Tasks - Mail Server

Problem
Are users complaining that email (SMTP, IMAP, and POP3) is slow or totally down?

Solution
Stay one step ahead of the problem with Chroniker's TaskWatch, automatically send an e-mail, clock the round trip time, check to see if the email arrives and delete it afterward!

Create a Mail Server Task
Creating a Mail Server Task involves the following steps:

1. Define a Mail Server Task
2. Define Alerts
   1. Create Reactions
   2. Create Events
   3. Apply Events to Mail Server Task

Define a Mail Server Task

Click on Tools > Add New Monitor > Mail Task:

• Required Parameters
  
  1. Click on the Group drop down menu button and select a group from this list.
     
  2. Enter a unique Task Name. Use whichever naming convention is most useful to you.
     Example: Name of server and the e-mail address it is checking.
     
  3. Monitor From: If Chorniker Remote Location is used. Select a location where the task will be executed.
     
  4. User Global SMTP Server: Check the Global SMTP server box if you would like it to default to Chroniker's SMTP server.
     Example: You input the SMTP information upon installation or configure it through setup options.
     
  5. Sending Server Address: Type the Sending Mail Server host name.
     Example: mail.yoursmtpserver.com
     Note: If your SMTP server uses a non-standard port, then enter the host string as <host>:<port>
     e.g.: mail.example.com:987 or 10.0.0.177:67
     
     
  6. Sending Server User Name: Type the sending mail server user name if it is a secure mail server.
  7. Sending Server Password: Type in a sending mail server password if it is a secure mail server.
  8. From Email: Type the From E-mail Address.
     Example: steve_sutphin43@learningwerks.com.
     
  9. To Email: Type the To E-mail Address. This is the e-mail address that will receive the test e-mail to see how long it takes to receive e-mails.
     Example: info2@nrgglobal.com
     
  10. Wait Time: Type in the numeric wait time in seconds after the e-mail is sent, to see if it was received.
      Example: The lowest time set to wait should be 30 (thirty) seconds. We recommend 60-80.
      
  11. Receiving Protocol: Select the Receiving Protocol from the drop down list.
      Example: POP or IMAP.
      
  12. Receiving Server Address: Enter the host name or IP of the Receiving Mail Server.
      Example: If your SMTP server uses a non-standard port, then enter the host string as <host>:<port> e.g: mail.example.com:987 or 10.0.0.177:67
      
  13. Receiving Server User Name: Enter the User Name on the Receiving Mail Server side.
  14. Receiving Server Password: Enter the Password on the Receiving Mail Server side.
  15. Enter the host/server where the mail server resides. This field is used for Host Outages configurations. Please click here to know more about Host Outages.
• Events
  
  1. Click on Add Event button to create a new Event or apply a predefined Event to this task.
  2. Select Event Type from Type dropdown.
  3. Select a predefined Event from the dropdown list or select [Add New Event ..] from the dropdown to create a new Event.
     
     

     When selecting [Add New Event ..], Events form opens to create the new Event.
     
     After creating the new Event, you need to click on Add Event button one more time in Add Task form to see the new Event in the Events dropdown list.

• Description: Enter a meaningful description of the Task.
  
• Click on Submit to save the form or Reset to clear the form.

You have created a Mail Server Task that will send an e-mail when the event threshold you’ve set is exceeded. It is recommended that you create as many reactions and events as you need to monitor your systems and networks efficiently.

If you find that you are receiving e-mails constantly, edit the event’s threshold accordingly. Or make changes to the Mail Server so that it does operate under desired thresholds

Now that you have a basic Mail Server test setup you can graph, report and monitor the data you are collecting. You may also edit the appropriate scenario and or task to include profiles and other options.

Should you need further technical help on the topic of Mail Server monitoring with Chroniker’s TaskWatch module, feel free to contact NRG Global at: 1-626-478-2138 or e-mail: support@NRGglobal.com.