NEMS Linux To Do List

This list details features which are planned for future releases of NEMS Linux. NEMS Linux is released on a semi-annual basis, with a major release usually falling in or around May and November. Thanks to the NEMS Linux Migrator, upgrading is a cinch, and thanks to NEMS Linux’ rolling release system, many fixes, patches and upgrades can find their way into existing installations.

High-Priority Issues

  • Backport the new NEMS Linux 1.6 speedtest to 1.5.x

  • memory_limit in php.ini is default 128M. Increase to 512M to ensure NEMS Tactical Overview can load following an outage that increased the number of events to beyond 128M.

Feature Requests

This is a curation of various feature requests which have been approved for further assessment and possible implementation for the next major release of NEMS Linux.

You can submit a feature request either via Discord (in #feature-requests) or the Community Forum (in Feature Requests).

Features That I Like, But Can’t Implement Yet

During the 1.6 Release Cycle (Not At Launch)

  • Add Elgato StreamDeck controller support via https://github.com/abcminiuser/python-elgato-streamdeck

  • Add multi-tenant support as requested by Kevin Quiambao. Ability to add extra users who have access to certain features, such as Adagios / Nagios reporting. ULA if possible.

  • Integrate notification tests for Telegram and Pushover.

  • Move notification tests to NEMS Dashboard (rather than Linux terminal).

  • Explore integration of ULA for staff.

  • Add sound effects to NEMS TV Dashboard on state change as per BastyJuice. See http://www.storiesinflight.com/html5/audio.html

  • NanoPi M4 Ethernet MAC address changes every reboot. Thanks to UltimateBugHunter for reporting.

  • The TV output on ODROID-C1+ Build 1 doesn’t work. Fix this.

  • DONE in 1.6 - Add NCPA support.

  • If NEMS is unable to communicate with github, a nems-upgrade will erroneously upgrade NEMS’ version number even though the upgrade itself will have failed, as reported by baggins.

  • Documentation at the checkcommands level improved, along with other step-by-step guides added to the documentation.

  • Add an audible alarm to NEMS TV Dashboard as per ronjohntaylor.

  • NEMS NConf interface revamped to match NEMS’ overall look and feel. Branding improved. (Is a Patreon goal. Please consider supporting.)

  • Evaluate nconf PR # 4 for merge.

  • Create NEMS Linux Docker container. (Is a Patreon goal. Please consider supporting.)

  • Adagios interface customized to remove features not part of NEMS Linux.

  • Make it so NEMS Off Site Backup sends the server the file size before the file, which will allow me to log an error if the user’s file size exceeds the limit (rather than just silently failing).

  • Take a look at this report and make sure it is not affecting users in 1.5.

User Requests to Review During Release Cycle

  • Review this plugin and see if it’s something that I can squeeze in: https://forum.nemslinux.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=398 Not liking the fact that it is a Windows program.

  • Check ssl as per Zerant (thought not particularly needed since check_http supports this already).

  • Add check_pfsense as per mydogboris.

  • Veeam checks as per Premium.

  • Web interface to upload a backup.nems file for restoration as per LordOfLevels🔊. Perhaps user can run nems-restore webupload and a code will be provided which can be entered into the form to confirm legitimate usage, and the restore will wait, checking a tmpdir for a file upload. Progress and status displayed within the bash window and restore prompts “Are you sure” as soon as the upload is complete.

Known Issues

These issues will be fixed in due time.

  • Including a hard brace ([ or ]) in your host / service names will make it so Adagios cannot open the status page or history for that item. For now, avoid these.

  • Number of services per page selection not working in Nagios Core as per baggins.

  • As per Ricks add ability for NEMS to auto-discover hosts and perhaps even compatible services. This has been added as a Patreon goal.

  • As pointed out by tripled, check_nconf treats ARG1 as command (-c) in its entirety. So we receive “NRPE: Command ‘check_disk -w 80 -c 90 -p /media/pi” as the full line is treated as command. It should be sending -c “check_disk” -a “-w 80 -c 90 -p /media/pi” - will likely need to fix the check_command which may break it for those who hacked it up by changing the arg to, for example, check_disk“ -a ”-w 80 -c 90 -p /media/pi

  • Bland-X3 reports: “Have a bug/issue. Check_snmp has issues with creating files when using the –rate switch (-C CommunityGoesHere -P 2c -o .1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.10.1 -w 80000 -c 102400 –rate) results in Status Information: Cannot create directory: /usr/var/111 … Can run command in CLI using sudo and does record the rate information which indicates simple permission problem or can modify the check_snmp command to save it somewhere else with permission maybe.” - Quick guess is maybe the command was run as root user from CLI which has now locked the nagios user from being able to access the folders. Will need to test. Also, see https://support.nagios.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=45864

  • Static IP doesn’t persist after reboot in Virtual Appliance. Reported by dr_patso and confirmed by 🇨🇷 Benedetti -Ale Morera-.

  • 🇨🇷 Benedetti -Ale Morera- reported NEMS SST breaking TLS settings if enable background Blur and save. I have not been able to replicate this.

  • check_wmi_plus has never contained the functionality for the documented checkdns feature. This has lead to some users saying the feature (which is an available check command in NEMS based on their docs) doesn’t work. Need to remove this check command, and add a new one – perhaps check_dns $HOSTNAME$ $HOSTADDRESS$ which will ensure the  of the host matches.

Ideas for Future

There is not necessarily a planned timeline for each of these items, but here is a list of some of the things I do hope to do in an upcoming release. This list covers potential features for future releases of NEMS Linux. None of these are set in stone, and should only be considered ideas.

  • Add SNMP Trap support as per mpacey?

  • Write a language sub-system for the NEMS UI, allowing users to offer translation corrections via . Attempt to migrate the language system to all interfaces, including NConf, Adagios, and even nems-info and nems-init.

  • Configure Adagios and NEMS to support multiple NEMS servers. See this manpage. (It is possible NEMS Cloud will do away with this need).

  • Evaluate openITCockpit as a possible front-end.

  • Add feature to nems-migrator’s off site backup that allows a user to request an email if their backup fails (can get the email info from NEMS SST and send email accordingly, separate of Nagios). Perhaps add a service check on the NEMS server instead? - Planning to add this feature to NEMS Cloud during the 1.5-1.6 release cycle.

  • Add auto-discovery functionality. this and this?

  • Make it so first boot automatically takes user into nems-init, with the option of instead running it through SSH.

  • Move all commands from commands.cfg to checkcommands.cfg (or whichever is more appropriate) within NEMS Migrator.

  • Add some generic true/false data to NEMS Anonymous Stats. In particular, discover if any users are using features like Telegram. By knowing this, I can decide if a feature should be removed from future releases.

  • Ability to use external storage for all active data. Ideal for reducing read/writes on SD cards. Add interface to allow all active data to be saved to an external hard drive or network share as suggested by meveric.

  • Build a graphical interface for nems-init.

  • Build a graphical interface for NEMS Migrator’s “Restore” feature.

  • Add intrusion detection such as Snort or Bro IDS, as per mpacey.

NEMS Linux Roadmap

  • 1.0 - COMPLETE - Initial release. Bring easy deployment of Nagios to Raspberry Pi 3.

  • 1.1 - COMPLETE - Creation of upgrade process, nems-migrator and optimize performance.

  • 1.2 - COMPLETE - Creation of nems-init process to setup initial system. Create documentation.

  • 1.3 - COMPLETE - Focus on feature set, add off site backup. Being laying the groundwork for upcoming 1.4 (in particular, non-Pi architectures).

  • 1.4 - COMPLETE - New build of NEMS Linux featuring support for multiple SBC options and Nagios 4.

  • 1.5 - COMPLETE - Focused on integrating user-requested options (mostly check commands) and optimizing the defaults/samples. Begin multi-server environment back-end, starting with ability to nickname NEMS servers via NEMS-SST. Introduction of more SBCs and virtual appliances.

  • 1.6 - UX and feature updates. Refine the list of supported devices, removing any that are not being used. New peripheral options such as NEMS Warning Light.

  • 1.7 - Deprecation of git as an update backend. Now, fully using dpkg repository. Complete deprecation of Python 2.7. NEMS Linux to be moved entirely to 64-bit image.

  • 1.8 - Begin focusing on UX and feature consolidation. Remove unneeded features from NEMS Adagios. Create new interface for NConf that matches the NEMS Dashboard interface. Add a safe reboot button to NEMS SST. Migrate as many options away from the terminal as possible, including nems-init. Write nems-mailtest into nems-sst as per mydogboris.