NetCrunch remote probe - concepts and usage

Use NetCrunch Remote Probe to extend monitoring capabilites, learn concepts, how to configure and use one of new features of version 10.

Remote Probe concepts

The remote probe can be used by NetCrunch to reach beyond the local network. The only requirement is to set any connection between the Remote Probe and NetCrunch Server.

NetCrunch remote probe uses native client protocol connection to NetCrunch, which uses AES256 encryption with Diffie-Helman a key exchange algorithm. Therefore, the encrypted connection between the probe and the master server is not mandatory.

The way Remote Probe works is simple.

• If communication to the Master Server (NetCrunch installation) is established, it will send data to it.
• If communication is broken between Master Server and the Probe, the Probe will turn red, and it will be marked as Down. As a result, all nodes monitored by it will be disabled by dependency. The remote probe will actively try to check if the connection to the master server is back and if it can communicate with NetCrunch. When the connection to the master server is established again, the probe will turn Green in NetCrunch, and all nodes previously disabled (on it) will be enabled.

Current Probe Limitations

• If the connection is broken between the NetCrunch master server and the probe, the probe will not store any data to be sent later.
• The probe contains several, but not all monitoring capabilities of NetCrunch Master Server.
• Device type wizard will not appear for nodes monitored by the remote probe.
• The remote probe is currently available only for Windows machines (workstation and server)

Installation and setup

Installation and Setup of the Probe are very fast and simple.

• Make sure that NetCrunch can reach the machine where the probe is being installed (Use Ping for test)
• To install a remote probe, download it from NetCrunch download page and run the install.
• After installation, Remote Probe Configuration is started by default (If you have closed it, navigate to the install location and run NcRemoteProbeConfig.exe)
• The first thing that needs to be set on the remote probe is the address of NetCrunch Master Server (along with NetCrunch port if it has been changed. Default is 12009)
• If the connection was successful, NetCrunch would ask for login and password of the user with Console Administration rights.
• The last step is to assign remote probe to the already created (empty) remote probe in NetCrunch or to create a new Remote Probe in NetCrunch (if the Create New option is selected, new remote probe with given name will be created automatically).

The last screen informs that the probe is registered and it is authorized to connect to the NetCrunch master server. It will appear in NetCrunch now, and it should turn green in a moment.

Monitoring nodes using a remote probe.

Adding nodes that are monitored by a remote probe is no different than adding regular nodes. Just click on the + icon located in the top right corner of the console and select IP Node.

1. Type in the IP Address or DNS name of the node that you want to monitor. Keep in mind that you can use the same IP Addresses or DNS names that are already in NetCrunch and are monitored by NetCrunch Master Server. The remote probe should be selected as a monitoring provider.
2. After the node is added, add sensors that should be monitored. Essential monitoring can be set by adding ICMP Ping sensor or CIFS/SMB sensors.
3. Save the node settings. The new network will appear in the atlas tree under the name of the remote probe, and the node will be added as IP_Address@Remote_Probe_Name or DNS_Name@Remote_probe_name

NetCrunch will also automatically set dependency of the added node to the remote probe - so if the probe stops sending data and NetCrunch sets its status as 'down' - dependency will disable the node.

This feature requires NetCrunch version 10.1+

netcrunch remote proberemote probe