Network Monitoring FAQ
If your question is not answered here feel free to contact us and we will do our best to get you an answer quickly.
Table of Contents
Round Trip SMTP Monitor Set Up
What are the Basics?
We send you a test message and you forward it back to us at
mailive01@knowledgefront.com. We track the round trip time,
record any errors, and alert you to problems or delays.
Check out the features page for additional details.
What needs to be set-up on my server?
You will need to set up what is commonly known as an auto-forwarder or auto-responder. We have instructions for several of the most popular email servers:
- Exchange 2016
- Exchange 2013
- Exchange 2010
- Exchange 2007
- Exchange 2003
- Exchange 2000
- Exchange 5.5
- Lotus
- Groupwise
- Sendmail
Where are test emails sent from?
IPv4
- 71.5.105.197
- 69.164.206.119
IPv6
- 2604:180:1:2da::bce8
- 2600:3c00::f03c:91ff:fe26:654e
How are alerts triggered?
Rather than alert on individual message delay, this system’s unique alerting system is based on a period of inactivity. Every minute, the system checks the last time we heard from your server (by checking the Time Received in the Event History). Based on your Alert Timeout setting, a down alert is triggered if your Timeout period has been exceeded. As soon as we get a response (to any outstanding test message) the system recognizes that your system must be up, and will send an up alert. Adjusting your alert settings is a matter adjusting either your Test Frequency or your Alert Timeout - or both. If we send Test Messages more frequently, we should be receiving responses more frequently.
General Setup
When does the monitoring start working?
After saving a new monitor or changing the configuration of an existing monitor it may take up to 120 seconds for the configuration to propagate through the entire system. Because Knowledge Front's systems are distributed and can operate in an almost autonomous fashion there is a small delay pushing changes through the system.
Where do alerts come from?
E-email alerts are sent from alert@knowledgefront.com which is an unattended address. SMS and voice alerts are initiated from a pool of numbers. See alerting for more details.
Current number pool:
- +1 (952) 955-9678
- +1 (952) 314-5455
- +1 (952) 236-1477
How can I test alerting to make sure it is working?
Once an alert has been saved Test this alert button becomes available under the alert’s configuration page. Pressing this button will trigger both up and down messages and log the event in the system.
An alternate way to test the system is by changing the settings of the monitor to a known bad configuration to force an alert to trigger.
What types of monitors are available?
The Knowledge Front monitoring system is built to be extremely flexible. We are constantly working on improvements and adding new features. If the desired monitor is not listed here please contact us and let us know what you are looking for. We may be able to get something going in very little time.
Where are the distributed monitors located?
If you don’t see a region you would like to see covered contact us and we may be able to get something up and running in very little time.
- 71.5.105.198 - Minneapolis, MN
- 173.230.144.170 - Freemont, CA
- 69.164.206.119 - Dallas, TX
- 75.101.155.144 - Ashburn, VA
Are there any limits on how many people receive alerts?
No, there are currently no limits on how many destinations may be configured per alert.
How many alerts may be configured per monitor?
There are currently no restrictions to the number of alerts per monitor. See the next answer for why you may want multiple alerts per monitor.
Can I add multiple alerts?
Yes. It is common for clients to set-up a 10 minute alert to go to destination X, and a 30 minute alert to go to destination X, Y, and Z. This serves as an excellent escalation procedure.
Billing and Trial Period
How does the free trial period work?
For 30 days from the date of signup there will be no charge for full access to the system. There are no limitations or restrictions during the trial period. Feel free to add/remove monitors and test out the system to make sure it fits your needs. Even if you subscribe before the trial is over the billing period will not begin until the end of trial date.
How much does it cost?
- Round-trip SMTP Monitoring
- $360/year for each configured test.
- All other network monitoring
- $120/year
For multiple monitor discounts see Pricing
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept credit card or checks in USD and are great at processing Purchase Orders. Feel free to contact us if a quote or any other information is needed.