ServersCheck
Encyclopedia
ServersCheck is a Belgian based and privately owned technology company founded in 2003.
It is most known in the Network Administrator community for its software program monitoring
the availability and performance
of servers and other networked devices. Next to this it also offers environmental sensors; providing monitoring from both the inside and the outside.
ServersCheck is capable of monitoring almost any device connected to an IP based network. It can perform traditional network related checks (TCP, PING, traceroute) but can also be used to monitor a wide variety of other checks such as internet related checks (url, email chain, database checks, Windows
checks (diskspace, CPU, memory, process, services). The system runs on Windows based systems (XP/2000/2003) and is being administrated through a browser. When the software detects a failure then alerts can be generated in different forms: SMS
(text messages), email, MSN
or network message. Historical observation is possible by using the built-in trend analysis capabilities.
The software can be operated in 24 languages: French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Afrikaans, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Slovak, Czech, Polish, Hungarian, Russian, Arabic, Turkish, Urdu, Hindi, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Korean, Japanese.
Based on a poll of administrator's most popular trouble shooting tools, the ServersCheck Monitoring was selected by the Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine as one of the Best of the Best Tools.
The software is available for downloaded from sites such as Download.Com
The sensors as marketed by ServersCheck are not stand-alone sensors. They are polled based where the polling is initiated from the ServersCheck Monitoring Software and this at programmed intervals by the end-user. The sensors from ServersCheck can monitor temperature, humidity
, flooding or power failure. They can be connected either via serial port, usb or directly plugged into the network.
As can be understood from the company's press release, the legal proceedings were only initiated because registered mail and phone calls were never returned by Google, leaving a lawsuit as the only option.
CNN and CIO wrote articles about this case explaining the issue at hand.
It is most known in the Network Administrator community for its software program monitoring
Network monitoring
The term network monitoring describes the use of a system that constantly monitors a computer network for slow or failing components and that notifies the network administrator in case of outages...
the availability and performance
Network performance
Network performance refers to the service quality of a telecommunications product as seen by the customer. It should not be seen merely as an attempt to get "more through" the network....
of servers and other networked devices. Next to this it also offers environmental sensors; providing monitoring from both the inside and the outside.
ServersCheck Monitoring Software
The software monitors the availability and performance of networked devices such as servers, routers and switches.ServersCheck is capable of monitoring almost any device connected to an IP based network. It can perform traditional network related checks (TCP, PING, traceroute) but can also be used to monitor a wide variety of other checks such as internet related checks (url, email chain, database checks, Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
checks (diskspace, CPU, memory, process, services). The system runs on Windows based systems (XP/2000/2003) and is being administrated through a browser. When the software detects a failure then alerts can be generated in different forms: SMS
SMS
SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
(text messages), email, MSN
MSN
MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
or network message. Historical observation is possible by using the built-in trend analysis capabilities.
The software can be operated in 24 languages: French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Afrikaans, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Slovak, Czech, Polish, Hungarian, Russian, Arabic, Turkish, Urdu, Hindi, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Korean, Japanese.
Based on a poll of administrator's most popular trouble shooting tools, the ServersCheck Monitoring was selected by the Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine as one of the Best of the Best Tools.
The software is available for downloaded from sites such as Download.Com
Sensors
Environmental sensors are being used in data centers to monitor the conditions in which servers and other network equipment operates. While the size of hardware has been reduced, more and more systems are fitted into racks resulting in more heat being produced and making it harder for air conditioning units to reduce temperature.The sensors as marketed by ServersCheck are not stand-alone sensors. They are polled based where the polling is initiated from the ServersCheck Monitoring Software and this at programmed intervals by the end-user. The sensors from ServersCheck can monitor temperature, humidity
Humidity
Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
, flooding or power failure. They can be connected either via serial port, usb or directly plugged into the network.
ServersCheck vs Google
The company got itself in the news after the first phase proceedings before a Belgian court in May 2006. The suit is about the "Google Suggest" feature that suggests users of the Google Toolbar to go and look for cracks of the software when entering "serverscheck" in the toolbar. The question, for which a verdict still has to be pronounced, is whether Google is allowed to suggest cracks of a software product when a user didn't ask for it. The issue is not the Google index itself but the suggestions Google gives. It is the first case of its kind against the activity of suggesting illegal software as generated by the Google Suggest module.As can be understood from the company's press release, the legal proceedings were only initiated because registered mail and phone calls were never returned by Google, leaving a lawsuit as the only option.
CNN and CIO wrote articles about this case explaining the issue at hand.
External links
- ServersCheck website
- Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine - Best of the Best Tools
- CNN - Google filters when it feels like it
- Official ServersCheck press release on Google lawsuit