IBM i systems don’t natively support passive checks because NRDP requires ASCII‑formatted Web API requests, while IBM i uses EBCDIC internally. That mismatch has historically prevented IBM i from participating fully in Nagios’ passive check ecosystem and forced administrators to rely solely on active checks initiated by the Nagios Server.
To bridge this gap, we’ve added a new menu within AAG/NG4i that provides clear, operator‑friendly options for sending passive check data and remote commands. These menu options act as the front end, while a set of underlying C programs handle the heavy lifting—taking the user’s input, converting and formatting it correctly, and transmitting the request to the Nagios Server using the NRDP protocol.
This design keeps the interface simple for IBM i administrators while ensuring all encoding, formatting, and communication steps happen automatically and reliably behind the scenes.
Remote Commands: Host‑Driven Control When It Matters Most
One of the most impactful benefits of this enhancement is the ability for the IBM i to send remote commands back to Nagios. This gives the host a level of autonomy that simply wasn’t possible before.
Consider scenarios like:
- System saves or PTF installations that place the system into a restricted state. The IBM i can automatically suspend checks and notifications during these periods.
- Service‑specific maintenance where you want to pause notifications for a single service until the issue is resolved.
- Operational workflows where staff can trigger Nagios actions directly from IBM i commands without switching interfaces.
This host‑driven control reduces noise, prevents false alerts, and aligns monitoring behaviour with what’s actually happening on the system.
Sending Passive Check Data: Smarter, Event‑Driven Monitoring
Active checks require Nagios to poll the IBM i at regular intervals—sometimes very frequently—to catch fast‑moving issues like disk space spikes or job queue backlogs. That approach increases load on the Nagios Server and still risks missing critical moments.
Passive checks flip the model.
With AAG’s new capabilities, the IBM i can send passive check results the moment something meaningful occurs. For example:
- If disk space begins filling rapidly, the IBM i can immediately push a passive check result to Nagios.
- Nagios updates the service status instantly and triggers alerts or automation as needed.
- Performance data is included, ensuring graphs, reports, and dashboards remain fully populated.
This event‑driven approach reduces the number of active checks required, lowers CPU and network overhead, and improves the responsiveness of your monitoring environment.
Automated, Cooperative Monitoring
Monitoring works best when it’s a cooperative process. The Nagios Server excels at aggregation, alerting, and visualization, while the IBM i has the most accurate, real‑time understanding of its own state. By enabling both sides to communicate intelligently, you get:
- A more resilient monitoring architecture
- Reduced load on the Nagios Server
- Fewer false positives
- Faster detection of real issues
- Less manual intervention from operations staff
- More time for skilled operators to focus on tasks that truly require their expertise
This enhancement transforms IBM i monitoring from a one‑way polling model into a two‑way, automated conversation—smarter, lighter, and far more aligned with modern monitoring best practices.
Interested in seeing it in action?
Request a demo today and learn how AAG and Nagios work hand in hand to deliver a premier monitoring solution for your IBM i.