Remote server monitoring

[sdc]

Hi everyone

 

We have implemented a couple of system monitoring tools (The Dude and Spotlight on Windows) which work great - until there's an issue with one of the following:

 

• Internet link failure
  
• Email server failure or similar problem
  
• Other connectivity issue between router and server room
  

 

In a former job, working for a VAR, we made use of Hound-Dog to monitor customers' servers and systems. It's basically a web-based service which collates regular reports (maybe every 5 minutes or however you've configured it) from each server you want to monitor. The data is sent over HTTP, so only a simple Internet link is required, and the web-based service provided a 'dashboard' that could be used to see what was running, had issues, etc. This checked everything you'd want to know - connectivity, disk space, etc. If anything failed or caused concern, not only would it flag up on the Dashboard but an email/text message alert could be sent.

 

Trouble is... they only sell their service to resellers. Does anyone know of anything out there similar that we could access as an end user? Alternatively, is there something we could run on external web space of our own? My thinking with this last point is that, apart from the annual hosting cost, there would be no additional charges. (My suspicion is that any such web service we could buy in to would charge additionally per server added etc.)

 

I know there are plenty of "internal" monitoring solutions - as mentioned above, we're using two of them! - however, if the server/device responsible for "signalling" fails, then we don't get the alert. Hence my thinking that a hosted/online solution would be preferable.

 

Apologies for the rather rambling nature of this post... it's nearly 10.40 on a Saturday night.... and I am currently experiencing the issue I'm hoping to resolve!!!

 

Thanks

Stephen

[INeedAUsername]

...host monitor does the same thing

 

sorry no link but im sure its knocking about on the old tinternet somewhere..there is a trial you can try

 

hope this helps your woes

 

STariq

[INeedAUsername]

found it .. Web Service

 

STariq

[kearton]

Apologies for the thread necromancy, but is anyone aware of anything "modern" that could be used for this? Pulseway used to do a free version but don't seem to any more

[TwistedHelixis]

Apologies for the thread necromancy, but is anyone aware of anything "modern" that could be used for this?Pulseway used to do a free version but don't seem to any more

 

Did you find anything?

 

I have been testing Pulseway on a test server for 6 months and really like it but cant find anyone else (on these forums) that uses it, so have been holding off.

[DavetheITguy]

use PRTG - it's free and works with everything.

[TwistedHelixis]

use PRTG - it's free and works with everything.

 

Will it send me an email when a windows server backup has finished and if the server goes offline?

 

I want to use this on a primary school server for the above reasons.

[DavetheITguy]

I have email alerts setup for it. it monitors switches, servers, internet, everything it can get a ping from. doesn't need a client installing on any device. i have a vm setup with it installed on. everything is managed via a browser. I've linked mine to AD. Overall its brilliant.

[TwistedHelixis]

Ahh that might actually be an issue for a small school. Pulseway is installed on the device its monitoring and reports to a location offsite (app or website). We only have one server and its that server I would need to monitor and know if its gone offline.

 

I'll have a play but PRTG might be overkill for what we need, although the free bit is a big positive.

[TwistedHelixis]

I can probably get a spare machine to run PRTG at the primary school, and wondered if it can report if Windows backup has completed if the backup is running on another server.

[TwistedHelixis]

Just did some testing and PRTG is no good for reporting on Windows backup as it does not have a sensor to do this.