Using the Apache Probe to Retrieve Performance from the Apache HTTP server

Products

• NIMSOFT PROBES
• DX Infrastructure Management

Issue/Introduction

The Apache probe retrieves performance data from the Apache HTTP server using HTTP to access the server-status URL of the server to be monitored.  This document describes how to do this.

The Apache HTTP server provides a module for reporting performance data via HTTP. The URL pointing to this page is “<server name>/server-status”. Please note that the server-status module must have been installed and configured on the Apache HTTP server to be monitored, allowing the computer hosting the monitoring probe to access the server-page.

 

An example of the output provided by this web page may be retrieved from the web server of Apache.org, the organisation behind the HTTP server. In your internet browser, access the URL http://www.apache.org/server-status. This will return the verbose version of the status page.

Please note that the probe configuration requires the user of "?auto" at the end of the URL to get all of the available metrics.

The probe uses keyword value  pairs found on this page

 

When configuring the server-status page it is possible to restrict access to authorised users or computers (IP addresses), thus avoiding that the information is made available to users with false intentions. In order to retrieve detailed worker thread information used for handling individual requested resources the Extended Status module must also be installed on the Apache HTTP server. Please note that this option is not required in order to achieve server level monitoring.

Environment

apache probe version 1.70UIM 8.5.1

Resolution

To make it possible for the probe to read Server status information from the Apache servers to be monitored, you must add a section in the configuration file on each of the servers.

 

Open the httpd.conf file.

 

This file is probably located in:

 

Windows hosts:

  C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.2\conf 

 

Linux hosts:

 %PATH% /APACHE 2 / conf

 

Activate LoadModule status_module modules/mod_status.so in the file by removing the #-sign.

 

The enter the following section at the end of the file:

 

ExtendedStatus On

 <Location /server-status>

 SetHandler server-status

 Order Deny,Allow

 Deny from all

 Allow from .nimsoft.no

 </Location>

 

Additional Information

Replace .nimsoft.no in the example above with your domain (or part of it). ExtendedStatus On in the example above is optional and should be included only if you want to receive extended status (including detailed connection and request information) from the server. 

 

Note that also the option ExtendedStatus must also be selected on the Profile dialog (on the probe GUI) for each of the Apache servers (see the section Defining a host to be monitored). When finished, you must restart the server to activate the new configuration settings.

 

Use the command din/apachectl –k restart, or use the apache service monitor to restart the server.

 

Please indicate:

 

1- Source of http(s)://serverName/server-status?auto saved to a text file using your web browser > "Save Source As..."

2- Apache probe .cfg and log file from /opt/nimsoft/probes/application/apache/ directory

3- Apache error_log and access_log files

4- Apache httpd.conf file