems to be right, no empty line, no other character, just the requested value.

That's the cacti log for the two scripts :

[TheWitness]

So, everything "should" be working. Do you see any issues when you run "php -q poller.php" from a command line? If you get that information in your log, then the only thing to break the graph would be an rrdupdate issue that you would be able to see by running "php -q poller.php".

TheWitness

[dam11]

Thanks fo your answers, I will continue my investigation...