RMA with email

[plambrecht]

Hi,

We are an IT company in belgium, providing IT services for small and medium sized offices.
We are in need of pro-active monitoring of all server, switches, routers and firewalls that are in use with our customers.

As far as I can see, your product is very promising, especialy the RMA piece.

There is one issue. We have customers that don't have a permanent internet line, so we are not able to connect to the RMA directly.
For some of them we can dialin using VPN, PSTN or ISDN, and then connnect to the RMA.
I couldn't find an option in the documentation that first makes a dailup connection (or starts an external program to connect with CiscoVPN), then connect to the RMA, and after the tests complete disconnect the dialupline (or start an external program to disconnect the VPNclient).
Is this possible ?

My second problem is, that for some clients, we are unable to dialin in any way. For them, we need a monitor program the collects the data in one logfile, and then email the results using an existing Outlook/MAPI client.
This way the email remains in the Outbox until the customer manually connects to send/receive emails.
Is this possible ?


I've been looking into many different programs and yours is getting pretty close to my needs.

Kind regards

Pieter

[KS-Soft]

For some of them we can dialin using VPN, PSTN or ISDN, and then connnect to the RMA.
I couldn't find an option in the documentation that first makes a dailup connection (or starts an external program to connect with CiscoVPN), then connect to the RMA, and after the tests complete disconnect the dialupline (or start an external program to disconnect the VPNclient).
Is this possible ?

Theoretically this is possible. But its hard to configure.
One possible solution
- create additional test (e.g. ping test for remote system);
- assign action profile that will start "dial-up to the network" action if test fails and start some script (e.g "RefreshTest name_of_real_test" script) if ping passed
- assign action profile with "disconnect dial-up connection" action to the "real" test

My second problem is, that for some clients, we are unable to dialin in any way. For them, we need a monitor program the collects the data in one logfile, and then email the results using an existing Outlook/MAPI client.
This way the email remains in the Outbox until the customer manually connects to send/receive emails.
Is this possible ?

This is impossible in current version. In future? I don't know... I have added suggestion into "to do" list. But its strange... its not real time monitor.

Regards
Alex

[boxy_25]

Hi,

For your second problem:
Maybe you can use a stand alone Host Monitor in you customer office that check server...
Then use a free command line utility that call BLAT ( http://www.blat.net/194/ ).
With it, you can send by smtp the logs every hour or every day.
You just have to create a batch file that you put in windows scheduler.

Cédric.

[plambrecht]

Theoretically this is possible. But its hard to configure.
One possible solution
- create additional test (e.g. ping test for remote system);
- assign action profile that will start "dial-up to the network" action if test fails and start some script (e.g "RefreshTest name_of_real_test" script) if ping passed
- assign action profile with "disconnect dial-up connection" action to the "real" test

Hm.. I can't seem to get this to work. I can't change the dependency to anything else then ALIVE. Can you create a sample HML file, that does the trick ?

This is impossible in current version. In future? I don't know... I have added suggestion into "to do" list. But its strange... its not real time monitor.

Realtime is not the issue, it is rather an monitor function, to see that our server is working, and that the disks aren't filling up.
One check a day makes pain go away
I'll go with the suggestion of boxy_25...

greetz

Pieter

[KS-Soft]

Hm.. I can't seem to get this to work. I can't change the dependency to anything else then ALIVE.

You cannot change condition after you have selected master test. You can change condition while you are selecting master test (in the same dialog window).
So, remove master test from the list and add it again using another condition.

But I think there is better solution. Better if you check remote server not often.
Use different schedules instead of master-dependant option.
E.g.
- schedule for auxiliary test (that will start "dial-ul connection" action) can start test between 9:00-9:03, 15:00-15:03, 21:00-21:03, 03:00-03:03. Test interval should be > 03 min.
- schedule for test (that will perform check and start "disconnect" action) can start test between 9:02-9:05, 15:02-15:05, 21:02-21:05, 03:02-03:05. Test interval should be > 03 min.
I choosed interval (9:00-9:03) 3 min but it depends... If you do not have hundreds of tests, you may use shorter interval, 1 min is enough.

With this configuration HostMonitor will start dialing at 9:00 and perform "real" test at 9:02.
Do not forget to add "disconnect" action into both ("bad" and "good") sections. In this case HostMonitor will drop connection independently on result of the test.

I'll go with the suggestion of boxy_25...

I like his idea as well

Regards
Alex

[plambrecht]

One other thing....

How can I set the order of execution of the tests ?

let's take the dialout example.

Step 1 dialup to remote site (works fine by the way)
Step 2 - 10 do some tests
Step 11 disconnect.

What I did is make step 2-10 dependent on step 1, works ok
But how can I set step 11 only to execute when all tests are done ?

I can't rely on the status of step 2-10, because even if they are all bad, the connection has to terminate...

So, how can I set to execute 2-10 and then 11. Is there a way ?

Pieter

[KS-Soft]

So, you want to perform several tests against remote network via dial-up connection...
The best solution I see use 2 auxiliary tests (instead of one) and 3 different schedules:
- one schedule for 1st auxiliary test (step 1) that will establish connection (e.g. 9:00-9:01, ...)
- another schedule for all "real" tests (step 2-10) that you want to perform (e.g. 9:02-9:05, ...)
- 3rd schedule for 2nd auxiliary test (step 11) that will drop connection (e.g. 9:05-9:08, ...)

Regards
Alex

[plambrecht]

That is a way to do it...
Probably the only one, as only one dialup can be connected at the same time... And I need to test about 15 remote sites...

Thx.. I'll try this setup.

[plambrecht]

So, you want to perform several tests against remote network via dial-up connection...
The best solution I see use 2 auxiliary tests (instead of one) and 3 different schedules:
- one schedule for 1st auxiliary test (step 1) that will establish connection (e.g. 9:00-9:01, ...)
- another schedule for all "real" tests (step 2-10) that you want to perform (e.g. 9:02-9:05, ...)
- 3rd schedule for 2nd auxiliary test (step 11) that will drop connection (e.g. 9:05-9:08, ...)

Regards
Alex

I'm currently trying this setup..;but it doesn't seem to work as expected..
When I create this schedule:
1. connect 13:40-13:40 - run test every 50 secs
2. run tests 13:41-13:48 - run test every 6 minutes
3. disconnect 13:49-13:49 - run test every 50 secs
i have these probs:
- the connection/disconnection sometimes starts 2 times
- the tests (depending on the connection being up) just don't seem to run...
I really having troubles with this..
Any suggestions ? or live HML files that work ?

Also, how can I see when the next test is planned ? is there a variable ? or how does HM decides what test is next ?
Pieter

[KS-Soft]

- the connection/disconnection sometimes starts 2 times

Test interval should be longer than allowed schedule!
E.g.
1. connect 13:40:00-13:40 - run test every 120 secs
2. run tests 13:41-13:48 - run test every 10 minutes
3. disconnect 13:49-13:49 - run test every 120 secs

- the tests (depending on the connection being up) just don't seem to run...

Do you mean test did not execute at all? Or it failed?
Probably you have set this test as dependant on "connect" test? It should be regular test.

Also, how can I see when the next test is planned ? is there a variable ? or how does HM decides what test is next ?

HostMonitor remembers time when each test was performed. Also it knows test interval and schedule...
In you case it means:
1. tests from group #1 will be executed at 13:40. Started by creation order. Next time these tests should be performed at 13:40+120 sec=13:42 but this time is out of schedule. So, HostMonitor will wait till next allowed interval in the schedule.
2. tests from group #2 will be executed at 13:41...
3. tests from group #3 will be executed at 13:49...

However... If you have a lot of tests that should be executed frequently, HostMonitor will not be able to start all tests at once (see "Don't start more than [N] tests per second" option on Behavior page in the Options dialog).
In this case some tests will be started within next few seconds. That's why allowed schedule should be longer than 1 sec (sometimes it should be bigger than 1 min). Test interval should be longer than allowed schedule to avoid repeated test execution. I am talking about tests that initiate connect/disconnect actions.

Any suggestions ? or live HML files that work ?

If you send me (support@ks-soft.net) your HML file + actions.lst + schedules.lst files, I can check and modify settings.

Regards
Alex

[plambrecht]

Alex,

Thx for taking care of this.
I found out myself what you just posted.
I've set it up like this and it works like a charm:

Connection : 13:40-13:43 run every 6 mins
Tests : 13:41-13:43 run every 5 mins
Disconnect : 13:44-13:44 run every 2 mins

This program is really looking good!
I'm getting in touch with my manager to get a license

Pieter

[KS-Soft]

Glad it works

Regards
Alex