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AlertSite » InSiteV12 




  InSite Private Monitoring Location V1.2.X 




  







 1. Overview 



NOTE:  A new and improved InSite V1.3 is now available from the Manage Device→Upgrade Software page. Please upgrade as soon as possible.


InSite by AlertSite is your own personal monitoring location. InSite monitors websites and transactions, collecting web application metrics from a private location within your local network.  This provides crucial insight into service delivery levels and a common platform of metrics for managing Service Level Agreements.


InSite adds an internal perspective to external web performance monitoring, giving you the means to evaluate website performance and availability from inside as well as outside your network.


InSite can also provide monitoring for back-office, CRM, and other internal applications that have no external accessibility. InSite is completely integrated into AlertSite's monitoring service and console, and brings all of your critical web monitoring together in one view.



 2. Installation 



Installation is quick and easy:

 
    

  •  Install the hardware

    •  
  •  Purchase the InSite by AlertSite plan in your AlertSite account *

    •  
  •  Configure the InSite Location in the account

    •  
  •  Configure Site/Server devices to be monitored with the InSite plan

    •  
  •  Register the InSite Location through the InSite Control Panel

 


* Usage-Based Monitoring customers will have the InSite plan added by their AlertSite Account Manager.


Each of these steps is described in detail below.


NOTE: The InSite appliance must always be powered on, otherwise, monitoring from your InSite location will stop.


Please read through these notes before continuing in order to familiarize yourself with the procedure.  Note that screenshots are provided for illustration purposes only and may not reflect actual devices.



 2.1 InSite to AlertSite Communication Configuration 



As a prerequisite, the remote InSite appliance needs to communicate, either directly or through a proxy, to the hosts and outbound ports of any external servers you wish to monitor, as well as to the following servers/services:




		

			 Port 
			 Protocol 
			 URL/Server 
			 Function 
		

		

			 22 
			 SSH 
			 insiterepair.alertsite.com 
			 To Enable Remote Support on InSite Appliance 
		

		

			 25 
			 SMTP 
			 Notifier mailserver 
			 For outgoing e-mail notifications (if you do not set an internal mail relay host) 
		

		

			 80 
			 HTTP 
			 N/A 
			 For http traffic 
		

		

			 443 
			 HTTPS (SSL) 
			 privateagent.alertsite.com 
			 To register the InSite Private Monitoring appliance and ServerAgent 
		

		

			 443 
			 HTTPS (SSL) 
			 privateagent.alertsite.com 
			 To send monitoring data back to AlertSite Console 
		

		

			 4892 
			 Encrypted XML 
			 Multiple external hosts 
			 For InSite's ServerAgent monitoring and reporting 
		



For proxy server, you need to know the HTTP, SSL (HTTPS), and/or SOCKS proxy IP addresses and port numbers, as well as SOCKS version if using SOCKS proxy.


In addition, the IP addresses of the monitoring location used by the ServerAgent configured to monitor InSite must be allowed.  To find out what monitoring location you are using:

 
    

  •  Click on the ServerAgent name in the Configuration: ServerAgents page

    •  
  •  In the Manage Servers page, click on the Locations button in the upper right

    •  
  •  Find the highlighted location in the list, then click the Help link in the upper right

    •  
  •  Scroll to Monitoring Locations in the index and click to view the table

 


The list of IP addresses for all monitoring stations at that location is displayed.  All IPs in the list must be allowed, as load balancing is used to select the specific server.



 2.2 Install the InSite Appliance Hardware 


 
    

  •  Unpack the appliance

    •  
  •  Install server rails (optional)

    •  
  •  Plug in the network connector to the Ethernet port

    •  
  •  Plug in the power cord and press the power button on the front panel

    •  
  •  Note the IP address in the LED screen after boot-up is complete

 


NOTE: If you are not using DHCP, see 5.1 Configure Static IP Address



 2.3 Purchase an InSite by AlertSite Plan Credit 



If you are a Usage-Based Monitoring customer, skip to 3.1 Configure the InSite Monitoring Location.

 
    

  •  Log in to your AlertSite Console

    •  
  •  From the Account drop-down in the Control Menu, select Purchase Credits

    •  
  •  In the Purchase Credits screen, click on InSite by AlertSite in the Service column

    •  
  •  Select the InSite by AlertSite plan for the number of monitors you require

    •  
  •  Enter the number of credits to purchase in the field under the Additional Purchase column and click Submit; then click Submit again to confirm purchase

 


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 3. Configuration 



This section describes modifications needed within your AlertSite Account.



 3.1 Configure the InSite Monitoring Location in the AlertSite Console 


 
    

  •  From the Configuration drop-down in the Control Menu, click on InSite Locations

    •  
  •  In Configuration: InSite Locations, click on the button labeled Add a new location in the upper right

 


Add_New_Insite.png



 
    

  •  Enter in a Description and select the Location Plan, then click Submit

    •  
  •  A 32-character Location ID will be created as illustrated below:

 


Add_New_InSite_Location.png




NOTE:  The 32-character Location ID is needed to register the monitoring location.  This is described later in 4.1 Register the InSite Monitoring Location.



 3.2 Configure Device with InSite Monitoring Location 


 
    

  •  In the Configuration drop-down menu, click on Sites

    •  
  •  In the Configuration: Sites screen, click on the Add a new site button in the upper right

    •  
  •  Fill in the form fields: 
      

    •  Enter a “report-friendly” site name the Site Name field

      •  
    •  In the Site Plan field drop-down, select the InSite plan purchased earlier

      •  
    •  Select Global Notify from the Monitoring Type drop-down list (Global Notify is the Monitoring Type supported for devices monitored with InSite by AlertSite; Round Robin and SLA (MultiPOP) are not supported because InSite by AlertSite cannot coordinate among monitoring locations when it is behind the firewall)

      •  
    •  Enter the URL to monitor

      •  
    •  Select a Site Type from the drop-down list

      •  
    •  Select the monitoring interval from the Check Every drop-down

      •  
    •  If not resolving DNS, enter the IP address and change the Resolve DNS field to No

      •  
    •  Click Submit in the upper right to save

     

    •  
  •  Repeat for as many monitors as needed and as allowed by the InSite plan selected (in this example, up to 25).

 


An example of a completed device configuration monitored with the InSite plan is as follows:


Configure_site.png




After registering the InSite Monitoring Location (described in 4.1 Register the InSite Monitoring Location), you may also select it as a monitoring station for other devices.  To accomplish this:

 
    

  •  From the Manage Site configuration screen of your existing device, click the Locations button to display the Monitoring Locations table

    •  
  •  Click the checkbox in the Active column for the registered InSite Monitoring Location, and click Submit 

 


This is an example of the Locations table with the InSite location selected with other monitoring locations:


Locations.png




This counts towards the number of monitors allowed by the purchased plan.


Note:  Devices monitored with SLA (MultiPOP2) monitoring type or rotated locations cannot be monitored by InSite.



 3.3 Notifier Configuration 



To receive alerts when InSite detects an error on a monitored device, configure notifiers through the Configure Notifiers interface:

 
    

  •  Click Notifier in the Control Menu

    •  
  •  Click the Add Notifer button in the upper right and fill in the form with the necessary information

 


The following Notifier Methods for receiving alerts are supported by InSite by AlertSite:

 
    

  •  E-mail (HTML or text),

    •  
  •  E-mail to wireless device (text message)

    •  
  •  SMS

    •  
  •  SNMP trap (snmpv1/snmpv2c)

    •  
  •  VoIP

 


See the Console Help screen Manage Notifiers - Description of fields for notifier format information.  At the current time, the following notifier methods are not supported by InSite by AlertSite:

 
    

  •  Pager types

    •  
  •  AOL Instant Message (AIM) 

 



 3.4 ServerAgent Configuration 



AlertSite's ServerAgent is included with each InSite appliance to monitor the health of your InSite system. You must first configure a ServerAgent device in the Console.


If you have a Usage Based Monitoring account, go to Configuration→ServerAgents and click Add a New ServerAgent.  Fill in the form, selecting Usage Based Pricing from the Site Plan dropdown.


If you have a Plan-Based account, a ServerAgent credit needs to be added to your account by AlertSite.  Contact your Sales Manager (shown in Support→AlertSite Contact in your Console) or Customer Support to have a no-charge ServerAgent credit added to your account.  Once the credit has been added, go to Configuration→ServerAgents and click Add a New ServerAgent.  Fill in the form, selecting ServerAgent 5 from the Site Plan dropdown.


This concludes the basic changes needed in your AlertSite Console.  


To use ServerAgent to monitor the InSite box, there are 3 more steps:

 
 


For more information about ServerAgent, go to ServerAgent Systems Monitor.


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 4. InSite Control Panel 



For the following sections, you'll need to bring up a new browser window or tab in order to access the InSite Control Panel.



 4.1 Register the InSite Monitoring Location 



The InSite Monitoring Location must be registered through the InSite Control Panel (additional InSite Control Panel functions are described in 4. InSite Control Panel).  To register the InSite Monitoring Location:

 
    

  •  Open the browser and enter http://<IP Address>, where <IP Address> is either: 
      

    •  the IP address of the InSite appliance noted during the installation of the hardware, OR

      •  
    •  the static IP address configured in 5.1 Configure Static IP Address

     

 

 
    

  •  Provide the following credentials:

 


      User Name = admin 

      Password = password 


   The InSite Control Panel Main Menu will be displayed:


Home_page.png



 
    

  •  Click on Register Location

    •  
  •  Enter your AlertSite Account Login ID and Password

    •  
  •  Copy-and-paste the 32-character ID from the Manage InSite Locations screen configured in your AlertSite Console in the previous step, into the Location ID field, as shown next.

 


Register.png



 
    

  •  Click Register, and at the confirmation page, click to continue.  Your InSite monitoring location is now available as a monitoring station for any of your monitored sites.

 


Verify that the device is displayed as Active in the Configuration: InSite Locations screen in the AlertSite Console:


Manage_InSite_Locations.png




NOTE:  If you delete an InSite Monitoring Location, devices monitored exclusively by that location will not be visible in the Monitoring Console or Dashboard, but will remain in the Configuration: InSite Locations screen and can be restored when the InSite appliance is replaced and re-registered.  If you need to stop monitoring with the InSite appliance temporarily, you can change the Monitoring Status to Inactive in the Manage InSite Locations screen.


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 4.2 Control Panel Main Menu 



The InSite Control Panel Main Menu used to register the InSite Monitoring Location provides top-level management functions, including:

 
    

  •  Check Monitoring Status – Verify that the InSite Monitoring Location is functioning

    •  
  •  Diagnostic Tests – Run any of several verification and networking tests

    •  
  •  Manage Device – Perform administrative functions

    •  
  •  Email Logs – Send a selection of error logs to AlertSite Support

    •  
  •  Register Location – Change the current password to the InSite Control Panel

    •  
  •  Proxy Connection Settings – Set up HTTP, SSL or SOCKS proxy server 

 


(see the screenshot in Register the InSite Monitoring Location)


To access any of these functions, click on the link in the Main Menu and provide input as requested in the page presented.  An example of each screen is displayed below.



 4.2.1 Check Monitoring Status 



Click on this link to display the following screen which confirms that the InSite monitoring location is functioning properly and monitoring the device


Check_Monitoring_Status.png




The Activity and Program fields in the monitoring status table are defined as follows:




		

			 Activity 
			 Definition 
		

		

			 Last Monitoring Test 
			 Last time monitoring test was performed 
		

		

			 Results Send to AlertSite 
			 Last time monitoring results were sent back to AlertSite 
		

		

			 Database Update 
			 Last time your AlertSite data were sent to InSite 
		

		

			 Notification Attempt 
			 Last time notification process checked for outgoing alerts 
		





		

			 Program 
			 Definition 
		

		

			 Monitor 
			 Main AlertSite monitoring program for scheduled tests 
		

		

			 Diagnostic Monitor 
			 Monitoring program for ad-hoc diagnostic tests 
		

		

			 Monitoring Controller 
			 Scheduler for timed tests 
		

		

			 Notifier 
			 Program which sends notifications to users 
		



To return to the main menu, click the Home link in the upper right below the banner.


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 4.2.2 Diagnostic Tests 



You can run a variety of network or device tests from this screen.




		

			 Hostname Lookup 
			 Determine a specific IP number from a domain name and vice-versa 
		

		

			 Traceroute 
			 See the exact path a packet takes to get to a remote location. 
		

		

			 Ping 
			 Determine whether a specific internet address is accesssible. 
		

		

			 AlertSite Web Test 
			 Test a web page or CGI by retrieving the actual page.* 
		

		

			 Device Status Report 
			 Display measurement real-time results on demand.* 
		



* Requires InSite registration.


Diagnostic_tests.png




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 4.2.3 Manage Device 



This screen enables you to perform the following administrative tasks:

 
    

  •  Upgrade Software*

    •  
  •  Change Web Server Password*

    •  
  •  Register ServerAgent*

    •  
  •  Enable ServerAgent Monitoring*

    •  
  •  Disable ServerAgent Monitoring*

    •  
  •  Allow Remote AlertSite Support (provides up to a 12-hour window of access by AlertSite IT )

    •  
  •  Cancel Remote AlertSite Support 

    •  
  •  Reboot InSite Device 

    •  
  •  Reset To Factory Defaults  

 


* Requires InSite registration


Manage_device.png




The following sections describes each task:



 4.2.3.1 Upgrade Software 



In the event of a new release of the InSite by AlertSite application software, click on this link to upgrade.  If the software is up to date, the resulting page will display this information, otherwise, it will display log messages as it updates the software.


Important: after the upgrade, the InSite Control Panel login and password will be reset to admin and password.


Note: when upgrading from V1.2.X to V1.3, a refresh of the browser is required after the upgrade completes in order to get the new interface.  The settings previously made to the InSite host file, DNS (resolv.conf), mail configuration, etc., will be preserved through the upgrade.



 4.2.3.2 Change Web Server Password 



This page gives you the opportunity to change the login ID and password used to log in to InSite by AlertSite.  You will be prompted to provide the current Login ID and password, and provide a new password and to confirm it.



 4.2.3.3 Register ServerAgent 



The Register ServerAgent page displays a box in which to enter the 32-character Device ID returned from the Add a new ServerAgent page under Configuration: ServerAgent in the AlertSite console.  Simply copy-and-paste the Device ID from the AlertSite page into the box provided in the Register ServerAgent screen and click Register.



 4.2.3.4 Enable ServerAgent Monitoring 



After you register your InSite ServerAgent, the Enable ServerAgent Monitoring link on the Manage Device page will be activated.  Click the link to start up your InSite ServerAgent. The firewall setting for TCP OUTBOUND Port 4892 needs to be open. This is the port used by the ServerAgent Manager (Windows) or commgr (Linux) to report InSite's monitored metrics.



 4.2.3.5 Disable ServerAgent Monitoring 



After you enable your InSite ServerAgent, the Disable ServerAgent Monitoring link on the Manage Device page will be activated.  Click the link to disable ServerAgent monitoring of your InSite system.  Note: if you need to delete and reconfigure your InSite ServerAgent, you must disable it first in order to register a new ServerAgent.



 4.2.3.6 Allow Remote AlertSite Support 



In the event that you need assistance from AlertSite for your InSite system, click on this link to allow remote access for up to 12 hours.  Contact Customer Support with information that will assist with troubleshooting.



 4.2.3.7 Cancel Remote AlertSite Support 



This link will be activated after you have allowed remote support.  When the issue is resolved, Customer Support will let you know, and you can click this link to cancel remote support.



 4.2.3.8 Reboot InSite Device 



This link will reboot your InSite monitoring location.  This pauses monitoring of any device configured with this location during this time.  To check the location to see when it's back up, go to Diagnostic Tests and run Ping on the IP address of your InSite box.



 4.2.3.9 Reset to Factory Defaults 



This will cause a complete reset of your InSite system.  Any modifications you made, e.g., IP address, Proxy Server settings, etc., and any log data collected will be cleared.  It will be set up as though it was right out of the box.  Re-registration is required.


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 4.2.4 Email Logs 



This page allows you to send a selection of available error log files to AlertSite Support for assistance with troubleshooting as needed:


Email_Logs.png




InSite registration is required for this function.



 4.2.5 Register Location 



This function was described in detail above in 4.1 Register the InSite Monitoring Location.



 4.2.6 Proxy Connection Settings 



In the event that you need to use a proxy server to access your devices behind the firewall, you can configure HTTP, SSL, or SOCKS proxy servers.  The form is similar to that displayed by the Firefox browser:


Proxy_Setup.png




Select Manual Proxy Configuration and fill in the IP address for the proxy server type, then click OK.


NOTE:  You must use the IP address in the HTTP, SSL, and SOCKS proxy fields, not a hostname.


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 5. InSite Appliance Console 



This section describes some of the functions that are available through the InSite Appliance Console.  To display the InSite Appliance Console, attach a monitor and keyboard to the appropriate ports on the back of the appliance.  The monitor will display the InSite Appliance Console.



 5.1 Configure Static IP Address 



By default, InSite by AlertSite obtains its IP address through Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).  If you require a static IP address, attach a monitor and keyboard to the appropriate ports on the back of the appliance.  The monitor will display the InSite Appliance Console:


Hit 'C' to select Configuration→Manual IP Address Config:


Manual_IP.png




Hit <ENTER>, then follow the prompts to enter the following information:

 
    

  •  IP address

    •  
  •  netmask

    •  
  •  gateway

    •  
  •  nameserver

 


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 5.2 Configure DNS Server 



To assign a different Domain Name Server, go to the InSite Appliance Console, accessed from a terminal attached to the InSite box.  Choose Configuration from the main menu.  On the next screen, choose the option Manual IP Address Config:


InSite_Manual_IP_Address_Config.JPG




This prompts for new IP settings:


InSite_Detail_Manual_IP_Address_Config.JPG




Hit <ENTER> to step through the default settings until New Nameserver is displayed.  Enter the Nameserver IP address.


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 5.3 Configure Mail Relay Host 



When you're working behind the firewall, if you choose to keep Port 25 closed, you must configure a mail relay host to have the notifications sent to your mail server from InSite.


To configure a mail relay host, go to the InSite Appliance Console, accessed from a terminal attached to the InSite box. Under the main menu choose Configuration, then select MailConfig from the menu:


Mail_ConfigurationPanel.JPG




Next, cursor to Set RelayHost in the Mail Config menu.


SetMailConfigPanel.JPG




Hit <ENTER> to display the input field:


SetRelayHostPanel.JPG




Enter the IP address or your company email server name.  This will redirect email notification from InSite through your mail server.


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 6. InSite ServerAgent Monitoring 



Every 10 minutes, InSite checks for new monitoring data.  If there are new results, the data are sent back to AlertSite and an InSite log file is updated, changing the log file's date.  How often the data are sent depends on the monitoring interval for devices monitored with InSite.  Results are sent to AlertSite at the shortest interval configured in the console, but no shorter than 10 minutes.  In other words, if the shortest monitoring interval for all your InSite monitored devices is 15 minutes, then data will be sent every 20 minutes.  If the shortest interval is 5 minutes, the data will be sent every 10 minutes.


In order to monitor the health of your InSite box using ServerAgent, a special script, lastsend.sh, has been included in InSite V1.2.1.  The script returns the number of minutes since the last time data was sent from InSite to AlertSite, based on the log file date.


Configure ServerAgent to run lastsend.sh as a User Script.  Since the date of the log file should never be older than 10 minutes longer than your shortest monitoring interval, it will report a warning if the return value is, say, >(interval+5) minutes and an error if the return value is >(interval+10) minutes.  The ServerAgent User Script thresholds can be populated during ServerAgent configuration, following ServerAgent registration as described in 4.2.3.3 Register ServerAgent and after it is enabled as described in 4.2.3.4 Enable ServerAgent Monitoring.


Configuring the User Script is a simple process:

 
    

  1.  Go to the Manage Server screen for the InSite ServerAgent device

    2.  
  2.  Click the User Scripts tab

    3.  
  3.  Click the Enable User Scripts Monitor check box

    4.  
  4.  Make the following changes in the first (blank) line 
      

    •  Click the Enabled and Notify check boxes

      •  
    •  Enter lastsend.sh in the Name Box (Note:  If you've previously installed V1.2.1, lastsend.sh will already appear)

      •  
    •  Change the Compare conditional operator to > or >=

      •  
    •  Change Warning Value to your shortest monitoring interval + 5

      •  
    •  Change Threshold Value to your shortest  monitoring interval + 10

     

    5.  
  5.  Click Submit in the upper right of the Manager Server screen

 


User_script_line.png




You may adjust the Warning and Threshold values, but don't make them lower than your shortest monitoring interval + 10 minutes.  Also note that if your shortest monitoring interval is 10 minutes, the data may not be sent until the next 10-minute check.


NOTE:  You may receive one or two alerts initially while the system syncs up the connection to ServerAgent and/or the lastsend.sh user process.  Allow some time for communications to settle in.



 7. Troubleshooting 



If the response time metrics are not being updated or notifications are not being sent/received, please refer to the list below for tips on troubleshooting.

 
    

  •  Verify that InSite appliance hardware is up and running.

    •  
  •  Ensure the network cabling is installed correctly.  See 2.2 Install the InSite Appliance Hardware.

    •  
  •  Bring up the InSite Control Panel as referenced in 4.1 Register the InSite Monitoring Location. At the main page, click Check Monitoring Status and verify that the monitor is functioning and the time stamp in the Time field is updating.

    •  
  •  If Check Monitoring Status shows that the monitor is functioning, re-register the device as described in 4.1 Register the InSite Monitoring Location.

    •  
  •  Check that the monitoring status in the Manage InSite Locations screen in the AlertSite console is Active.

    •  
  •  In the InSite Control Panel, select Diagnostic Tests and run a traceroute to privateagent.alertsite.com.  To use a different port, put a space after .com followed by the port number, e.g., privateagent.alertsite.com 443.

    •  
  •  Make sure that your device has the InSite Monitoring Location selected in the Locations list.

    •  
  •  Network Firewall rules must be modified to allow the InSite Monitoring Location to make SSL connections to privateagent.alertsite.com as well as appropriate connections to the devices you are monitoring

    •  
  •  In the event that you do not receive notifications, check the logs on your SMTP server.

    •  
  •  If your SMTP logs don't provide enough information for you to determine the problem, send the Email logs from the InSite appliance to AlertSite Support. Select all logs from the menu. See 4.2.4 Email Logs.

    •  
  •  AlertSite requires SSL communication with privateagent.alertsite.com for proper functioning.

    •  
  •  If the InSite appliance goes down or crashes, reinitialize the box by cycling power.

 


If you're still having problems after following these troubleshooting tips, contact Customer Support.  Remote Access to your InSite box may be required.  In the event of a Linux security update, a new InSite appliance will be shipped to you.


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 8. InSite Appliance Specifications and Replacement Information 



Specifications for InSite by AlertSite Appliances




		

			 insite-server-box.png 
			 Standard Data Center Appliance
Supports up to 100 monitors

Height: 1.68”
Width:18.99” (incl. rack latches)
Depth: 30.39” (incl. PSU handles and bezel)
Weight (max. config): 39 lbs.
Power (max. config): 1004W 		
		





NOTE:  The current Micro appliance does not have auto-power-on capability.  If it loses power, it must be manually powered up.  If you will be placing the appliance in a remote or less-accessible location, you may want to consider the 1U server.


Front Panel


The Micro appliance front panel contains several buttons:

 
    

  •  Power button in the top right

    •  
  •  + and - to the left of the LCD display 

    •  
  •  Navigation arrows and “OK” button

    •  
  •  Function kays F1 through F5 below the LCD display

 


Functionality for these buttons will be implemented in the future.  For the present time, the monitor and keyboard can be utilized for managing and viewing monitors directly on the InSite box.


Replacement


Note: Before swapping out your InSite unit with a replacement or cold spare, please contact Customer Support.


Replacing your InSite appliance with another box is simple and straightforward:

 
    

  •  Before powering down your existing appliance, make note of any hard-coded network addresses and port information currently configured

    •  
  •  Move the Ethernet and power cables from the existing InSite appliance to the replacement

    •  
  •  After the replacement appliance boots up, note the new IP address displayed in the LED screen (or monitor, for appliances without an LED screen)

    •  
  •  If you are using a static IP address, or have configured a DNS Server or Mail Relay Host, reference InSite Appliance Console for instructions on configuring those addresses in the replacement (requires attaching a monitor)

    •  
  •  Open the browser and enter http://<IP Address>, where <IP Address> is the IP address of the InSite appliance noted in the LED screen or monitor to bring up the InSite Control Panel

    •  
  •  Provide the following credentials to display the InSite Control Panel main menu:

 


      User Name = admin 

      Password = password 

 
    

  •  Click on Register Location

    •  
  •  Enter your AlertSite Console Login ID and Password

    •  
  •  Copy-and-paste into the Location ID field the 32-character ID from the Manage InSite Locations screen already configured in your console

    •  
  •  Click Register, and at the confirmation page, click to continue.  Your new InSite appliance is now functioning as the monitoring station.

 


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 9. Frequently Asked Questions 




  9.1   The following message appears at the bottom of the screen when the InSite appliance boots up, even though it functions normally. What does it mean: 



                      !3813:0.000 Caught at signal 11 at 0x79687370


It is just a warning message that one of the startup processes is taking too long.  The unit is fully functional.  The message can be ignored.



  9.2   What port is the InSite appliance using to send data back to AlertSite? 



It uses port 443 to check in to privateagent.alertsite.com. This is also the route used when registering the appliance.



  9.3   What port does the InSite appliance use for Enable Remote Support ? 



It uses port 22 through to insiterepair.alertsite.com.



  9.4   How often is the data being sent out from the appliance to AlertSite - immediately, at the exact monitoring interval used, or is it sent later in a batch? 



Data is sent as a batch.  There are a couple of different schedules, but for reporting, it's every 10 minutes.  Notifications are done locally on the box, and are immediate.



  9.5   Is the data from the InSite appliance being sent out to AlertSite as clear text or is it being encrypted? 



The data is encrypted (SSL).



  9.6   How is a DejaClick transaction being distributed to the InSite appliance once a transaction is uploaded to the AlertSite console? 



It's distributed in the same manner as that data is sent up as a batch; we hand any updates that have occurred to devices and/or notifiers back to the InSite appliance.



  9.7   What is the patch process for InSite, and is it the same process as the upgrade software option found on the InSite Control Panel? 



The patch process is the same as the upgrade software option. In some cases, major revisions may require new hardware to be delivered, in which case AlertSite will ship a replacement. 



  9.8   Please describe the security features for the InSite appliance. 



A firewall is used to prevent access within the member firm.  The InSite appliance can not be administered remotely without access through the firewall, and  authentication is required to administer the appliance.  The InSite Operating System, Debian Linux, undergoes an AlertSite internal customer build process. All unnecessary services are disabled. Email will not accept inbound connections. Web server access is restricted by a settable username/password. All conversations with AlertSite are encrypted.




  9.9   How is the InSite appliance administered? Can AlertSite gain access to my appliance? 



The appliance is administered by customer-defined administrators who are required to authenticate to the appliance's Control Panel or AlertSite Console. AlertSite cannot administer remotely without access through the customer's firewall and authentication on the appliance. The customer's administrator can enable a service which lasts for 12 hours (V1.2.0 and later, 1 hour for V0.9.4 and earlier) for remote access for AlertSite support troubleshooting. Access can also be manually disabled.




  9.10  Is this remote access process done through HTTP, and can this be compromised? 



Remote access is accomplished with ssh (Secure Shell), requires authentication, and cannot be compromised.



  9.11  What else can be done through HTTP commands? 



If remote authenticated access is enabled by the customer's administrator, AlertSite Engineering will enable the following capabilities: Run AlertSite Ping test, traceroutes, AlertSite quick test, and re-register the device.



  9.12  Can the customer remotely access the console of the InSite Monitoring Appliance? 



Remote access to the physical console of the device is not available/provided.



  9.13  Is there a rack-mount adapter or kit to allow the small 25 InSite appliance to be rack-mounted? 



Not at this time.  We can add this as a feature request for the smaller appliance.  Upgrade to the larger appliance for rack mounting.



 10. Customer Support 



For questions or technical support, contact:


Email: CustomerCare@alertsite.com
Phone:  954-312-0188
FAX:    954-312-0186


Go to Customer Support for more information.


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