> Munin and jffnms bear no real relation to each other. Yes they are > similar in that both can draw graphs but that's about where the > similarity ends. > > Munin's job is to periodically poll a device using whatever means is > available and gather data from the device. The data is always in the > form of a number - it measures something. The data can be anything you > can generate a number for - logged in users, traffic through an > interface, load, number of database queries. The list is endless. Point > being, the device/computer/hosts reports it's own numbers to munin, and > munin draws graphs. Munin does not record state, it has no idea what the > state of something is. > > Nagios is a problem child, it does not do what people assume it does (I > have constant fights about this at work). Nagios is a state monitoring > and reporting engine (simply because this is what it does well and > everything else it does it does poorly). Nagios will track if things are > up or down, if you acknowledged the condition and when, who to notify > when state changes (sms, mail, dashboard etc etc). > > What Nagios does poorly (despite this being it's advertised purpose) is > getting state events into the system. It really really sucks at this and > is coded from an extremely narrow point of view. Which explains the > numerous forks around (they all implement vital real world features that > Ethan refuses to commit). > > jffnms is something I don't use myself, but it looks like the same class > of app as Nagios. Don't be fooled into choosing between munin and > nagios/jffnms - they are not the same thing, not even close. Use both.
Understood. Thank you James and Alan. - Grant
