RPi-Monitor: Version 2.11 Beta is ready for test

The version 2.11 beta of RPi-Monitor is ready for test.

Photo from flickr cc-by by DaveBleasdale

Test and validation requires your help.

A new model of publication

I'm changing the way to publish RPi-Monitor. Until now, I was immediately publishing stable versions. From now, when version will be ready for publication, I will create a beta version and ask user to try and test this version. From my point of view, the quality of beta version will be the same as the previous release but it will let me the chance to correct or improve some features before official release.

Why changing the model of publication

RPi-Monitor has more and more functionalities and testing them become more and more complex. You are a user of RPi-Monitor and want to try the new feature in advance? You can then install this beta version and give your feedback on new functionalities and share your feeling about the current developments.

If you don't know yet what RPI-Monitor do, you should better install a stable releae and have a look to RPi-Monitor Overview.



What's new in this version?
This version is coming with internal changes, improvement and bug fixes.

Here is the changelog of version 2.11 beta:

• RRD structure are now configurable per KPI
• Support multicolumn view in status page for large screen (Enhancement #77)
• Allow to use addons when RPi-Monitor is protected by a reverse proxy
• Set Status page as default landing page
• Add logfile in configurable destination (Default: /var/log/rpimonitor.log)
• Bug fixes
  

Upgrade to beta version from the repository 

I'm supposing here that you already have installed the latest stable version of RPi-Monitor using the repository.
You can execute the following commands to upgrade to latest beta version:


  sudo sed -i "s/master/devel/" /etc/apt/sources.list.d/rpimonitor.list
  sudo apt-get update 
  sudo apt-get upgrade

After  upgrade you should execute the following command to update information about upgradeable packages:

  sudo /usr/share/rpimonitor/scripts/updatePackagesStatus.pl


Note: If you don't want to change your apt sources, you can download the latest deb in github and install it with dpkg -i.

New: RRD structure are now configurable per KPI

RPi-Monitor is now allowing you to define the Round Robin Database structure for each data extracted.
To us this new feature, you should understand how RRD works. Then it will be possible for you to customize the RRD of every data.

Here is the extract of the command man rpimonitor.conf related to the configuration of RRD:
  dynamic.<dynamic data id>.rrd=<GAUGE|COUNTER|DERIVE|ABSOLUTE|COMPUTE>
    The 5th parameter is defining if the KPI has to be stored into a RRD
    database and how <|GAUGE|COUNTER|DERIVE|ABSOLUTE|COMPUTE>. If the
    parameter is defined as empty, no RRD database will be created. If
    this parameter is defined, a RRD database will be created and data
    will be stored at every extraction.
    Ref http://oss.oetiker.ch/rrdtool/doc/rrdcreate.en.html for RRD
    parameter description.
  dynamic.<dynamic data id>.min=<minimal value acceptable in RRD>
  dynamic.<dynamic data id>.max=<maximal value acceptable in RRD>
    If a value extracted by is less than minimal of greater than maximal
    value, it will be stored int RRD database as unknown.
    These limits are usefull to handle counter that fall down to 0 when
    they reach their limit (Ex: network graphs)
  dynamic.<dynamic data id>.heartbeat=<heartbeat>
    the maximum number of seconds that may pass between two updates of
    this data source before the value of the data source is assumed to
    be unknown. Default value: 600.
  dynamic.<dynamic data id>.rra.<rra id>.definition=<cf>:<xff>:<steps>:<rows>
    <rra id> is a number comprise between 1 and 5 defining a Round Robin
    Archive. This RRA is defined by a label, displayed in the web
    interface and a definition.
    The definition is defining the structure of the RRD.
    <cf> is then Consolidate Function and can be AVERAGE|MIN|MAX|LAST
    <xff> define the xfiles factor defines what part of a consolidation
          interval may be made up from *UNKNOWN* data while the
          consolidated value is still regarded as known. It is given
          as the ratio of allowed *UNKNOWN* PDPs to the number of PDPs
          in the interval. Thus, it ranges from 0 to 1 (exclusive).
    <steps> defines how many of these primary data points are used to
            build a consolidated data point which then goes into the archive.
    <rows> rows defines how many generations of data values are kept in
           an RRA. Obviously, this has to be greater than zero.
           Duration of data stored depends on
     Note, the duration of the total data can be calculated with the
     following formula:
        duration = daemon.delay * interval * steps * rows
    Default values of definition are :
    | rra id | definition           |
    +--------+----------------------+
    |   1    | AVERAGE:0.5:1:8640   |
    |   2    | AVERAGE:0.5:6:2880   |
    |   3    | AVERAGE:0.5:60:2016  |
    |   4    | AVERAGE:0.5:180:1488 |
    |   5    | AVERAGE:0.5:360:8784 |

Share your feedback and feeling about this version

A dedicated github's issue is created for each beta version ready for test. 

Everything is working fine for you? 
Share your experience or just let me know it works on the github's issue dedicated to this beta version.
 
You find something not working as expected or you find a bug?
Share your experience on github or open a new issue.


When will stable version be publish?

It's depends on you... If I have feedback saying that all the new feature are working correctly on your machine, I'll then be confident enough on the code of RPi-Monitor and I'll publish the next stable version soon.