$Id: README.rpc.monitor,v 1.1.1.1 2004/06/09 05:18:06 trockij Exp $

README for rpc.monitor
-----------------------

This program is a monitor for RPC-based services such as the NFS
protocol, NIS, and anything else that is based on the RPC protocol.
Some general examples of RPC failures that this program can detect
are:

  - missing and malfunctioning RPC daemons (such as mountd and nfsd)
  - systems that are mostly down (responding to ping and maybe
    accepting TCP connections, but not much else is working)
  - systems that are extremely overloaded (and start timing out simple
    RPC requests)

To test services, the monitor queries the portmapper for a listing of
RPC programs and then optionally tests programs using the RPC null
procedure.

At Transmeta, we use:

  "rpc.monitor -a" to monitor Network Appliance filers
  "rpc.monitor -r mountd -r nfs" to monitor Linux and Sun systems

Some notes:

  - The "-a" option only tests registered RPC programs, if you want to
    test specific RPC programs, use "-r" options along with "-a".
  - The "-a" option may not be feasible for use on many Unix systems.
    Some provide more services than you want to test, include RPC
    programs that don't provide the RPC null procedure, reject calls
    from unprivileged ports, or have other problems.
  - If you get an unexpected "unknown RPC program" error, you may
    want to check the rpc line in /etc/nsswitch.conf.

Let me know if you have any comments, improvements, or suggestions.

-- 
Daniel Quinlan (at work)
quinlan@transmeta.com           http://www.pathname.com/~quinlan/