Example: getting an Email Alert when the web server fails

This example shows how to set up monitoring for your web server so that an email alert is sent when the web server fails, or when web content is not available.

First, you need to set up the monitors for your web server. Then, create an email action and assign it to the monitors.

Setting up monitors for a web server and creating an email action that is assigned to monitors:

1. Open device properties for your web server device (right-click a web server device, then click Properties). The Device Properties dialog opens.
2. Click Active Monitors. The Active Monitors dialog opens.
3. Click Add. The Select Active Monitor Type dialog opens.
4. Use the following dialogs to add the HTTP active monitor to your web server device. This monitor checks that HTTP (port 80) is active.
   1. On the Select Active Monitor Type screen, select HTTP, then click Next. The Set Polling Properties dialog opens.
   2. Leave the default settings selected (Enable polling for this Active Monitor and Use default network interface, then click Next. The Setup Actions for Monitor State Changes dialog opens.
   3. Select Apply individual actions, then click Add. The Select or Create Action dialog opens.
   4. Select Create a new action, then click Next. The Select Action Type dialog opens.
   5. In the Select the actions type to create list, select E-Mail Action, then click Next. The Select State Change dialog opens.
   6. Select the Down option in the Execute the action on the following state change list, then click Finish. The New Email Action dialog opens.
   7. Enter the information as shown:

   8. Click Mail Content. The following information is included in the Edit Mail Content dialog and can be customized as required:

   9. Click OK to save changes and return to the previous screen. Click OK again to return to the Setup Actions for Monitor State Changes screen, then click Finish.

Setting up an HTTP Content active monitor with an email alert:

1. Open device properties for your web server device (right-click the same web server device you used for the email alert, then click Properties). The Device Properties dialog opens.
2. Click Active Monitors. The Active Monitors dialog opens.
3. Click Add. The Select Active Monitor Type dialog opens.
4. Use the same process to add the HTTP Content active monitor. This monitor checks that the web server returns valid content in response to an HTTP request.
   1. On the Select Active Monitor Type screen, select HTTP Content, then click Next. The Set Polling Properties dialog opens.
   2. Leave the default settings selected (Enable polling for this Active Monitor and Use default network interface, then click Next. The Setup Actions for Monitor State Changes dialog opens.
   3. Select Apply individual actions, then click Add. The Select or Create Action dialog opens.
   4. Select Select an action from the Action Library, then click Next. The Select Action and State dialog opens.
   5. In the Select an action from th Action Library list, select MailtoWebmaster. In the Execute the actions on the following state change list, select Down, then click Finish to save the changes and return to the Setup Actions for Monitor State Changes screen.
   6. On the Select Action and State screen, select MailtoWebmaster, then click Finish to save the changes and return to the Setup Actions for Monitor State Changes dialog.
   7. Click Finish.

   The two active monitors and resulting email actions are now enabled. When the web server is down, HTTP active monitor will fail, triggering the email action, which sends an email message similar to the following:

Web1 is down on server: web1.YourDomain.com (192.168.5.5)

Details:

Monitors that are down include:

Monitors that are up include:

HTTP Content

Notes on this device (from device property page):

Lamar Bldg; 2nd floor

-----------------------

This mail was sent on 11/28/2007 at 15:34:01

Ipswitch WhatsUp Gold

If the web server could not return web content, the email action would report:

HTTP Content is down on server: web1.YourDomain.com (192.168.5.5)

along with any details or notes specified in the action.