---
layout: post
title: !binary |-
VXNpbmcgVHdpdHRlciBhcyBub3RpZmljYXRpb25zIHRyYW5zcG9ydCBmb3Ig
TmFnaW9zIG9yIEljaW5nYSBhbGVydHM=
created: 1340524732
comments: true
categories: !binary |-
ZW5fdXMgdWJ1bnR1
tags:
- howto
---
Are you wondering how many alternative ways to get notifications from your nagios/icinga exists, other than plain email messages? And what if you actually are monitoring your email or DNS infrastructure and you don't want to use a third-party email account dedicated to our precious notices?
An alternative and effective method to deliver the short status notification is via Twitter messages, using a protected account (for privacy).
Register a new standard Twitter account and make sure to enable in the settings.
We need to install on the monitoring server a command-line Twitter client, such as Twidge:
``` bash
sudo apt-get install twidge
```
Do the one-time configuration procedure with the user you prefer:
``` bash
twidge setup
```
Move the generated configuration file from your home folder somewhere into the nagios/icinga configuration folder:
```
sudo mv ~/.twidgerc /etc/icinga/twidgerc
```
Now add two new custom commands in the nagios/icinga configuration:
/etc/icinga/commands.cfg:
```
define command {
command_name notify-host-by-twitter
command_line /bin/echo "HOST $HOSTALIAS$ is $HOSTSTATE$" | twidge -c /etc/icinga/twidgerc update
}
define command {
command_name notify-service-by-twitter
command_line /bin/echo "SERVICE $SERVICEDESC$ on $HOSTALIAS$ is $SERVICESTATE$" | twidge -c /etc/icinga/twidgerc update
}
```
Now you need to use such commands as host and service notifications, like here:
```
define contact {
contact_name root
alias Root
service_notification_period 24x7
host_notification_period 24x7
service_notification_options w,u,c,r
host_notification_options d,r
service_notification_commands notify-service-by-twitter
host_notification_commands notify-host-by-twitter
}
```
Reload and enjoy!
``` bash
sudo /etc/init.d/icinga reload
```
