Server monitor software?

What do people use to monitor their servers?

 

I'm looking for a windows application or web based app ideally that will email or text message when a server goes down. It also should have a nice GUI that looks pretty

 

I remember using one for Microsoft exchange in the past that was pretty good, but I would like it to monitor all servers.

 

Cheers.

Edited February 3, 2010 by zag

I'm currently trying to configure a nagios box running on ubuntu, not got the email notifications set up yet but it is possible from what i've read.

Nagios here. Email notifications are easy; SMS are trickier because there are no provided modules, but either get one off the shelf or write your own (Nagios just calls the program you specify with some arguments and you handle it).

Is there a windows equivalent?

What about smartMonitor from OP Software - Solutions for Education ?

 

Ben

The Dude?

 

MikroTik Routers and Wireless

+1 for Nagios... I also use NagVis for pretty pictures

 

It's worth maybe setting up a VM for if you have no Linux boxen.

I found this one but I hate having to pay for software that basically pings machines!!

 

Simple Server Monitor - Server Monitoring Software

I've used WhatsUp before and found that to be a fairly easy piece of software to configure and use.

The Dude - use to monitor all infrastructure, servers and other mission critical devices... monitor multiple services and protocols... basically a big SNMP monitoring tool.

 

See attachment pic of our network map... green = device up. orange = a service on the device has an issue. red = device down.

 

We have it displayed permanently on a 36" plasma on the wall in the office, and there's a web interface so it can be viewed remotely or from anywhere on the network... which also works via iPhone / iPod Touch.

Thanks Marci, I like that one but its still a bit ugly

 

I've spent the last hour writing a PHP ping app and its working ok.

 

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/2329/servermonitor.jpg

I have used this in many high schools Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve Windows performance from Quest Software

 

looks pretty too!

 

almost demands a big screen all to itself...

 

boX

I'm looking for a windows application or web based app ideally that will email or text message when a server goes down

 

I thougt dead-server detection was what (angry) users were for. ;b

 

To me the whole point of monitoring servers is to try to catch and fix stuff (preferably at your leisure) *before* the box ends up in a heap.

I have used this in many high schools Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve Windows performance from Quest Software

 

looks pretty too!

 

almost demands a big screen all to itself...

 

boX

 

We use this here too. Pretty good and efficient and as you say looks pretty on the wall.

Using cacti here with Thold and monitor plugin

 

bio..

As i mentioned earlier, WhatsUp is useful for detecting problems before they go critical.

 

You can customise e-mail alerts etc for CPU load %, hard disk space etc etc.

 

I think The Dude is similar but from the small bit I have used both, WhatsUp is more customisable I believe.

Thanks Marci, I like that one but its still a bit ugly

 

I've spent the last hour writing a PHP ping app and its working ok.

 

That's how I started, but we needed to monitor FTP, HTTP, DNS etc individually on a single box... so TheDude was the solution. Visually speaking, you can make it look however you want. That's just how ours is set as I haven't spent any time on it... there's a thread on Microtik's forum with more examples of users' custom network maps...

 

Dude is fully customisable (I find the opposite to you, Dude is FAR more customisable than WhatsUp) - custom protocols and services etc etc... it really is ridiculously powerful, but takes time to utilise it properly and work out how to write your own monitors for specifics beyond normal predefined services. I'm working on a monitor at the moment that'll monitor all our BMS sensors for instance...

Edited February 4, 2010 by Marci

I recommend 10-Strike Network Monitor. It monitors devices, servers, switches, and sends email or sms when a divice goes down