Overview
The HDOnTap Portal can email you when one of your devices goes offline, so you can fix the problem quickly. Setting it up takes two steps: add the email addresses that should get alerts, then turn on monitoring for each device.
Alerts are sent by email.
Prerequisites
- You must have your Portal login. Contact your Customer Administrator or HDOnTap Support if you need assistance with your Portal credentials.
- For an HTTP check, HDOnTap must have HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) access to the device. See Device Online and Offline Status in the Portal.
Step 1: Add alerting contacts
1. Log in to the HDOnTap Portal and open the Profile tab.
2. On the right is a second box with tabs, such as timestamp notes and Locations. Open the Alerting Contacts tab.
3. Add the email address of each person who should get alerts.
Step 2: Set up monitoring for a device
1. Go to Devices and edit the device you want to monitor.
2. In the edit window, open the Monitoring tab.
3. Choose your settings:
- How often the device is checked.
- The type of check: an HTTP check or a ping check. See HTTP check or ping check? below.
- Which alert contacts get notified.
- How many failed checks trigger an alert.
- Repeating alerts: keep sending the alert at an interval while the device is offline.
- Back-online alert: get an email when the device comes back online.
Important: An email address only appears in the Monitoring tab after it has been added under Profile > Alerting Contacts. If you don't see someone in the list, add them there first (Step 1).
How long before an alert is sent?
The time before an alert is sent is the check interval multiplied by the number of failed checks you set.
Hypothetical example: If you set the device to be checked every 5 minutes and to alert after 3 failed checks, the device would have to be unreachable for about 15 minutes before you get an email. These numbers are only an example, not the Portal's default settings.
A shorter interval or fewer failed checks means you hear about problems sooner. A longer interval or more failed checks means fewer alerts from brief network blips.
HTTP check or ping check?
- HTTP check: the Portal tries to load the device's web interface, the same way a browser would. It confirms the device is answering web requests.
- Ping check: the Portal sends a simple network ping to the device's address and waits for a reply. It confirms the device can be reached on the network.
Where the checks come from
Device monitoring and alerts run from the server portal01.hdontap.com, which is in HDOnTap's data center. All checks come from HDOnTap's data center IP (Internet Protocol) range:
- 38.90.224.0/25
An HTTP check needs HDOnTap to have HTTP access to the device. If your site's network administrator only allows certain addresses to reach the camera (whitelisting), make sure the 38.90.224.0/25 range is allowed, or the device may show as offline and send alerts even when it's working. For more on how this affects what you see from your side, read Why a camera can load for us but not for you.
Frequently asked questions
I'm not getting alert emails. What should I check?
Check your spam or junk folder. Then make sure your email address is listed under Profile > Alerting Contacts and is selected in the device's Monitoring tab.
How do I stop alerts?
Edit the device, open the Monitoring tab and remove the contact from the device's alert contacts, or change the monitoring settings. To stop alerts to an address for all devices, remove it from Profile > Alerting Contacts.
Can more than one person get alerts?
Yes. Add each email address under Profile > Alerting Contacts, then select the ones you want in each device's Monitoring tab.
Who do I contact for help?
Call 858.481.4096, Option 2, or use the Request Support link.
Still need help?
Contact the HDOnTap support team at [email protected] or submit a support request.