SMTP not working

LordJezo · Post by **LordJezo** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:26 am

hello.

I have tried to set up the smtp mail messages on my Windows 2003 instance of the newest version of Hostmonitor and when the test executes and fails, as I want it to, the email is never sent out.

I also have it set to show the status window of the email being sent out but that never pops up either.

I have tried two different smtp servers and nothing is working. I can ping the mail servers fine but Hostmonitor does not seem to want to do anything with them.

What am I doing wrong?

KS-Soft · Post by **KS-Soft** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 12:11 pm

Probably you are using wrong "launch" settings.

What are settings of the action
- Action type? Bad?
- Condition to start action? standard mode?
- Start when N consecutive Bad/Good results occur? 1?
- Repeat? 1 time?
With this settings HostMonitor will launch action when test status changes from "good" to "bad". If test already has "bad" status, action will not be launched.

To start actions for testing, you may use "Reverse alert" option of the test. Mark this option, "refresh" the test item - HostMonitor will change the status. Open Test Properties dialog again, unmark option, "refresh" the test item again - HostMonitor will change test status back to normal.

Regards
Alex

LordJezo · Post by **LordJezo** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 12:32 pm

Ok, that seemed to work. Thanks, I had to do what you said and reverse the test back to ok and then switch it back.

Now, after the test executes and switches to the "bad" mode how do I switch it back after the problem is corrected, or, once the problem is corrected and the test resets itself back to "good" or "ok" mode, will the next time it runs and fails it will send an email and not get stuck like before? What I am looking for is a way to not have to manually reverse the test each time.

KS-Soft · Post by **KS-Soft** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 1:11 pm

You do not need to switch it back, actually you do not need to use "Reverse alert" option (except of some special cases). HostMonitor performs checks at regular interval and set test status depending on result.

Igor Sterle · Post by **Igor Sterle** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:53 am

My problem seems to be somehow similar although I would say it's a general bug bypassed by "Reverse alert".

My environment: HM 4.52 on WinXP Pro as regular program (not service).

Problem started by trying to run external program as an alert action. Commands that properly worked in "Command prompt" did not even appear in HM. I didn’t believe such valuable feature couldn’t work, so I tried also trivial action like "Show message" - unsuccessfully. Confusion was complete until after long period of "try and miss" I found out that sometimes I got message after using "Reverse alert".

My conclusion: changes in "Action profiles" dialog are accepted only after performing this sequence:

- Do the alert action changes.
- Refresh the test (changes not accepted).
- Change "Reverse alert".
- Refresh the test (changes not accepted).
- Change "Reverse alert" back.
- Refresh the test (changes accepted).

This misbehaviour can easily be missed because reversing the alert is the natural testing method for alert actions.

Am I correct?

Regards.
Igor

LordJezo · Post by **LordJezo** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:59 am

Well it dosen't work too well when I put it at a specific schedule.

I am using the "check if file exists" option, reverse it by saying that if the file is not there then it is okay, and then switching it back to sending out an alert if the file is not there. It goes back to out of schedule after the switch over.

It sits at "out of schedule" all day and when the test goes off at night the email is never sent. This is quite a problem and makes me sad that the product seems to have this simple bug.

KS-Soft · Post by **KS-Soft** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 1:30 pm

- Do the alert action changes.
- Refresh the test (changes not accepted).

Changes ARE accepted. HostMonitor just do not start actions because there is no reason to start the action. Normally (if you are using default "Start when 1 consecutive bad result occurs" and "Repeat: 1 time" options) actions should be started when test status changes.
So, HostMonitor does not start actions until status changes!!!

- Change "Reverse alert" back.
- Refresh the test (changes accepted).

Changes was accepted when you clicked "Ok" or "Apply" button in the Test Properties dialog. Now HostMonitor starts the action becase status of the test was changed.

Regards
Alex

KS-Soft · Post by **KS-Soft** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 1:35 pm

BTW:
"Reverse alert" can be used for testing but it was designed for different purpose.

This can be useful in some situations. For example, CPU Usage test returns an "Ok" status if the processor load ratio is below a predefined value. With the "Reverse alert" option turned on, the test will work the other way around, so the administrator will be alerted when the processor load is below a predefined value.

Better way to test HostMonitor behavior - simulate "bad" situation. E.g. if you check some file availability - remove or rename the file; If you check content of web page - change the content; and so on...

Regards
Alex

KS-Soft · Post by **KS-Soft** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 1:44 pm

I am using the "check if file exists" option, reverse it by saying that if the file is not there then it is okay, and then switching it back to sending out an alert if the file is not there. It goes back to out of schedule after the switch over.

It sits at "out of schedule" all day and when the test goes off at night the email is never sent. This is quite a problem and makes me sad that the product seems to have this simple bug.

Not sure I understand everything correctly. Please, correct me when I wrong
1) file is absent?
2) you have created the test, set "reverse alert" option?
3) test was performed, "Ok" status was assigned?
4) you have unmarked "reverse alert" option and assigned some schedule?
5) status changed from "ok" to "out of schedule"?
6) test was executed at night?
7) file was alailable at that time? or not?

Regards
Alex

Igor Sterle · Post by **Igor Sterle** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 1:39 am

Changes ARE accepted. HostMonitor just do not start actions because there is no reason to start the action. Normally (if you are using default "Start when 1 consecutive bad result occurs" and "Repeat: 1 time" options) actions should be started when test status changes.
So, HostMonitor does not start actions until status changes!!!

Sorry for wrong conclusion. It works as you wrote. I haven't realized that status change is the default trigger.

Regards
Igor