Free server monitoring tool

Other than donuts, our favorite word around here is "free."

GFI this week launched a freeware version of its GFI Network Server Monitor, a tool that can automatically monitor a network and servers for failures, and lets administrators find and fix errors before the phone starts ringing from end users. The freeware version, available here -- lets admins configure HTTP/HTTPS and ICMP/ping checks.

The HTTP check can check the availability of HTTP and HTTPS sites, and checks whether the correct Web content is being served up (and to make sure a site hasn't been vandalized), GFI said. Additionally, the module lets users create an unlimited number of HTTP checks, and go through a proxy server.

The ICMP/ping function monitors whether specific servers are still responding, the company added. The freeware function can be used to confirm whether the machine is responding on the network level, GFI said.

The freeware version is a 5.2M-byte file that actually contains the full version of the GFI Network Server Monitor, but with a 60-day evaluation period. After the trial expires, only the HTTP and ICMP/ping functions will remain active. The full version can monitor all aspects of a network's servers (including Unix and Linux), workstations and devices (including routers). When problems arise, the monitor can alert users via e-mail, pager or Short Message Service, in addition to taking action, such as re-booting a machine, re-starting a service or running a script. The full version starts at $375 for five servers -- go to the GFI Web site for more details.