F.A.Q.

• What packages should I install to compile and use NeTAMS?
  It depends on the desired combination of data-source and storage services. In general, the list of Linux packages is specified here. For FreeBSD, nothing but SQL and Web servers need to be installed.
  
  
• How should I create the SQL database and tables?
  For MySQL, you shouldn't do it. NeTAMS will create all neccessary tables during the first run; data tables (raw and summary) will be created when some traffic will go. For Postgres, you CAN create the database manually (see addon/), for Oracle you MUST create the SQL schema by hands before (addon/oracle/).
  
  
• SQL was not found during compiling. What to do?
  Usually, configure.sh script scans a set of system paths trying to find client libraries and include files. It then outputs someting like:

  freebsd-vm:~/netams#make
  /bin/sh configure.sh
  ##########################################################
  ## Configuring NeTAMS for build targets...              ##
  FreeBSD operating system...
  With FreeBSD 5.XX, will have netgraph module...
  Will have MYSQL support
          [ /usr/local/lib/mysql  /usr/local/include/mysql ]
  Will have POSTGRESQL support
          [ /usr/local/lib        /usr/local/include ]
  Will have BILLING service
  Will have DEBUG flag set
  Will have RADIUS support
  Will have private portion of Makefile
  ## Configuration file was built.                        ##
  ##########################################################
  

  Unfortunately, there is NO standard path for such a libraries, your distribution may place these files to sume place unknown for configrure.sh (especially Linux flavours). This leads in absence of specific setup during compile phase, and NETAMS will fail upon startup:

  parse: registering storage: 1
  parse: using storage:2 as source for READ and STAT requests
  parse: creating service storage:1
  parse: storage type is unknown 
  

  In that case you must manually add corresponding path onto the list of path on top of configure.sh file, then rebuild it using:

  make distclean && make
  

• How can I block traffic, if I use libpcap?
  In general - no way. Libpcap library allows just to listen for the data flowing pass by network interface. All blocking possibilities using fw-policy or sys-policy are working ONLY with "diverting" data-source services like IPFW or iptables/IPQ. You can write your own (un)blocking script, which will be called by processor service each time when unit's system policy state changes (see the doc and example).
  
  
• Why aren't you holding all the config in SQL?
  NeTAMS is keeping its configuration in plain text file because of historical reasons. The same code works for the initial configuration processing during start up, and for on-line configuring through the command line interface. We understand that storing of (part) of configuration in SQL database is a good feature. Hovewer, it will require a doubling of parse code, write code, nontrivial synchronization between SQL and live NETAMS internal structures. Then, a new web-based config management interface must be written. This feature was found too heavyweighted to be implemented in reasonable time on the basis of free-of-charge open-source project.
  
  
• Something is not compiling/not set up/not working, HELP!
  You have two choices. You can ask the authors for the commercial support (requires SSH access, network plan, detailed description and about $200). You can write to the forum, where please do specify: OS, netams and other softare versions; detailed problem description; log- and config- files (last - created with "save" command); netams command line keys.
  
  
• Software crashes, what to do?
  First see the previous question. Try to disable not important services (html, quota, ..) one by one and try again. For the effective tracing, please find out how to use GDB. Obtain the trace of "gdb /usr/local/sbin/netams netams.core" following with "bt full".
  
  
• I am doing exactly what was said in the documantation, but the command did not work.
  The documentation at web site corresponds to the CURRENT version. Maybe your (older) netams version has no support for that command you are trying to issue.