In this article, we will explain how to perform real-time website monitoring using various tools while keeping humans in the loop.
Note: The PlanetHoster Glossary contains explanations on multiple topics and can be consulted to clarify certain terms.
Real-Time Monitoring Services
At PlanetHoster, we monitor your websites using various services (Pingdom, Google Analytics, etc.). However, it is important to keep in mind that these services are not foolproof and that, in many cases, they produce what we call false negatives.
The Cause of False Negatives
One specific factor explains why warnings about such services are issued so quickly: the periodic sending of “robots” or “bots.” These attempt to connect to your site and return with a positive or negative response.
However, it is important to understand that this type of non-human connection can be perceived by many firewalls as a risk of a denial-of-service (DDoS). If your monitoring solution that sends bots is mistakenly perceived as an attack, the “bot” will be blocked. As a result, since it was unable to connect to your site, a false negative response about your site’s availability will be sent.
The Solution: Stricter Safety Rules
Wanting first and foremost to offer rock-solid security on our servers in order to achieve optimal uptime (99.9%), we have equipped ourselves with a firewall called Arbor, which offers military-grade protection.
This protection automatically adapts in the event of a DDoS attack by applying stricter security rules, such as checking whether the visitor is a malicious robot or a client computer.
Monitoring by a Human Being
As we have seen, it is very useful to equip yourself with tools to monitor your website in real time. However, it is important to bear in mind that this will never replace the keen eye of a human being.
Therefore:
- You can always check if your server is visiting your own website.
- If you have any doubts about your IP being blocked, simply contact support.
- If your server is undergoing maintenance, this will be indicated in your customer area under the “News” tab.
- Remember that our team monitors the status of our infrastructure 24/7!