Monitoring HostMonitor

[mcfalls]

Is there a way to monitor the HostMonitor application? After rebooting, sometimes the HostMonitor application doesn't fully start. This makes me worry about the stability of the application. Is there a unique port that HostMonitor uses that I can monitor with another monitoring application?

Thanks.

[KS-Soft Europe]

Is there a way to monitor the HostMonitor application? After rebooting, sometimes the HostMonitor application doesn't fully start.

Why do you think HostMonitor application doesn't fully start? Do you see any errors? Any errors in Event Log? In common Log? Strange behaviour?
Might it be a problem outside of HostMonitor? What OS do you use? Service Pack? Do you have installed some antivirus monitor? Personal firewall? Conent monitoring software? Non-standard winsock components?

This makes me worry about the stability of the application.

HostMonitor is running as service or as application? What version of HostMonitor do you use?

Is there a unique port that HostMonitor uses that I can monitor with another monitoring application?

If you have enabled RCI (Options > RCI) you may check RCI port (TCP port 1054 by default). If HostMonitor accepts connection, it works.
Also you may check if HostMonitor service is running or you may check modification date of Hostmonitor's log files.

Regards,
Max

[mcfalls]

Max,

The instability issues mainly started after I installed the Microsoft OneCare. Sometimes I need to reboot a few times because not everything loads. It doesn't freeze up. I just have to restart the computer and force quit a few applications. Never had any problems before except that the demo version of HostMonitor stopped monitoring a few times. I assumed it was because it was a demo.

I'm using version 5.92 as an application. My license won't enable me to enable RCI. Is there another port I can monitor?

Thanks.

[KS-Soft Europe]

The instability issues mainly started after I installed the Microsoft OneCare.

Truth to say we have never installed Microsoft OneCare, but as other antivirus and firewall software it could lead to some problems. Thats why we recommend to install Host Monitor on clean system. Anyway you should adjuts OneCare settings to pass all HostMonitor's requests transparently.

Sometimes I need to reboot a few times because not everything loads. It doesn't freeze up. I just have to restart the computer and force quit a few applications.

So, do you need to reboot because of HostMonitor? What does it mean - "not everything loads"? Do you need to reboot because you are not able to stop HostMonitor? Is monitorring stopped after loading? What settings have you specified in Options > Startup options tab? I have already asked you about errors, but should do it one more time Do you see any errors concerning HostMonitor in Event Log (Start > Settings > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Event Viewer)?

Never had any problems before except that the demo version of HostMonitor stopped monitoring a few times. I assumed it was because it was a demo.

Correct, demo version sometimes stops monitoring when trial period expires. But if you have registered version, HostMonitor stops monitoring only if you stop monitoring manually (Monitoring > Stop Monitoring) or you have specified appropriate setting in Options > Startup options tab.

I'm using version 5.92 as an application. My license won't enable me to enable RCI. Is there another port I can monitor?

I do not see any other port you are able to use for such purpose. The easiest way to do that is schedule HostMonitor to perform some action (e.g write into text file simething) every N minutes. You may use buil-in scheduler (Option > Scheduler). Hence you may check foregoing file to be up to date with another monitoring application.

Regards,
Max

[mcfalls]

Max,

First, thanks for your quick reply and sincere concerns.

There are a few (very few) applications/services setup to automatically load/launch on startup. eg. CesarFTP, OpManager HostMonitor. The windows for one or more of these sometimes appear empty or frozen upon bootup. I feel strongly that this is due to Microsoft OneCare since this system ran perfectly fine before its installation and this system is not used for any other purpose. So, HostMonitor is not the only application suffering from instabilty.

BTW: HostMonitor stopeed once or twice before OneCare was loaded and before the 30 day demo expired. All I did was click the Okay button in the demo dialog window for it to continue monitoring.

I really don't want to go to the expense of buying another monitoring application that has the ability to read a modification date of a file to monitor HostMonitor's operation. I have 2 other monitoring applications but neither have that capability. If I experience HostMonitor stopping or crashing I'll need to either replace it or purchase another license to monitor it. At this point I'm going to remove Microsoft OneCare and keep a close eye on that system.

Thanks again.

[KS-Soft Europe]

First, thanks for your quick reply and sincere concerns.

You are welcome

There are a few (very few) applications/services setup to automatically load/launch on startup. eg. CesarFTP, OpManager HostMonitor. The windows for one or more of these sometimes appear empty or frozen upon bootup. I feel strongly that this is due to Microsoft OneCare since this system ran perfectly fine before its installation and this system is not used for any other purpose. So, HostMonitor is not the only application suffering from instabilty.

In such case I insist you should review EventLog. If application hangs, crashes or could not start it writes a record into EventLog. I think you may find a clue there.

BTW: HostMonitor stopeed once or twice before OneCare was loaded and before the 30 day demo expired. All I did was click the Okay button in the demo dialog window for it to continue monitoring.

Right. It's correct behaviour.

I really don't want to go to the expense of buying another monitoring application that has the ability to read a modification date of a file to monitor HostMonitor's operation. I have 2 other monitoring applications but neither have that capability.

As you wrote above, you were using HostMonitor as application, weren't you? I would suggest you to run HostMonitor as Service. http://www.ks-soft.net/hostmon.eng/other.htm#Service
In such case you may use your monitoring applications to check if HostMonitor is started or still running. Also you may use them to check EventLog for messages regarding HostMonitor.
Of course, if they have such capabilities.

At this point I'm going to remove Microsoft OneCare and keep a close eye on that system.

It might help.

Regards,
Max

[Svend]

May I suggest that you could just buy an additional license of, say, the Lite version of Hostmonitor and run that on another system (preferrably remotely) and arrange them such that if the master fails to reply (process or service not running) you assume it is down and send an alert.

Svend.

[KS-Soft]

You may also monitor RCI port (1054), some report or HostMonitor's log file that should be updated on regular basis.
Also you may setup primary HostMonitor to send SNMP Trap messages to backup HostMonitor on regular basis (e.g. every 3 min)...

Regards
Alex

[sneader]

I would be interested in cooperating with one or two other Host Monitor customers, so that we could monitor each other's Host Monitor. Is this a dumb idea or good one? If good... any takers?

- Scott