DNSResolutionMonitor

The DNS resolution monitor tests if the node label of a node can be resolved via a DNS lookup. This monitor uses the name resolver configuration from the poller configuration or from the operating system where Meridian is running. Use it to test client behavior for a given host name.

For example, create a node with the node label www.google.com and an IP interface. Assigning the DNS resolution monitor on the IP interface tests if www.google.com can be resolved using the DNS configuration defined by the poller. If the DNS server responds with either an A or AAAA record, the service is determined to be up. The poller does not check if the IP address on the record matches the IP address of the service where the monitor is assigned.

DNSResolutionMonitor versus DnsMonitor

The DNSResolutionMonitor measures the availability and record outages of a name resolution from a client perspective. Use this service to determine if the monitored node can be resolved by DNS hosted somewhere else in your network. You can use it in combination with the PageSequenceMonitor to provide a hint if a website is not available for DNS reasons.

The DnsMonitor is a test against a specific DNS server. Use this service to determine if the monitored node provides DNS resolution of requests sent to it.

Monitor facts

Class Name

org.opennms.netmgt.poller.monitors.DNSResolutionMonitor

Configuration and use

Table 1. Monitor specific parameters for the DNSResolutionMonitor
Parameter Description Default

resolution-type

Type of record for the node label test. Allowed values:

  • v4 for A records.

  • v6 for AAAA records.

  • both A and AAAA records must be available.

  • either A or AAAA records must be available.

either

record-types

Alternate DNS record types to search for.
The comma-separated list can contain A, AAAA, CNAME, NS, MX, PTR, SOA, SRV, or TXT.

n/a

lookup {}

Alternate DNS record to lookup.

The node label.

nameserver {}

The DNS server to query for the records.
The string can be in the form of hostname, hostname:port, or [ipv6address]:port.

Name server from host system running Meridian.

{} indicates the parameter supports placeholder substitution.

This monitor implements the Common Configuration Parameters.

Examples

The following example shows the possibilities for monitoring IPv4 or IPv6 for the service configuration.

Note that you must include the monitor section for each service in your definition.

Example uses CentOS/RHEL path name. For Debian/Ubuntu, use /var/lib/opennms/rrd/response.

<!-- Assigned service test if the node label is resolved for an A record -->
<service name="DNS-Resolution-v4" interval="300000" user-defined="false" status="on">
    <parameter key="retry" value="2"/> (1)
    <parameter key="timeout" value="2000"/> (2)
    <parameter key="resolution-type" value="v4"/> (3)
    <parameter key="rrd-repository" value="/opt/opennms/share/rrd/response"/> (4)
    <parameter key="rrd-base-name" value="dns-res-v4"/> (5)
    <parameter key="ds-name" value="dns-res-v4"/> (6)
</service>

<!-- Assigned service test if www.google.com is resolved for an A record -->
<service name="DNS-Resolution-v4-lookup" interval="300000" user-defined="false" status="on">
    <parameter key="retry" value="2"/> (1)
    <parameter key="timeout" value="2000"/> (2)
    <parameter key="resolution-type" value="v4"/> (3)
    <parameter key="lookup" value="www.google.com"/> (7)
</service>

<!-- Assigned service test if the node label is resolved for an AAAA record using a specific DNS server -->
<service name="DNS-Resolution-v6" interval="300000" user-defined="false" status="on">
    <parameter key="retry" value="2"/> (1)
    <parameter key="timeout" value="2000"/> (2)
    <parameter key="resolution-type" value="v6"/> (3)
    <parameter key="rrd-repository" value="/opt/opennms/share/rrd/response"/> (4)
    <parameter key="rrd-base-name" value="dns-res-v6"/> (5)
    <parameter key="ds-name" value="dns-res-v6"/> (6)
    <parameter key="nameserver" value="8.8.8.8"/> (8)
</service>

<!-- Use parameter substitution for nameserver and lookup parameter values -->
<service name="DNS-Resolution-Sub" interval="300000" user-defined="false" status="on">
    <parameter key="retry" value="2"/> (1)
    <parameter key="timeout" value="2000"/> (2)
    <parameter key="resolution-type" value="v6"/> (3)
    <parameter key="rrd-repository" value="/opt/opennms/share/rrd/response"/> (4)
    <parameter key="rrd-base-name" value="dns-res-v6"/> (5)
    <parameter key="ds-name" value="dns-res-v6"/> (6)
    <parameter key="nameserver" value="{ipAddr}"/> (8)
    <parameter key="lookup" value="\{nodelabel}"/> (7)
</service>

<!-- Assigned service test if the node label is resolved for an AAAA record AND A record -->
<service name="DNS-Resolution-v4-and-v6" interval="300000" user-defined="false" status="on">
    <parameter key="retry" value="2"/> (1)
    <parameter key="timeout" value="2000"/> (2)
    <parameter key="resolution-type" value="both"/> (3)
    <parameter key="rrd-repository" value="/opt/opennms/share/rrd/response"/> (4)
    <parameter key="rrd-base-name" value="dns-res-both"/> (5)
    <parameter key="ds-name" value="dns-res-both"/> (6)
</service>

<!-- Assigned service test if the node label is resolved for an AAAA record OR A record -->
<service name="DNS-Resolution-v4-or-v6" interval="300000" user-defined="false" status="on">
    <parameter key="retry" value="2"/> (1)
    <parameter key="timeout" value="2000"/> (2)
    <parameter key="resolution-type" value="either"/> (3)
    <parameter key="rrd-repository" value="/opt/opennms/share/rrd/response"/> (4)
    <parameter key="rrd-base-name" value="dns-res-either"/> (5)
    <parameter key="ds-name" value="dns-res-either"/> (6)
</service>

<!-- Assigned service test if the node label is resolved for an CNAME record AND MX record -->
<service name="DNS-Resolution-CNAME-and-MX" interval="300000" user-defined="false" status="on">
    <parameter key="retry" value="2"/> (1)
    <parameter key="timeout" value="2000"/> (2)
    <parameter key="record-types" value="CNAME,MX"/> (9)
    <parameter key="lookup" value="www.google.comm"/> (7)
    <parameter key="rrd-repository" value="/opt/opennms/share/rrd/response"/> (4)
    <parameter key="rrd-base-name" value="dns-res-cname-mx"/> (5)
    <parameter key="ds-name" value="dns-res-cname-mx"/> (6)
</service>

<monitor service="DNS-Resolution-v4" class-name="org.opennms.netmgt.poller.monitors.DNSResolutionMonitor" /> (10)
<monitor service="DNS-Resolution-v4-lookup" class-name="org.opennms.netmgt.poller.monitors.DNSResolutionMonitor" /> (10)
<monitor service="DNS-Resolution-v6" class-name="org.opennms.netmgt.poller.monitors.DNSResolutionMonitor" /> (10)
<monitor service="DNS-Resolution-Sub" class-name="org.opennms.netmgt.poller.monitors.DNSResolutionMonitor" /> (10)
<monitor service="DNS-Resolution-v4-and-v6" class-name="org.opennms.netmgt.poller.monitors.DNSResolutionMonitor" /> (10)
<monitor service="DNS-Resolution-v4-or-v6" class-name="org.opennms.netmgt.poller.monitors.DNSResolutionMonitor" /> (10)
<monitor service="DNS-Resolution-CNAME-and-MX" class-name="org.opennms.netmgt.poller.monitors.DNSResolutionMonitor" /> (10)
1 Number of attempts to test a service’s status.
2 Timeout for the isReachable method, in milliseconds.
3 The resolution-type: v4, v6, both (v4 and v6), or either (v4 or v6).
4 Base directory of an RRD repository in which to store this service monitor’s response-time samples.
5 The name of the RRD file (minus the .rrd or .jrb file extension).
6 Name of the RRD data source (DS) in which to store this service monitor’s response-time samples.
7 Alternate DNS record to look up.
8 The DNS server to query for the records.
9 Alternate DNS record types to search for (comma separated): A, AAAA, CNAME, NS, MX, PTR, SOA, SRV, or TXT.
10 Required monitor section for each service.

To have response time graphs for the name resolution, you must configure RRD graphs for the given ds-names (dns-res-v4, dns-res-v6, dns-res-both, dns-res-either, dns-res-cname-mx) in ${OPENNMS_HOME}/etc/response-graph.properties.