Server monitoring is the process of using tools to monitor activities on your server. A server is used to store and process data that is requested by users, applications, or other devices. It is crucial to manage an organization’s servers properly in order to guarantee that they are all performing at the anticipated levels.
In this article, we will talk about a few of the most popular kinds of server monitoring solutions on the market right now.
What are servers?
Servers are PCs (or programs) that administer software services for other networked devices or computers. The computer receives commands from the client computers or devices and executes commands in response. These duties may include supplying content, handling data, or carrying out computations. Web services are software services that may be accessed on any internet-connected computer, and certain servers are devoted to hosting them.
What is Server Monitoring?
Server monitoring is the procedure of examining and assessing both physical and virtual servers to obtain insight into their activities, with an emphasis on processes as a whole as well as availability, operations, performance, and security. In this manner, KPIs may be monitored by IT managers and administrators, allowing them to identify and address hazards before they become clusters and cause problems for the companies.
Why is server monitoring important?
#1. To review website performance:
Among the most crucial components of any company’s IT infrastructure are servers. Customers may choose to visit another website if a server is down, operating slowly, or experiencing outages, as this can negatively impact website performance. Accounting files and customer records are examples of critical corporate data that may be jeopardized if an internal file server is producing errors.
#2. To test for response:
Server monitoring keeps an eye on your systems and delivers several important operational indicators. Generally speaking, accessibility (ensuring that the server is up and reachable) and reaction time (ensuring that it is operating quickly enough to satisfy users) are tested by server monitoring software. Moreover, it notifies users of security breaches, faulty or missing files, and other problems.
#3. To predict data in real-time:
Good server monitoring can also be predictive, informing users when disk capacity will be reached and whether memory or CPU consumption is about to be throttled. It is feasible to determine whether a server’s performance is deteriorating over time and even forecast when a total crash might happen by analyzing past data.
How does server monitoring work?
Server monitoring tools replace the need for this human labor by continuously gathering system data throughout your whole IT infrastructure. This way, administrators can easily identify when specific metrics are above or below thresholds, allowing them to anticipate server and security issues and provide context for issues they encounter.
Additionally, server monitoring solutions automatically alert you in the event that a severe system error is detected. This helps administrators address problems quickly, even after regular business hours, to avoid unpleasant shocks on Monday mornings.
What are the 3 types of monitoring?
#1. On-premises/traditional software-based systems:
These are based on software that you install on hardware that you own and use internally. This is a standard software strategy, typically with a high upfront cost and a maintenance contract that allows for continuous vendor support.
On-premises software installations can be complicated, time-consuming, and prone to errors because every installation environment is different. On-premises software, however, may provide greater customization choices and control over data storage locations, which can be helpful for filing reports with regulatory bodies.
#2. Cloud/SaaS systems:
These are monitoring systems that can only be set up and controlled online. Systems can be started and installed quickly—sometimes in a matter of hours—because no software needs to be installed directly within the user’s infrastructure. Although cloud services offer a great deal of flexibility, they frequently give users less direct control over personalization and customization. Subscription-based cloud-based monitoring software is available for purchase, and unlike on-premises systems, many cloud monitoring providers do not demand long-term commitments, making entry easier and lowering risk.
#3. Mobile systems:
These solutions, as their name suggests, provide mobile access to server monitoring data via a smartphone or tablet. There are situations when the functionality of a mobile device is less than that of a regular PC. There is a mobile monitoring option available for most cloud-based services and a few on-premises systems.
What are the four categories of network monitoring?
Let’s examine four types of network monitoring that can offer the precise amount of insight that a business needs.
#1. Availability monitoring
The easiest method for network teams to determine whether a device is up and running is through availability monitoring. Certain solutions for monitoring availability do more than just keep track of whether a device is fully online or offline. This category frequently includes specific interface status messages and hardware checks for network devices.
#2. Configuration monitoring
For individuals in charge of traditional network components that make use of local configuration files, configuration monitoring checks are crucial. From an IT security and performance standpoint, it is imperative to have automated tools that can compare identically configured devices for errors.
Usually, these programs take a device configuration file’s command-line output and compare it to other files on the network that carry out comparable functions. To make sure that every network component is configured to function the same way, network teams might look into variations in settings.
#3. Performance monitoring
Although there are some similarities between performance and network availability monitoring, there are also significant variations between the two.
Monitoring availability is primarily focused on the state of operation of the network infrastructure’s individual components. This is also done through health monitoring but with a focus on the performance experience of the end user. Performance monitoring thus concentrates more on suboptimal path selection, latency, and network consumption.
#4. Cloud infrastructure monitoring
Network monitoring technologies used on corporate networks can be transferred to private and public cloud instances. Nonetheless, a lot of cloud service providers come with a built-in set of tools for network monitoring. Although consumers can usually obtain these cloud monitoring tools for free, they aren’t usually able to be integrated with other third-party solutions that businesses already use.
Which tool is used for server monitoring?
In this section, we’ll discuss some of the best server monitoring programs or software and their standout features.
#1. Sematext Monitoring
With Sematext, you may get all the information you require in one convenient location for server monitoring. Segmatext can monitor your servers, apps, multi-cloud stacks, or any combination of the aforementioned.
Sematext gathers all the necessary server-related metrics, such as:
- CPU
- Memory, Disk usage
- IO
- Network load
- Custom metrics
- and a whole lot more
Furthermore, it keeps track of every server process, version of every system package, installations and uninstalls, and more.
#2. Prometheus and Grafana
Prometheus and Grafana are highly used for server monitoring purposes. Grafana allows you to use those metrics to create beautiful dashboards, but sending metrics to Prometheus requires installing a number of data-gathering agents known as exporters.
Grafana and Prometheus both provide server monitoring alerts, and there are other channel connectors available, such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, PagerDuty, and a few more.
They offer a powerful open-source combination that gives you a lot of freedom and a backend that offers first-rate server performance monitoring.
Pros
- Free and open-source, with a sizable support network for open-source software
- Support for both push and pull metric scraping models and automatic service discovery
- Custom metrics are supported, and there are a plethora of exporters available to import metrics from various sources into Prometheus.
Cons
- Managing Prometheus instances is difficult and time-consuming; there is an operating cost if your employees are not familiar with the tool.
- Configuring and maintaining Prometheus exporters by hand is required.
- Graphs and warnings require manual configuration.
#3. SolarWinds Server & Application Manager
SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor is a trustworthy virtual server monitoring service for settings that are hybrid, on-premise, or cloud-based. It provides an understanding of both your application performance metrics and server usage information, depending on your scenario.
The solution is an excellent choice for monitoring your complete infrastructure, not just your servers. Automatic server service monitoring, remote server monitoring, health monitoring, application monitoring, inventory monitoring, and process monitoring are among its features. With 1,200+ dashboards and alarms, you get coverage for databases, applications, and containers right out of the box.
Pros
- It offers end-to-end monitoring support with correlated metrics.
- It offers automatic service discovery and application dependency mapping.
- It provides support and recommendations for server capacity planning.
Cons
- There is no anomaly detection for alerts.
- There is no support for identity federation with LDAP.
- Generic and limited reporting filters in the dashboard
#4. Dynatrace
Dynatrace is a complete server monitoring solution that is offered in on-site and software-as-a-service (SaaS) modes. Most of your monitoring requirements should be satisfied by Dynatrace since it can monitor server logs and server metrics.
Configuring Dynatrace is comparatively simple; in a matter of minutes, your data may be streamed into stunning dashboards, providing you with detailed information about the CPU, memory, and network health of your servers, right down to the process level.
Furthermore, Dynatrace’s ability to provide network information unique to individual processes is one of its fascinating features. It employs artificial intelligence to automatically comprehend the details of your complete application architecture, including the assessment of availability and performance concerns, in addition to monitoring your servers.
Pros
- It has an on-premises version available.
- It offers an all-in-one platform with support for infrastructure, application performance, business analytics, and cloud automation.
- It offers AI-powered anomaly detection and alerts.
Cons
- It has some limited dashboard functionalities.
- It is complex to use and needs additional training.
#5. Datadog
Datadog is a server monitoring system for your network, logs, apps, and infrastructure. Datadog’s ability to offer a unified monitoring view with connected metrics related to server log discovery and traces is one of its most notable features. When troubleshooting server performance difficulties, this feature comes in handy. For instance, by keeping an eye on server metrics in addition to application data, you can find hidden latency causes like crowded databases or overworked hosts.
Pros
- It offers support for log aggregation and analytics.
- It offers support for anomaly detection and alerts.
- It offers support for custom metrics and custom Datadog integrations.
Cons
- Complex to use; can be overwhelming for new users
- It has limited log analytics due to a lack of support for JSON log processing.
#6. New Relic
New Relic provides you with comprehensive information about your whole infrastructure in one place. With just a few clicks, you can explore a line of inquiry and discover exactly how everything links with New Relic, one of the more recent monitoring solutions that was introduced with a stronger focus on server and container monitoring. New Relic gathers all of your linked metrics into one data plane.
It can integrate and support a wide range of systems, including Prometheus, Kubernetes, AWS, Azure, GCP, MySQL, NGINX, Apache Kafka, Apache Cassandra, and many more, thanks to its open and adaptable integration framework.
Pros
- It supports correlated metrics.
- It has proactive anomaly detection and alerts.
- It has integrations available for leading cloud providers and support for open standards.
Cons
- Not a self-hosted alternative
- Steep learning curve
- Reduced authority over the handling of alerts
- Pricing structure based on data and user charges
#7. ManageEngine OpManager
ManageEngine OpManager is a simple and affordable server monitoring tool that lets you track and report on VoIP performance on your servers while offering tips and advice on how to improve it.
Additionally, you receive monitoring support for any physical device, including servers, switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, printers, and storage devices, that has an IP address and a network connection.
ManageEngine OpManager provides thorough network analytics and control while continuously monitoring your network. ManageEngine OpManager is an excellent choice if network monitoring is a top priority for your company, particularly if it is telco-based.
Pros
- It offers end-to-end network monitoring.
- It provides monitoring for physical devices, e.g., routers and switches.
- It monitors and troubleshoots VoIP performance.
Cons
- There is no cloud-based SaaS version available.
- It does not have application performance monitoring or network correlation.
#8. AppDynamics
AppDynamics is an observability platform that gives you the information you need to monitor server performance and applications, speeding up your digital transformation. It helps you see the whole picture of how your cloud investments are supporting business by allowing you to spot application server performance issues that could affect business performance, along with connected server and application metrics.
Pros
- It offers a correlation between application performance metrics and server and network performance metrics.
- It provides anomaly detection and alerts.
Cons
- It needs a steep learning curve for advanced features.
- It has inadequate tutorials and documentation.
- Self-hosted version is not available
#9. Sensu Go
Sensu Go is a server monitoring platform that enables you to fill the gaps in monitoring the visibility of correlations between metrics, logging, and tracing. It also supports server performance metrics. Sensu may be easily integrated with other monitoring tools, like Nagios, StatsD, Telegraf, Prometheus, and others.
Furthermore, the capability of Sensu Go to provide monitoring as a code is one of its primary benefits. It enables you to design tests, carry out version control, update, and review in a suitable GitOps manner, as well as define monitoring workflows using declarative configuration files shared with team members.
Pros
- It offers support for all leading cloud providers.
- It can be integrated with existing monitoring platforms like Prometheus, Nagios, and others that support open standards.
Cons
- It lacks documentation and support for community plugins.
- It has a complex UI that needs a learning curve to manage.
#10. Nagios XI
Nagios XI is an all-inclusive program for keeping an eye on business networks and servers. Built on top of the open-source version, Nagios XI, the corporate edition of the software offers greater capabilities and requires less time for management. Nagios is primarily concerned with network traffic, application performance, and server metrics. Agents are deployed on the components it monitors as well as the network elements to gather data.
Pros
- It offers support for network-related components like routers and switches.
- It is customizable and supports custom metrics.
- It supports monitoring for both Windows and Linux servers.
Cons
- It has a limited set of default dashboards.
- It has a complex UI; the configuration is not very user-friendly.
How to know a good Server Monitoring Tool
You should evaluate these crucial server monitoring features while looking at a server monitoring tool:
#1. Coverage:
Does the tool support every type of server used by your company, including cloud and on-premises servers (hardware and software)? Is it ready for any new server kinds that your company might use in the future?
#2. Intelligent alert management:
Is it simple to configure thresholds to set up alerts and initiate them? How are notifications sent out? Do mobile users come into play here?
#3. Intelligence for root-cause investigations:
Does the tool tell you that something went wrong without providing context, or does it use logic or AI techniques to help you figure out why a problem has occurred?
#4. Usability:
Does the system have an easy-to-use dashboard that facilitates event monitoring, triage, and prompt problem-solving?
#5. Support policy:
How simple is it to contact technical support when you need assistance?
What are the objectives of server monitoring?
Server monitoring can have different objectives and track different key performance indicators (KPIs) based on the type of server, but the primary objective of server monitoring is always to protect the server from possible failure that would interrupt service availability.
How do I set up server monitoring?
There are five basic processes for setting up monitoring servers:
#1. Identify the most important KPI.
The first step in server monitoring is deciding what data you want to get from each server. Here, your choices are based on how well your business’s server functions. Performance and availability are two possible choices for crucial application server metrics. You might think that response times and capacity are the most crucial aspects of a web server. You might concentrate on the dependability, throughput, and latency of a database server.
#2. Set baseline KPI values.
The next step is to assess each service’s performance—or lack thereof—on each key performance indicator (KPI) after you’ve decided which KPIs are most crucial. This first assessment will serve as a benchmark for the services’ future performance.
#3. Configure data collection and analysis.
You should set up a server monitoring program to gather information from the servers that are deployed in your cloud environment. Through the streaming of event logs or log files, server monitoring keeps tabs on what’s going on on the servers. Errors, user activity, and security events that take place on the server are all detailed in log files.
A server monitoring tool keeps tabs on operating system KPIs, including disk performance, networking connectivity, CPU and memory availability, and server health.
#4. Set up simple and specific alerts.
Your data collection and analysis are set up. Developing an alert system to inform you and your team when KPIs drop below-predetermined levels is the next stage.
#5. Prepare to respond.
Establishing policies and procedures is the last step in managing incidents. Who bears the responsibility of solving problems? In what way do you react to an alert? Which alert types need to be responded to? Prior to deciding how your business will handle notifications, it would be beneficial if you could respond to these queries.
What is Windows Server monitoring?
Windows Server Monitoring is used to describe the procedure of continuously monitoring a Windows server for operational and performance data. It assists in the tracking, administration, and automated rectification of performance problems with Windows servers that are installed on-site, off-site, or in a cloud data center.
Conclusion
To maintain the proper operation of your applications, server monitoring is necessary. It is vital to have a thorough understanding of the state of your server and how it affects your architecture. In actuality, running an internal monitoring system is costly and comes with a significant operational overhead that is commonly overlooked. However, it can save you a lot of money by debugging quickly.
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