.. image:: https://api.travis-ci.org/shinken-monitoring/mod-livestatus.svg?branch=master :target: https://travis-ci.org/shinken-monitoring/mod-livestatus .. _livestatus_shinken:

======================= Shinken Livestatus API

Overview

• Jump back to :ref:Getting Started <gettingstarted/index>
• Jump back to :ref:Livestatus module configuration <the_broker_modules>

What is it

Livestatus API is the modern method of interacting with Shinken and Nagios based systems alike.

Originally developed for Nagios, MK Livetstatus, was re-implemented in Python for use with Shinken by professional developers. The access methods and query languages are the same.

.. image:: /static/images/livestatus-_network_communications.png :scale: 90 %

Why use it

It is fast.

It is network based using TCP.

It is standard for all Nagios and Shinken monitoring systems.

It uses in-memory structures for status data

It uses a back-end database for historical reporting

It uses an SQL based query language

It has a host of powerful nuts and bolts features (authentication, caching, connection persistence, multiple object methods (JSON, Python)).

What can I do with it?

All programs and scripts use (or should use) this method to :

• Obtain the current state of hosts and services
• Obtain the current configuration related to hosts and services
• Send administrative commands (downtimes, comments, forcing checks)
• Filter information to display
• Obtain basic reports and event statistics

Shinken being a modern re-implementation of Nagios has additional features that are available in addition to the standard Livestatus API.

Shinken Livestatus API unique features can :

• Obtain Business Impact information
• Obtain intelligent dependency status hosts or services (combines dependency and parent information)
• Obtain Business Process states (same syntax as standard host and service queries)

How does it work

Livestatus uses a powerful SQL-like query language. The standard methods and parameters are defined at :

MK Livestatus reference methods and query language definition_

Full list of Shinken Livestatus API methods:

Shinken mapping.py methods_

What software uses Livestatus to interact with Shinken

Well known Web frontends

• MK Multisite
• Thruk
• NagVis
• Splunk for Nagios

Mobile Web frontends

• get list

Scripts

• Downtime management scripts
• Debug scripts

Installing Livestatus

Have you installed the required packages to use the Livestatus module? You can look at the requirement section of the :ref:10 minute installation guide <gettingstarted/installations/shinken-installation> for the :ref:requirement lists <gettingstarted/installations/shinken-installation#requirements>.

How to enable Livestatus

Very simple, jump to the :ref:Shinken Broker configuration <the_broker_modules> section to enable it.

.. _Shinken mapping.py methods: https://github.com/shinken-monitoring/mod-livestatus/blob/master/module/mapping.py .. _MK Livestatus reference methods and query language definition: http://mathias-kettner.de/checkmk_livestatus.html