Advanced Host Monitor 6.00 Beta

KS-Soft · Joined: 03 Apr 2002 Posts: 12795 Location: USA

Advanced Host Monitor 6.00 Beta available at http://www.ks-soft.net/hostmon.eng/downpage.htm

What's new: http://www.ks-soft.net/hostmon.eng/news.htm

Regards
Alex

FLynch · Joined: 18 Jun 2002 Posts: 75 Location: London UK

Hi,

This is a big step forward - on our site we have a very laborious testing routine for this - and really rounds off AHM as an enterprise monitoring solution.

Thanks
Fergus

Kapz · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 216 Location: Denmark

Wow - great release with many handy new features, especially the pause/resume feature will be highly appreciated among our staff (from the rel.notes: "... but if there are many servers, operators may forget to re-enable the test items when work is completed." - Oh yeah

)

How about stability on this initial 6.00 Beta - is it mainly new features on existing (and thus thoroughly tested) core components or did you dig deep in the code ?

I'd really like to test it in our production environment (currently running 5.92) but cannot afford to mess around too much.

Thanks !

Kasper :O)

KS-Soft · Joined: 03 Apr 2002 Posts: 12795 Location: USA

We changed core a little. Works fine on our test systems, not sure about your environment.

Kapz · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 216 Location: Denmark

Alex,

I agree with your points of view. However, I don't have a problem using beta software in a production environment as long as I'm not dealing with v. 1.00 of that totally redesigned core that everybody has been talking about for the last decade

It doesn't sound like you overhauled that much so I think I'll try it.

Normally before I upgrade I simply take a copy of our HostMonitor directory which I can then bring back in production if something fails in the new version.
Can I still use that procedure or does HM6 also change things other places (e.g. in the registry) ?

Thanks !

Kasper :O)

KS-Soft · Joined: 03 Apr 2002 Posts: 12795 Location: USA

KS-Soft · Joined: 03 Apr 2002 Posts: 12795 Location: USA

Ok, so far we have over 1000 downloads and one bug report.
Bug: if you have used HostMonitor 5 and disabled some test items, then updated to HostMonitor 6.00, version 6.00 might not allow you to enable some of such test items.
Update available at www.hostmonitor.biz/download/hm601.zip

Regards
Alex

FLynch · Joined: 18 Jun 2002 Posts: 75 Location: London UK

"That's common problem. Most people do not want to use Beta -> developers do not receive bug reports -> developers think program works great and upload release -> now people think program has been tested and install the software.. then problems begin."

I have a similar experience with the internal systems that we develop for our company's users - this is a common issue for both commercial and inhouse IT software teams - it seems applications have to be in production use before the real feedback starts coming in!

Perhaps one idea would be to have a volunteer 'beta (alpha ?) testing' group that tests AHM before a new version is released to the wider world.

I think the advantage is that not only would bugs get reported earlier but also enhancement suggestions could be captured in a relatively structured manner.

I think the dis-advantage is that it might go against the spirit of simply releasing the software and letting the AHM community get their teeth into the latest version.

Probably cannot win either way. If somebody figures this out please give me a shout!

Cheers
Fergus