Hey everyone! We're migrating our PeopleSoft Linux servers to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), and even though OCI has its built-in monitoring, my manager prefers to use PRTG for monitoring. We've successfully added our new Oracle Linux servers to PRTG using SSH sensors like SFTP and Disk Free, but now we're looking to monitor CPU usage and network traffic as well. I understand that SNMP sensors can do this, but I've struggled to set them up. Has anyone had success adding SNMP sensors to Oracle Linux servers? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
4 Answers
It seems like the challenge here is addressing the actual business needs. It sounds like your boss is pushing for a technical fix without really considering whether this is the right solution for your infrastructure.
First thing you'll want to do is install the snmpd service on your Oracle Linux servers. Then, edit the /etc/snmpd.conf file to disable the public community and set up a read-only community with a password.
Make sure to open the necessary ports on your firewall with commands like:
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=snmp; sudo firewall-cmd --reload
Also, check your NSG or Security List to allow TCP and UDP traffic on port 161 from your PRTG server. After that, run an auto-discovery on PRTG, and it should pick up all the sensors you need for CPU, RAM, and Disk usage!
Just a heads up, Oracle OCI has stricter firewall rules, so watch out for that!
Have you set up an OEM server? It can help forward SNMP alerts and work with the REST API. If PRTG supports REST API, it could be an alternative route for your monitoring needs.
I haven't set that up. Is that necessary for PRTG to recognize SNMP? I would get an error when trying to add sensors.
To get started with SNMP, you'll need to install and configure the SNMP agent on the Oracle Linux servers. The configuration can be tricky. You'll want to look up how to install the SNMP v3 agent in Oracle Linux, as you'll need to set up an SNMP v3 user for secure communication. After setting it all up, test it with the snmpwalk command before configuring it in PRTG. Good luck!
Solid advice! I remember working with MRTG a while back, but PRTG sounds like quite an upgrade!
Thanks for the advice!