HP Operations Manager Policy variables

Note: HP renamed the product called now HP operations manager way too many times. Also it is very inconsistent with using abbreviations. Here we will assume that the term "HP Operations manager" and abbreviations HPOM, OMU, and OVO  mean the same thing :-)

There are two types of variables in HPOM:

• System variables (aka Policy variables, former template variables) such as <$MGMTSV_KNOWN_MSG_NODE_NAME> which we'll cover here
• User_defined variables (which are set in patterns during the proces of matching message with the message template for the policy) such as <DB_status>

Variables can be used in most parts of the policies including but not limited to

• Actions
• Rewriting of messages

The interpretation of " <$string>" as HPOM system variable can be suppressed with the "\" escape character. If the " <$>" character combination is found, but the variable is unknown, or no closing bracket (">") is found, then no substitution is performed.

Parsing for escape characters would be limited to the characters directly before a known variable, as shown in examples 3, 4 and 5).

OPC_MON_DISABLE_PROG_VARS TRUE

Examples:
Policy: SNMP-service-Win2k with source name service

Example:     1

Definition:

opcservice  SNMP <$NAME>-<$SRCNAME> 

Resolved:

opcservice  SNMP SNMP-service-Win2k-service

Notes:       Create required name for opcmon from both the policy
             name and source name variables
   
Example:     2

Definition:  opcservice  SNMP <$FULLNAME> 
Resolved:    opcservice  SNMP SNMP-service-Win2k-service
Notes:       Resolves to the combined policy and source name.

Example:     4
Definition:  opcservice  SNMP \\<$FULLNAME> 
Resolved:    opcservice  SNMP  \SNMP-service-Win2k-service
Notes:       Double escape character,
             resolved to single and variables resolved.

HP Operations Manager Policy variables

The variables listed below can be used in most event policy editor text entry boxes. But you better check the results first ;-). In version 9.0 cases where the particular variable can be used and were it can't are very fuzzy and not well documented. Theoretically all OV variables can be used within message fields and passed to external programs as part of action of the particular policy. The reality is slightly different.

For example  if you try to use <$MGMTSV_KNOWN_MSG_NODE_NAME> variable in the policy action

echo "<$MGMTSV_KNOWN_MSG_NODE_NAME> " > /tmp/ticker.log

that does not work, while

echo "<$MSG_OBJECT>" > /tmp/ticker.log

Now if you replace echo with the custom script, say, tick_receptor.pl, this problem became much more difficult to troubleshoot. Still basic effect is the same. Policy with action

tick_receptor.pl "<$MSG_OBJECT>"

works OK. But policy with action 

tick_receptor.pl "<$MGMTSV_KNOWN_MSG_NODE_NAME>"

behaves completely differently: it's not that OV variable <$MGMTSV_KNOWN_MSG_NODE_NAME> is not substituted (which is bad but can be understood). Looks like the whole action part of the policy became broke and script tick_receptor.pl is never invoked. Zero diagnostic on this failure -- as if everything is OK. 

In other words this is a typical "Alice in Wonderland" situation with yet ad hoc "vendorscript". I wish HP adopted LUA for use for action invocations and OV policy variables were regular LUA variables.  

NOTE: It is often useful to surround the variable with quotation marks, especially if it may return a value that contains spaces.

Valuable that theoretically are available for all types of policies and all policy dialog boxes

• <$FULLNAME> Returns the name of the policy and the source (concatenated with -). As defined for templates, this would return the same as <$NAME> This variable, along with <$NAME> and <$FULLNAME>, can be used in the field Program Name as follows so that when you are renaming a policy, you would not need to modify the Program name field. For example:

  mymonitorscript.bat <$NAME>-<SRCNAME> mymonitorscript.bat <$FULLNAME>

• <$MSG_APPL> Returns the name of the application associated with the event that caused the message. Only events from the Open Message Interface (parameter: application) or the Windows Event Log (parameter: source) will set this variable. Sample output: /usr/bin/su(1) Switch User
   

• <$MSG_GRP> Returns the default message group of the message. Only events from the Open Message Interface (parameter: message_group) will set this variable. Sample output: Security
   

• <$MSG_ID> Returns the unique identity number of the message, as generated by the message agent. Note that identity numbers are not generated for suppressed messages. Sample output: 6e998f80-a06b-71d0-012e-0f887a7c0000
   

• <$MSG_NODE> Returns the IP address of the managed node on which the message originates. Sample output: 14.136.122.123
   

• <$MSG_NODE_ID> Returns the GUID that the management server assigned to the node on which the message originates. Because this value is only known by the management server, this variable cannot be resolved on the managed node. This variable is valid for the service_id message attribute and in the Command box for an automatic or operator-initiated command. Sample output: {6e998f80-a06b-71d0-012e-0f887a7c0000}
   

• <$MSG_NODE_NAME> Returns the name of the managed node on which the message originates. This variable is not fixed, however, and can be changed by a policy on a per-message basis. For example, if the policy is intercepting SNMP traps that originate from other devices, you might want to set this variable to the name of the device where the trap originated. If the policy is monitoring a logfile on a network share where applications on several nodes write messages, you could extract the name of the node from the error message, save it in a user-defined variable, and assign it to MSG_NODE_NAME.
   

• <$MGMTSV_KNOWN_MSG_NODE_NAME> Returns the name of the managed node on which the message originates. The management server resolves this variable to the node's hostname. This variable may be different to <$MSG_NODE_NAME>, which is the hostname that the agent resolves.

  Important note: You can't use <$MGMTSV_KNOWN_MSG_NODE_NAME> everywhere. For some strange reason it is available only for the following message attributes:

  • Service ID
  • Message Key
  • Message Type
  • Message Group
  • Application
  • Object
  • Message Text
  • CMA Name
  • CMA Value
  • Automatic Command
  • Automatic Command Node
  • Operator-initiated Command
  • Operator-initiated Command Node

  This variable is useful in environments where management servers and agents resolve different hostnames for the same the node (for example, NAT environments).
   

• <$MSG_OBJECT> Delivers the name of the object associated with the event. Only events from the Open Message Interface (parameter: msg_object) and Windows Event Log (parameter: category) will set this variable.
   

• <$MSG_SEV> Returns the default value for the severity of the event. Only events from the Open Message Interface (default is "Normal') and the Windows Event Log (parameter: converted) will set this variable. Note that the following severity conversions are performed when this variable is set by the Windows Event Log: information=Normal, warning=Warning, error=critical, success audit=Normal, failure audit=Critical, default=unknown). Sample output: Normal

• <$MSG_TEXT> Returns the full text of the message. For the Open Message Interface, this value is the msg_text parameter. For the Windows Event Log this value is the event ID and description. In general, there are default texts for all editors derived from incoming event properties (this is shown in the message text field of outgoing message properties).
   

• <$MSG_TYPE> Delivers the name set for Message Type.

   

• <$NAME> Returns the name of the measurement threshold policy or the scheduled task policy that sent the message. Sample output: cpu_util  This variable, along with <$FULLNAME> and <$SRCNAME>, can be used in the field Program Name as follows so that when you are renaming a policy, you would not need to modify the Program name field. mymonitorscript.bat <$NAME>-<SRCNAME> mymonitorscript.bat <$FULLNAME>

• <$OPC_GUI_CLIENT> Returns the hostname of the client where the HP Operations GUI is currently running. This variable is valid in the Node box for an operator-initiated command and for message attributes.

• <$OPC_GUI_CLIENT_WEB> Returns the hostname and default web browser of the client where the HP Operations GUI is currently running. This can be used with an operator-initiated command to load a web page in the default browser on the HP Operations GUI client. This variable is valid in the node field for an operator-initiated command and for message attributes.

• <$OPC_MGMTSV> Returns the name of the current HP Operations management server. This variable is valid in the Command text box and in the Node text box for an automatic or operator-initiated command. This variable is only resolved on the management server. Sample output: zucchini.veg.com
• <$OPTION(N)> Returns the value of an optional variable that is set by opcmsg or opcmon (for example, $OPTION(A) $OPTION(B), and so on.).
   
• <$SRCNAME> Returns the name of the source for a policy. For a template, this would return an empty string. This variable, along with <$NAME> and <$FULLNAME>, can be used in the field Program Name as follows so that when you are renaming a policy, you would not need to modify the Program name field. For example

  Additional information about variables <$NAME>, <$FULLNAME>, and <$SRCNAME>

The execute command made by the monitor agent now includes additional processing that allows special opc defined variables for the policy/monitor/source name to be resolved.

• <$NAME> currently exists and evaluates only to the name of the template. To remain consistent, the variable <$FULLNAME> is used for the complete policy-source name which would generally be used in the newer Policy definitions.

Variables that are valid only in measurement threshold policies

<$THRESHOLD> Returns value for the threshold limit set in General Threshold Rule Properties. If the threshold is determined with a script, the name of the scripting language is returned, for example, VBScript Sample output: 95.00

<$VALUE> Returns the value measured by a Measurement Threshold policy. Sample output: 100.00

<$VALAVG> Returns the average value of all messages reported by the Measurement Threshold policy. Sample output: 100.00

<$VALCNT> Returns the number of times that the threshold monitor has delivered a message to the browser. Sample output: 1

<$MSG_TIME_CREATED> Returns the time the message was created on the managed node in seconds elapsed since midnight (00:00:00), January 1, 1970, coordinated universal time. Sample output: 950008585

<$INSTANCE> Returns the name of the current instance Sample output: C;

<$SESSION(key)> Returns the value of a key stored in the Session object by using the Value method.

The following variable is valid only in messages sent from Windows Management Interface policies
<$WBEM:WMI class property> (for example, <$WBEM:TimeCreated> Sample output: 19991130105330.000000+060)

The following variables are valid only in messages sent from Scheduled Task policies:
<$PROG> Returns the name of the program executed by the Scheduled Task policy Sample output:check_for_upgrade.bat

<$USER> Returns the name of the user under which the scheduled task was executed. Sample output:administrator

Variables the are valid only in messages sent from Logfile Entry policies

<$LOGFILE> Returns the name of the logfile that contains the event which caused the message. Sample output:program_log.txt

<$LOGPATH> Returns the name and path of the logfile that contains the event which caused the message. Sample output:C:\temp\mylogfile\program_log.txt

Variables the are valid only in messages sent from Process-monitor policies

The following session variables are set automatically and can be used to define actions in the format <$SESSION(session variable)>:

<PROCESSNAME>
Defines the name used to access the process on the Managed Node
<PROCESSPARAMETERS> Defines the parameter pattern used to access the process on the Managed Node
<PROCESSNBREXPECTED> Defines the number of monitored processes
<PROCESSNBRAVAILABLE> Defines the number of available processes matching the process name and parameter pattern
<PROCESSMODE> Defines the string used to build the message text. It depends on the monitor you specify, for example:
MIN
PROCESSMODE is: ">= "

MAX
PROCESSMODE is: "<= "

EQUAL
PROCESSMODE is: " " (empty string)

The following variables are valid only in messages sent from Windows Services-monitor policies
The following session variables are set automatically and can be used in the actions in the format <$SESSION (session variable)>:

<SERVICENAME>
Defines the name used to access the Windows service on the Managed Node
<$SERVICEDISPLAYNAME> Defines the display name of the Windows service. This value is retrieved on the specified Managed Node and can be displayed in the local language of the Managed Node.
<$SERVICEMONITORSTATE> Defines the state of the Windows service to monitor, for example; "running", "stopped", or "disabled". If an agent catalog is available in the local language set on the Managed Node, this is the localized text for the monitor state. If no agent catalog is available in the local language of the Managed Node, English text is used to display the monitor state.
<$SERVICECURRENTSTATE> Defines the current state of the Windows service being monitored, for example; "running", "stopped", or "disabled". If an agent catalog is available in the local language set on the Managed Node, this is the localized text for the monitor state. If no agent catalog is available in the local language of the Managed Node, English text is used to display the monitor state.
<SERVICEACTION> Defines the string used to build the message text. It depends on the monitor mode you define:
Monitor state "running"
net start /Y <service_name>

Monitor state "stopped"
net stop /Y <service_name>

Monitor state "disabled"
empty

Related Topics:

Pattern-matching and variables
Quick start: how to create a policy
Send documentation feedback
Send software feedback

NEWS CONTENTS

• 200102 : Policy variables ( Policy variables , )

Old News

Policy variables

Etc

Society

Groupthink : Two Party System as Polyarchy : Corruption of Regulators : Bureaucracies : Understanding Micromanagers and Control Freaks : Toxic Managers :   Harvard Mafia : Diplomatic Communication : Surviving a Bad Performance Review : Insufficient Retirement Funds as Immanent Problem of Neoliberal Regime : PseudoScience : Who Rules America : Neoliberalism  : The Iron Law of Oligarchy : Libertarian Philosophy

Quotes

War and Peace : Skeptical Finance : John Kenneth Galbraith :Talleyrand : Oscar Wilde : Otto Von Bismarck : Keynes : George Carlin : Skeptics : Propaganda  : SE quotes : Language Design and Programming Quotes : Random IT-related quotes :  Somerset Maugham : Marcus Aurelius : Kurt Vonnegut : Eric Hoffer : Winston Churchill : Napoleon Bonaparte : Ambrose Bierce :  Bernard Shaw : Mark Twain Quotes

Bulletin:

Vol 25, No.12 (December, 2013) Rational Fools vs. Efficient Crooks The efficient markets hypothesis : Political Skeptic Bulletin, 2013 : Unemployment Bulletin, 2010 :  Vol 23, No.10 (October, 2011) An observation about corporate security departments : Slightly Skeptical Euromaydan Chronicles, June 2014 : Greenspan legacy bulletin, 2008 : Vol 25, No.10 (October, 2013) Cryptolocker Trojan (Win32/Crilock.A) : Vol 25, No.08 (August, 2013) Cloud providers as intelligence collection hubs : Financial Humor Bulletin, 2010 : Inequality Bulletin, 2009 : Financial Humor Bulletin, 2008 : Copyleft Problems Bulletin, 2004 : Financial Humor Bulletin, 2011 : Energy Bulletin, 2010 : Malware Protection Bulletin, 2010 : Vol 26, No.1 (January, 2013) Object-Oriented Cult : Political Skeptic Bulletin, 2011 : Vol 23, No.11 (November, 2011) Softpanorama classification of sysadmin horror stories : Vol 25, No.05 (May, 2013) Corporate bullshit as a communication method  : Vol 25, No.06 (June, 2013) A Note on the Relationship of Brooks Law and Conway Law

History:

Fifty glorious years (1950-2000): the triumph of the US computer engineering : Donald Knuth : TAoCP and its Influence of Computer Science : Richard Stallman : Linus Torvalds  : Larry Wall  : John K. Ousterhout : CTSS : Multix OS Unix History : Unix shell history : VI editor : History of pipes concept : Solaris : MS DOS :  Programming Languages History : PL/1 : Simula 67 : C : History of GCC development :  Scripting Languages : Perl history   : OS History : Mail : DNS : SSH : CPU Instruction Sets : SPARC systems 1987-2006 : Norton Commander : Norton Utilities : Norton Ghost : Frontpage history : Malware Defense History : GNU Screen : OSS early history

Classic books:

The Peter Principle : Parkinson Law : 1984 : The Mythical Man-Month :  How to Solve It by George Polya : The Art of Computer Programming : The Elements of Programming Style : The Unix Hater’s Handbook : The Jargon file : The True Believer : Programming Pearls : The Good Soldier Svejk : The Power Elite

Most popular humor pages:

Manifest of the Softpanorama IT Slacker Society : Ten Commandments of the IT Slackers Society : Computer Humor Collection : BSD Logo Story : The Cuckoo's Egg : IT Slang : C++ Humor : ARE YOU A BBS ADDICT? : The Perl Purity Test : Object oriented programmers of all nations : Financial Humor : Financial Humor Bulletin, 2008 : Financial Humor Bulletin, 2010 : The Most Comprehensive Collection of Editor-related Humor : Programming Language Humor : Goldman Sachs related humor : Greenspan humor : C Humor : Scripting Humor : Real Programmers Humor : Web Humor : GPL-related Humor : OFM Humor : Politically Incorrect Humor : IDS Humor : "Linux Sucks" Humor : Russian Musical Humor : Best Russian Programmer Humor : Microsoft plans to buy Catholic Church : Richard Stallman Related Humor : Admin Humor : Perl-related Humor : Linus Torvalds Related humor : PseudoScience Related Humor : Networking Humor : Shell Humor : Financial Humor Bulletin, 2011 : Financial Humor Bulletin, 2012 : Financial Humor Bulletin, 2013 : Java Humor : Software Engineering Humor : Sun Solaris Related Humor : Education Humor : IBM Humor : Assembler-related Humor : VIM Humor : Computer Viruses Humor : Bright tomorrow is rescheduled to a day after tomorrow : Classic Computer Humor

The Last but not Least Technology is dominated by two types of people: those who understand what they do not manage and those who manage what they do not understand ~Archibald Putt. Ph.D

The statements, views and opinions presented on this web page are those of the author (or referenced source) and are not endorsed by, nor do they necessarily reflect, the opinions of the Softpanorama society. We do not warrant the correctness of the information provided or its fitness for any purpose. The site uses AdSense so you need to be aware of Google privacy policy. You you do not want to be tracked by Google please disable Javascript for this site. This site is perfectly usable without Javascript.

Last modified: March 12, 2019