PREREQUISITES:

	- Linux operating system ( I am using RedHat 6.2 );

        - MRTG version ( I used 2.8.8 version );

	- SHELL scripting language;

	- AWK scripting language;

	- FPING utility ( I used 2.2b1 );

	- CRON daemon installed;

	- TCP/IP Network connection {:-)

net-hosts

        I use this script to monitor internet connection state

        on a chosen route (from traceroute). Usage is very simple:

        - Put in your crontab file a line which have to be run

	every five (5) minute or any other time interval you want

	(but you have to edit, according with this new value,

	'make-mrtg.cfg.awk' file). I am using Linux RedHat 6.2

	and in my /etc/cron.d I put a file named 'net-hosts' with

	the following structure:

##################################

# /etc/cron.d/net-hosts -rw-r--r--

#

*/05 * * * * root /usr/local/mrtg/contrib/net-hosts/net-hosts

#

# EOF

##################################

	- Restart your cron daemon... and wait

        To install, first edit the variables from both 'make-mrtg.cfg.awk'

	and 'net-hosts files' as needed. I found it easier to have these defined

	rather than hardcoded due to differences between code interpretations.

	You don't have to insert any other target in your own mrtg.cfg

	file that you already have, because this script is launced by

	the cron daemon.

internet

	This is the file which keep the IPs, FQDNs, dates and states

	for hosts you want to monitor. The format of this file is:

	<IP_1>:<FQDN_1>:<LAST-MODIFIED_1>:<STATE_1>

	<IP_2>:<FQDN_2>:<LAST-MODIFIED_2>:<STATE_2>

	<IP_3>:<FQDN_3>:<LAST-MODIFIED_3>:<STATE_3>

	.

	.

	.

	where:

	 - IP_xxx is IP address (IPv4) for host xxx

	 - FQDN_xxx is Fully Qualified Domain Name of host xxx

	 - LAST-MODIFIED_1 is the date when the state of host xxx was last modified

	 - STATE_1 is the current state of host xxx (1 = UP; 0 = DOWN)

	First time you create this file you just need IPs and  FQDNs,

	blank dates and 1 (or 0) for the state of every hosts, like this:

	 aaa.aaa.aaa.aaa:your.router.name::1

	 bbb.bbb.bbb.bbb:yourISP.router.name::1

	 .

	 .

	 .

	 zzz.zzz.zzz.zzz:that.host.name::1

	HINT: You could have an ordered list using traceroute and

	awk (or any other shell-script).

	The file 'internet' shipped with this package it is

	a demo.

make-mrtg.cfg.awk

	This is the core of the entire task. Here I make 'mrtg-awk.cfg'

	file using the content of 'internet' file and the state read

	from fping utility (Fast Ping - it was not written by me...).

	After doing this, internaly is lauched 'mrtg' executable

	for net-hosts's mrtg.cfg file (named 'mrtg-awk.cfg').

	Of course, it is created a file, 'internet.html', used

	like an index file for the all targets in 'mrtg-awk.cfg',

	but you could use 'indexmaker' script provided with MRTG

	for doing this (see an example in 'net-hosts').

	Be aware ! You have to place icons (MRTG) and image files

	(grnball.gif, redball.gif, cubprev.gif) in the same

	location. You also have to place 'net-hosts.css' into declared

	location inside that AWK script file.

----------

        Direct questions or suggestions to me.

        Have fun!

        -Adrian Turcu <adrianturcu@yahoo.com>