Tools Providing Automatic Status on the Server

Quick response time is critical when dealing with server problems. Being aware of a problem at the time it occurs can decrease greatly the effect that the problem may have on the server user community.

You can configure SunLink Server software to notify specified users when a problem occurs. You can also configure the Solaris system to generate and notify you when problems occur. The following sections discuss these features.

Alerter Service

SunLink Server software includes an Alerter service that you can use to notify specified users of the occurrence of a particular event. An administrator should use this service in order to make server problems known immediately. Prompt action to resolve server problems often can minimize their effect. The following examples illustrate situations that could generate alerts:

• The number of server errors exceeds a threshold set in the SunLink Server Registry.

• The number of bad access attempts exceeds a threshold set in the SunLink Server Registry.

• The number of bad password attempts exceeds a threshold set in the SunLink Server Registry.

• Errors were encountered during start of the Net Logon service.

• A printer is malfunctioning.

• A print request has been deleted or completed.

Solaris System and SunLink Server Features

One of the benefits of SunLink Server software is the availability of the inherent scripting features provided by the Solaris operating system. Combining these features with the data-gathering tools provided by SunLink Server software, an administrator can create a powerful tool that can be used to assess the health of a SunLink Server system at any given time.

For example, using the Solaris system job scheduling feature (CRON), various data-gathering tools provided by SunLink Server, and some of the standard Solaris system commands for checking file system integrity and free space, administrators can write scripts that perform various system and server checks and then send the results to Solaris system administrators at regular intervals.