Using the HTTP Content Monitor

This monitor requests a URL and checks the HTTP response against the expected content. If the response does not return the expected content, the monitor fails. You can use this monitor to ensure that your web pages are available for viewing or that they are rendering on certain browsers. For example, you can check to see that a web page contains specific content that is to be listed after a certain date, such as "Ipswitch introduces its newest release, WhatsUp Gold v14." If the monitor does not find the content that you request it to find, the monitor fails and you know to update your web page.

Note: You can access some HTTPS sites, such as Gmail's login screen, using the HTTP Content Monitor.

Enter or select the appropriate information in the following fields.

• Name. Enter a name for the monitor as it will appear in the Active Monitor Library.
• Description. Enter a short description for the monitor as it will appear in the Active Monitor Library.

  HTTP server settings

  • URL. Enter the URL address that you want to check using the monitor. The URL must begin with a proper URI, such as http:// or https://.

    Note: The URL can include the full path to the document, including the document's file name and any query string parameters. For example, http://www.domain.com/nmconsole/reports.htm?ReportID=100 .

  • Authentication username. If required, enter the username the web site uses for authentication.
  • Authentication password. Enter the password that coincides with the username that the web site uses for authentication.

    Note: The HTTP Content Monitor only supports basic authentication.

  • Timeout (seconds). Enter the number of seconds WhatsUp Gold should attempt the connection.
  • Proxy server. If the content that you want WhatsUp Gold to check is behind a proxy server, enter the proxy server's IP address.
  • Proxy port. Enter the port on which the proxy server listens.

    Web page content

  • Web page content to find. Enter the content that you would like WhatsUp Gold to look for on the web page it checks. Enter either plain text or a regular expression.
  • Use regular expression. Select this option to use regular expression in Web page content to find.

    Note: The HTTP Content Monitor uses standard regular expression processing as supported by the .NET framework.

    Click Request URL contents to populate the dialog with the web page contents of the URL you entered above.

    Click Advanced to configure the user agent and custom headers.

    Click Use in rescan to have the monitor appear in the Active Monitors list during rescan. WhatsUp Gold will add the monitor type to your devices during a rescan if the protocol or service is active on the device.

Click OK to save changes.