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Network monitoring conventionally entails tracking a network's data traffic in order to determine areas of congestion or to analyze hardware or application problems. Nagios and MRTG are useful, free monitoring utilities that operate under Linux and can be used to understand mixed-platform environments where UNIX and MS Windows both operate. Progent's system integration consultants can help you use both these products to optimize and troubleshoot your network.

Nagios Network Monitoring System
The Nagios monitoring application is a host/service monitor that runs with Linux or a UNIX variant. The Nagios daemon executes periodic inspections of servers and services you request using external add-ons which return status data to Nagios. When issues are detected, the Nagios can generate alerts to management contacts in a variety of ways such as e-mail, instant messaging, or Short Message Service. Up to date status information, archival records, and reports can be examined via a standard web browser.

Key features of the Nagios monitor include:

• Monitoring of system services such as SMTP, HTTP, FTP, and NNTP
• Monitoring of host machines: CPU load, disk and memory usage, running processes, etc.
• Ability to specify host hierarchy, allowing differentiation between hosts that are not running vs. ones that are not accessible
• Support personnel notifications by email, beeper, or other user-defined method when service or machine issues are detected or get fixed
• Option to define event handlers to be run during service or machine events for automated problem resolution
• Support for deploying redundant and distributed monitoring computers
• External command interface that enables ad hoc edits to be made to the monitoring and alerting activity via the use of event handlers, the web interface, and independent software
• Retention of host and service state after program restarts
• Planned offline periods for suppressing host and service notifications during intentional service breaks
• Browser applet for viewing current network status, notification and problem history, event logs, etc.
• Authorization scheme that allows you to restrict what customers can view and do from the browser interface

Multi Router Traffic Grapher (MRTG)
MRTG Graphical Traffic Load Monitor is a free utility to monitor the traffic load on your network. Running under Windows or Linux and most UNIX platforms, MRTG reads the traffic counters of network routers and generates web pages which provide a live visual representation of this data.

Multi Router Traffic Grapher lets you graph the bandwidth in and out of any SNMP network appliance. This includes servers, routers, and switches. Administrators can utilize the resulting data to determine network bottlenecks.

Data you are able to graph with MRTG include:

• Throughput in and out in bits or bytes/sec
• Connection rate in connections/sec
• Throughput through a specific VIP/virtual server or node server
• Number of concurrent sessions

Ask Progent for Network Monitoring Help
Progent's network monitoring consultants are experienced in operating a number of tools that can assist you to repair or tune your connectivity infrastructure. For network monitoring consulting, call Progent at 800-993-9400 or refer to Contact Progent.

Progent's Microsoft, Cisco, and Applications Consulting Expertise
Progent's Microsoft and Cisco authorized consultants provide clients in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and in cities nationwide a wide array of knowledge concerning the fundamental information technology requirements shared by typical small business environments. Progent's primary consulting areas include system integration, MS Exchange help, system security consulting and Help Desk outsourcing and staffing. Progent's Experts Group offers in-depth expertise in specific application topics. By providing a single resource for IT generalists and specialists, Progent is able to deliver speedy, cost-effective and thorough network solutions that fit the special requirements of your organization.