Spec me a Server monitoring tool bitches

Post by **ProfHawking** » December 28th, 2008, 0:40

I'm trying to keep tabs on our ever expanding base of websites and servers, to make sure they are ok and perhaps check they are performing fine if poss.

I like the idea of an in-house bit of software rather than a web service, but i suppose i'm open to suggestions.
I have used WhatsUpGold before, with mixed opinions. I dont like it much, a bit too graphical i think.

Has anyone used anything else to do this with much success?

Charrs!!

Fear · Post by **Fear** » December 28th, 2008, 0:52

Assuming you are a unix bod, and you have access to the servers...

http://www.nagios.org/

Failing that, there is no reason you couldn't write a very very simple program to send this:

Code: Select all

GET / HTTP/1.1
Host: www.ilovehorses.com

To every host. If you get no response, or something other than a 2xx, sound the alarm bells.

But I'd go with nagios myself.

Post by **ProfHawking** » December 28th, 2008, 1:30

no, not a unix bod i'm afraid. Win32 through and through in the office and on the server i plan to run the monitoring from.

The website servers though are mostly linux of various flavors, with win2k3 mixed in to taste. I don't have full access to all customer servers. In that case the tool just needs to get a ping reply and specific html content.

Oh, and PS:
I don't have the time atm to write my own software to do it, i'm sure there must be something out there that does the trick.

Post by **FatherJack** » December 28th, 2008, 2:22

NetMedic let you set websites to check if your connection is okay, so it'd work in reverse, too. I think it died a few years ago though, but you might be able to get an old copy, or it's spiritual successor is perhaps NetStat Live

We use NimBUS and MOM, which is overkill for you and needs client installation.

spoodie · Post by **spoodie** » December 28th, 2008, 11:33

A mate mentioned he was working with this other day and I meant to investigate it myself: http://www.hyperic.com/

It's free to use but might be a little heavy duty for your requirements. It runs on Windows

: http://www.hyperic.com/downloads/hyperi ... loads.html

Fear · Post by **Fear** » December 28th, 2008, 12:54

There are also services like this: http://audited.netcraft.com/dsm

But that won't do non-public facing servers, obviously.

Post by **ProfHawking** » December 28th, 2008, 16:19

Cool, Hyperic HQ looks interesting.

Netcraft - seems to be geared to scan whole ip ranges? And it requires monies. Then again i have set myself up with a Pingdom account and that is quite cool, but its only a 30day trial, and they charge by each check so it will also become pricey.

A lot of these tools seem to be geared up for enterprises monitoring internal networks. All I need is a website pinger and logger, which emails me if anything goes down.
Maybe i do need to write one..

Stoat · Post by **Stoat** » December 28th, 2008, 16:37

ProfHawking wrote:All I need is a website pinger and logger, which emails me if anything goes down.
Maybe i do need to write one..

Wouldn't that be really easy to do in php? It's got sockets, logging and email built in. I'm sure there must be a simple Ping library about.

Post by **ProfHawking** » December 28th, 2008, 17:18

yes i think it would be pretty simple, but it would need to run on a server, like a service, pinging websites every few mins. i dont think PHP is quite idealy suited for that, and i'm no good at anything else.

Fear · Post by **Fear** » December 29th, 2008, 1:21

ProfHawking wrote:yes i think it would be pretty simple, but it would need to run on a server, like a service, pinging websites every few mins. i dont think PHP is quite idealy suited for that, and i'm no good at anything else.

I'll quote ya for the remote monitoring tool of your dreams

Post by **ProfHawking** » December 29th, 2008, 16:38

haha yeah i bet you would.
I've got hold of something called ServersAlive, gonna have a play with that and see if it does the trick.