Setting the Timeout Period Property (UNIX/Linux)

The Timeout Period defines the maximum time (in seconds) between the receipt of consecutive console messages from a UNIX or Linux system before Operations Sentinel considers that system to have timed out. The Operations Sentinel server uses the Timeout Period property to determine whether its connection with the console is functional. To ensure the Operations Sentinel server receives console messages from the system, you can use the heartbeat script provided by Operations Sentinel. The heartbeat script echoes output messages from the system at specific intervals. The script is located at data-folder\agents\spo_heartbeat. See the Operations Sentinel Administration and Configuration Guide for more information on using this script.

If the server fails to receive data within the specified Timeout Period property value, the Operations Sentinel Server services drop their connection and raise a timeout alert. It is assumed that the connection has failed and that the monitored system is not functioning. To recover, the Operations Sentinel Server services attempt a new connection. When the services establish a new connection, they clear the alert. Although monitoring of the connection and recovery occur automatically by default, you can change this using a configuration file for ANSI X3.64 connections.

The default Timeout Period value is 0. A value of 0 means you never see a timeout alert for this system. Essentially, this behavior is disabled and the connection is never dropped. If a connection fails when the Timeout Period value is set to 0, you need to close the failed connection and reestablish a new one manually. Close the failed connection by setting the Monitor property value to False for the system, setting the Enabled property in the Log Policies node to False to stop logging for the system, and then save your changes. Reestablish the connection by setting the Monitor property to True, setting the Enabled property to True, and then save your changes.

The Timeout Period property does not apply when using ping monitoring (that is, when you specify spo_ping as the Service Name).

To change the timeout period value

  1. Under the Managed Groups node in the navigation pane, click UNIX/Linux Systems.

  2. In the display pane, click the desired system(s).

  3. In the details pane, enter the desired timeout period value in the Timeout Period property.

  4. Save your changes.