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Version: 23.10

Plugin packs

A Plugin Pack is an installable package that provides a set of configuration templates, simplifying and accelerating the monitoring of your IT infrastructure.

Applying a template from a Plugin Pack is the easiest way to monitor a host.

  • A plugin pack contains commands, host templates and service templates. Packs are installed through the i-Vertix interface. For each type of equipment, the templates determine which indicators will be monitored and set default warning and critical thresholds (that can be fine-tuned later on).

  • Some packages also include discovery modes.

tip

In case you did not follow the Quick Start Guide, you must configure the Plugin Store Credentials before accessing the Plugin Packs catalog, as explained here.

Contact the i-Vertix support (support@i-vertix.com) if not already done, to obtain your access.

Browsing Plugin Packs​

To install a new Plugin Pack, visit the Plugin Store page at Administration > i-Vertix > Plugin Store

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You can search by name or metadata, using the Plugin Pack or Metadata field

Central Plugin

A short and not comprehensive list of values for metadata:

  • API
  • HTTP
  • HTTPS
  • SNMP
  • SSH
  • UPS
  • VOIP

For example, searching for UPS will return all the packs that have the UPS tag UPS

It is also possible to refine the search using the Category selector (in the second image Operating System) selection

Category

or by installation status Status

To get more information about a Plugin Pack, it is possible to show the Description tab, clicking on the i icon

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Installing a Plugin Pack​

To install a pack, hover over the icon with the mouse and click on the +

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Once the pack is installed, it has a green outline and a green check mark.

Before installationAfter installation
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It is possible to select a group of Plugin Packs for installation like in the screenshot at 1 : image and install all of them in a single operation clicking on 2

Please note that some Plugin Packs might require additional configuration to function correctly, particularly those involving Rest APIs, SNMP, SSH, and similar protocols.

For example the AS400 monitoring plugin requires some packages to be installed in the Central Virtual Machine. Similarly, monitoring Windows Hosts via the i-Vertix agent, requires the package to be installed and configured for each monitored host.

tip

Always check the Description sidebar of the Plugin for more information about the installation procedure and the extra steps needed to complete the installation.

Updating/Upgrading the Plugin Store​

The Plugin Stores receives updates directly from the internet, but user intervention is required for installation. Most of the time, new Plugin versions introduce new features or fix existing bug.

Updates are handled through two different procedures, called Update and Upgrade. It is not uncommon that both of them are available at the same time.

The changes brought by the upcoming Update/Upgrade are shown clicking on the Version button:

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which will show an overview like the following:

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An Update involves changes limited to command or template configurations, such as the addition of a new parameter or the adjustment of a service threshold.

note

When installing a new Plugin, any pending Update will be applied automatically before installation.

Usually, Updates can be performed at any time, since they do not involve operations that requires downtimes or that might disrupt, even temporarily, the monitoring.

To update the Plugin Store click on Administration > i-Vertix > Plugin Store.

When an Update is available, the Update button lights up in orange:

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The procedure can be started by clicking on the button and, after its completion, we need to export the configuration to the Pollers restarting the monitoring engine with the Reload method. See the link Deploy the configuration for the full explanation on how to export the configuration to the Pollers.