How do I use the request.cfg file for automatic installation of probe packages?
Article ID: 34728
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
The request.cfg file is used for automatic installation of probe packages and monitoring configuration but there are no detailed instructions on what is required in this file.
How is the request.cfg file configured and used when doing automatic installation of probe packages?
Environment
- UIM - all versions
Resolution
To use request.cfg you create a simple text file called 'request.cfg' and place it in the Nimsoft directory of the robot (e.g. /opt/nimsoft/ on Linux or c:\Program Files (x86)\Nimsoft\ on Windows) to force the robot to pull specifically referenced probes or superpackages down when the Robot starts up. The general format is shown below.
<distribution request>
packages = baseOS-silver, base-apache, custom-0815
</distribution request>
Be sure that the hub managing the robot has access to a local distsrv probe.
request.cfg also supports auto-(re)initialization by adding the following key and value to the file:
expect_ip_change = yes
When the robot starts up, it will look for a file called 'request.cfg' in the Nimsoft directory. The package requests are submitted to the distsrv probe, or ADE (Automatic Deployment Engine) probe if you are running UIM v8.3 or higher, which then performs the installation.
Here is an example of the contents of a request.cfg file:
<distribution request>
packages = cdm, processes, ntevl
</distribution request>
To perform a complete installation of a Robot and a set of packages, you should prepare a request.cfg file and copy it to the intended Nimsoft installation directory (normally C:\Program Files (x86)\Nimsoft), then install the Nimsoft Robot.
Please also note that a script can start and stop a robot but a script cannot push the request.cfg as this is a built-in function of the robot. If the request.cfg is in the correct location (and has no mistakes in the file contents) - when the robot starts and the robot is in good working condition, it will recognize the existence of the request.cfg file and process it.
Additional Information
Yes,
<distribution request>
distsrv = /<domain>/<hub>/<robot>/distsrv
where you replace the following parts of the UIM address of the distsrv probe you want to use with the following:
<domain> = UIM domain name
<hub> = hub name
<robot> = hub robot name
Note that the UIM address specified is case-sensitive. For example, my_uim_domain is not the same as my _UIM_domain.
Can I use request.cfg to deploy a super package to apply changes to multiple probes?
Yes, the request.cfg can also deploy a superpackage during its operations as well - just specify the superpackage name in the list of packages in the request.cfg file.
The following comments pertain to support for request.cfg deployment with robot v7.70 and higher...
Upon startup, the robot/controller looks for request.cfg, a user-created text file that enables automatic deployment of the probes specified in that file to the robot. Previously, these requests could only be facilitated by distsrv, which still handles them by default.
To have a robot direct the requests to ADE, use the Raw Configure utility to add the deploy_addr parameter to the robot.cfg for the robot which is going to receive the request.cfg, and specify the UIM NimBUS address of the ADE probe:
deploy_addr=/<domain>/<hub>/<robot>/automated_deployment_engine
This will cause the robot, upon noticing the request.cfg, to try the ADE first; if this fails it will fall back to trying distsrv.
automated_deployment_engine (ADE)
Here is another link that you may find useful regarding use of ADE which can still be used in CA UIM version 8.2 and beyond.
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