This page reviews how to add and configure a NeDi connection using GroundWork Cloud Hub. The connection requires a unique set of parameters. If you are connecting to a remote GroundWork server to send results, you will need your remote GroundWork server RESTACCESSAPI token.

Adding a NeDi Connection

To access Cloud Hub configuration, log in to GroundWork Monitor as a member of the Admin role (e.g., user admin), and select Configuration > Cloud Hub. To add a new connection click the +Add button next to the desired connector icon. You will need to create a new connection in this way for each project to be monitored.

Connection Parameters

The data the GroundWork server receives comes from the remote virtualization server. The information is pulled from the API on a periodic basis based on the check interval that is set. In the configuration page you will need to enter both the GroundWork Server and NeDi Connector parameters, and select which resources to monitor. The   link located at the top right side provides information and versioning for the selected Cloud Hub connector.

connection parameters

GroundWork Server

The GroundWork Server can simply be the same as the one you are running the Cloud Hub connector on, or it can be a remote server. If it's the same as the one you are running on, leave the directive Use Local Connection checked. 

Otherwise, uncheck this box and fill in the hostname of the remote GroundWork server in the Hostname field, leave RESTAPIACCESS in the Username field, and paste in the the encrypted Token. The token can be obtained on the remote GroundWork server, for users within the Admin role, by going to Administration > Security under Webservices API Account: RESTAPIACCESS, Encrypted Token. Just copy the key from the remote server into the Token field on the Cloud Hub server.

restapiaccess token

Once you have the GroundWork Server side of the form filled out, click Test. If you have the credentials correct and you have access to the API, you will see a Success message. Otherwise an error will give you a hint as to what is wrong and let you try again. 

Using a remote server will populate the remote server with the NeDi monitoring data, and this will not show in the local GroundWork Server.

  • Version: Indicates the minimum GroundWork Monitor version needed. In other words, a version below the indicated value is incompatible.

  • Hostname: The host name or IP address where a GroundWork server is running. A port number should not be entered here. If GroundWork is running on the same server, you can enter localhost.

  • Username: The provisioned Username granted API access on the GroundWork server.

  • Token: The corresponding API Token for the given Username on the GroundWork server, see Administration > Security under Webservices API Account: RESTAPI Encrypted Token.

  • SSL: Check this box if the GroundWork server is provisioned with a secure HTTPS transport.

  • Merge Hosts: If checked, this option combines all metrics of same named hosts under one host. For example, if there is a Nagios configured host named demo1 and a Cloud Hub discovered host named demo1, the services for both configured and discovered hosts will be combined under the hostname demo1 (case-sensitive).

  • Monitor: If checked, enables connection to be monitored. Gives you a way to know when the connector is having trouble reaching the endpoint by creating a service on the host it reports to. 

  • Use Local Connection: This directive refers to where the Cloud Hub results are sent. If this field is checked, results will be posted to the same server as where Cloud Hub is running. Or, with this field unchecked, you can forward results to any accessible GroundWork server you define with the name and API key.

  • Ownership: Ownership is the owner of a connectors hosts and the ownership can be switched. When a Cloud Hub connector is instantiated the following options are available for ownership:

    Always take ownership: The connector will assume ownership of all hosts it instantiates, even merged hosts. This will remain true even if another app merges the host. 

    Leave ownership if already owned: The connector host will remain with the existing owner until or unless the owner deletes the host.

    Always defer ownership (default): This option leaves ownership unchanged on merged hosts, and allows other apps to take ownership.

    Note that multiple apps can report on a single service, but only one can own the host.

    See Ownership Options.

  • Connection Status: Click Test to verify a connection using the GroundWork server entries.

NeDi Server

Next you will need to fill in the NeDi Connector parameters and test the connection.

Start by entering a Display Name, Database Server, the Database Name, and Database Username and Password.

Enter a Policy Host. If you set up the feeder, the policy alerts will show up as services under e.g., localhost. You can optionally set the Interval, Timeout, and Retries directives.

Enter the Database Port.

Then, validate the connection by clicking Test. A dialog will be displayed with either a Success message or, if the project cannot be contacted, an error message will be displayed with a hint as to why the connection failed.

Make sure to click Save in the upper right corner to save your correct connection parameters. 

Next, you need to select which resources to monitor under Views. These features are the core components, or services that are managed by NeDi. Services include Monitor Devices and Monitor Policies. Each of these services has their own rich set of metrics. By default, all services are selected. If checked, service will be monitored. If you were collecting metrics for a service, and then unchecked that NeDi service, the existing hosts and metrics stored in the GroundWork server will be deleted.

De-select any resource you do not want to monitor. Click Save when finished.

After the credentials have been validated and the resources indicated, select the Metrics link (top navigation) to start customizing metrics for the connection, refer to the document Customizing Metrics.

  • Display Name: This is the configuration’s name displayed in the list of Cloud Hub connectors on the Cloud Hub home page.

  • Database Server: The host name or IP address where the database server is running.

  • Database Name: The NeDi database name.

  • Database Password: The NeDi database corresponding password for the given database name on the NeDi server.

  • Policy Host: If you set up the feeder, the policy alerts will show up as services under e.g., localhost, see NeDi Flowi NetFlow/sFlow and packet capture.

  • NeDi Interval (sec): 

  • Cloud Hub Interval (min): This is the metric gathering interval for collecting monitoring data from Azure and sending it to the GroundWork server. The value is in minutes.

  • Infinite Retries: Check this box if you want Cloud Hub to infinitely retry connection to Azure when the connection fails. When this box is checked, the Retry Limit field is disabled. When this box is unchecked, the Retry Limit field is enabled.

  • Retry Limit: This entry is the number of retries for the connection and sets a limit on how many attempts are made after a failure. The number set indicates how many connections are attempted before the connection is left in an inactive state. At this point, the connection is suspended and you will need to manually restart it. When a retry limit is exhausted, all hosts managed by this connection are set to the monitor status Unreachable and all services for the matched hosts are set to the status of Unknown.

  • Connection Status: Click Test to verify a connection using the Azure connector entries.

Related Resources