Network server monitoring software

GFi Network Server Monitor  (Keywords: Network, monitoring, Server-Uptime)

Automated server and network monitoring made easy!

GFI Network Server Monitor is a network monitoring software solution that enables administrators to scan the network for failures or irregularities automatically. With GFI Network Server Monitor, you can identify issues and fix unexpected conditions before your users (or managers) report them to you!

Maximize network and server uptime

GFI Network Server Monitor maximizes network availability by monitoring all aspects of your Windows and Linux servers, workstations and devices (routers, etc). When a failure is detected, GFI's network monitor can alert you by email, pager or SMS, as well as taking corrective action by, for example, rebooting the machine, restarting the service or running a script.

Performs a real test, rather than deducing status from events generated by the service!

GFI Network Server Monitor actually tests the status of a service, rather than deducing a service status from generated events (as other products do), which is the only real way to ensure server uptime! GFI Network Server Monitor is easy to set up and use, and is competitively priced.

Built-in rules for several network servers and services

GFI Network Server Monitor built-in monitoring rules include: Exchange Server 2000/2003, MS SQL, Oracle and ODBC databases, CPU usage, FTP & HTTP Servers Group Membership, Active Directory & NTDS, Disk Drive health, Disk Space, Event Log (with content checking), File Existence (with content checking), TCP, ICMP/Ping, SMTP & POP3 Mail servers, Printers, Processes, Services, UNIX Shell Scripts (RSH), SNMP & Terminal Server.

Custom monitor functions can also be created in VBscript and ADSI and WMI can also be leveraged, allowing you to monitor virtually anything!

Enterprise class architecture

GFI Network Server Monitor consists of a network monitoring service and a separate management interface. No agent software needs to be installed on the machines you wish to monitor. The Network Monitor Engine is multi-threaded and can run 40 checks at a time. This software architecture allows for high reliability and scalability to monitor both large and small networks.

Includes checks for Exchange 2000/2003, ISA server, IIS and others

Via the Quickstart wizard, you can quickly create a series of checks which monitor all the important services on your network, including Exchange Server, IIS and others. Critical Exchange services and performance counters (Information Store, mailboxes, SMTP service, etc) are monitored.

Monitors terminal servers by actually logging in

GFI Network Server Monitor can check the status of a terminal server by actually performing a complete login and checking if the session is established correctly. This monitoring method is superior to relying on the events that the terminal server generates (as Microsoft MOM does).

Monitor your database servers (SQL/ODBC)

GFI Network Server Monitor can check the availability of all leading database applications. Out of the box, it can monitor Microsoft SQL Server via ADO. Other databases such as Access, FoxPro, Paradox, SyBase, Informix, IBM DB2 and many more can be monitored via ODBC.

Monitor Linux servers

GFI Network Server Monitor includes extensive checks for monitoring Linux servers. You can monitor CPU usage, printer availability, file existence, process running, folder size, file size, users and groups membership, disk partition check and disk space. In addition, administrators can create any check by creating an SSH script.

Performs administrative steps to ensure that a service is running

GFI has developed specialized checks which mimic administrator operations to verify that services offered by various applications are running, for example, logon to a service, perform a task and logoff the service – without the need for any administrative intervention! The monitoring functions that make use of such methodologies include: IMAP, POP3, SMTP Server and the email route check. Through the active use of such services one can guarantee that all aspects of these services are running and functioning.

Takes corrective action automatically

After an unexpected condition has occurred, GFI Network Server Monitor can automatically correct the problem by restarting a service (or multiple services) upon failure; rebooting a server upon failure; or launching an executable, batch job or VBScript.

Built-in computer monitor functions

• CPU usage function – Ensure that a processor’s usage does not go beyond a certain level
• Performance counter – Monitor any internal operating system counter, including counters used by SQL Server and MSMQ
• Directory size function – Ensure that a particular directory (for example, a user’s home directory) does not take up more than x amount of drive space
• Disk drive function – Monitor the physical status of the disk
• Disk space function – Check if sufficient disk space is available
• File existence function – Monitor the existence of a particular file, for example, results of scheduled batch jobs
• File size function – Monitor the size of particular files, for example, critical log files.

Built in Internet service functions

• HTTP function – Checks availability of HTTP and HTTPS sites; passes credentials if required
• Website content checking – Checks website content by specifying a text pattern
• FTP function – Checks availability of an FTP server/site
• ICMP ping function – Checks a remote host for availability
• IMAP server function – Checks that the IMAP service is functioning by logging into the service and checking the count of the emails contained in a specific folder on the IMAP server
• DNS server function – Checks DNS server by reading an 'A' record and verifying the result
• SMTP server function – Checks mail server by establishing a connection and handshaking to verify SMTP protocol is working correctly
• POP3 server function – Checks POP3 servers by establishing a connection and handshaking
• NNTP news server function – Checks connection and does a handshake
• SNMP function – Monitors specific variables on remote machines or devices via the SNMP GET message
• TCP port function – Checks if a port is responding and checks its response
• NTP timeserver function – Monitors status of timeservers
• Email route function – Checks the health of email services by actually sending test emails and verifying their delivery at destination. This check is also useful for verifying performance of your mailing systems
• Daemon function – SSH-based check that verifies if particular daemons are running on target Linux/Unix computer/s.

Alert notification via email, pager or SMS

When it detects a failure, GFI Network Server Monitor can send alerts via SMS, pager, email or a network message. SMS (text) messages are sent either through an SMS service provider (SMSC), directly through a connected GSM phone/modem; it is also possible to use the GFI FAXmaker email-to-SMS gateway service, Clickatell’s web email-to-SMS online gateway service or any third party email-to-SMS gateway. All notifications can be customized using variables. Recipients can be configured globally for all rules.

Support for SQL Server/MS Access as a database backend

GFI Network Server Monitor allows you to store monitoring data to either an SQL Server or MS Access database backend. SQL Server is more appropriate for users with higher monitoring level requirements as well as those who need to centralize the monitoring results of multiple GFI Network Server Monitor installations in one place (such as backups, remote accessing as well as report generation by third party tools such as Crystal Reports or MS Reporting Services).

View network status from anywhere in the world

You can check rule status from any location using GFI Network Server Monitor's remote web monitor. The remote web monitor includes two types of web page views: One for a normal web browser and one optimized for viewing from a mobile phone or handheld device such as a BlackBerry or a Palm. A small footprint web server is included, although the feature can also be operated in conjunction with IIS.

Monitor remote event logs

GFI Network Server Monitor can scan Windows event logs on local or remote computers and look for specific event sources, categories, event IDs and patterns in the description of the event. In addition, it can look for multiple events occurring in a specific time interval, for example, a McAfee or Norton virus alert posted in the last 30 minutes.

Monitor processes, services performance and CPU usage

GFI Network Server Monitor enables you to check critical processes and services on local and remote computers. You can also monitor the CPU usage of a machine and any performance counter accessible through perfmon.msc. This way, you can ensure that virtually any application is running properly.

Custom network monitoring using VBScript and SSH

Although GFI Network Server Monitor includes an extensive set of default monitoring functions, you can build your own custom checks by writing a VBScript (Windows) or an SSH shell script (Linux). From VBScript, you can use both WMI and ADSI. WMI is an interface to a broad range of hardware/software/OS-related properties of a computer, allowing you to perform almost any check. Using ADSI, you can interface to Active Directory.

Monitor users, groups and other Active Directory information

Use GFI Network Server Monitor to monitor directory information. For example, monitor group membership of the domain admins group. You can also check user accounts (locked out, disabled, etc.), computer accounts, groups, group membership, organizational units, and so on.

Competitively priced

Network monitoring/management products are traditionally rather expensive. By contrast, GFI Network Server Monitor costs just USD 1,275 to monitor up to 50 IPs and USD 495 to monitor up to 10 IPs.

Nested folder support

It is possible to organize folders in a nested folder format - this provides support for more complex monitoring needs such as that of consultants or enterprises with more granular server distribution.

Other features

• Configure maintenance periods to avoid alerts being sent during scheduled maintenance
• Advanced logging options to text file or event log
• Configure dependencies to avoid multiple alerts for error conditions dependent on each other
• Monitor network printer status
• Reporting – includes reports that detail the availability of your network resources; alternatively, use Crystal Reports to access the database and create your own reports
• Monitoring checks wizard that easily configures new checks for your present systems
• Accommodates employee shifts: GFI Network Server Monitor can notify different people depending on the time at which the check triggered.

SMBs as well as larger companies

Many leading companies have chosen GFI Network Server Monitor.
Here are just a few:

• Manx Telecom Limited
• ABC Fine Wine & Spirits
• Satel 2000
• The CBORD Group
• Inc.
• and many more

System requirements:

Based on PC	Win Vista	Win XP	Win 2000	Win NT
	Win ME	Win 9x	Netware	MAC OS
	OS/2	DOS
Based on Unix	Unix	Linux	SCO	AIX
	HP-UX	Reliant	Sinix	Irix
	Solaris	True64	OpenBSD
Based on Mainframe	Open/VMS	OS 400	BS2000	MVS
Based on Handheld / Mobile	Palm OS	Windows Mobile	Symbian	Blackberry
Based on Online-Appl.	ASP / SaaS (web based application)

Memory requirements:	RAM: 64, Hard Disk: 250
Network-compatible:	yes

Medium:

Floppy disk

CD-ROM

DVD

Tape/Band

Online

System Language:	English
Documentation:	Users Manual, Online Help, Demo Version
Training:	not required
Hotline:	for value
Installation Support:	not required
Maintenance:	for value
First installation (year):	2004
Price:	from 350 EUR (350 EUR plus 0% VAT) für 5 IPs
Manufacturer based in:	Malta

This product is available from specialized suppliers.

Manufacturer:	GFI Software GFI House
Contact:	Ms. Sarah Testa Tel.: +49(40)306810-00

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