You can also refer to this documentation for full details:

Here is a direct link to the PDF as well:

How to use the Windows Desktop Configuration Wizard with Nagios XI

The Need for a Comprehensive Monitoring Solution

As BorgWarner’s operations grew in complexity, so did its IT infrastructure. The company recognized the increasing need for a centralized and intelligent monitoring solution to:

• Proactively detect and resolve issues: Identify and address potential problems before they escalate into major outages, minimizing downtime and its associated costs.
• Gain real-time visibility: Obtain a comprehensive view of the entire IT landscape, including servers, networks, applications, and devices.
• Optimize resource utilization: Monitor resource usage patterns to identify bottlenecks and optimize performance, ensuring optimal resource allocation.
• Enhance security posture: Detect and respond to security threats in real-time, protecting sensitive data and systems from malicious attacks.

Nagios XI: A Powerful and Versatile Monitoring Tool

Nagios XI, a powerful and flexible monitoring platform, emerged as the ideal solution for BorgWarner’s needs. Its key features and capabilities include:

• Comprehensive monitoring: Nagios XI provides comprehensive monitoring capabilities across various IT components, including servers, networks, applications, databases, and more.
• Real-time alerts and notifications: The platform generates real-time alerts and notifications via various channels, enabling prompt response to critical events.
• Flexible reporting and dashboards: Nagios XI offers customizable dashboards and reports, providing insightful visualizations of system performance and health.
• Scalability and extensibility: The platform can scale to accommodate growing infrastructure needs and can be extended with plugins to support a wide range of monitoring requirements.
• Ease of use and management: Nagios XI provides a user-friendly interface and intuitive management tools, simplifying the monitoring process for IT teams.

Benefits of Nagios XI for BorgWarner

The implementation of Nagios XI has yielded significant benefits for BorgWarner, including:

• Reduced downtime and improved service availability: Proactive issue detection and resolution have minimized downtime, ensuring business continuity and maximizing service availability.
• Enhanced performance and resource utilization: By identifying performance bottlenecks and optimizing resource allocation, Nagios XI has helped BorgWarner improve the overall efficiency and performance of its IT infrastructure.
• Improved security posture: Nagios XI’s security monitoring capabilities have enabled BorgWarner to detect and respond to potential threats in real-time, safeguarding its valuable data and systems.
• Increased operational efficiency: Nagios XI has streamlined IT operations by providing a centralized platform for monitoring and management, freeing up IT staff to focus on other critical tasks.
• Cost savings: By preventing costly outages and optimizing resource utilization, Nagios XI has contributed to significant cost savings for BorgWarner.

Implementation and Challenges

Like any major IT project, the implementation of Nagios XI presented some challenges for BorgWarner. These included:

• Configuration complexity: Configuring Nagios XI to monitor the entire IT landscape required careful planning and expertise.
• Integration with existing systems: Integrating Nagios XI with existing monitoring and management tools required careful consideration and coordination.
• Resource allocation: Dedicated resources were required for the initial setup, configuration, and ongoing maintenance of the Nagios XI platform.

BorgWarner addressed these challenges by:

• Partnering with experienced Nagios XI consultants: Engaging with experts in Nagios XI implementation provided valuable guidance and support throughout the project.
• Adopting a phased approach: Implementing Nagios XI in phases helped to minimize disruption and ensure a smooth transition.
• Providing comprehensive training to IT staff: Training sessions empowered BorgWarner’s IT team to effectively manage and maintain the Nagios XI platform.

Conclusion

BorgWarner’s successful implementation of Nagios XI demonstrates the value of a robust and proactive IT monitoring strategy. By leveraging the power of Nagios XI, BorgWarner has significantly improved the visibility, performance, and security of its IT infrastructure, driving operational efficiency and supporting business growth. As technology continues to evolve and businesses become increasingly reliant on their IT systems, the importance of effective monitoring solutions like Nagios XI will only continue to grow.

Read more success stories and find out how Nagios can help you.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

• A running instance of Nagios Log Server (2024R2)
• A Windows 10 system with administrative privileges
• Network connectivity between the Windows 10 machine and the Nagios Log Server

Step 1: Add a New Windows Log Source in Nagios Log Server

1. Log in to Nagios Log Server.
2. Click the green + Add Log Source button or navigate to Configure > + Add Log Source.
3. Click the + Windows button to begin setup for a Windows log source.

Step 2: Install NXLog Community Edition (CE)

1. On the Windows log source setup page, find the Getting Started section.

2. Click the link to download NXLog CE directly from your Nagios Log Server (not an external source).

3. Launch the installer and follow these steps:

• Accept the License Agreement.

• Choose the default or a custom installation path.
• Click Install, then click Finish once completed.

Step 3: Configure NXLog on Windows 10

1. In the Configuration Setup section of the Nagios Log Server, locate the configuration code block.
2. Click the Select All icon and copy the text.
3. On your Windows 10 machine:
   • Open Notepad as Administrator.
   • Navigate to the file: C:\Program Files\nxlog\conf\nxlog.conf or: C:\Program Files (x86)\nxlog\conf\nxlog.conf
   • In Notepad, switch file type to All Files to locate nxlog.conf.
   • Delete all contents (CTRL + A, then DELETE).
   • Paste the copied configuration block.
   • Click File > Save.

Step 4: Start NXLog Service

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Run the following command:

net start nxlog

net start nxlog

The NXLog service is now running and configured to start automatically on boot.

Step 5: Verify Logs in Nagios Log Server

1. Navigate to the Windows source page in Nagios Log Server.
2. In the Verify Incoming Logs section, enter the Windows machine’s IP address.
3. You can also go to the Dashboards section and run this query: host:<Windows 10 IP>
4. Confirm that log entries appear under All Events.

Troubleshooting Tips

• NXLog Service Fails to Start:
  • Ensure you have administrative privileges.
  • Verify the syntax of the nxlog.conf file.
• No Logs in Nagios Log Server:
  • Check the network connectivity between the Windows machine and Nagios Log Server.
  • Double-check the NXLog configuration.
• Firewall Issues:
  • Ensure firewalls on both Windows and Nagios Log Server allow traffic on required ports.

Conclusion

Conclusion

By following this guide, you have successfully configured Windows 10 to forward logs to Nagios Log Server 2024R2 using NXLog CE. This setup ensures you have real-time visibility into Windows system events.

For more resources and help:

• Nagios Support Forum
• Nagios Knowledgebase
• Nagios Library

Note: Windows 7 reached end-of-life on January 14, 2020, and is unsupported by Microsoft. Compatibility with modern software like Nagios Log Server 2024R2 or recent NXLog CE versions may be limited. Use this guide for legacy systems only, and consider upgrading to a supported OS (e.g., Windows 10/11) for production environments.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have the following:

• A running Nagios Log Server 2024R2 instance.
• Administrator privileges on your Windows 7 machine.
• A stable network connection between Windows 7 and Nagios Log Server.

Step 1: Add a Windows Log Source in Nagios Log Server

1. Log into Nagios Log Server:

• Access the web interface (e.g., http://<log-server-ip>).

2. Add a Windows Log Source:

• Option 1: On the Home page, click the green + Windows button in the “Add a log source” section (bottom left).

• Option 2: Navigate to Configure > + Add Log Source,

• then select Windows from the list.

3. This will guide you to the configuration page for setting up Windows logs.

Step 2: Install NXLog CE on Windows 7

1. On the Windows source page, locate the Getting Started section.

2. Click the link to download the NXLog Community Edition installer from your Nagios Log Server instance.

3. Run the downloaded installer.

4. Follow the installation steps:

• Accept the license agreement.
• Click Install.

• Wait for the installation to complete.
• Click Finish to close the installer.

Step 3: Configure NXLog CE

1. On the Windows source page of Nagios Log Server, locate the Configuration Setup section.
2. Copy the provided configuration block by clicking the Select All icon and copying the highlighted text.
3. Open Notepad on your Windows 7 machine.
4. Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\nxlog\conf\nxlog.conf.
   • Select All Files (.) in the file type dropdown to locate the file.
5. Open the nxlog.conf file.
6. Press CTRL + A to select all content and delete it.
7. Paste the copied configuration from Nagios Log Server.
8. Save the file by selecting File > Save.

Step 4: Start NXLog CE Service

1. Start the Service.

• Open Command Prompt as Administrator (Start > type cmd > right-click > Run as administrator).
• Run:

net start nxlog

net start nxlog

2. Set Automatic Startup:

• The installer typically configures this, but verify:
  • Press Win+R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
  • Find NXLog, right-click > Properties, ensure Startup type is Automatic, and click OK.

Step 5: Verify Incoming Logs

1. Option 1: Verify on Windows Source Page:

• On the Nagios Log Server Windows source page, scroll to Verify Incoming Logs.
• Enter the Windows machine’s IP (e.g., 192.168.107.55) and click Verify.
• Expected result: “Verified. There are X logs for the host <IP>.”

2. Option 2: Check Dashboards:

• Navigate to Dashboards in Nagios Log Server.
• Query: host:<Windows-IP> (e.g., host:192.168.107.55).
• Confirm logs appear in the All Events panel.

Troubleshooting Tips

NXLog Service Fails to Start

• Ensure you have administrative privileges.
• Verify the syntax of the nxlog.conf file.

No Logs in Nagios Log Server

• Check the network connectivity between the Windows machine and Nagios Log Server.
• Double-check the NXLog configuration.

Firewall Issues

• Ensure firewalls on both Windows and Nagios Log Server allow traffic on required ports.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you have successfully configured a Windows 7 machine to send logs to Nagios Log Server 2024R2 using NXLog CE. This setup provides valuable insights for effective monitoring and troubleshooting of your IT infrastructure.

For additional support, visit the Nagios Support Forum or check the Nagios Knowledgebase.

SNMP provides a lightweight, agentless approach to remote system monitoring, allowing you to track performance metrics efficiently without adding extra overhead. Whether you’re managing a single system or an entire network, this setup ensures real-time visibility into your Windows 7 environment. Let’s dive in and get your monitoring up and running!

Target Audience

This guide is designed for Nagios XI administrators responsible for network and system monitoring.

Prerequisites

• Windows 7 machine with administrative access
• Nagios XI instance with admin privileges
• Basic knowledge of Windows and Nagios configurations

Step 1: Install SNMP on Windows 7

1. Open Control Panel > Programs and Features.
2. Click Turn Windows features on or off.
3. Locate and install SNMP Services.
4. Open Services (type services.msc in the Run dialog).
5. Find SNMP Service, right-click, and select Properties.
6. Under the Security tab:
   • Add an allowed Community String (e.g., public for read-only access).
   • Configure Accepted Hosts by entering the Nagios XI server IP.
7. Restart SNMP Service to apply changes.

Step 2: Verify SNMP Configuration

To confirm SNMP is working, run the following command from Nagios XI:

snmpwalk -v 2c -c public <Windows7_IP>

snmpwalk -v 2c -c public <Windows7_IP>

If correctly configured, this should return system information.

Step 3: Configure Windows Firewall

1. Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.

2. Select Inbound Rules and click New Rule..

3. Choose Port and click Next.

4. Select UDP and enter 161-162 in the Specific local ports textbox.

5. Click Next, name the rule, and Finish.

Step 4: Set Up SNMP Monitoring in Nagios XI

1. Log into Nagios XI.

2. Go to Configuration Wizards.

3. Search for SNMP and select Windows SNMP.

4. Enter:

• Windows 7 IP Address
• SNMP Community String (matches Windows setting)
• Keep SNMP version and port as default

5. Click Next and select services to monitor:

• CPU Usage
• Memory Utilization
• Disk Space
• Network Traffic

6. Click Finish and confirm the host is added.

Step 5: Verify Monitoring in Nagios XI

• Navigate to Host/Service Details in Nagios XI.
• Confirm the Windows 7 machine and selected services are active.
• If issues arise, double-check SNMP settings and firewall rules.

Troubleshooting

• Issue: Unable to connect due to incorrect community name.
  • Solution: Ensure the correct community’s name is entered in both Windows SNMP settings and Nagios XI.
• Issue: SNMP service not starting.
  • Solution: Set SNMP Service Startup Type to Automatic.

Video Guide

For a step-by-step tutorial, watch this video:

Conclusion

By following this guide, you have successfully set up SNMP monitoring for Windows 7 in Nagios XI. This ensures effective system performance tracking, allowing administrators to proactively address issues.

For more help, visit the Nagios XI Knowledge Base or Nagios Support Forums.

Active vs. Passive Monitoring

NCPA supports two monitoring methods:

• Active Monitoring: Nagios actively checks system metrics on a schedule.
• Passive Monitoring: NCPA submits check results to Nagios when triggered.

Recommendation: Active monitoring is preferred for most cases, as it allows Nagios to control check scheduling.

Prerequisites

Before starting the installation, ensure the following:

• A system running Windows 7
• Administrator privileges
• A stable internet connection

Verify your Windows version by running the following command in Command Prompt:

systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Name" /C:"OS Version"

systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Name" /C:"OS Version"

Example Output:

OS Name:      Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
OS Version:   6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601

OS Name:      Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
OS Version:   6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601

Step 1: Download the NCPA Package

To download the latest NCPA package for Windows, visit the Nagios NCPA Downloads Page. Download the appropriate installer for Windows 7.

Step 2: Install NCPA (Graphical Method)

1. Locate the downloaded installer.
2. Double-click to launch the installation wizard.
3. Follow these steps:
   • Click Next on the Welcome screen.
   • Accept the license agreement.
   • Configure passive checks (optional) by setting an API token for authentication.
   • Keep the default Bind IP (0.0.0.0) and port (5693).
   • Click Install and wait for the process to complete.
   • Click Finish once installation is complete.

Step 2 (Alternative): Silent Installation

For deploying NCPA on multiple machines, use the silent installation method:

Command Syntax

ncpa-<version>.exe /S /TOKEN='mytoken' /<variable>='<value>' /D=<base directory>

ncpa-<version>.exe /S /TOKEN='mytoken' /<variable>='<value>' /D=<base directory>

Key Configuration Variables:

• TOKEN (Required): API token for access.
• IP: Address to bind to (default: 0.0.0.0).
• PORT: Port to bind to (default: 5693).
• NRDPURL: URL for passive check submissions.
• NRDPTOKEN: Authentication token for NRDP.
• NRDPHOSTNAME: Hostname for NRDP passive checks.

Example Command:

ncpa-2.1.6.exe /S /TOKEN='Str0ngT0k3n' /NRDPURL='http://10.25.5.12/nrdp/' /NRDPTOKEN='NRDP_T0k3n' /NRDPHOSTNAME='WIN7-PC'

ncpa-2.1.6.exe /S /TOKEN='Str0ngT0k3n' /NRDPURL='http://10.25.5.12/nrdp/' /NRDPTOKEN='NRDP_T0k3n' /NRDPHOSTNAME='WIN7-PC'

Step 3: Configure NCPA

After installation, edit the NCPA configuration file:

1. Navigate to the installation directory (default: C:\Program Files (x86)\Nagios\NCPA).
2. Open ncpa.cfg in a text editor.
3. Set the API token:

community_string = mytoken

community_string = mytoken

4. Save and close the file.

Step 4: Restart the NCPA Service

Apply changes by restarting the NCPA services:

net stop ncpa_listener
net start ncpa_listener
net stop ncpa_passive
net start ncpa_passive

net stop ncpa_listener
net start ncpa_listener
net stop ncpa_passive
net start ncpa_passive

Step 5: Configure Firewall (if enabled)

If Windows Firewall is enabled, allow traffic on port 5693:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Run the following command:

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Allow NCPA" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 5693 -Action Allow

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Allow NCPA" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 5693 -Action Allow

Step 6: Test NCPA Installation

1. Open the Services window by typing services.msc in the Start menu.
2. Scroll down and locate Nagios Cross-Platform Agent.
3. Ensure the service is running.
4. Open a web browser and navigate to: https://<NCPA_IP_Address>:5693/
5. If prompted with a security warning, click Advanced and proceed.
6. Log in using the API token.

Configuring Nagios XI

To monitor the Windows system using Nagios XI and the NCPA agent:

1. Navigate to the Nagios XI dashboard.
2. Open the NCPA wizard by selecting Configure > Run a Monitoring Wizard > NCPA.
3. Enter the required details, including the IP address of the Windows server and the API token.
4. Complete the wizard setup and apply configuration changes.

Verifying Monitoring Setup

After completing the wizard, Nagios XI should display the monitored host and its services:

1. Navigate to the Service Status page to confirm that the system is being monitored.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Issue: NCPA agent not starting.
  • Solution: Verify that the token and port configurations are correct.
• Issue: Passive checks not received by Nagios.
  • Solution: Ensure the NRDP URL and token match the Nagios server settings.
• Issue: Firewall blocking NCPA communication.
  • Solution: Allow traffic on port 5693.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you have successfully installed and configured the Nagios Cross-Platform Agent on your Windows 7 system. For additional support, refer to the Nagios Support Forum or the Nagios Knowledge Base.

Prerequisite

• Access to a Windows 10 machine
• An instance of Nagios XI with administrative privileges

Step 1: Install SNMP on Windows 10

1. Open Settings on your Windows machine.

2. Navigate to Optional Features.

3. Click “+” icon and search for “snmp”, then select both check boxes.

4. Click Add and wait for the installation to complete.

5. Verify the installation by searching for SNMP under the Added Features section.

Step 2: Configure SNMP

1. Open Services by typing it into the Windows search bar.

2. Scroll down to SNMP Service, right-click, and select Properties.

3. Under the General tab, set the Startup Type to Automatic.

4. Navigate to the Agent tab and select the services you want SNMP to monitor.

5. Go to the Security tab:

6.  Choose whether to accept SNMP packets from any host or specific IP addresses (e.g., your Nagios XI instance).

7. Click Apply to save your configuration.

Step 3: Configure Windows Firewall

1. Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.

2. Select Inbound Rules and click New Rule

3. Choose Port and click Next.

4. Select UDP and enter 161-162 in the Specific local ports textbox.

5. Click Next through the remaining steps, give the rule a name, and click Finish.

Step 4: Set Up SNMP Monitoring in Nagios XI

1. Open Nagios XI in your browser.

2. Hover over the gear icon and select Configuration Wizards.

3. Search for SNMP.

4. Enter the following information:

5. Click Next.

6. Select the services and hardware information to monitor.

7.  Click Finish with Defaults or adjust monitoring settings as required.

8. Go back to the host and confirm that it has been added with your selected services being monitored.

Step 5: Verify Services

1. Navigate to the Host/Service Details in Nagios XI.

2. Confirm that the Windows 11 machine and its selected services are being monitored.

Conclusion

SNMP monitoring with Nagios XI provides real-time insights into Windows 10 performance, enabling proactive issue detection and resolution. With this setup, you can fine-tune alerts, expand monitoring across multiple systems, and leverage Nagios XI’s advanced features for deeper insights. By optimizing your monitoring strategy, you ensure system reliability, security, and efficiency.

For more information please visit the Nagios Support Forum or the Nagios Knowledge Base.

Step 1: Install OpenSSH on Windows

Windows 10/11 Installation

1. Go to Settings: Open Settings → System → Optional Features.
2. Add OpenSSH Server:
   • Click Add a feature.
   • Search for OpenSSH Server.
   • Select it and click Install.

Windows Server Installation

For Windows Server, OpenSSH is available as an optional feature:

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator.
2. Run these Powershell Commands

Add-WindowsFeature -Name OpenSSH-Server

Add-WindowsFeature -Name OpenSSH-Server

Start-Service sshd
Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType Automatic
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "SSH" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 22 -Action Allow

Start-Service sshd
Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType Automatic
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "SSH" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 22 -Action Allow

Start the OpenSSH Service

Make sure you start the OpenSSH service. In the windows search type in services and scroll until you find the OpenSSH SSH Server service. Right click it and click Start.

Step 2: Find Your Windows Username and IP Address

In PowerShell use the command whoami to find your username. It will look something like PC-Name/your-user-name. The PC name is not part of your username.

Find your IP with ipconfig

Step 3: Configure SSH Monitoring in Nagios XI

1. Log in to Nagios XI.
2. Go to the Configuration Wizards.
3. Select the Windows SSH Wizard:

Next, enter the IP address of your windows machine and your username which you found in step 2.

Once you enter that correct information, you will configure each metric you want to monitor. After that is done click Next and then Finish with Defaults.

Conclusion

By enabling SSH on Windows and configuring it in Nagios XI, you can securely monitor Windows system performance and ensure smooth operations. This setup provides an efficient way to track system health remotely. If you encounter issues, verify that the SSH service is running and that firewall rules allow incoming SSH connections.

Active vs. Passive

NCPA can be used for both Active and Passive monitoring:

• Active Monitoring: Nagios initiates and schedules checks at regular interval.
• Passive Monitoring: NCPA submits check results to Nagios without requiring direct polling.

The NCPA installer may prompt you for settings for active and passive. Active is the most common method
used. If you are not using passive monitoring, then you do not need to configure those settings.

Prerequisites

Before beginning the installation, ensure the following requirements are met:

• A system running Windows 10
• Administrator privileges
• A stable internet connection
• A working Nagios XI instance to receive and process monitoring data

Step 1: Download the Nagios Cross-Platform Agent (NCPA) Package

To download the latest NCPA package for Windows, visit:

Nagios NCPA Downloads Page

Step 2: Install the NCPA Package

There are two methods for installing the NCPA package:

• Graphical Installation: A user-friendly, step-by-step installation wizard.
• Silent Installation: An unattended installation using command-line options, ideal for automation and scripting.

Graphical Installation

1. Navigate to the folder where the NCPA installer was downloaded.
2. Double-click the installer file to start the installation process.
3. When the welcome screen appears, Click Next on the welcome screen.

An example of the welcome page of NCPA installer.

4. Read and accept the license agreement by clicking I Agree.

5. The configuration screen for API configuration will appear.
   • Token: The only required setting to configure; used by your Nagios server to authenticate with NCPA.
   • Bind IP: 0.0.0.0 (default) – Listens on all IPv4 addresses on the Windows machine.
   • Port: 5693 (default) – Used for communication with the NCPA agent.

6. Click Next and proceed to the configuration screen for Passive checks.
   • To enable passive checks, check the Send passive checks over NRDP box.
   • Provide the following NRDP settings:
     • URL: This is the URL on your Nagios Host that accepts passive check results to be submitted
     • NRDP Token: This is the token you will be using when passing NCPA passive checks to Nagios for NRDP to accept the check. This is separate from the token that was provided for active checks.
     • Hostname: The name of the host that the passive checks will be associated with in Nagios.

• In Nagios XI, the URL and NRDP Token are configured under: Admin > Check Transfers > Inbound Transfers.

7. Click Next and proceed and continue with Passive checks.
   • The Passive Service Checks screen will appear, displaying the default checks that will be executed and sent to your Nagios server.
   • You can modify these checks if needed. The Passive Service Checks screen will appear, displaying the default checks that will be executed and sent to your Nagios server. You can modify these checks if needed.

8. Click Next and proceed and You will be presented with the install location.
   • Change the destination folder if required.

9. Click the Install button to install NCPA and Once the installation is complete, click Finish.

Silent Installation

The installer also supports a silent install, which allows system administrators to easily manage their network
workstations without disrupting the workflow of the office. The following arguments currently supported.

• /S: Initiates a silent installation.
• /D: (Optional) Installation directory; must be the last argument and an absolute path (no quotes).
• /TOKEN: The token that will be used to access the agent’s API and web interface
• /IP: IP address to bind to (0.0.0.0 for all IPv4, :: for IPv6).
• /PORT: Port to bind to (default: 5693).
• /NRDPURL: Nagios server URL for submitting passive check results.
• /NRDPTOKEN: Authentication token for NRDP (separate from active check token).
• /NRDPHOSTNAME: Hostname associated with passive checks in Nagios.

Here is an example command:

ncpa-2.1.6.exe /S /TOKEN='Str0ngT0k3n' /NRDPURL='http://10.25.5.12/nrdp/'
/NRDPTOKEN='NRDP_T0k3n' /NRDPHOSTNAME='S1601'

Step 3: Configure Firewall (if enabled)

A firewall rule needs to be created on your Windows machine to allow incoming traffic to NCPA on TCP Port
5693

To change the firewall settings, select Start and type firewall in the search dialog box and open Windows
Firewall with Advanced Security.

Then click Inbound Rules in the left-hand panel.

In the right panel, click New Rule.

Afterwards Select Port and click Next.

Then Select TCP and select Specified local ports and type 5693 in the field. Afterwards, click Next.

Afterwards, Select Allow the connection and click Next.

Make any changes to where the rule should apply and click Next.

Give the rule a Name and click Finish to create the rule.

Step 4: Test NCPA

To ensure that the installation was successful and NCPA is now listening, try accessing the web interface of
the agent. In order to do this you will need to know:

• The IP Address of the machine you installed NCPA on
• The token / community_string you configured NCPA to use

Open a web browser and connect to the NCPA web interface using the following URL:

https://<NCPA IP Address>:5693/

You’ll see a security warning—this is normal. NCPA uses self-signed certificates to encrypt communication. Your browser flags it because it doesn’t recognize the certificate. Click Advanced and Add Exception (or proceed to xxx) to continue to the NCPA page.

More information on certificates is explained in the Understanding Certificate Warnings KB article.

You will then be shown the NCPA login page.

Type the token in the field and then click the Log In button.

Once you log in you will be placed on the Dashboard page with a summary of the NCPA version and machine it is running on.

Now that NCPA is ready to be monitored by Nagios, proceed to the Configuring Nagios section.

Configuring Nagios XI

To monitor your Windows system with Nagios XI and the NCPA agent:

1. Go to the Nagios XI dashboard.
2. Open the NCPA Wizard: Configure > Run a Monitoring Wizard > NCPA.
3. Enter the Windows server’s IP address and API token.
4. Complete the wizard and apply the configuration changes.

Verify Monitoring Setup

After completing the wizard, Nagios XI should display the monitored host and its services:

1. Navigate to the Service Status page to confirm that the system is being monitored, and Nagios XI is receiving data.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Issue: NCPA agent not starting.
  • Solution: Verify that the token and port configurations are correct.
• Issue: Passive checks not received by Nagios.
  • Solution: Ensure the NRDP URL and token match the Nagios server settings.
• Issue: Firewall blocking NCPA communication.
  • Solution: Allow traffic on port 5693.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed and configured the Nagios Cross Platform Agent on Windows. For further assistance, visit the Nagios Support Forum or the Nagios Knowledge Base.

To see how this is done in Nagios Log Server, check out this tutorial:

Step 1: Add a Log Source in Nagios Log Server

1. Log in to your Nagios Log Server web interface.

2. On the Home page, locate the section for adding log sources.

3. Click the + Windows button to begin the configuration process.

Step 2: Install NXLog CE on Windows Server

1. On the Nagios Log Server Windows Source page, find the Getting Started section and download NXLog CE from the provided link.

2. Run the installer on your Windows Server.

3. Click Next to the Welcome Screen.

3. Accept the License Agreement and click Next

4. Pick the destination folder to install Nagios Log Server (Default C:\Program Files\nxlog\)

5. Click Install:

5. Click Finish after a successful installation.

Step 3: Configure NXLog CE

1. On the Nagios Log Server Windows Source page, locate the Configuration Setup section.

2. Copy the provided configuration code:

Right-click and select Copy.

Click the Select All button in the top-right of the code block.

3. On your Windows Server, open Notepad as an administrator.

4. Open the NXLog configuration file:

• Navigate to C:\Program Files\nxlog\conf\
• Select All Files (.) in the file type dropdown.
• Open nxlog.conf.

5. Paste the copied configuration into the file.

6. Save and close Notepad.

Step 4: Confirm the NXLog Service is running

1. In the Windows Services App. Locate the NXLog service and confirm it’s running.

If not, you can manually start it by right-clicking on NXLog and select Start:

2. You can also run sc query NXLog. Confirm the value of STATE is RUNNING

If needed, you can manually start the service by running net start NXLog.

Step 5: Verify Logs in Nagios Log Server

1. You can verify a successful connection by going back in the Nagios Log Server > Add Log Source > Windows. In the Verify Incoming Logs section. Add the IP Address of your Windows Server and click Verify

2. Now navigate to Home. Under Unique Hosts > select View

3. Select the IP Address/Hostname of your windows server.

4. Confirm Event logs are being received:

Troubleshooting

Check NXLog Configuration File

1. Open C:\Program Files\nxlog\conf\nxlog.conf in Notepad.

2. Ensure the configuration matches the one provided by Nagios Log Server.

3. Look for syntax errors: Run NXLog manually to check for issues:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\nxlog\nxlog.exe" -v

"C:\Program Files (x86)\nxlog\nxlog.exe" -v

4. If any errors appear, correct them in nxlog.conf and restart the service.

Verify Firewall

If logs are not reaching Nagios Log Server, try:

1. On your Windows Server, confirm outbound port 3515 is open by running:

Get-NetFirewallRule -Direction Inbound, Outbound | Get-NetFirewallPortFilter | Where-Object { $_.LocalPort -eq 3515 }

Get-NetFirewallRule -Direction Inbound, Outbound | Get-NetFirewallPortFilter | Where-Object { $_.LocalPort -eq 3515 }

2. To Allow traffic for NXLog on your windows server, which uses by default outbound port 3515:

netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Allow NXLog" dir=out action=allow protocol=tcp localport=3515

netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Allow NXLog" dir=out action=allow protocol=tcp localport=3515

Enable Debugging in NXLog

If issues persist, enable debugging in NXLog:

1. Open C:\Program Files\nxlog\conf\nxlog.conf

2. Add:

LogLevel DEBUG

3. Restart NXLog:

4. Check logs in: C:\Program Files\nxlog\data\nxlog.log

If you have additional questions or other support-related questions, please visit Nagios Support. The Nagios Support Knowledgebase is also a great support resource.