# rax_mon_check – Create or delete a Rackspace Cloud Monitoring check for an existing entity

- Synopsis
- Requirements
- Parameters
- Notes
- Examples
- Status

## Synopsis

- Create or delete a Rackspace Cloud Monitoring check associated with an existing rax_mon_entity. A check is a specific test or measurement that is performed, possibly from different monitoring zones, on the systems you monitor. Rackspace monitoring module flow | rax_mon_entity -> rax_mon_check -> rax_mon_notification -> rax_mon_notification_plan -> rax_mon_alarm

## Requirements

The below requirements are needed on the host that executes this module.

- python >= 2.6
- pyrax

## Parameters

Parameter | Choices/Defaults | Comments
--- | --- | ---
api_key - |  | Rackspace API key, overrides credentials. aliases: password
auth_endpoint - | Default: "https://identity.api.rackspacecloud.com/v2.0/" | The URI of the authentication service.

check_type
- / required

Choices:
- remote.dns
- remote.ftp-banner
- remote.http
- remote.imap-banner
- remote.mssql-banner
- remote.mysql-banner
- remote.ping
- remote.pop3-banner
- remote.postgresql-banner
- remote.smtp-banner
- remote.smtp
- remote.ssh
- remote.tcp
- remote.telnet-banner
- agent.filesystem
- agent.memory
- agent.load_average
- agent.cpu
- agent.disk
- agent.network
- agent.plugin

The type of check to create. `remote.` checks may be created on any rax_mon_entity. `agent.` checks may only be created on rax_mon_entities that have a non-null `agent_id`.

credentials - |  | File to find the Rackspace credentials in. Ignored if api_key and username are provided. aliases: creds_file
details - |  | Additional details specific to the check type. Must be a hash of strings between 1 and 255 characters long, or an array or object containing 0 to 256 items.

disabled
boolean

Choices:
- no
- yes

If "yes", ensure the check is created, but don't actually use it yet.

entity_id - / required |  | ID of the rax_mon_entity to target with this check.
env - |  | Environment as configured in ~/.pyrax.cfg, see https://github.com/rackspace/pyrax/blob/master/docs/getting_started.md#pyrax-configuration.
identity_type - | Default: "rackspace" | Authentication mechanism to use, such as rackspace or keystone.
label - / required |  | Defines a label for this check, between 1 and 64 characters long.
metadata - |  | Hash of arbitrary key-value pairs to accompany this check if it fires. Keys and values must be strings between 1 and 255 characters long.
monitoring_zones_poll - |  | Comma-separated list of the names of the monitoring zones the check should run from. Available monitoring zones include mzdfw, mzhkg, mziad, mzlon, mzord and mzsyd. Required for remote.* checks; prohibited for agent.* checks.
period - |  | The number of seconds between each time the check is performed. Must be greater than the minimum period set on your account.
region - | Default: "DFW" | Region to create an instance in.

state
-

Choices:
- present
- absent

Ensure that a check with this `label` exists or does not exist.

target_alias - |  | One of `target_alias` and `target_hostname` is required for remote.* checks, but prohibited for agent.* checks. Use the corresponding key in the entity's `ip_addresses` hash to resolve an IP address to target.
target_hostname - |  | One of `target_hostname` and `target_alias` is required for remote.* checks, but prohibited for agent.* checks. The hostname this check should target. Must be a valid IPv4, IPv6, or FQDN.
tenant_id - |  | The tenant ID used for authentication.
tenant_name - |  | The tenant name used for authentication.
timeout - |  | The number of seconds this check will wait when attempting to collect results. Must be less than the period.
username - |  | Rackspace username, overrides credentials.

validate_certs
boolean

Choices:
- no
- yes

Whether or not to require SSL validation of API endpoints.
aliases: verify_ssl

## Notes

Note

- The following environment variables can be used, `RAX_USERNAME`, `RAX_API_KEY`, `RAX_CREDS_FILE`, `RAX_CREDENTIALS`, `RAX_REGION`.
- `RAX_CREDENTIALS` and `RAX_CREDS_FILE` points to a credentials file appropriate for pyrax. See https://github.com/rackspace/pyrax/blob/master/docs/getting_started.md#authenticating
- `RAX_USERNAME` and `RAX_API_KEY` obviate the use of a credentials file
- `RAX_REGION` defines a Rackspace Public Cloud region (DFW, ORD, LON, ...)

## Examples

    - name: Create a monitoring check
      gather_facts: False
      hosts: local
      connection: local
      tasks:
      - name: Associate a check with an existing entity.
        rax_mon_check:
          credentials: ~/.rax_pub
          state: present
          entity_id: "{{ the_entity['entity']['id'] }}"
          label: the_check
          check_type: remote.ping
          monitoring_zones_poll: mziad,mzord,mzdfw
          details:
            count: 10
          meta:
            hurf: durf
        register: the_check

## Status

- This module is not guaranteed to have a backwards compatible interface. [preview]
- This module is maintained by the Ansible Community. [community]

### Authors

- Ash Wilson (@smashwilson)

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