Performance improvements

If you set Private logs for 10,000 test items and tell HostMonitor to set new log files on daily basis, then you will have 300,000 log files just in one month; 3,650,000 log files per year. Then Log Processing module could slow down HostMonitor during some operations, especially when HostMonitor needs to start external programs many times in a row (in order to modify a lot of these log files).
New version uses low priority thread usually started after midnight to process log files. You may set specific time for log processing using DailyTime parameter in [Logging_PrivProcessing] section of HostMon.INI file (e.g. DailyTime=0222 tells to start log processing at 2:22 AM).
Note: the following options (when set) can trigger log processing commands during daytime:
 - if common log is switching
 - if private logs is bigger than N KB
usually this is not a problem, these commands will process just 1 log file, not 300,000 files

  Test improvement

SOAP test may resolve date/time variables in Parameters field

  RMA/x64

As you know Remote Monitoring Agents (RMA/x86) for Windows included into Advanced Host Monitor package. x86 agents work fine on any 32-bit and 64-bit Windows systems starting from Windows XP to Windows Server 2019 (we do not test Windows NT and Windows 2000 anymore). However in some cases you may need 64-bit version of the agent. For example you may need to use some 64-bit ODBC driver (for ODBC Query test) because 32-bit version of ODBC driver is not available.

RMA/x64 can be downloaded as separate package (not included into Advanced Host Monitor installation package); you may replace x86 version of Passive and/or Active RMA agents using rma.exe and rma_active.exe modules from rmawin64.zip archive.
RMA x64 comes with x64 version of OpenSSL 1.1.1 (files: libcrypto-1_1-x64.dll and libssl-1_1-x64.dll)

Drawback: Active Script test does not work in 64-bit mode because Microsoft does not offer 64-bit version of msscript.ocs. There are some 3rd party replacements but we could not find reliable one. Shell Script tests work fine.

  Tools/x64

Also 64-bit version of Disk Meter, Process Meter, MIB Browser and WMI Explorer available on download page

  The following issue was resolved

• MIB Browser: Charts window: autoscale did not work properly for numbers between 10 and 15. Fixed

  GUI improvements

• HostMonitor and RCC: History dialog offers options to hide maximum, average and minimum replies (e.g. you may display just minimum values for Memory tests and display maximum plus average values for CPU Usage tests)

• SNMP Get
• SNMP Table
• Traffic monitor
• Interfaces status
• CPU Usage (SNMP mode)
• Memory tests (SNMP mode)
• Disk Free Space (SNMP mode)
• Process (SNMP mode)
• Cisco related tests
• Juniper tests
• F5 Big-IP tests
• Netscaler tests
• NetApp tests
• QNAP tests
• Synology tests
• UPS related tests

• Network discovery works faster with SNMP v3 encryption
• System Info: SNMP v3 related functions work faster
• MIB Browser: SNMP v3 encryption works faster
• DiskMeter: SNMP v3 encryption works faster

• URL test: 201, 202 reply codes are not considered as bad answer
• HTTP request action: 201, 202 reply codes are not considered as bad answer
• %NTEventTextNoQuotes% and %PrevNTEventTextNoQuotes% variables replace CR, LF characters with space

• Minor improvements related to prediction and recommendations

• HostMonitor v12.20-12.32 in rare cases could stop monitoring

  HostMonitor Optional status processing improvements

• You may use new csvfield and tsvfield operators for [Tune up Reply value], [Use Normal status], [Use Warning status] expressions. E.g.
  Use Normal status if ('%suggestedreply%' csvfield 2)+('%suggestedreply%' csvfield 4)>100
  Tune up Reply value = ['%suggestedreply%' csvfield 2]

• Text Log test: increased speed for "string" and "simple expression" search modes
• Text Log test: implemented new "expression" search mode. E.g. you may use expressions like
  ('%data%' csvfield 2) + ('%data%' csvfield 4) > 100
  ('%data%' tsvfield 2 > 50) and ('%data%' tsvfield 4 > 160)
  ('%data%' getword 1 == 'error') and ('%data%' getnumber 1 >= 500)
  
  
• File Integrity test: about 15% faster CRC32 mode
  
• File Integrity test in MD5/SHA modes could ignore data past 4GB (some large files were checked correctly but not all; in CRC32 mode all files were checked correctly). Fixed

• Text Log test: increased speed for "string" and "simple expression" search modes
• Text Log test: implemented new "expression" search mode, supported expressions like
  ('%data%' csvfield 2) + ('%data%' csvfield 4) > 100
  ('%data%' tsvfield 2 > 50) and ('%data%' tsvfield 4 > 160)
  ('%data%' getword 1 == 'error') and ('%data%' getnumber 1 >= 500)
  
  
• Compare Files test: increased speed
  
• File Integrity test: increased speed for all modes (CRC32, MD5, SHA256, SHA512)

• HostMonitor and RMA for Windows: faster Text Log test method
• HostMonitor and RCC: corrections for "same scale for all charts" option (multi-test history dialog)

• HostMonitor: minor GUI improvements
• HostMonitor and RMA: minor Synology Health test adjustments
• HostMonitor and RMA: some IMAP and LDAP tests related corrections (e.g. test could show "No answer" status instead of "Unknown host" status)
• Passive and Active RMA for Windows: reduced CPU usage in application mode, especially on Windows 10 systems (as usually service mode is preferred when high load is expected)
• Web Service: several corrections related to Network Map pane

  Log Analyzer improvements:

• TXT, HTML and ODBC logs analyzing about 5-10% faster
• DBF log files analyzing about 30% faster
• Full screen chart about 10% faster
• Reports with charts about 30% faster
• Log Analyzer uses PNG images instead of GIF image files

• Temperature Monitor test: in some cases HostMonitor could not get data from Sensatronics EM1 devices using "all probes" test mode. Fixed
• Remote Exec and Remote Kill actions: HostMonitor did not resolve variables in "hostname" field. Fixed
• Fixed issues related to System Info feature (some data collected by RMA agents could not be parsed by HostMonitor)

  HostMonitor improvements:

• Send message to pager (SNPP) action supports SSL/TLS connections
• minor GUI improvements
• minor performance improvements

• HostMonitor version 12.20-12.24 could get wrong credentials from Connection Manager when tests performed by RMA agents. Fixed
• If you are using Service tests with "Alert when some Auto services are not running" and "Skip services" options, then in some cases "Start service" action could not start some of stopped services. Fixed

  HostMonitor tests improvements:

• NTP/SNTP test: in some cases test could set Bad status without explanation. New version will show problem description in Reply field. E.g. "clock not synchronized" error message means the host's NTP service is not synchronized to any remote server (HostMonitor can show such Bad status even if time is correct, so far)
• Drive Free Space: minor improvements for "Import from text file" procedure

• HostMonitor and RCC: "Same scale for all charts" option available when you open "History" dialog for several test items and set Performance mode
• LogAnalyzer: about 10% analysis speed increase
• WatchDog: now application uses the same scale for tests, actions and logging charts (unless there are big difference in results). E.g. If maximum 40 tests/sec, 5 actions/sec and 10 records/sec were performed during displayed time interval then WatchDog will set scale for all 3 charts to 50. If 290 tests/sec and 25 actions/sec were performed, then tests chart scale will be set to 300; actions charts scale to 50

• HostMonitor version 12.20 and 12.21 could work incorrectly with Backup Active RMA agents when "Load balancing 50/50" mode used. Fixed
• RMA Manager: in rare cases it could set wrong status when you import RMA agent settings from CSV file. Fixed

  Performance

HostMonitor: new version uses less CPU and can perform more tests. In some extreme cases (high load on multi-core CPU systems) you may see up to 5 times less CPU usage; up to 1000 tests/sec can be performed.
Other improvements help to perform more test probes when test items depend on many master tests.

Passive RMA agents (for Windows): on high load new version may use 10-20% less CPU time in application mode; up to 30% less CPU load in service mode (as usually for better performance use service mode).

Active RMA agents (for Windows): on high load new version may use 30% less CPU time in application mode; up to 50% less CPU load in service mode (as usually for better performance use service mode).


  New performance related options

Test threads limit [N]
This new option replaces "Do not start more than [N] tests per second". Now you set limit for total number of threads used for test execution while HostMonitor will decide how many tests can be started at any given moment. Actually its not firm limit, in some cases HostMonitor may start additional threads (e.g. some tests need a lot of time to provide results).

Up to [N] tests/sec for Active RMA
Sets limit for requests from HostMonitor to ActiveRMA agents



In some cases 20 threads is enough to perform 300 tests per second; in other cases you need 100 threads just for 50 tests/sec (depends on test methods, test settings, speed of your LAN or internet connection and so on).
After update we recommend to let HostMonitor run for some time (at least 10 minutes) and then use Auditing Tool to check for possible problems. It may recommend increasing thread limit or limit related to Active RMA agents.


  Auditing Tool

As usually software speed and CPU load depends on many factors, e.g. 400 fast Ping tests every second can be considered as medium load; while 100 URL or Dominant Process tests per second can be considered as high load. That's why new Auditing Tool collects more data, checks more parameters and can provide better recommendations based on your actual settings.
Also new version shows average load (tests/sec) separately for HostMonitor itself, Passive RMA agents and Active RMA agents.




  Minor HostMonitor and RCC GUI improvements


  The following issues were resolved

- If some test performed by RMA agent then "Execute by test performer" option always started corresponding action using primary RMA agent
  (even if test was performed by Backup agent). Fixed
- In some cases Registry test on Windows 10 system could lead to handles and memory leakage. Fixed

- Improved Web Service
- 12 new test methods
- 7 new actions
- 4 improved test methods
- Automatic backups
- New authentication option for Remote Control Console
- Remote Monitoring Agent (RMA) for Rasberry PC Pi4


  New "Network map" pane (Web Service)

Web Service may group all tests related to the same host, set links between different hosts depending on HostMonitor-RMA and Master-Dependants relations and display HostMonitor, RMA agents and all hosts on interactive map.
youtube demo 



Gravity and Spiral. Web Service may set initial positions for the elements using "Gravity" and "Spiral" algorithms. Spiral works much faster so we recommend this method when you are monitoring thousands of hosts. Actually you may use both methods - init entire WAN map using Spiral algorithm, then select some part of the map (e.g. click on RMA agent to select agent and all hosts monitored by this agent) and apply Gravity algorithm for this LAN.
Note: Spiral algorithm will reset entire map, while Gravity algorithm may work with entire map or selected subset (e.g. RMA agent with hosts or Master test with dependent items).
When you click on Gravity button, button caption changes to "Stabilize/Stop" and you may click it again when map looks "good enough" without waiting for algorithm to complete.

Then you may manually adjust position of any element (standard drag&drop). If you drag master item and hold the button depressed, interface will rearrange dependant items using Gravity algorithm; release mouse button to stop this process at any time.

Rotate left / Rotate right - these buttons may work with entire map or with selected segments (just like Gravity button).
Undo and Redo buttons help to fix mistakes.
Zoom - use mouse wheel to zoom in / zoom out.

Background images
You may set comment, load background image (select image from drop-down list and click "Set map background" button), then save map settings using Save or SaveAs buttons.
Some background samples located in WebService\mapsbg\ folder, images based on data provided by OpenStreetMap (http://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright). You can create your own images to fit your company standards and copy files into this folder.

Items
Item color depends on status of all tests related to the host. E.g. green means all tests have "good" status (and may be some disabled tests); yellow means there are some tests with "unknown" status; pink - warning tests; red - there are some "bad" tests; orange - there are some "bad", "warning" or "unknown" items, all of them acknowledged; grey - all tests disabled.
Size of the item depends on number of tests related to the host.

Click on the host (right mouse button) and you will see test items related to the host: test name, last reply and average reply value. Then you may select test and use popup menu (right mouse click again) to enable, pause, resume test, acknowledge test status, check quick log, check performance history and so on.


  Improved Top Hosts pane (Web service)

WebService may adjust long test names trying to fit text in the window, for example it can display "C: on server5" instead of full test name "Free Disk Space C: on server5"

Added new groups:
- System: Hottest system/CPU	QNAP, Synology, NetApp, Cisco, Juniper and HP iLO Temperature tests
- HDD: Highest disk load	Synology Disk Load and Windows Performance Counter ('% Disk Time') tests
- UPS: Highest load	UPS Load tests
- UPS: Highest temperature	UPS Temperature tests
- UPS: Lowest charge level	UPS Charge tests
Improved groups:
- HDD: Hottest disk	includes QNAP Temperature, Synonoly Temperature and HDD Smart tests

  New test methods (HostMonitor/RMA for Windows)

- WebDav Free Space	Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) protocol provides a framework for users to create, change and move documents on a server. WebDAV servers are frequently deployed with quota (size) limitations. This test method checks amount (or percentage) of free space and may trigger alerts when free space falls below specified limit
- SIP	monitors target servers using Session Initiation Protocol requests over UDP, TCP or TCP+TLS protocols
The following test methods check health of F5 BIG-IP network devices using SNMP protocol
- Big-IP Health	checks overall health: status of the disks, power supply status, fans status, failover and sync statuses
- Big-IP Temperature	checks chassis, CPU, blade temperature sensors, sets Bad status when temperature exceeds specified limit
- Big-IP Statistics	allows to checks various metrics, like - Current connections - SSL connections - Connections/sec - Dropped packets ratio - HTTP requests/sec - HTTP errors ratio - HTTP Cache hits ratio - DNS requests/sec and much more
- Big-IP Free Space	this test may check several drives on target system and find drive with minimum free space or drive with minimal percentage of free space
- Big-IP CPU Usage	checks the percentage of CPU utilization
- Big-IP Memory	checks available memory on the device (Total, TTM memory, non-TTM, Swap)
The following test methods check health of Citrix Netscaler network devices using SNMP protocol
- Netscaler Temperature	checks internal, CPU and auxiliary temperature sensors, sets Bad status when temperature exceeds specified limit
- Netscaler Statistics	allows to checks various metrics - Current connections - Connections/sec - SSL connections ratio - SSL cache hit ratio - SSL current queue size - HTTP requests/sec and more
- Netscaler CPU Usage	checks the percentage of CPU utilization; also it may check utilization of the hardware crypto chip (N3 chip, if installed)
- Netscaler Memory	checks amount or percentage of free memory on NetScaler device

  New actions (HostMonitor)

- Start program remotely	executes external program on remote system
- Kill process	kills process on local or remote system
- Slack message	sends a message to Slack messenger channel
- Viber message	sends a message to Viber client
- Hangouts chat	sends messages into Google Hangouts chat
- Microsoft Teams	sends a message to Microsoft Teams channel
- Telegram message	sends a message to Telegram messenger chat

  New variables (HostMonitor)

New variables:
- %Reply_AsIS%
- %LastReply_AsIS%
- %SuggestedReply_AsIS%

  Automatic Backups (HostMonitor)

HostMonitor may create backup copies of all data files once a day and/or once a week; keep last N daily and/or weekly copies; remove old archives, start actions when backup procedure failed, etc.
You may adjust backup options or restore settings from archive using menu File->Backup options (you should use user account with "backup/restore operations" permission; by default only admin account has such permission, you may adjust account settings and permissions using menu User->Operators).
Also HostMonitor may backup your VB and Java scripts, HostMonitor script files (.HMS, .VBS, .JS, .PS1, .CMD, .BAT files). If you are using some external scripts for tests or actions, we recommend storing them in Scripts subfolder within HostMonitor data folder (e.g. C:\ProgramData\HostMonitor\Scripts\).
Note: compression and encryption for archives will be implemented soon.
youtube demo 


  Windows authentication (HostMonitor/RCC)

Now you may set "HM or Win authentication" status to user accounts (operators). In such case remote RCC operator may choose "Windows authentication" option and connect to HostMonitor without providing username/password. Windows authentication mode can be used when HostMonitor and RCC started on domain systems (not workgroup).
Note: in order to use Windows authentication mode while HostMonitor running as service you should set user account for the service using Windows "Services" applet (do not set user account using HostMonitor Options dialog).
Windows account on HostMonitor side can be specified as domain\user or just user (in case of single domain). E.g. if operator logged in to Windows system and started RCC under "DOMAIN1\manager123" name, then either "DOMAIN1\manager123" or "manager123" operator account should be created on HostMonitor side (User->Operators)


  RMA

Remote Monitoring Agent (RMA) for Rasberry PC Pi4 (Ubuntu)

• URL test with "download frames" option could miss IFRAME tags. Fixed
• DNS test did not work in TCP mode. Fixed
• Memory test for Linux
  Net-SNMP-Libs starting from version 5.7.2-43 on RedHat/CentOS/Fedora systems sets memAvailReal counter to the available memory while older versions of Net-SNMP sets this counter to amount of the free memory.
  New HostMonitor/RMA checks Net-SNMP version and adjust calculations depending on version, this way Memory test should work properly for any system with Net-SNMP version below 5.7.2 and above 5.7.2 (e.g. 5.7.3). Unfortunately SNMP agent does not provide full version so it's impossible to determine behavior for 5.7.2.xx subversions, however HostMonitor should be able to get correct data in most cases using any Net-SNMP 5.7.2.xx (in same cases it will not be 100% accurate)
• Service test, "Alert when some Auto services not running" testing mode: in some rare cases it could set Unknown status with "not found" error message. Fixed

• sometimes it could drop connection to HostMonitor (and then reconnect). Fixed