InterMapper

Installing InterMapper v4.4 onto Debian Linux, a lesson in *ouch* ?

InterMapper for Debian Linux [1]
[ReadMeFirst4.4.2-Debian.html ]

InterMapper is a network monitoring and alerting program. It continually tests routers, servers, hubs, and other computer devices that are attached to your network. If InterMapper detects a failure, it will send notifications to one or more individuals via sounds, e-mail, pagers, or by running a program to correct the problem. For more information, please visit: http://www.intermapper.com

InterMapper for Debian Linux is packaged as a “Debian Package”, which contains the necessary programs and support files. To install InterMapper from the .deb file, you will use the dpkg –install “location” command. To query if InterMapper is already installed, type dpkg –list intermapper. To remove InterMapper from your system after installing it, type dpkg –remove intermapper. After you remove the package, you can get rid of any old configuration files using dpkg –purge intermapper.

Installing InterMapper Server

The following directions will install InterMapper from the Debian package. InterMapper Server will be configured to run at startup:
% /bin/su -

# cd <directory-containing-deb>

# dpkg --install "intermapper_4.4.2-1_i386.deb"
When InterMapper Server begins running, it can run under any uid on your system. You must specify the user name to run as in the intermapperd.conf file, located at /usr/local/etc/intermapperd.conf If the package’s install script detects that a user named ‘intermapper’ exists on your system, the intermapperd.conf file will specify that user.
User "intermapper"
The InterMapper Server is now installed, but it is not yet running. You should start the server now to test it. By default, it will save its files in a $HOME/InterMapper_Settings/ directory, where $HOME is the home directory for the specified user. To start the server, type:
# /etc/init.d/intermapperd start
If the server started successfully, you will see the startup message:
Starting Intermapper Server:  intermapperd.
To stop the server, use the similar “stop” command:
# /etc/init.d/intermapperd stop
The first time you start the InterMapper Server, it will only accept “control” connections from the local machine. If you have a window system (ie X-Windows) and JVM already installed, you can launch InterMapper Console by typing:
% /usr/local/bin/intermapper
Upgrading InterMapper Server

To upgrade your InterMapper installation to a newer version, you will “erase and re-install”. Your InterMapper settings directory, which includes all of your maps, logs, and notification settings, is not removed when you un-install using “dpkg –remove”. Although you will not lose any data during the re-installation, this might still be a good time to make a backup of the InterMapper settings folder.
% /bin/su -

# cd <directory-containing-deb>

# dpkg --remove intermapper

# dpkg --install "intermapper_4.4.2-1_i386.deb"
Configuring the InterMapper Server Remotely

If you do not have a window system, you must use “InterMapper Remote” to administer the InterMapper Server. Before the server will accept connections from Remote, you must launch the server with a command-line argument telling it where you will connect from. Type the following commands to kill the intermapperd process, then restart it manually using the -A option:
# /etc/init.d/intermapperd stop

# /usr/local/bin/intermapperd -f /usr/local/etc/intermapperd.conf -A "remote:password@*.*.*.*"
The InterMapper server will now accept Administrator connections from any IP address (*.*.*.*) with the user ID “remote” and the password “password”. You should immediately launch InterMapper Remote on another computer and login to this new InterMapper system to set up your InterMapper users and groups.

Removing InterMapper Server

To remove InterMapper Server, you will use the “dpkg –remove” command. The “dpkg –remove” command will not remove any files created by InterMapper, such as those stored in your “InterMapper_Settings” directory. To completely remove all remnants of the software, you must also locate and remove the “InterMapper_Settings” directory.
% /bin/su -

# dpkg --remove intermapper

# dpkg --purge intermapper

# rm -rf <Path to InterMapper_Settings Directory>
Copyright © 2000-2005, Dartware, LLC.

I am currently installing Intermapper onto a Debian “Sarge” machine with J2RE 1.4.2 symlinked at /usr/local/java.

When running /usr/local/bin/intermapper I get the error ..

“If you have installed Java in a non-standard location, please set the
environment variable ‘INTERMAPPER_JAVA’ to the full path name of your
‘java’ executable, then re-run this program.”

Reading the InterMapper User’s guide 4.4, I saw that removing and then installing Intermapper (once java was in place) should fix the problem. As this didn’t work I have also purged and then re-installed, with the same error as the result. A check on Google, and through the InterMapper Discussion threads since 2001 doesn’t shed any more light on the solution.

This leads me to ask for the following information from anyonelese who has dealt with this problem in the past;
i) Where does Intermapper expect to “see” the Java install?
ii) Where do you set the environment variable ‘INTERMAPPER_JAVA’ ?

[1.] ReadMeFirst4.4.2-Debian.html [Intermapper]

Technorati Tags: intermapper