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From my FreeBSD boxes, I each day recieve reports daily:

  1. File systems used
  2. Network interfaces
  3. Uptime 4, Mail queue status

security:

  1. ipfw deny counters
  2. login failures
  3. refused connections
  4. kernel log messages

Just wonder, what if exists some config_templates/package for my debian boxes, which do the same?

Korjavin Ivan
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1 Answers1

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You can install annoy-o-tron monitoring software (like Tiger), or even copy the scripts from your FreeBSD system (/etc/periodic/{daily,weekly,monthly,security}/* and the periodic script itself in /usr/sbin) and modify/run them on your Debian box if you really want to, but this is a bad idea.

The periodic emails on FreeBSD are a TERRIBLE monitoring solution - they are almost entirely noise (messages requiring no action) and train you to ignore the monitoring messages because you typically don't need to do anything when you receive them.

A better solution would be to look at implementing a real monitoring system which only sends you alerts when something actually requires your attention.
You can then turn off the annoying periodic emails from your FreeBSD systems (I typically send them to /var/log/periodic.log in case I ever want to see the output), and enjoy the bliss of not having your inbox filled with email that doesn't really require your attention.

voretaq7
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  • I generally agree with the sentiment, though the periodic I think the periodic scripts nag-a-tron work fine for simply setups with the various `daily_show_success=NO`, `daily_show_info=NO`, etc in `/etc/periodic.conf`. Looking through `/etc/defaults/periodic.conf` has all the details you'd need to shut off all the naggy stuff leaving just the error alerts. Still doesn't fix that the alerts are only generated at the end of the day/week/month (quite possibly *after* users are complaining about something being borked) – Chris S Nov 13 '13 at 02:32
  • @ChrisS Yeah, if you turn the "success" and "info" noise off it's not that bad (and if you're running a provider the `ac` stats from `monthly` can be useful to have emailed to you). Personally I draw the line at "managing more than one machine" -- I might glance at the periodic emails for one box, maybe even for two. Three is pushing it, and 5 or more there's no chance. – voretaq7 Nov 13 '13 at 03:14