Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of Tabcit
TabcitFlag for Afghanistan

asked on

Application that will email text when a server goes offline

Hello
I have a server that we moved to a virtual box . When it was on the physical server every night at some point . It loses connectivity and though I can remote into it from another workstation on the network . I figure this works because netbios name allows remote desktop even though  the server is off the Internet .

When I reboot the server Internet returns its a server 2003 which we are going to upgrade very soon.

Until I get this issue resolved I need some application that will alert me when it goes offline so I can go remote into the VMware server and restart the vmmachine.

I cant figure out for the life of me how there is no Internet on the box but I can remote into the server from another workstation . I do a renew release and no go only way to get it back up on the network is reboot
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of Ramakrishna Prabhu
Ramakrishna Prabhu
Flag of Malaysia image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of antlowe
antlowe

you could also go down the path of running a vbscript to do a ping of google.com
if it doesnt respond then either reboot or email you.

shouldnt be to hard to write up
Avatar of Jeffrey Kane - TechSoEasy
Why bother with installing a monitoring app when fixing the problem is probably easier???

Take a look at your system event logs and see if you have any RASLOG errors (Event ID's 20000 through 20101)

If so, you probably can just disable RAS by running the Remote Access Wizard found in the Server Management Console > Internet and Email section.  Only do this if you don't have users connecting to the network via VPN.

Jeff
TechSoEasy
Avatar of Tabcit

ASKER

Jeff
I agree . The long story is this server is where payroll is done and my immediate supervisor connects to. As life is most non tech people don't care why the server is down.
With that said what I did was image the server with into a vm machine just in case we lose the server entirely . We have the new  vm machine up and running I had to pay some one to help us get the vm machine connected to the right vlan
Next we plan to upgrade the current server from SBS 2003 to SBS 2008

But if th server goes down and I'm offsite I get phone calls because no one can work on site or remote. So I need a band aid solution while we troubleshoot the network.
In response to your post we have no vpn users its a school people use logmein. If I post the most current logs do you think you would know if it's the ras issue?

O
While you and jeff are working on the eventual solution. Try http://www.monitor.us/. This is a FREE cloud based monitoring solution. Just sign up and add a probe for your server. You will get notifications as specified. Perfect, cheap, low maintenance solution.

Good Luck!
Tabcit,

I agree with Jeff. I have seen these RASLOG errors many times before that make the server virtually not usable. It is resolvable but it does take some time and work to resolve. My recommendation would be to first post a .txt file of the event log for a few days-to see whats going on. Are you having any other issues on your server as well?

Just something to be careful-taking an image of an SBS server can cause a lot of issues. Active Directory can have major issues moving from one DC to another. It's definitely a risk-and I don't know if that would be considered a distaster recovery plan-that would be flawless by any means.

In an SBS environment because in most situations it's a one server shop-where it's running AD, DHCP, DNS, Exchange, Sharepoint, RRAS and FP. If it goes down-so does your business. Even by having a second domain controller, that does not fix anything, if you still can't access email or your FP. My recommendation would be again to get your SBS running well. Getting rid of these errors will cause it to run much better. I have SBS systems that are running on over 200 days (perhaps not completely advisable, but they run-all the time).

-Jared
Avatar of Tabcit

ASKER

wasiftoor,
The link you gave didn't work . Is there another address
Avatar of Tabcit

ASKER

Chesperito,
Thanks for the link. It's a little confusing . Can you help me just make one sensor that will alert me either email , text or both that if the server loses internet it will let me know?

I am under the gun and I am just not able to look through the all the bells and whistles.

Thanks again for the help.
Avatar of Tabcit

ASKER

The software is a little had to setup . But once our techs get it going it looks like it should be a good fit.