Network/Internet Monitor functions

This group contains functions that are used to monitor Network/Internet protocols and services.

HTTP/HTTPs function

GFI Network Server Monitor can check for the availability of HTTP and HTTPs sites, through specified ports.

GFI Network Server Monitor can be configured to go through a proxy server and to pass access credentials when authentication is required. These credentials can be specified as part of the GFI Network Server Monitor Proxy Server parameters, which are configured from the General Options node. For more information on proxy server parameters, please refer to the `Proxy Server settings' section in the `General Options' chapter.

Screenshot 33 - HTTP/HTTPS function setup

Should the HTTP/HTTPS site require authentication, GFI Network Server Monitor will pass the username and password specified in the Logon Credentials of the monitoring check. For more information on authentication details, please refer to the Logon Credentials section in the `Configuring GFI Network Server Monitor' chapter.

An HTTP/HTTPs function requires the following parameters:

URL:http(s):// - Specify the location of the HTTP/HTTPS site in URL format (i.e. http://server[:port]/path/... format).

Use server verification (https) for this site - Enable, this flag when logon credentials are required to access the target site.

Check for availability only - Enable this option to check ONLY for the availability of a target site.

Check availability - Enable this flag to check the availability of a target site as well as to search its contents for a specific string.

Contains the following text - Enable this flag and specify the string to be searched for, in the contents of the target site. If no match is found, the check will be classified as failed.

Does not contain the following string - Enable this flag and specify the string to be searched for, in the contents of the target site. If no match is found, then the check is classified as successful.

Use http web site authentication - Enable this flag if the HTTP target site requires authentication. This option will use the authentication details specified in the logon credentials of the check properties.

Use proxy server - Enable this flag if the target web site is to be accessed through the Proxy server.

FTP

GFI Network Server Monitor can check the availability of FTP sites through specified ports.

Screenshot 34 - FTP function setup

GFI Network Server Monitor can be configured to go through a proxy server as well as to pass access credentials to the specified FTP site should authentication be required.

An FTP monitor function requires the following parameters:

URL:ftp(s):// - Specify the location of the ftp site in URL format (i.e. ftp://server[:port]/path/... format).

Use FTP site authentication - Enable this flag when logon credentials are required to access the specified FTP site.

Use Proxy server - Enable this flag if the specified FTP site is to be accessed through a Proxy server.

IMAP Mail Server availability

GFI Network Server Monitor can check IMAP mail servers by starting a handshake connection to the remote IMAP port (generally port 143). By handshaking, GFI Network Server Monitor can verify that the remote server's IMAP protocol is working well.

Screenshot 35- IMAP server function setup

An IMAP Mail Server check requires the following parameters:

Connection Port - Specify the TCP port to be used when connecting to the IMAP mail server (IMAP Default port is 143).

Send command when connected - Enable this flag to send the specified command as soon as the connection is established.

Response must include the following string - Enable this flag and enter a string in order to check if the response message contains the specified string.

NOTE: Normally a response from IMAP servers includes: `IMAP' in its string.

Timeout - Specify the connection timeout in milliseconds. The check will fail if a connection is not established before the specified timeout elapses.

NOTE: Usually, a connection to the server is established within 1 second; however slow/busy servers often need a longer timeout.

NNTP News Server availability

GFI Network Server Monitor can check NNTP news servers by starting a handshake connection on the remote TCP port (normally port 119). By handshaking, GFI Network Server Monitor can verify that the remote server's NNTP protocol is online and functional.

Screenshot 36 - NNTP Server function setup

An NNTP News Server availability function requires the following parameters:

Port - Specify the TCP port number to be used when connecting to NNTP news server. (NNTP Default port is 119).

Send command when connected - Enable this flag to send a specified command as soon as the connection is established.

Response must include the following string - Enable this flag in order to check if the response message contains a specified string.

NOTE: Normally a response from NNTP servers includes: `200' in its string.

Timeout - Specify the number of milliseconds before the function will timeout. Usually, a connection to the server will be established within 1 second. However, some slow/busy servers need more time. Default value is set to 7000 milliseconds.

POP3 Mail Server availability

GFI Network Server Monitor can check POP3 mail servers availability by establishing a handshake connection on the remote TCP port (normally port 110).

Screenshot 37 - POP3 server function setup

Through handshaking, GFI Network Server Monitor can verify that the remote server's POP3 protocol is working well.

A POP3 Mail Server monitor function requires the following parameters:

Port - Specify the TCP port to be used when connecting to the POP3 server. (POP3 Default port is 110).

Send command when connected - Enable this flag to send a specified command as soon as the connection is established.

Response must include the following string - Enable this flag in order to check if the response message contains a specified string.

NOTE: Normally the default response from POP3 servers includes: `+OK POP3' in its string.

SMTP Mail Server availability

GFI Network Server Monitor can check SMTP mail server's availability by establishing a handshake connection on the remote TCP port (normally port 25). Through handshaking, GFI Network Server Monitor can verify that the remote server's SMTP protocol is working well.

Screenshot 38 - SMTP server function setup

An SMTP Mail Server check requires the following parameters:

Port - Specify the TCP port number to be used when connecting to SMTP servers. (SMTP Default port is 25).

Send command when connected - Enable this flag to send a specified command as soon as the connection is established.

Response must include the following string - Enable this flag in order to check if the response message contains a specified string.

NOTE: Normally the default response from SMTP servers includes: `200' in its string

Timeout - Number of milliseconds before the function will timeout. Usually, a connection to the server will be established within 1 second. However, some slow/busy servers need more time. Recommended value is 7000 milliseconds.

NTP Time Server availability

Most of organizations use a time server to ensure accurate time settings. The NTP protocol is the protocol used to synchronize times between workstations/servers, and external time sources. GFI Network Server Monitor uses NTP to check the availability of internal and external time sources.

Screenshot 39- NTP Time server function setup

The NTP function requires NO parameters.

DNS Server

GFI Network Server Monitor can read a specified `record' type on a DNS server such as an `A record' (address record) and verify if this `A record' includes the associated IP address.

Screenshot 40 - DNS server function setup

A DNS Server function requires the following parameters:

Type of record - Specify the record type to be defined by the DNS Server. This can be an A record or any other record type present in the drop down list.

Host/Domain Name to query - Specify the IP address or hostname of the DNS server that you want to check.

Query should return - Specify the expected result string i.e. the string which should match the resolved result (e.g. If an A record type was selected, the check is successful if the resolved result matches the specified IP address in the `Query should return' parameter).

NOTE: A DNS query can return more than one IP address.

ICMP/Ping

The ICMP Ping function checks the availability of a remote host by sending ICMP Echo commands and waiting for the response from the host.

NOTE: Although local hosts should normally respond to ping requests within milliseconds, an ICMP timeout failure doesn't necessarily mean that the remote host is actually functioning beyond its ability to echo packets.

Screenshot 41 - ICMP/Ping function setup

The ICMP/Ping function requires the following parameters:

Make sure you.....ping the target computer - Select `Can' to specify that the check is successful if the server replies to the ping. Select `Cannot' to specify that the check fails if the server replies to the ping.

Hostname or IP address - Specify the DNS name or IP address of the computer you want to ping (can even be a WINS name, but only if the name can be resolved by some WINS server on the network).

Timeout (m.sec) for each reply - Specify the maximum number of milliseconds delayed before an error response is triggered.

NOTE: On a congested network, echo response packets may take longer than 3 seconds to arrive. Adjust the timeout value according to the traffic present on your network, in order to avoid false alarms.

Number of Echo requests to send - Specify the number of consecutive pings to be sent on execution of this check.

Generic TCP/IP check

GFI Network Server Monitor can check local or remote server connections by challenging a specific port. The challenge will involve connecting to the target machine, sending it a sequence of bytes and analyzing the information received.

Screenshot 42 - TCP/IP monitor function setup

A TCP/IP check requires the following parameters:

Port - Specify the TCP port number of the protocol to be checked, by default port 80.

Send command when connected - Enable this flag to send the specified command as soon as the connection is established.

Response must include the following string - Enable this flag in order to check if the response message contains the specified string.