/configheartbeatgroupoptions.htm" />

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Defines the default monitoring parameters of computers in a group, such as the required ping success rate. To set the heartbeat options for a group, simply select the group and choose "Heartbeat Options" in the context menu or ribbon.

 

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All settings that are defined on this dialog serve as an initial default for all computers in the group. As soon as you configure (=override) the options for any particular computer individually, these settings will no longer apply to this computer.

 

Default Group Database

A default database action can be assigned to a group, which can then be dynamically referenced in a package. This makes it possible to configure a separate database for each group and have agents dynamically utilize that database without requiring a duplication of packages.

 

Advanced Options

Only check agent status or TCP ports if ping successful: If this feature is activated and a monitored host is not reachable through PINGs, then the heartbeat agent will not attempt to check the agent status and/or TCP status, assuming that the host is down. The agent or TCP status of the host will then change to an UNKNOWN status.

 

Require X attempts before error: When activated requires that a monitored feature (ping, agent or TCP port) be down for X times before an error is written to the event log. Please note that information reflected in the Web Reports is not affected by this setting, status changes will always be reflected in the Web Reports immediately.

 

Repeat Failed Hosts (2nd Attempt): After all hosts have been checked and it is determined that one or more services failed, then those failed services will be retried. If the 2nd scan is successful, then no error will be logged (not even to the database).

 

Ping Options

To enable monitoring through PING, check the Ping Hosts check box. You can then customize how ICMP packets are sent:

 

Packet Count: How many packets to send, default are 4.

Packet Size: The payload size of outgoing packets, default are 32 bytes.

Required Success Rate: The percent of packets need to be acknowledged for a PING to be considered successful.

Maximum Roundtrip time: The minimum required average round trip time before the status changes to error.

 

Collect ping stats for trending: Logs the round-trip time and packet loss percentage of ICMP packets to the database. The data is available under "Network - Response Times" in the web reports.

 

Agent Options

Check this box to monitor the EventSentry agent on the remote computers. If the current service state is anything other than Running, then the agent status changes to "Error".

 

Starting with v3.3, EventSentry uses two methods to obtain the agent status from a remote host when the collector is disabled, three if the collector is enabled. Only if a previous method fails or is unavailable, will the heartbeat monitor move on try the next method.

 

1.Collector Enabled: The heartbeat monitor communicates directly with the (local) collector to determine the agent status of a remote host. Note: Requires the collector to be installed on the same host as the heartbeat monitor.

2.Database: Queries the database to determine the status of a remote host. Note: Requires that a Software/Hardware inventory package is assigned, and that the "Refresh Uptime" option is set to the lowest interval.

3.Direct: The Heartbeat service connects directly to the SCM (Service Control Manager) of the remote host and queries the "EventSentry" service.

 

Important information regarding authentication

 

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If determining the remote agent status via collector and database fail, then connecting directly to the remote host is the only option for getting the EventSentry agent status. This approach however requires that the heartbeat monitor has sufficient privileges to query the remote host.

 

By default, the EventSentry heartbeat monitor service runs under the LocalSystem account, which only has limited access on remote computers. As such, if you intend to monitor the EventSentry agent status with the heartbeat monitor and have set authentication for a folder or computer, then you should make sure that the EventSentry Heartbeat Monitor service runs under the same account under which the authentication credentials have been set.

 

In a nutshell, if you are logged into the server where EventSentry was installed as user JoeAdmin and set authentication in the management console on one or more groups, then you should make sure that the EventSentry heartbeat monitor is also running under the JoeAdmin user account. Only then can the heartbeat service use that authentication information.

 

TCP Options

Verify whether one or more TCP ports are listening or not. You can manage the list by clicking the Edit Services ... button.

 

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To monitor one or more ports simply select the port from the list on the left (you can select multiple ports by pressing and holding the CTRL button on your keyboard) and click the --> arrow button. To remove one or more ports, click the <-- button. If a port is not listed in the list on the left, enter it manually into the edit field on the bottom left.