I've already given you a scenario where the id changes.

Another one would be when MySQL implodes and takes your database with it, or if MySQL updates happen to ruin your database in such a way that just clearing it and readding all of the devices makes sense.

The backup/restore process for observium is "db, config and RRD folder, or just the RRD folder in a disaster".

Naming device-specific directories by an arbitrary imaginary number instead of the very non-arbitrary hostname just because you think it's annoying the code changing hostname needs permission to write to the RRD folder is, well, stupid.

I honestly do not understand how people who work in this industry can forward nonsensical ideas like this. This kind of thing is the exact opposite of the sort of principles that should be adhered to, maintaining high levels of simplicity and visibility and manageability.

(Also, you can rename from the webui if your poller runs as the same user as apache)

Adam.

Sent from BlueMail
On 9 Feb 2017, at 11:27, Jeff Meyers <Jeff.Meyers@gmx.net> wrote:
That's your opinion. Mine is that naming a directory by an arbitrary 
hostname is beyond stupid to use your words (which are unnecessarily 
insulting). The device ID does not change as long as the device - 
whatever it is called - exists. The hostname can change during lifetime 
for various reasons, the ID will never change.

But I don't want to discuss about this any further with you. You made 
your point in your unfriendly way and the case is closed.

Jeff.

Am 09.02.2017 um 03:45 schrieb Adam Armstrong:
 Naming device directories by an arbitrary database id is beyond stupid.

 I literally don't even.

 Adam.

 Sent from BlueMail <http://www.bluemail.me/r>
 On 9 Feb 2017, at 01:48, Jeff Meyers <Jeff.Meyers@gmx.net
 <mailto:Jeff.Meyers@gmx.net>> wrote:

     So you keep all RRD data when a device is deleted to re-use them when a
     device with the same hostname is re-added..?

     Am 09.02.2017 um 00:30 schrieb Adam Armstrong:

         Delete device

         Re add device

         Realise why your suggestion is the most annoying thing on earth.

         Adam.

         Sent from BlueMail <http://www.bluemail.me/r>
         On 8 Feb 2017, at 23:23, Jeff Meyers <Jeff.Meyers@gmx.net
         <mailto:Jeff.Meyers@gmx.net>> wrote:

         Hi Adam,

         since this bothered me more than once: why don't you just use e.g.
         device_49 as the folder name instead of the device' hostname?
         This would
         make renaming in the panel possible since folder names are not
         connected
         anymore to the hostname.


         Jeff

         Am 08.02.2017 um 22:20 schrieb Adam Armstrong:

         There's a CLI script which will rename hosts.

         Needs to be done on CLI to rename the rrd directory.

         Adam.

         Sent from BlueMail <http://www.bluemail.me/r>
         On 8 Feb 2017, at 21:14, Philippe Laurent <pbl@ideos.com
         <mailto:pbl@ideos.com>> wrote:

         Can the IP addresses be changed to resolvable names, or is the
         strategy to nuke the entry and start over? I've made the same
         bonehead move for several entries.

         On Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 4:05 PM, Dan Letkeman <danletkeman@gmail.com
         <mailto:danletkeman@gmail.com>> wrote:

         I guess its too late, because I already added them and made the
         excuses. Now I have something to fix. :)

         On Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 2:51 PM, Adam Armstrong
         <adama@memetic.org <mailto:adama@memetic.org>> wrote:

         Don't add things by IP address.

         Don't make nonsense excuses either. If you have to, use
         /etc/hosts.

         Putting ip addresses into observium is inexcusable in
         virtually all instances.

         Adam.

         Sent from BlueMail <http://www.bluemail.me/r>
         On 8 Feb 2017, at 20:05, Dan Letkeman <danletkeman@gmail.com
         <mailto:danletkeman@gmail.com>> wrote:

         "Devices are identified by hostname"

         ^^^^ Thats the problem. There is none.

         I'm looking for an alternative way to identify the
         device in observium because they are added by IP
         address. For many, many reasons we don't use DNS on
         these devices, which I really don't want to get into.
         But it looks like that will be the only option at this
         point.

         On Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 1:35 PM, Adam Armstrong
         <adama@memetic.org <mailto:adama@memetic.org>> wrote:

         You are trying to solve a problem which doesn't exist.

         Devices are identified by hostname.

         sysName is just an ancillary piece of information
         which is used for dupe detection and auto detection.
         It's not useful for humans, really.

         Adam.

         Sent from BlueMail <http://www.bluemail.me/r>
         On 8 Feb 2017, at 19:21, Dan Letkeman
         <danletkeman@gmail.com
         <mailto:danletkeman@gmail.com>> wrote:

         Because SNMP on these devices is unable to get
         any identifiable name such as Device Name,
         System Name or Host Name.

         On Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 12:52 PM, Adam Armstrong
         <adama@memetic.org <mailto:adama@memetic.org>>
         wrote:

         Why would you want to?

         Adam.

         Sent from BlueMail <http://www.bluemail.me/r>
         On 8 Feb 2017, at 18:50, Dan Letkeman
         <danletkeman@gmail.com
         <mailto:danletkeman@gmail.com>> wrote:

         We have many Ricoh printers and
         copiers. Because SNMP is horrible on
         these devices I am unable to set the
         System Name (sysName). Is there a way
         to set this manually in Observium?






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