Building Custom Network Monitoring Tools For Any Environment

Are you looking to develop custom-fit network monitoring solutions for your unique infrastructure? The Quantum Network Monitor Assistant (QNMA) makes it surprisingly straightforward using its built-in support for command processors. In this blog post, we'll guide you through building and managing custom command processors, allowing you to design the perfect monitoring checks—such as a PingProcessor for connectivity or a TextValidatorProcessor for log pattern matching—no matter your environment.

Let’s walk through a realistic example of how a network engineer and the Assistant might collaborate to create these tailored monitoring tools.

---

User: I want to create a custom command processor named "PingProcessor" that pings a host and reports latency. How do I begin?

Assistant: That’s a great start! With Quantum Network Monitor Assistant, you can create and deploy your own command processors. First, let’s list the available agents, since processors are installed per agent location.

Assistant: “Would you like to list agents to choose the correct deployment location for your PingProcessor?”

(User agrees and chooses the "London - UK" agent.)

User: Use the "London - UK" agent for this processor.

Assistant: Perfect! Now, let’s request the creation of your "PingProcessor" on that agent.

{
  "name": "functions.call_cmd_processor_expert",
  "arguments": {
    "message": "Create a new cmd processor named 'PingProcessor'. This processor should accept a 'host' argument, ping the host, and return the average latency in milliseconds. I am authorized to perform this action.",
    "agent_location": "London - UK"
  }
}

After making this call, the Assistant would receive either a prompt for confirmation or direct feedback that the PingProcessor is created. The Assistant would then confirm with you, ready to test or further customize your processor.

---

User: I’d like to view and tweak the code for this PingProcessor. Can I see its source?

Assistant: Absolutely! Here’s how you’d request the processor’s source code for review and modification:

{
  "name": "functions.call_cmd_processor_expert",
  "arguments": {
    "message": "Show the source code of PingProcessor. I am authorized to perform this action.",
    "agent_location": "London - UK"
  }
}

Once you have the code, you might edit the logic (for example, to adjust the ping count or add error-handling) and submit those changes back via another update request.

---

User: Now let’s build a "TextValidatorProcessor" that reads log files and checks for a specific pattern, like 'ERROR'.

Assistant: Great idea! Tailored validators are invaluable for log monitoring. We can proceed the same way, specifying the processor's function and intended arguments (e.g., file path and search term):

{
  "name": "functions.call_cmd_processor_expert",
  "arguments": {
    "message": "Create a new cmd processor named 'TextValidatorProcessor'. This processor should accept arguments: 'filepath' and 'pattern'. It should scan the file and return lines containing the pattern. I am authorized to perform this action.",
    "agent_location": "London - UK"
  }
}

The Assistant would then let you know when the processor is active and show you how to run it, passing in the details of your log file and search term.

---

User: How can I run a quick test for my new TextValidatorProcessor to check for 'ERROR' in /var/log/app.log?

Assistant: Here’s how you'd invoke your new processor:

{
  "name": "functions.call_cmd_processor_expert",
  "arguments": {
    "message": "Run the TextValidatorProcessor with arguments filepath='/var/log/app.log', pattern='ERROR'. I am authorized to perform this action.",
    "agent_location": "London - UK"
  }
}

The response will contain matching lines, and you could easily integrate this as a monitoring check that raises alerts if any 'ERROR' lines are detected.

---

What We Did

• We listed available agents to ensure processors run where needed.
• We created and edited custom command processors (e.g., PingProcessor and TextValidatorProcessor), directly tailoring behavior to the user’s environment.
• We ran tests using specific arguments, all via conversational requests.

With QNMA, creating custom monitoring solutions is accessible, powerful, and adaptable to nearly any context—just describe what you want your processor to do, and the Assistant helps bring it to life.

Ready to tailor your network monitoring? Try building your own processors with the Quantum Network Monitor Assistant today and experience the future of customizable infrastructure monitoring!