CheckMK
CheckMk Offline Installer 64-Bit For Windows 10 & 7 Download Free
How to Install Checkmk For Windows
If you’re thinking about installing Checkmk For Windows, you may want to know some of the details. Here, we’ll look at the main features, configuration, integrations, and limitations of this system monitoring application.
We’ll also touch on how to install Checkmk For Windows in Legacy Mode. Before we begin, let’s look at how the agent works. In this mode, the agent runs without the use of an Agent Controller and doesn’t need to be registered to a Checkmark server.
Features
Among the CheckMK For Windows, features are monitoring patch levels. Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a great tool for implementing updates but does not record individual systems. Monitoring allows you to determine the exact version of assets such as server resources, network performance, and more, ensuring that no server is left behind.
Similarly, most Windows administrators are familiar with the Event Viewer, and Log Files are an integral part of IT monitoring. Checkmk has its own extension for standard event logs, making it easier to incorporate log monitoring into your IT strategy.
The Checkmk web interface provides live access to monitored hosts and services. Checkmk fetches data directly from RAM, meaning that it is fast and does not burden the system.
The software supports all major programming languages and does not require any specialized library. Its agents detect various actions performed on computers and servers in order to give you a comprehensive picture of your network. Moreover, Checkmk supports Windows Remote Desktop Services (RDS) and DHCP.
Configuration
The first step to configure Checkmk for Windows is to install the check_mk agent. After downloading the package, click on the “Install” button, and then select the option to install the windows service.
After the service has been installed, you can start monitoring the host immediately. The service will prompt you for the password, and you must enter it. Otherwise, the service will get stuck. Here are some tips to help you configure the check_mk agent for Windows.
Make sure that your firewall does not block access to the checkmk server. Depending on the security policy of your organization, the Checkmk agent can be blocked.
The user must enable the firewall for Checkmk before the installation process starts. If a firewall prevents access, check the “Inbound Rules” to make sure that no other process can access the port. During the installation process, the check_mk agent will automatically create a rule for port 6556.
Integrations
Agent Controller and Windows Agent are separate components of Checkmk server that serve as general endpoints for communication with the Agent Controller. The agent receives data sent by the Agent Controller either in pull or pushes mode and exchanges it with fetchers of the site.
The Enterprise Edition requires an additional Agent Controller. Checkmk server and agent versions must be 2.1.0 or higher. This article summarizes the differences between the two components and the differences between their installation and use.
The main benefit of the Checkmk agent is its ability to monitor network performance and the patch level of Windows systems. Although Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) helps roll out updates across all systems, it does not record individual systems.
By using monitoring, you can ensure that no server misses a crucial update. Log files are also valuable to monitor. Ensure that your company incorporates log monitoring into your IT management strategy. Checkmk has its own extension for standard event logs that offers an easy entry point into log monitoring.
Limitations
While the program’s capabilities are vast, it has a few limitations. One of those limitations is that users cannot use the script identifier current within a single Checkmk for Windows metric.
This is because Checkmk must be configured to handle such an input. In addition, the user must manually check the identifier in lib/python3/cmk/GUI/metric.
The program’s source code is Windows-specific, so it cannot be used on other platforms. As a result, users cannot make use of this feature to monitor Linux or UNIX servers.
The software, however, offers a facility to set thresholds based on file system size and the magic factor. In the Filesystems (used space and growth) rule set, users can specify levels for different file systems.
Installation
The Checkmk for Windows agent is a single executable file that supports Windows NT and older versions. If you are upgrading an older Windows agent, you should first read the Checkmk user guide, then follow the procedure for the clean installation.
It is recommended that you run a security scan before registering the agent. To register, you must have administrative access to the machine where the Checkmk agent is installed.
The Checkmk MSI package will install its host and program-specific files in the C:Program Files (x86)checkmkservice and C: ProgramDatacheckmkagent directories.
The installation procedure is similar to the installation process for a regular Windows program. However, the MSI package stores configuration files and log files in a hidden directory. Once installed, you will be prompted for the password.