Getting a Quick Start with NerveCenter - Working with Behavior Models - Enabling the IfData_LogToFile Behavior Model - Poll that Triggers the Alarm -
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Poll that Triggers the Alarm

Only one poll is associated with this alarm -- the IfData poll. This poll is configured to solicit attribute values for certain base object attributes belonging to the interfaces MIB-II group. The poll fires the ifData trigger when these values are detected in a node.

To see how the poll accomplishes this, open the poll's definition window.

 
  To open the IfData Poll Definition window:

1. From the client's Admin menu, choose Poll List.

   The Poll List window is displayed. All polls are turned on by default when you install NerveCenter.

   The Poll List Window

   

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2. Select the IfData poll and select Open.

   The IfData Poll Definition window is displayed.

   IfData Poll Definition Window

   

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The Designing and Managing Behavior Models book shipped with NerveCenter describes polls in detail. For now, however, you will take only a cursory look at the IfData poll. Note specifically the following poll attributes:

• Property -- The poll is not assigned any particular property. However, because the IfData poll detects ifEntry MIB object values, a node's property group must include these attributes before the node can be polled. For this reason, you assigned the MIB-II property group to your nodes.

  If you were to assign a property to the poll, you could further restrict the poll to an even more limited set of nodes.

• Poll Rate -- The polling period is set to 15 minutes by default. This means that, when you enable the alarm, you must wait that long between polls.
• Poll Condition -- The poll condition contains the interfaces (ifEntry) MIB objects that the poll is configured to detect.
• Trigger -- The poll condition also includes a FireTrigger() command that fires the ifData trigger when the MIB objects are detected.

The data-entry fields in the definition window are unavailable when the poll is on. If you want to make changes, for example by changing the poll rate, you must do the following:

 
  To make changes to a poll:

1. In the Poll Definition window, select the Enable Off radio button.
2. Make the changes you want to the poll.
3. Select Save.
4. Select the Enable On radio button and then select Save.

   This turns the updated poll back on.

The ifData poll solicits information for MIB values found in the Interfaces group in MIB-II. Each value represents one instance of the Interfaces ifEntry base object. Following is a brief description of these MIB values:

MIB Values Detected by the ifData Poll

Turning on the Alarm

You enable the IfData_LogToFile behavior model by turning on its alarm and poll. In our case, because all polls are turned on by default when you install NerveCenter, you need only turn on the alarm.

 
  To turn on the IfData_LogToFile alarm:

1. From the client's Admin menu, choose Alarm Definition List.

   The Alarm Definition List window is displayed.

2. Select the IfData_LogToFile alarm and select Open.

   The Alarm Definition window is displayed.

3. Select the Enabled On radio button.
4. Select Save.

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   Tip    You can also turn on an alarm from the Alarm Definition List window. Right-click the alarm in the list and choose On from the pop-up menu.

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The IfData_LogToFile alarm is now enabled and will transition when the defined MIB attributes are detected on one of the nodes you defined.