As our business continues to focus on providing white labeled Tier 3 IT support services, RMM as a service, and co-managed IT services this blog will be highlighting tips for RMM automation. Here is one of the recent updates we are making to several of our scripts. It is great to have a diagnostic script that outputs information and review those logs to help figure out issues or to write out the log file created to output for review from the RMM.
What if you have a software tool that aggregates log files to look for trends or security issues across the organization. Running the script and manually collecting log files from each computers gets tedious at scale, so I came up with the idea to automate the log collection via sending them to a FTP site. Here is what we are adding to scripts:
Variables
It is important to not store variables in scripts especially when they are credentials for the FTP server, so make sure to define variables accordingly. Here are the variables we are using for this script:
$LocalDir = the local directory where you expect to find the logs from the script
$RemoteDir = the FTP server address and file directory structure (ie ftp://myftpserver.com/LOGS)
Notice that we use the $LatestLogFile variable to find the most recent log file. Edit this as needed (ie *.txt or whatever) to get the newest log file name. Adding this to the end of the RMM automation script will allow the needed log files to be placed in the FTP server. Collecting from multiple machines means that each file collected should have a different file name, so make sure when you are scripting the diagnostic that you use to name the log file with $env:computername or some other identifier to make sure the files don’t overwrite themselves when uploaded.
If your company is a MSP or wants to become one and automation just seems out of reach, then contact us to run your RMM for you.
Farmhouse Networking made the switch from Autotask/Datto RMM to Solarwinds N-Central RMM about six months ago. We migrated all our customization too. We use a ton of automation in our RMM to keep the time invested in managing clients to a minimum. This article is a little taste of our secret sauce – an automated RBL blacklist check. “Real-time Blackhole List (RBL) is an effort to stop email spamming. It is a “blacklist” of locations on the Internet reputed to send email spam.” Having this check in place will keep clients email flowing to its intended recipients and notify you about any problems in hopes that you can address them before clients do. Here are the steps to creating the automation:
Create Custom Property
Click on Administration and choose Custom Properties
2. Click on Add, then By Customer, and choose Text Type
3. Give it a Property Name and leave the Default Text blank
4. Select all customers this will apply to and select propagation settings then click Save and Propagate
Click on Configuration, then on Scheduled Tasks, and choose Scripts/Software Repository
2. Click on Add and choose Automation Policy
3. Browse to the downloaded file
Create Custom Service
Click on Administratrion, then on Service Managment, and choose Custom Services
2. Click on Add, then on Service, and choose Automation Manager Policy
3. Give the Custom Service a name
4. Select the Automation Policy and set the URL variable to the new Custom Property
5. Change the schedule as needed (I recommend before business hours each day)
6. Change the Threshold as follows:
7. Click Save
Create Service Template
You will be creating three separate rules – one for laptops, one for desktops, and one for servers
Click on Administration, then on Service Management, and choose Service Templates
2. Give the service template a name
3. Choose the new Custom Service from the dropdown and click Add Service
4. Click Save and Save again. Then repeat as needed.
Edit Windows Probe Rule
Click on Configuration, then Monitoring, and choose Rules
2. Scroll down and click on Windows Probes
3. Click on the Monitoring Options tab
4. Add the three new Service Templates
5. Click on Grant Customers & Sites Access tab
6. Select all customers this will apply to and select propagation settings then click Save
Create Notification
Click on Configuration, then on Monitoring, and choose Notifications
2. Click Add Notification
3. Give the Notification a name
4. Choose the Recipients
5. Click on Trigger Details tab
6. Click Add
7. Give the Trigger a name
8. Change state to Failed
9. Select the Custom Service
10. Select Windows Probe Rule
11. Click OK and Save
Those are the basics of creating automation in Solarwinds N-Central RMM. If your MSP uses Solarwinds N-Central RMM and is looking for help with automating it then contact us for assistance.
And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. - 2 Corinthians 9:8-10
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