external web server monitoring uk web site devices check information

external web server monitoring and remote network performance analysis for uk web sites from axzona.com including fatal error alerts external web server monitoring

1.	I already monitor my web server internally, so why do I need an external monitoring service?
2.	What types of application can be monitored?
3.	How do you check the "health" of my website and other web devices?
4.	How will I be notified of problems with my website?
5.	What does it mean when the customer is alerted that the system is down?
6.	How can net-ecg monitor devices through my firewall?
7.	Do I need additional equipment or connectivity to benefit from net-ecg?
8.	How do I know that the alerts I get from net-ecg are valid?
9.	Can I monitor different types of device and/or different URLs and pages?
10.	Do I have any responsibilities as a subscriber to the service?
11.	Can I afford to buy net-ecg?
12.	Can I try the service free of charge?
Do you have a question not listed here? Then contact us for help. net-ecg Vital Signs for UK Websites 1. I already monitor my web server internally, so why do I need an external monitoring service? Some ISPs or hosts offer "site monitoring services" as part of their package and some even offer a pro-rata refund for downtime beyond the Service Level Agreement (SLA). SLAs are generally "policed" using only internal or local monitoring techniques which are unable to detect many of the problems encountered by end-users. These may include backbone network outages and slowdowns, failed peering arrangements and faulty routing advertisements. Consequently, companies or service providers currently monitoring their networks using local software still have a vital need for net-ecg. Information collected by software-based solutions is not easily accessible to outside users and is usually geared more to the technical audience than the business audience. As a web-browser-based service, net-ecg is accessible from any Internet connection at the office, home, or on the road. Monitoring applications installed inside a company's network can only monitor the performance of applications from an internal perspective, while the external view from net-ecg provides a "user's perspective". There are some 44,640 minutes in a month (31 x 24 x 60). A guarantee of 99% uptime equates to 446 minutes of downtime per month (over 7 hours!). If you have a guarantee of 99.9% uptime, this still represents nearly 45 minutes your site may be inaccessible. What is “uptime” anyway and how do you know that it is being objectively measured on your server? Remote, third party monitoring with net-ecg offers tracking and reporting of your site’s availability and performance from your end-user’s perspective. So, you no longer have to run the risk with your website. back to top 2. What types of application can be monitored? Depending on the service level you choose, net-ecg monitors HTTP web servers (Get and Post commands), HTTPS secure web servers, SMTP email servers, as well as FTP servers (see a full list of devices supported). Axzona will develop additional protocol monitoring types as a separate customer project if required. back to top 3. How do you check the "health" of my website and other web devices? Some basic monitors use ICMP packet echoes - "pings" - to check merely whether the site is connected. To test HTTP, HTTPS SMTP and other devices, we use application or protocol specifications to regularly check response and performance (HTTP GET, HTTP POST, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP etc.). All of these checks are logged in a database for notification and summary reporting. back to top 4. How will I be notified of problems with my website? If net-ecg receives no response from your website or the protocol returns an incorrect or slow result, the error will be recorded and then verified by other net-ecg monitors at other points on the Internet. If verification confirms the error, an alert will be sent to you. Depending on the service level you choose, alert notifications will be sent via email and/or SMS text message. The top-level, critical, service allows for alert scheduling and escalation to ensure the right people in your organisation are alerted at the right time. In addition, alerting can be disabled during scheduled maintenance periods. back to top 5. What does it mean when the customer is alerted that the system is down? Whether it is a router, server, or other device, a "down" notification means that net-ecg is unable to reach the system via the Internet. This may happen for several reasons - the Internet connection went down, the ISP is having network problems or your web server has failed. Often, our alerts allow troubleshooting before customers even notice that anything is wrong. back to top 6. How can net-ecg monitor devices through my firewall? By configuring your routers and firewalls to allow the IP addresses of net-ecg monitors through, it is possible for net-ecg to monitor your servers through your firewall without compromising your security. Password-protected sites can also be tested using the standard "Basic Clear Text" authentication or using Microsoft’s proprietary "Challenge Response" authentication. Supply us with the login and password and we can test that it allows access. Of course, this means we can also check that it disallows access for incorrect responses! back to top 7. Do I need additional equipment or connectivity to benefit from net-ecg? No. This is a hosted service provided via any web browser. Wherever and whenever you can use a web browser, you can get access to your secure account on net-ecg and, therefore, access real-time information on the availability and performance of your website. There is no requirement for expensive hardware or software. The interface is easy to set-up and use, so no in-depth training is required and the service is maintained as part of your monthly fee. See our comparison table and price list. back to top 8. How do I know that the alerts I get from net-ecg are valid? Multiple monitors in different locations on the Internet are used to carry out the monitoring of your web devices. These monitors exist on different carriers and through different service providers to avoid a single point of failure. Naturally, our monitors are being checked by each other continuously to ensure that they are working correctly and any alerts are sent to us immediately. When a monitor discovers a problem with your website, it logs the problem and then requests verification from other monitors. If the problem is local only to that monitor, an alert will not be sent but a note made in the log for future reporting. However, if the error is confirmed elsewhere, then the alerting process begins. So, you can be sure that any alarms are not false alarms. back to top 9. Can I monitor different types of device and/or different URLs and pages? You can indeed. Most site managers want to know that their home page is being delivered and that it is relatively fast. However, it is also important to know if back-end databases are serving the correct information to your site in the form of images or responses to queries. If you have a secure aspect to your site, it is important to know whether the HTTPS protocols are working or your visitors may never complete a transaction or provide their sign-up details. Finally, if you have an important email server that provides mail for many users, that sends confirmation notes to website visitors, or that delivers news or promotional messages to subscribers, then you should add the net-ecg SMTP protocol service to your shopping list. See our Protocols page. back to top 10. Do I have any responsibilities as a subscriber to the service? Yes, but only sensible ones. For instance, we need you to keep your account and alert information up-to-date so that email or SMS alerts are sent to the right people at the right time. If you have opted for alerts by SMS text message, you must retain a credit of SMS messages which can be pre-purchased in multiples of 200, 500 or 1000. Otherwise, no SMS messages can be sent. Naturally, we want you to benefit as much as possible from net-ecg so make sure that if you change something fundamental to your site or your monitoring criteria, you also amend your monitoring details on-line to take account of this. Finally, to avoid receiving unnecessary alerts, ensure that you change your alerting profile for net-ecg when you are maintaining your site or taking it down for any other reason. back to top 11. Can I afford to buy net-ecg? You should ask yourself if you can afford not to! Calculate your investment in your website in terms of hardware equipment, software, design services, configuration and support time and manpower. Add to this connectivity and hosting costs. Now project the revenue you hope to get through this channel over the next twelve months. You probably have a considerable sum already. Now, try to estimate the cost to your reputation and image from a poorly performing site. You only need 1% of downtime to lose over 7 hours of opportunity. Potential visitors are loath to wait around with so many other sites to visit. For a modest monthly fee that is a fraction of your website set-up costs, you can be assured that your investment is maximised using net-ecg. You know that your website is available AND performing. If not, you’re the first to know so you can get to work on it straightaway. See our comparison table and price list for full details. back to top 12. Can I try the service free of charge? You certainly can! We’re very confident of the benefits of net-ecg but we can offer a free trial service for all new accounts for 14 days. A single URL will be monitored at the high dependency level of service with notifications by email only. Please see our comparison table and price list for pricing information, or go directly to our FREE TRIAL page to start your FREE 14 day trial. Note - to continue to use the net-ecg service, you must contract the service for a minimum of twelve months. How To Buy. back to top net-ecg Vital Signs for UK Websites

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36 Dean Park Mews, Edinburgh, UK, EH4 1ED
Tel: 0131 315 0181 Fax: 0131 315 0185
Email: info@axzona.com