Site Monitoring - Simple Tool

You want to ensure that your site is accessible 24x7, and want to be notified ASAP if there is an outtage. Here is a simple recipe.

1. Create a "KeepAlive" page; a simple page with a static, predictable response. I have created a simple page that displays the Site Name, Web Server Name, and Site IP Address:
2. Implement a VBScript which makes an http request of the Keep Alive page, returning the response string. The script implements the Microsoft.XMLHTTP object. If the request does not resolve or returns an unexpected result, the script sends an email to the stakeholder (you).
3. Implement an NT Scheduled Task to run the VBScript (#2) every five minutes. Hopefully, you'll never hear from the tool :)

Implementing a "Click Through" in Classic ASP

To simulate a client request for a given url, use Javascript that automatically fires during the test page load event.

To test that this "referral" script works, point the "referrer" to a handy ServerVariables display page.

Both the "referrer" (click.asp) and the "target" (servervars.asp) are illustrated here.

Here is a screen shot of the resulting HTTP_REFERER display page (servervars.asp)