[comp.unix.admin] Managing unix complexes

marcel@duteca (Marcel Mol) (11/20/90)

Today in many offices/datacenters the number of unix systems becomes
larger and larger. This doesn't make it easier to manage a unix
complex. Therefor I am looking for tools/packages that help operators
and system administrators to manage their unix systems.
For example packages that help in the area of:

	Problem management
	Change management
	User administration and Security
	Disk backup
	Migration/Recall of unused data to/from for example tapes
	Configuration management
	Performance and Capacity management
	Accounting

If you know packages, either coming with a particular unix flavor, or
just general available packages, please let me know about it.
If a package only works for specific unix systems please specify for which
systems.
Any suggestions are welcome.

-Marcel
-- 
#########################################
# Marcel J.E. Mol                       ######################################
# Delft University of Technology          Pink Elephant Management Services  #
# The Netherlands                         Voorburg                           #
# UUCP: marcel@duteca.et.tudelft.nl       Tel: 070-3694231                   #
#                                      	  (Tel prive: 070-3932390)           #
##############################################################################

liesert@nixdorf.de (Hansi) (11/26/90)

In <1131@duteca.UUCP> marcel@duteca (Marcel Mol) writes:

>    .... Therefor I am looking for tools/packages that help operators
>and system administrators to manage their unix systems.
>For example packages that help in the area of:

>	Problem management
>	Change management
>	User administration and Security
>	Disk backup
>	Migration/Recall of unused data to/from for example tapes
>	Configuration management
>	Performance and Capacity management
>	Accounting

Hi out there!

Sorry - I have to post a follow-up because my mail will bounce.

I'm writing a master thesis (in German: Diplomarbeit) on performance
management right now. So I would like to hear more of the replies
to Marcel's posting.

I think that today there are only few real solutions to this problem,
if you consider unix. Some companies have their own software packages
(e.g. HP's OpenView, AT&T's UNMA or Siemens-Nixdorf's NM), but most of
them would not cover all the topics Marcel mentioned.

ISO is working on standards, but right now there are no more than
draft proposals (see ISO 7498-4 and 10165). The greatest disadvantage
of the ISO-standards is that they only talk about the net, not the
computers in it.

I think you'll have to program your own solution, if you want it now
(quick and dirty). For example most unix systems come with a wide
collection of tools for accounting and performance evaluation. What you
have to do is to collect these data in a database and then start some
queries and computings on these. That sounds easy, but it isn't, because
the amount of data rises very quick. So you need a careful filter that
deletes stuff not required (e.g. delete all the data from none prime time).

If you want a good solution, you'll have to wait.

Bye
--
| Hans Joachim Liesert, Dep. STO-SI 35   | Email:  liesert.pad@sni.de      |
| Siemens-Nixdorf Informationssysteme AG | Outside Europe:                 |
| Pontanusstrasse 55                     |         liesert.pad@nixdorf.com |
| W-4790 Paderborn, Germany              | Disc.: I don't speak for SNI!!! |

marcel@duteca (Marcel Mol) (11/28/90)

liesert@nixdorf.de (Hansi) writes:

>I think you'll have to program your own solution, if you want it now
>(quick and dirty). For example most unix systems come with a wide
>collection of tools for accounting and performance evaluation. What you
>have to do is to collect these data in a database and then start some
>queries and computings on these. That sounds easy, but it isn't, because
>the amount of data rises very quick. So you need a careful filter that
>deletes stuff not required (e.g. delete all the data from none prime time).

You can use SAS for this. SAS runs on 370-architecture mainframes, on
PC's and also on some Unix platforms.

-Marcel

-- 
#########################################
# Marcel J.E. Mol                       ######################################
# Delft University of Technology          Pink Elephant Management Services  #
# The Netherlands                         Voorburg                           #
# UUCP: marcel@duteca.et.tudelft.nl       Tel: 070-3694231                   #
#                                      	  (Tel prive: 070-3932390)           #
##############################################################################

mok@fortsc.enet.dec.com (Charles P. Mok) (11/29/90)

In article <1131@duteca.UUCP>, marcel@duteca (Marcel Mol) writes...
>Today in many offices/datacenters the number of unix systems becomes
>larger and larger. This doesn't make it easier to manage a unix
>complex. Therefor I am looking for tools/packages that help operators
>and system administrators to manage their unix systems.
>For example packages that help in the area of:
> 
>	Problem management
>	Change management
>	User administration and Security
>	Disk backup
>	Migration/Recall of unused data to/from for example tapes
>	Configuration management
>	Performance and Capacity management
>	Accounting
> 
>If you know packages, either coming with a particular unix flavor, or
>just general available packages, please let me know about it.
>If a package only works for specific unix systems please specify for which
>systems.
>Any suggestions are welcome.

Marcel, if you have received replies can you please post a summary or
send mail to me?  

Thanks !!

Charles

> 
>-Marcel
>-- 
>#########################################
># Marcel J.E. Mol                       ######################################
># Delft University of Technology          Pink Elephant Management Services  #
># The Netherlands                         Voorburg                           #
># UUCP: marcel@duteca.et.tudelft.nl       Tel: 070-3694231                   #
>#                                      	  (Tel prive: 070-3932390)           #
>##############################################################################

---
Charles Mok/Digital Equipment Corporation
INTERNET: mok@fortsc.enet.dec.com  UUCP: ....!decwrl!fortsc.dec.enet.com!mok
---

jef@ox.com (Jeff Portser) (12/01/90)

>I am looking for tools/packages that help operators
>and system administrators to manage their unix systems.
>For example packages that help in the area of:
> 
>	Problem management
>	Change management
>	User administration and Security
>	Disk backup
>	Migration/Recall of unused data to/from for example tapes
>	Configuration management
>	Performance and Capacity management
>	Accounting
> 
>If you know packages, either coming with a particular unix flavor, or
>just general available packages, please let me know about it.
>If a package only works for specific unix systems please specify for which
>systems.
>Any suggestions are welcome.


Please post a summary or send mail to me?  

(Thanks to Charles)

USMail:   OTA Limited Partnership, One Manhattanville Rd. Purchase, N.Y. 10577
Phone:	  +1 914 694-5800	FAX:	+1 914 694-5831 
UUCP:	  <backbone>!umich!leebai!jef
Internet: jef@ox.com