What is the difference between Component and Application? Can anyone please explain clearly with examples? How are these different from the corresponding monitors, i.e., Component Monitors and Application Monitors.
I think of them as files and folders. Application is equivalent to folder, whereas files are equivalents to components. Application must have at least 1 components. Component itself does all the monitoring job. I think in SolarWinds you can have cases when you have component without application, but I would stay away from this. It makes whole structure very messy when you have components laying around without being assigned to application.
Applications1
- component1
- component2
...
Application2
Thank you very much for your prompt and elegant response. So, if the component goes down, application will also fire an alert?
yes, that's correct
Keep in mind though that if you have more than 1 component inside application and one of those components goes down, your application (parent as such) will roll up into warning state, not critical. This is because you still have some other components UP there. (please read shuth comment below. I have mixed this up with default group status behaviour, although groups can also be set to report on a worst or even best status)
The other thing to watch for is:
If you are only alerting at the application level, which has say 5 components.
One component goes down, application alert fires.
If an additional component within that app monitor goes down - you won't be notified, as the application is already "down".
So you would generally want alerting at the component level, so you do get alerted if additional components go down.
The application status will take on the worst status of any component monitor within that application monitor.
If you have a component monitor breach a critical threshold, the application will show as critical. If another component in that application goes down, the application status will be down.
Groups function like you mentioned assuming the Mixed rollup status is chosen (and not show worst/best status).
