"and I can't prove him wrong because SA wiped out the uptime data during a
server re-boot" 
=> that's easy to change.
But then again you won't be happy with that.  The historical data is in a DB
if you enable logging.  The part that is indeed NOT in the db is the
check/alerts definition.  But again creating an XML file from it is not that
hard to do.  Create an HTML template for it.



Dirk Bulinckx. 
-----Original Message-----
From: Servers Alive Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 3:06 PM
To: Servers Alive Discussion List
Subject: [SA-list] Enterprise level data storage (was Skype Alerting)

Your method of creating HTML on the fly is VERY unique when you look at all
of the software in use in the enterprise environment. That means, that I (in
the singular, me) have to code ALL reports, for all conceivable requests of
my Sr. Management, and there is little ability to have a method of my up
chain being able to ad-hoc browse through how tests are being done with out
risk of injuring the setup. Also, have you tried to print an HTML page
that's more than a page long? It looks like crud compared to the reports my
managers are used to seeing from all of our other systems which typically
use Crystal Reports for both text reporting and charting. On the other hand,
if it was in a database, I can hand to any of a dozen people a table schema
and say "write XYZ report" and actually have the report experts do their
thing, rather than myself fumbling through it.

A true enterprise solution has to have it's configuration data and
historical data stored on a standardized data platform, preferably a DBMS
such as MS SQL, DB2, Oracle, etc., so that the data can be protected and
managed at the enterprise level through clustering, load balancing and
Disaster Recovery techniques. This would mean that SA should not load any
data internally or on the host PC running SA, but all would be in a DB
server repository. Each check cycle would dynamically load each check's
config from the DB server, and write back to the server the ongoing status
of the check cycle. It sounds like this is going to be database intensive,
but at the level I play at it's not.
We have several systems that routinely write millions of data changes to our
servers over the course of a 'light' day, and I suspect that's small
compared to a lot of enterprises using a standard DBMS. 

Servers Alive and it's output is becoming incredibly tied to our contractual
obligations to our customers, and it is becoming harder to defend a product
developed at such a "personal" level. I can't WAIT until our customer
charges us for server down time, and I can't prove him wrong because SA
wiped out the uptime data during a server re-boot.

You mostly see in the list where it's a dedicated individual who has chosen
SA, but I also get the sense that it's hard for them to get others at their
organization to work on it. Possibly because it is a unique product both in
function and organizational concept.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE what you do, it's the how that I would like to
see brought up to a true enterprise level.

Michael D. Shook
Technical Analyst
Saddle Creek Corporation
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
863 668 4477 (work)
863 860 4070 (cell)
863 665 1261 (fax)
www.saddlecrk.com
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Servers Alive Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 8:31 AM
> To: Servers Alive Discussion List
> Subject: [SA-list] RE: [SA-list] RE: [SA-list] RE: [SA-list]
> RE: [SA-list] RE: [SA-list] RE: [SA-list] RE: [SA-list] RE: 
> [SA-list] Skype alerting
> 
> Is HTML a unique interface? 
> We can make reports in HTML.  You have to make an HTML template for 
> it, based on HTML tags (standard stuff for the layout part) and 
> specific tags for the actual data part.
> With whatever reportwriter it would be the same, it would need to have 
> access to the "format" and based on the format it could show you what 
> "vars" you can use.  We use tags.
> 
> 
> Dirk Bulinckx. 


--------------------------------------
The information contained in this message is intended only for the use of
the addressee.  If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient
or agent of the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
dissemination, distribution, or copying of the message is strictly
prohibited.
To unsubscribe send a message with UNSUBSCRIBE as subject to
[email protected]
To unsubscribe send a message with UNSUBSCRIBE as subject to [email protected]

Reply via email to