Server Monitoring Policy

Server Monitoring Policy

1.0 Overview :

This server monitoring policy is an internal IT policy and defines the monitoring of servers in the organization for both security and performance issues.

2.0 Purpose :

This policy is designed both to protect the the organization against loss of service by providing minimum requirements for monitoring servers. It provides for monitoring servers for file space and performance issues to prevent system failure or loss of service.

3.0 Scope :

This policy applies to all production servers and infrastructure support servers including but not limited to the following types of servers:

1. File servers
2. Database servers
3. Mail servers
4. Web servers
5. Application servers
6. Domain controllers
7. FTP servers
8. DNS servers

4.0 Daily Checking :

All servers shall be checked manually on a daily basis the following items shall be checked and recorded:

1. The amount of free space on each drive shall be recorded in a server log.
2. The system log shall be checked and any major errors shall be checked and recorded in the server log.
3. Services shall be checked to determine whether any services have failed.
4. The status of backup of files or system information for the server shall be checked daily.

5.0 External Checks :

Essential servers shall be checked using either a separate computer from the ones being monitored or a server monitoring service. The external monitoring service shall have the ability to notify multiple IP personnel when a service is found to have failed. Servers to be monitored externally include:

1. The mail server
2. The web server
3. External DNS servers
4. Externally used application servers.
5. Database or file servers supporting externally used application servers or web servers.