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To ensure that all your company’s SLAs (that’s Service Level Agreements) are met, you’re going to need a server that’s running smoothly under optimum conditions. Leaving your server’s health to chance is particularly unwise in this socially networked world, where the tiniest molehill of a server hiccup can be turned into a mountain of a problem once it’s been tweeted and blogged about around the globe.
Luckily for you, we’ve found 10 really useful server monitoring tools that will keep your server in tiptop shape, giving you complete peace of mind. These tools monitor a range of different things, from uptime to security and even the physical environment, but all let you identify and resolve problems before they can have a detrimental effect on your business.
1. Pingdom
Pingdom, which is also available as an iPhone application, makes sure that your website is reachable and responding properly at all times, providing you with email and SMS alerts if it’s not. It monitors uptime and overall performance, creating charts and tables that are easy to understand, enabling you to spot trends and accurately pinpoint problems.
2. Dotcom-Monitor
Dotcom-Monitor is an advanced website monitoring service which maximises your uptime so that you can increase sales and provide a continuous service to customers worldwide, protecting the reputation of your business. It provides real-time and email reports and charts, and sends alerts to exactly the right people when problems arise. It even lets you create multiple logins for numerous users, each of which have permission to access different parts of the tool.
3. McAfee Secure
McAfee Secure monitors your servers for potential security breaches, protecting end-users of your website from identity theft, credit card fraud, spyware, spam, viruses and online scams. Your site is tested and certified daily, and awarded the “live” McAfee Secure mark to show that it has passed its daily test, which greatly increases shopper confidence. McAfee currently certify over 80,000 websites, all of which are listed on the McAfee Secure database.
4. Webmetrics GlobalWatch
GlobalWatch monitors a diverse range of websites, internet applications and services. It identifies and diagnoses downtime, errors and poorly performing transactions, providing performance measurements, detailed reports and flexible alerts. This powerful tool, which supports Web 2.0, AJAX and plugin-based applications like Flash and Java, gives you a truly global perspective on how end-users see your site with monitoring agents stationed in the USA, Asia, Africa and Europe.
5. Nimsoft Monitoring Solutions (NMS)
NMS monitors your servers and their configured server applications. All core server resources, from CPU to memory, event logs, print jobs and queues are accounted for. NMS is not only quick and easy to install, but lightweight (you only install the bits that you really need) and scalable (you can monitor hundreds and even thousands of servers at a time). The NMS dashboard is simple and clear with views showing all your servers interconnected, colour-coded status indicators and server-to-server response times.
6. Solarwinds Orion Network Performance Monitor (NPM)
Orion NPM makes sure that every one of your servers is working 100% efficiently, but it doesn’t stop there: it monitors all routers, switches and wireless access points in your network too. It’s quick to set up, very attractive (a rarity in server monitoring) and supported by hundreds of expert network engineers. What’s more, you don’t have to be an expert yourself to use it: anyone can get it up and running in under an hour, straight out of the box.
7. Nagios
Nagios is a comprehensive IT infrastructure monitoring system that provides a snapshot of your entire operations network while keeping tabs on the health and status of all your applications, services, operating systems, network protocols and system metrics. Instant alerts are sent to your IT staff by email and SMS as soon as problems arise and failed servers, applications and devices can be restarted automatically. Nagios is highly compatible with almost all in-house and third party applications.
8. ENVIROMUX Server Environment Monitoring System
This powerful tool, which is perfect for use in data centers, web hosting facilities, telecom switching sites and server closets, monitors temperature, humidity, liquid presence, motion, intrusion and vibration, to ensure that your server’s operating in ideal physical conditions. You can integrate up to eight video cameras into the system to get a live view from anywhere in the world. Nagio’s users get 5% off the list price.
9. Jacarta interSeptor Pro
The interSeptor Pro records and charts temperature and humidity conditions surrounding your server. It alerts you (via email or SMS) when air conditioning settings should be adjusted to maximise energy savings. Three different models are available: the big 8-port (8 different temperature and humidity sensors), the huge 16-port and the massive 24-port. Additional alarm sensors can be added to detect water leaks, smoke and power failures.
10. Simple Server Monitor
Simple Server Monitor provides a substantial monitoring service for those on a tight budget. It costs just $69.95, following a 30-day free trial. Despite its tiny price tag, it’s packed full of useful features including up-to-the-minute monitoring of uptime and accessible performance charts. It uses popup messages, desktop alarms, email and SMS to alert you to any network uptime losses.
