[Nagiosplug-help] Problem with using check_ping sometimes; pipe problems

[Andreas Ericsson]

Sebastian Berm wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> First of all, I don't know how active this list exactly is etc, as I just
> subscribed. So I'm still a bit glowing green ;).
> 
> Since about 2 weeks I'm using Nagios to monitor about 50 servers for the
> company I currently work for. But I've got a problem with just one tiny
> thing I can't seem to be able to fix.
> 
> Most of the ping tests work great, however there are some that start
> flapping for no reason. Sometimes it works, sometimes I get back an error.
> 
> Service Ok[13-02-2006 09:39:18] SERVICE ALERT:
> mysql2-t83;PING;OK;SOFT;2;PING OK - Packet loss = 0%, RTA = 137.67 ms
> Service Unknown[13-02-2006 09:38:18] SERVICE ALERT:
> mysql2-t83;PING;UNKNOWN;SOFT;1;Could not open pipe: /bin/ping -n -U -w 20 -c
> 1 212.29.xxx.xxx
> Service Ok[13-02-2006 09:36:18] SERVICE ALERT:
> loadbal-ip2-t74;PING;OK;SOFT;2;PING OK - Packet loss = 0%, RTA = 137.40 ms
> Service Unknown[13-02-2006 09:34:18] SERVICE ALERT:
> loadbal-ip2-t74;PING;UNKNOWN;SOFT;1;Could not open pipe: /bin/ping -n -U -w
> 20 -c 1 212.29.xxx.xxx
> Host Up[13-02-2006 09:34:18] HOST ALERT: loadbal-ip2-t74;UP;HARD;1;PING OK -
> Packet loss = 0%, RTA = 137.76 ms
> 
> I keep getting the 'Could not open pipe' errors at random intervals.
> 
> Does anyone perhaps know why this happens ?


Most likely it's because your system is starved of file-descriptors. You 
could try either upping the ulimit -n value of Nagios or use check_icmp 
instead. check_icmp uses a single socket rather than a pipe (two 
file-descriptors fewer per check). It's also a lot faster, so resources 
aren't hogged so long.

-- 
Andreas Ericsson                   andreas.ericsson at op5.se
OP5 AB                             www.op5.se
Tel: +46 8-230225                  Fax: +46 8-230231