Network Performance Monitoring - Devices vs Tasks
A network monitoring Device (executive) delegates commands to a Task (cubicle employee).
{{photo credit: Tim Patterson cc}}

To understand how network monitoring works it helps to think of a corporate hierarchy with the top C-suite executives overseeing lower level employees, like the line employees working in cubicles. When it comes to network monitoring, a Device is like a C-suite executive, which delegates commands down to a Task, or the cubicle employee. Tasks then oversee individual aspects of a network in order to maintain a functioning website.

Let’s take a look at how these two crucial components – Devices and Tasks – work together to perform routine network maintenance operations:

How a Monitoring Device works:

A Device is simply a way of overseeing individual monitoring functions, such as: monitoring frequency, reporting and alerting. Devices are designed to help facilitate how Tasks interact with a network for the purpose of ensuring that monitoring takes place in an orderly fashion. Devices can be set up that contain a single Tasks, or multiple Tasks. There can also be multiple Devices within a network, each with their own set of Tasks to oversee.

How a Monitoring Task works:

A Task, basically monitors individual “targets” to determine whether, or not, the target is working. A target could be a URL, email server, FTP server, or web-based server. Tasks can be arranged as a single monitoring function within a Device, or as a set of several monitoring instances, or Tasks,  occurring in sequence within a Device.

 

Network Monitoring - Uptime Performance

 

How do Devices and Tasks help keep my network running optimally?

These two crucial network monitoring functions – Devices and Tasks – work together to keep close tabs on your network performance. Without them, it is extremely difficult to keep a constant eye on internal problems when they arise. It is an ongoing system of maintenance that is constantly deployed to prevent individual target failures, such as: broken URLs and server errors from becoming bigger problems.

 

To learn more about Network Uptime Monitoring visit: www.dotcom-monitor.com/network-monitoring.aspx

For more on Devices & Tasks see our Wiki: www.dotcom-monitor.com/wiki/index.php/category/devices-tasks/

Latest Web Performance Articles​

Top 15 Infrastructure Monitoring Tools

Infrastructure monitoring tools ensure systems’ optimal performance and availability, enabling the identification and resolution of potential issues before they become complex. This article delves into

Top 20 Server Monitoring Tools of 2023

A server monitoring tool is software that monitors the operation and general health of servers and other components of IT infrastructure. These tools continuously track

Top 25 Server Monitoring Tools

In this article we give our expert picks of the top 25 server monitoring tools to help monitor your website’s uptime and give your users the best experience, starting with our own solution at Dotcom-Monitor. Learn why server monitoring is an essential part of any monitoring strategy.

Top 20 Synthetic Monitoring Tools

Synthetic monitoring allows teams to monitor and measure website and web application performance around the clock from every conceivable vantage point, and to receive alerts before issues begin to impact real users. Here are our top picks for synthetic monitoring tools, leading with our own at Dotcom-Monitor.

Start Dotcom-Monitor for free today​

No Credit Card Required