Custom properties

Dynatrace extensions enable you to send custom properties for a monitored technology on both, device and device group levels. The property has the form of a key-value pair, where both are strings.

To send a property, use the report_property(key="Key", value="Value") method:

group.report_property(key='Group version', value="0.5")

or

node.report_property(key='Device version', value="2.3")

The following example presents the complete extension code:

import json
import requests
from ruxit.api.base_plugin import RemoteBasePlugin
import logging
logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
class DemoPluginRemote(RemoteBasePlugin):
def initialize(self, **kwargs):
config = kwargs['config']
logger.info("Config: %s", config)
self.url = config["url"]
def query(self, **kwargs):
# Collect stats
stats = json.loads(requests.get(self.url).content.decode())
# Create group - provide group id used to calculate unique entity id in dynatrace
# and display name for UI presentation
group = self.topology_builder.create_group(identifier="DemoGroup",
group_name="ActiveGate Demo Group")
# report group custom property - any string-string values pair. It is added to device group metadata displayed in dynatrace UI
group.report_property(key='Group custom property: version', value=stats['version'])
logger.info("1. Group custom property")
# Create node - provide node id used to calculate unique entity id in dynatrace
# and display name for UI presentation
node = group.create_element(identifier="DemoNode",
element_name="ActiveGate Demo Node")
logger.info("Topology: group name=%s, node name=%s", group.name, node.name)
# report property - any string-string values pair. It is added to device metadata displayed in dynatrace UI
node.report_property(key='Device custom property: version', value=stats['version'])
logger.info("2. Device custom property")

There are no specific edits required in the plugin.json file.

See an example of custom properties reported on the device group and device levels:

ActiveGate extension device group properties.

ActiveGate extension - device custom properties.

The ActiveGate plugin module limits the amount of data (custom properties and too long strings) sent to Dynatrace Server . The limit is set at 100 custom properties sent in a 24 hour time frame. Single property key string can't be longer than 50 characters. Single property value string can't be longer that 140 characters. The properties are reported in packages, a single package can't be longer than 5120 characters.