PageSentry is a complete Internet server monitor that assures Web, e-mail, FTP, Telnet, and DNS server reliability from a single Macintosh anywhere on the Internet. For 100% reliability, TCP "pings" just aren't enough to tell you that your Internet servers are properly running. PageSentry uses real HTTP, SMTP, FTP, Telnet, and DNS client services to thoroughly test your Internet servers, not just their low-level networking functions.

To ensure server reliability PageSentry executes server tests at intervals you define. When a problem with a server is detected, the site manager is sent an alert by e-mail or any AppleEvent-aware application. PageSentry comes with several applets right out of the box, including some that will send alphanumeric pages or restart your server automatically. PageSentry allows you to set up individual "sentries" to watch your servers and alert you when there is a problem. For example, PageSentry monitors your Web server by actually downloading a specific page from your server and checking for a specific text string. This method of server monitoring has far more benefits than just "pinging"your server. A "ping" will just tell you that the machine is running and TCP/IP is working. With PageSentry, you can be sure that your server is actually serving pages. You can also make sure that your CGIs (like NetCloak, MapServe, or AppleSearch) are working by testing the content of your pages, image maps and search engines.

Since PageSentry works by making HTTP, SMTP, FTP, Telnet and DNS connections, you can check any page, on any server, anywhere on the Internet! If you operate several servers, you can have a separate Sentry to check each server. You can also check multiple pages on the same server, or any combination in between. PageSentry can notify you via e-mail or AppleEvent-aware applications if it detects a failure.
E-mail notification is the most basic form, but with an AppleEvents interface you can write an AppleScript to give you almost any form of notification. Use a script to connect PageSentry to your paging application, a program such as PowerKey Pro™ to reboot your Mac, or any other AppleEvent-aware application.

PageSentry also gives you an extra level of reliability by "monitoring the monitor." The Pulse Sentry sends you a "pulse"at a regular interval saying "I'm on the job!", making sure you know that it is up and keeping an eye on your servers. As with the other Sentries, notification can be by e-mail, AppleEvents-aware applications, or both.

There are two versions of PageSentry, and the only difference between them is the number of Sentries each is capable of posting and the maximum number of Notifiers you can create. PageSentry allows you to post up to 10 Sentries and create 10 Notifiers, which should be more than sufficient for organizations with just a few Internet servers. PageSentry Pro, on the other hand, allows you to post up to 100 Sentries and create 100 Notifiers. If you manage a large corporate network or plan to offer PageSentry services to customers as part of your business, then PageSentry Pro will provide you with all the resources you will need to ensure server reliability.