Monitoring IIS Web Servers
Learn how to monitor the state and performance of your IIS Servers, Web Sites and Application pools
This page describes what's being monitored for IIS related items in Nodinite using one or more role-based Monitor Views. Nodinite monitors the state based on user-defined thresholds, either global or specific. For managing IIS related items, remote commands are available as Actions. These help you swiftly manage reported problems. The implemented Remote Actions are further detailed on this page.
Example list of monitored IIS related items in a Monitor View.
Monitoring Features
- Automatic Discovery
- The Nodinite Windows Server Monitoring Agent makes use of WMI and offers the automatic discovery of your IIS related items. Sharing access to any individual item is very easy from within Nodinite using Monitor Views.
- State Evaluation - Based on Running/Stopped status
If Nodinite can't check the state of your IIS related items, chances are no one else can use them either
- Category-based monitoring - To help you sort out the different type of IIS related items, the monitored Resources are grouped by Categories
State evaluation for IIS related items
The monitored IIS related items are displayed within Nodinite as Resources. For example, if you have 1 IIS Server, 2 Web Sites, and 3 application pools, then you will have 6 Resources in Nodinite.
- The name of the Resources comes from the name of the deployed item.
- All monitored IIS related items belongs to one of the following 'IIS' Categories.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| IIS (W3wp.exe) | Make sure the W3WP.exe service is online |
| Web Sites | Monitors the state of Web Sites |
| App Pools | Monitors the state of Application Pools |
List of IIS related categories as filter in a Monitor View
- The Application name is based on the display name for the configuration name for monitored Windows Server:
Each item (presented in Nodinite as a Resource) and is evaluated with a state. (OK, Warning, Error, Unavailable).
From within Nodinite, you can reconfigure the state evaluation on Resource level using the Expected State feature.
Note
Depending on the user-defined synchronization interval set for the Windows Server Monitoring Agent, there might be a delay before Nodinite Web Client/Monitor Views reflects upon the change. Click the Sync All button (or on the dropdown for individual agent selection) to force Nodinite to request a resynchronization request.
Option to force Nodinite to request a resynchronization request
IIS (W3WP.exe)
For the Web Server, IIS (W3WP.exe) category, the monitored state evaluates as described in the table below:
| State | Status | Description | Actions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unavailable | Service not available | If the server can't be reached and evaluated either due to network or security-related problems | Review prerequisites | |
| Error | Error state raised | The 'Site' is in the stopped state | - | |
| Warning | Warning state raised | Not yet implemented | - | |
| OK | Online | The 'IIS' accessible and is in the started state | IIS Performance Counters |
Actions for IIS
The following Remote Actions are available for the IIS Category:
IIS Performance Counters
You can view some statistics about the selected IIS instance, simply click on the Action button and then click on the IIS Performance Counters menu item within the 'Control Center' section.
Show IIS statistics, using the 'IIS Performance Counters' action.
Next, click the option to present the modal.
Here's an example of ASP.NET performance counters.
This modal is designed for the purpose of being used as a Widget in the Dashboard.
Web Sites
For the Web Sites, (IIS - Web Sites) category, the monitored state evaluates as described in the table below:
| State | Status | Description | Actions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unavailable | Service not available | If the server can't be reached and evaluated either due to network or security-related problems | Review prerequisites | |
| Error | Error state raised | The 'Web Site' is in the stopped state | Start Restart List Applications | |
| Warning | Warning state raised | Not implemented | N/A | |
| OK | Online | The 'Web Site' is in the started state | Stop Restart List Applications |
Actions for IIS Web Sites
For the IIS Web Sites Category, the Windows Server Monitoring Agent provides the following Remote Actions:
List of Actions for Web Sites.
List Applications
Select the List Applications option to get a list of current Applications and the status of the configured App Pool:
Next, the Windows Server Monitoring Agent contacts the IIS instance and fetches information about the Web Site as requested. The result appears on the screen.
Here's an example of IIS Applications for the selected Web Site
The following actions exist:
Remote Actions for an IIS Application.
Start Application Pool
Stop Application Pool
Recycle Application Pool
Start Web Site
Start the selected Web Site.
You will then be prompted to continue with the operation.
Next, the Windows Server Monitoring Agent contacts the IIS instance and starts the Web Site as requested. The result appears on the screen.
Here's an example of successful start Web Site operation
Stop Web Site
Stop the selected Web Site.
You will then be prompted to continue with operation.
The Windows Server Monitoring Agent contacts the IIS instance and stops the Web Site. The result appears on the screen.
Restart Web Site
Restarts the selected Web Site.
You will then be prompted to continue with operation.
The Windows Server Monitoring Agent contacts the IIS instance and stops the Web Site. The result appears on the screen.
Here's an example of successful Restart Web Site operation.
Warning
Restarting a Web Site is much more resource intensive and may affect many other applications. If possible, opt to recycle individual application pools instead
App Pools
For IIS Application Pools, (IIS - Application Pool) category, the monitored state evaluates as described in the table below:
| State | Status | Description | Actions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unavailable | Service not available | If the server can't be reached and evaluated either due to network or security-related problems | Review prerequisites | |
| Error | Error state raised | The 'App Pool' is in the stopped state | Start | |
| Warning | Warning state raised | Not implemented | N/A | |
| OK | Online | The 'App Pool' is in the started state | Stop Recycle |
Tip
The evaluated state may be reconfigured using the Expected State functionality on every Resource within Nodinite.
Actions for IIS App Pools
For the IIS App Pools Category, the Windows Server Monitoring Agent provides the following Remote Actions:
Here's an example of Remote Actions available from the Actions button in the Monitor Views.
Start App Pool
Start the selected App Pool.
You will then be prompted to continue with the operation.
Next, the Windows Server Monitoring Agent contacts the IIS instance and starts the App Pool as requested. The result appears on the screen.
Here's an example of a successful start app pool operation
Stop App Pool
Stop the selected App Pool.
You will then be prompted to continue with operation.
The Windows Server Monitoring Agent contacts the IIS instance and stops the App Pool. The result appears on the screen.
Recycle App Pool
Recycles the selected App Pool.
You will then be prompted to continue with the operation.
The Windows Server Monitoring Agent contacts the IIS instance and stops the App Pool. The result appears on the screen.
Here's an example of a successful recycle app pool operation
Here's an example of a failed recycle app pool operation
The root cause for failing to recycle, can be either that the App Pool is currently stopped or configured with a user name / password combination that is incorrect. Review the IIS logs and the Windows Server event log for further troubleshooting.
Configuration
Use the Remote Configuration to manage the IIS configuration.
IIS Tab
Click the IIS tab to manage IIS related Monitoring options.
Here's an example of the 'IIS' tab
Within the IIS tab you have the following sub-tabs:
- Basic
IIS Basic tab
From within the IIS basic tab you can manage essential settings for IIS Monitoring.
- Enable Monitoring of IIS on this server - When checked, the state of the IIS, Web Sites and Application Pools is evaluated. If not checked, nothing at all is monitored.
- Description - User-friendly short description for this configuration.
Next Step
Related
Windows Server Monitoring Agent
Resources
Monitoring
Monitor Views