Using RMM Tools with NetSwap Backup Appliances
Highly Reliable Systems manufactures true backup NAS appliances that can be monitored with Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tools such as LabTech, Kaseya, N-able, and others. Such tools may be used to generate tickets in ConnectWise. In this overview we outline some of the monitoring parameters offered. Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices are popularly used for adding shared storage to a small business network. While providing an inexpensive and convenient way to store extra data, they do not have a true backup focus. Our backup appliances include highly-removable drives, auto-mirroring, offsite replication, virtual machine support, and remote monitoring functionality to provide the most reliable backup solution.
Monitoring Strategy
We recommend the practice of setting an alert upon failure to receive a “Success” notification from the backup software, as this is the best way to insure backups are occurring. Monitoring “failures” of the backup software has the disadvantage that a particular failure mode may not be monitored, as there are thousands of ways for backup jobs to fail. Monitoring of the lower level hardware can be helpful, but does not guarantee a successful backup. For hardware level monitoring the NetSwap and RAIDFrame product lines provide both network (TCP/HTTP) and file based methods to allow remote monitoring of the device status including hard drive removal/insertion, mirror status (eg: degraded, rebuilding, etc), and other events. Please note these capabilities are not available to Windows-based products such as our BNAS platform, however these Windows platforms have built-in monitoring options such as the event log.
For hardware level monitoring, NetSwap and RAIDFrame product lines provide TCP/HTTP network file based methods. High-Rely’s own Windows-based NetSwap Dashboard client allows remote monitoring of device status, including: hard drive presence, mirror status (eg: degraded, rebuilding, etc), and other useful events. Please note that our NetSwap Dashboard is not designed for BNAS-series products, as these Windows Storage Server-based appliances have similar built-in monitoring options.
RMM Tool Support
LabTech network (TCP/HTTP) and file based monitors can be used with our NetSwap and RAIDFrame series. Examples of monitored events are:
- Disk removal events
- Disk pre-failure (SMART data from hard drive)
- Disk failure events.
- Low drive space
- If the disk is shared or not.
- If the disk is mounted or not.
- Mirroring Active or not
- Mirroring Synced or not
- Mirroring Status (% done)
- Replication Status (when replicating to another NAS)
Stand Alone Monitoring
If you don’t have a RMM tool, you can still configure email alerts or audible alarms. The screen shot illustrated below was taken from our NetSwap user interface, and demonstrates that even without an RMM tool the appliance has a variety of standalone alerts that mirror the RMM alert functionality.
