System Check

Monitor > System Check

The System Check page creates system check alerts for managed machines. An alert is a response to an alarm condition. System checks are performed on managed machines that don't have agents installed on them. Such machines are called external systems. A machine with an agent is assigned the task of performing the system check on the external system. A system check typically determines whether an external system is available or not. Types of system checks include: web server, DNS server, port connection, ping, and custom.

To Create a System Check Alert

1. Check any of the last three checkboxes to perform their corresponding actions when an alarm is triggered for a system check.
   • Create Alarm - This is always checked. System check alarms are enabled when an system check alert is defined on this page.
   • Create Ticket
   • Run Script after alarm.
   • Email Recipients
2. Set additional email parameters.
3. Set additional system-check parameters. You may check multiple systems using the same machine ID.
4. Check the machine IDs to apply the alert to.
5. Click the Apply button.

To Cancel a System Check Alert

1. Select the machine ID checkbox.
2. Click the Clear button.

   The alert information listed next to the machine ID is removed.

Passing System Check Alert Information to Emails and Scripts

The following variables are populated with information when a system check alarm is triggered. These variables can be referenced by any email you send or script you run in response to the triggering of a system check alarm.

Apply

Click Apply to apply alarm parameters to selected machine IDs. Confirm the information has been applied correctly in the machine ID list.

Clear

Click Clear to remove all alarm parameters from selected machine IDs.

Create Alarm

The Create Alarm check box is always checked. This creates an alarm for any external system that exceeds its alarm threshold.

Create Ticket

If checked a new ticket is generated at the same time the alarm is created and associated with the alarm.

Run Script after alarm

If checked, a script is run when an alarm is triggered. You must click the select script link to choose a script to run. You can optionally direct the script to run on a specified range of machine IDs by clicking the this machine ID link. These specified machine IDs do not have to match the machine ID that triggered the alarm.

Email Recipients

If checked, alert emails are sent to the specified email addresses.

• The email address of the currently logged in administrator displays in this field. It defaults from the System > Preferences.
• Click Format Email to display the Format Alert Email popup window. This window enables you to format the display of emails generated by the system when an alarm is triggered.
• If the Add to current list radio option is selected, when Apply is clicked alert settings are applied and the specified email addresses are added to selected machine IDs without removing previously assigned email addresses.
• If the Replace list radio option is selected, when Apply is clicked alert settings are applied and the specified email addresses replace the existing email addresses assigned to machine IDs.
• If Removed is clicked, all email addresses are removed from selected machine IDs without modifying any alert parameters.
• Email is sent directly from the KServer to the email address specified in the alert. The SMTP service in IIS sends the email directly to the address specified. Set the From Address using the System > Configurete page.

System Check Parameters

Select a system check type:

• Web Server - Enter a URL to poll at a selected time interval.
• DNS Server - Enter a DNS address, either a name or IP, to poll at a selected time interval.
• Port Connection - Enter an address, either a name or IP, to connect to and a port number to connect to at a selected time interval.
• Ping - Enter an address, either a name or IP, to ping at a selected time interval.
• Custom - Enter a path to a custom program with parameters to run at a selected time interval.

The following optional parameters display for all types of system checks:

• Every N Period - Enter the number of times to run this task each time period.
• Add - Add this system check to selected machine IDs.
• Replace - Add this system check to selected machine IDs and remove all existing system checks.
• Remove - Remove this system check from selected machine IDs.
• Only alarm when service continues to not respond for N periods after first failure detected - Suppresses the triggering of a system check alarm for a specified number of periods after the initial problem is detected, if N is greater than zero. This prevents triggering an alarm for a temporary problem.
• Ignore additional alarms for N periods - Suppresses the triggering of additional alarms for the same system check for a specified number of periods after the initial problem is reported, if N is greater than zero. This prevents reporting multiple alarms for the same problem.

Select All/Unselect All

Click the Select All link to check all rows on the page. Click the Unselect All link to uncheck all rows on the page.

Check-in status

These icons indicate the agent check-in status of each managed machine:

Agent has checked in

Agent has not recently checked in

Agent has never checked in

Online but waiting for first audit to complete

The agent is online but remote control is disabled

Delete

Click the delete icon to delete a system check.

Edit

Click a row's edit icon to populate header parameters with values from that row. You can edit these values in the header and re-apply them.

Machine ID.Group ID

The list of Machine ID.Group IDs displayed is based on the Machine ID / Group ID filter and the machine groups the administrator is authorized to see using System > Group Access.

ATSE

The ATSE alarm / response code assigned to machine IDs or SNMP devices:

• A = Create Alarm
• T = Create Ticket
• S = Run Script
• E = Email Recipients

Email Address

A comma separated list of email addresses where notifications are sent.

Type

The type of system check:

• Web Server
• DNS Server
• Port Connection
• Ping
• Custom

Interval

The interval for the system check to recur.

Duration

The number of periods the system check alarm is suppressed, after the initial problem is detected. This prevents triggering an alarm for a temporary problem.

ReArm

The number of periods the triggering of additional system check alarms are suppressed, after the initial problem is reported. This prevents reporting multiple alarms for the same problem.

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