Server Monitor runs as a single user Panorama file on the same machine as Panorama Team Server.
Server Monitor checks the server status at a use defined interval. If Team Server is running, fine. If it’s crashed or otherwise not running, it’s immediately launched. If Team Server is frozen or is otherwise loaded but unresponsive, it is Force Quit within 2-3 minutes and immediately relaunched.
Monitor works on Team Server whether it’s set for sharing or web publishing. For best results, set Panorama to launch on startup and to open Server Monitor on launch.
All code is accessible for you to modify. It can be revised to create a log of its activities or to send an email in the event of any quits or reboots. In can also be revised and added to Team Server to create a reverse monitoring to ensure that both programs are up and running.
Also looking forward to a log and email so that I will know that it has done (and is doing) its job. Seeing that something happened and was responded to historically is always so heartwarming.
When you say ‘open Server Monitor on launch’, how would you suggest this be done?
FWIW, I had previously set Panorama 10.2 as a Login Item in my User’s & Group System Preferences panel, but apparently due to an update of the Panorama application, the preference panel was still looking for the old version. So note to others, do remember to put on your checklist when upgrading to verify that the new version is being recognized for Auto Login.
I read the word ‘launch’ to think that Panorama was going to effect the opening of the file.
I haven’t done a great amount of testing but generally, I’ve found that if I put a document (ServerMonitor) in the Login items collection, then I do not need to also add the application as it will automatically be opened to then enable the opening of the document.
BTW; There is a bug in startup of the .Initialization procedure as reported by NSNotify: ‘SetFormOptions failed because database “” does not contain a form named “”.’
Hmm, there is no SetFormOptions in anything I’ve written anywhere in the database so I’m not sure why you’d get such an error. I’ve launched the file many, many times without ever seeing it.
I thought the same. After eliminating other files and only running yours, it still came up (as well as Notification showing your file name. I poked around and saw no SetFormOptions but I imagined that you might better know where to look rather than my looking for the easter egg.
FWIW, Long after finding that issue, I did play a bit and came up with this to move the single window down to the lower right so that it can easily be found amongst other stuff on the screen. I’m sure it could be simpler but it seemed to work.
Jim, thanks for this DB. A very useful tool. Last week our server crashed while I was out and about and I got a stream of messages reporting problems. Not until I got home and restarted the server did they stop.
Our server has crashed about once every two months, so sooner or later I expect to get notified (I added an email notification as you suggested) and find the server already restarted. That will be nice.
A bit of context on this – Tom’s firm has been running Panorama server full tilt. Over the past 7 months they have averaged about 30,000 requests to their production server per month, nearly 40,000 in January. They have had up to 11 computers accessing the server simultaneously.
I had another server crash on 3/23. The server monitor worked as advertised and restarted the server automatically even before I realized that it had crashed. So thanks again, Jim, for a useful tool. I tweaked the code to send me an email when it restarted the server, which it did.
Believe me, I use it too. The Pan 6 version ran on a number of servers, mine and clients’, so converting it to PanX was a no brainer since servers must be up and running.
In answering some questions sent to me privately… An updated version of the Monitor is posted which resolves the very rare crashing issue.
As it’s provided, the Monitor does nothing but relaunch the Pan Server if it should be detected as not running. It’s easy and a good idea to add other functions to it. On my own copy I have it send email notices if, and when it performs a relaunch. A text file log would be a simple addition. On clients’ copies I have it send email notices to a few of us on any errors, but it’s also set to perform a series of tasks each night - we refer to them as chores. That can involve sending email reminders to customers and clients, backing up certain files or generating reports.
I was about to answer a couple of emails I got from you but it seems you’ve deleted them. Does that mean you found there was no problem?
I was going to ask if you have anything using starttimer that could somehow be conflicting with it. I use the monitor 24/7 and have for a couple of years now. I know of a couple of others using it too and have never heard of an issue. I’ve traded notes with two of them regarding how email notifications could be added. They both seem to think it’s done fine too. ??
I was adding email notifications and my unfinished enhancement was the cause of the problem. Sorry for the distraction.
My server is stopping waaaay too often and I’m starting to make real use of the shared files so I’ve got to nail this down soon. It was only affecting me and while that was a PITA, I’m not wanting to have others affected by it.
Although I’ve been running mine for quite some time now with only rare problems, the intensity of that use has been low. I’m about to kick out the stops and start some pretty serious sharing and web publishing. We’ll see if I have any similar issues.
There were circumstances that could cause the Monitor to be idle in the background and fail to detect that the server had stopped. That has been resolved and a new version of the Monitor has been posted.
