Citrix NetScaler

Prerequisites

• Citrix NetScaler running version 10.5+ with support for NITRO REST API (version 1.x)
• Environment ActiveGate (version 1.155+) that has the ActiveGate plugin module installed and isn't used for synthetic or mainframe monitoring
  • 1 environment ActiveGate can typically support 30-50 NetScaler devices

Interested in monitoring NetScaler with DESK?

The quickest way to get started is by contacting a DESK ONE product specialist. Just click the chat button in the upper-right corner of the DESK menu bar.

Environment ActiveGate installation

• Installation instructions

ActiveGate plugin module installation

ActiveGate version 1.175+ has the plugin module installed by default.

• Installation instructions

Extension Installation

1. Obtain the install file (custom.remote.python.netscalernitro.zip). Don't rename the file.
2. Unzip custom.remote.python.netscalernitro.zip to the plugin_deployment directory of your ActiveGate host.
3. If the resulting directory structure isn't .\plugin_deployment\custom.remote.python.netscalernitro\, please make the neccessary changes.
4. Restart the DESK Remote Plugin Module service.
   • On Linux, restart the service using the following commands with admin rights:
     • systemctl restart remotepluginmodule.service
   • On Windows, run these two commands in a Command Prompt launched as Admin:
     • sc stop "DESK Remote Plugin Module"
     • sc start "DESK Remote Plugin Module"
5. Return to the DESK web UI. Click Settings, the Add new technology monitoring button, and finally the Add ActiveGate plugin button.
6. Click the Upload plugin button and upload custom.remote.python.netscalernitro.zip.
7. Enter the following information to connect to your NetScaler endpoint:
   • Endpoint name: Type a meaningful endpoint name.
   • User: The username for connecting to the NetScaler instance.
   • Password: The user's password.
   • Host URL of the nitro interface: For example http://127.0.0.1
   • Require a valid SSL certificate: Select if a valid SSL certificate is required. Note that even if the certificate validation is disabled the extension will still communicate via HTTPS, if the device is configured for that.
   • Path to a CA_BUNDLE file or directory: Add the absolute path to self-signed certificates of trusted CAs
   • Comma-separated load-balancing virtual servers: leave empty to fetch all, regex is supported
   • Comma-separated content-switching virtual servers: leave empty to fetch all, regex is supported
   • Comma-separated services: leave empty to fetch all, regex is supported
   • Comma-separated service groups: leave empty to fetch all, regex is supported
   • Comma-separated interfaces: leave empty to fetch all, regex is supported
   • Enable debug logging: Only enable if requested by DESK.
   • Name of group: If device is part of a cluster, type the name here to group devices in the DESK web UI.

Troubleshoot ActiveGate plugins

• Troubleshooting instructions

Metrics

The IP address of all network interfaces and the ports used by the services is automatically captured, as are the following metrics:

Device

• Connectivity
• CPU usage %
• CPU management %
• CPU packet engines %
• CPU resident %
• Memory utilization %
• Memory used
• HTTP compression %
• TCP compression %

Interfaces (split by network interface)

• Interface up %
• Received bytes
• Transmitted bytes
• Inbound packet errors
• Outbound packet errors
• Discarded inbound packets
• Discarded outbound packets
• Dropped inbound packets
• Dropped outbound packets

Services (split by service)

• Service up %
• Requests throughput
• Responses throughput bytes
• Throughput bytes/sec
• Time to first byte
• Time
• Usage requests
• Usage responses
• Surge queue requests
• Server connections
• Client connections
• Apdex measured satisfied requests
• Apdex measured tolerated requests
• Apdex measured frustrated requests

Service groups (split by service group)

• Service group up %

Load Balancing Virtual Servers (split by virtual server)

• Virtual service up %
• Hits
• Usage requests
• Usage responses
• Server connections
• Client connections
• Services with state up
• Throughput request bytes
• Throughput response bytes
• Invalid requests
• Invalid responses
• Invalid requests/responses dropped
• Diversions to backup virtual server
• Apdex measured satisfied requests
• Apdex measured tolerated requests
• Apdex measured frustrated requests
• Active services
• Surge queue requests

Content Switching Virtual Servers (split by virtual server)

• Virtual service up %
• Hits
• Usage requests
• Usage responses
• Server connections
• Client connections
• Throughput request bytes
• Throughput response bytes
• Invalid requests
• Invalid responses
• Invalid requests/responses dropped
• Apdex measured satisfied requests
• Apdex measured tolerated requests
• Apdex measured frustrated requests