How to configure distributed monitoring with Remote Network Agents

IPHost Network Monitor can be used for monitoring servers, application, network resources, and so on in multiple separate networks. To enable monitoring in another network you should install Remote Network Agent on a server or a workstation in this network.

Remote Network Agent installation

To install a Remote Network Agent, download installation file from the product site and start it on the machine you want to install Remote Network Agent on and follow installation wizard instructions. At the end of the installation Remote Network Agent GUI will be started and you should select agent mode - Active or Passive, then specify domain name or IP address of computer where IPHost Network Monitor is installed and what port should be used for communication between IPHost Network Monitor and Remote Network Agent (default port is 3459 and usually you don't need to change it but if you change it you should set the same port for IPHost Network Monitor).

Choice of Agent mode (active or passive) is based on security policy in your networks. To enable active Agents you should open port on the computer with IPHost Network Monitor installation. For passive Agents port should be open on every computer with passive Remote Network Agent.

After applying Agent settings and Agent restart it starts trying to connect to IPHost Network Monitor monitoring service. At the top left corner of Remote Network Agent GUI window Agent status is shown. At the top right corner there are three buttons for Agent management: Start agent, Stop agent and Restart agent.

Note: Advanced security settings are available. During installation of Remote Network Agent a self signed certificate and secret key are created, they are used to establish SSL protected connection with IPHost Network Monitor monitoring service. You may use your specify custom certificate and key instead. Fingerprint of the certificate is used as an agent’s Connection ID. Central monitoring service identifies agents by the Connection ID, so if the key pair is the same you can easily move agent from one host to another if it is necessary without the reconfiguration of monitors and hosts created.

Remote Network Agent is running as a service and starts on system startup by default, you can set it not to start on system startup if it is necessary.

Remote Network Agents management

When active Remote Network Agent is configured it starts trying to connect to IPHost Network Monitor monitoring service. When Agent has connected IPHost Network Monitor shows dialog that inform about new Agent and suggest to open agent's settings. To enable monitoring via the Agent you should click 'Enable' button. Now this Agent is ready to start monitoring of remote network resources.

To open Agents management panel select 'Settings' from 'Tools' menu (or click 'Settings' button on the toolbar) then select 'Remote Network Agents'. Here you can create new agent, delete agent, enable or disable monitoring for agent, change network discovery settings for agent and start discovery, remotely upgrade agent to new version.

For passive agents procedure is slightly different: you should first create a new passive agent using Agents management panel then install an agent on remote computer. Usage of active and passive agents is virtually the same.

Monitoring resources in remote networks

Once an Remote Network Agent is created and enabled you can start monitoring via the Agent. IPHost Network Monitor automatically creates host group named 'Monitored by 'Agent name (Agent IP)' agent' in the 'By Host' tree view. It is strongly recommended to put all host and monitors which are monitored by the Agent to the corresponding host group.

The same as for local network you have two ways to add new monitors:
- manually create new hosts and monitors (select 'New Monitor...' from 'File' menu or click 'New Monitor' button on the toolbar)
- by automatic network discovery (select 'Discover Network..." from 'Tools' menu, or click 'Discover Network' button on the toolbar, or select an agent from the list on Agents management panel and click 'Discovery').
Both ways of new monitors creation assisted by easy to follow wizards.

Note: IPHost Network Monitor monitoring service (main installation) is reffered as 'Local Network'.