Magnitudes improperly configured with Active Watch are unable automatically notify Xiotech Customer Support of system warnings or alert conditions.
The most common indications that the Xiotech Active Watch service is not functioning correctly are:
- "Can't Connect to SMTP Server" Error in Magnitude Log
- "Xiotech XPERTcare Active Watch - Not Receiving Daily Update Notifications" Email Message from Xiotech Customer Support
- Embedded PC "Locked" or "Hung"
If you suspect that your Active Watch service is not functioning correctly, the following troubleshooting steps can be used to isolate and resolve the issue.
- Verify Connection to the SMTP Server
- Rebooting the Embedded PC (EPC)
- Use Telnet to Send Email
- Change the Line End Format
- Send a Manual Update
- Remove Active Watch
Verify Connection to the SMTP Server
Verify that there is a network connection to the SMTP server by pinging the server from the Magnitude DOS command prompt. (The necessary files are found in the c:\pctcp directory on the Embedded PC.)
- Go to DOS from the main console, by pressing ALT-Q and selecting "No Going to DOS and Returning."
- If prompted with "XIO will reboot automatically in 30 Seconds. (Hit ESC to boot now)" Press CTRL-C > Y to terminate the batch job and get a command prompt.
- From the C:\XIO prompt type cd\pctcp
- Type PING "SMTP Server IP Address"
- Note reply status (see below).
- From the C:\PCTCP prompt type cd\xio
- To return to the main MMC console type XIO
Reply Status
If a reply is received to the ping request, proceed to the Use Telnet to Send Email portion of this guide.
If there is no response from the ping request, it is possible that the IP connection to the Embedded PC has been disrupted and needs to be reconnected by rebooting the Embedded PC (EPC). See the Rebooting the Embedded PC portion of this guide.
If the EPC has been rebooted and the TCP/IP stack has been reloaded and configured and there is still no reply from the ping request, it is possible that there is a hardware malfunction on the EPC or associated network infrastructure. In this event, contact Xiotech Customer Support at 800.734.4716 for further assistance.
Rebooting the Embedded PC
- From either the MMC console or a DOS command, press CTRL-ALT-DEL to reboot the EPC.
- If the EPC does not accept keyboard commands, locate and press the reset button on the EPC (Do Not Press the Power Button on the Battery Backup System - This will Power off the Magnitude and Cause a System Outage.) The reset button is located just below the power button on the front of the EPC.
- When prompted with "Firmware Already Running", select Skip Reboot.
- To get to DOS from the main console, press ALT-Q and select "No Going to DOS and Returning."
- If prompted with "XIO will reboot automatically in 30 Seconds. (Hit ESC to boot now)" Press CTRL-C > Y to terminate the batch job and get a command prompt.
- Repeat ping process from above.
If still unable to get a reply from the ping request, it is possible that the TCP/IP stack may need to be reloaded on the EPC. For the TCP/IP installation software and instructions CLICK HERE.
Use Telnet to Send Email
If the SMTP server can be pinged, try opening a telnet session to the SMTP server and manually typing the lines to generate an email.
Assuming the following:
SMTP server's IP address is 10.10.1.1 and the port is the default of 25
The domain name is domain.dom
Type in the following (hitting return at then end of each line - indicated by ).
From a dos prompt, type telnet 10.10.1.1 25
helo domain.dom
mail from: customer@domain.dom
rcpt to: test@xiotech.com
rcpt to: customer@domain.dom
data
This is a test email for getting through SMTP
. (Note that this is period all by itself)
quit
Check with Xiotech Customer Support at 800.734.4716 to see if this email is received.
Change the Line End Format
If alert e-mails are being received by internal recipients (user@yourcompany.com), but not by Xiotech Customer Support (alert@xiotech.net), it is possible that the formatting of the e-mail needs to be altered.
Altering the format of the e-mail files can be done manually or automated using a configuration program (CFGMAIL).
Manual Process
- Go to DOS from the main console by pressing ALT-Q and selecting "No Going to DOS and Returning."
- If prompted with "XIO will reboot automatically in 30 Seconds. (Hit ESC to boot now)" Press CTRL-C > Y to terminate the batch job and get a command prompt.
- From the c:\XIO prompt, type dir mail.*
- Note the files mail.gen, mail.err and mail.nmi.
- Edit the first mail file by typing edit mail.gen
- Note that the first line entry is either a 1 or a 1025 indicating a Line Feed (LF) or Carriage Return Line Feed (CRLF) respectively.
- If the first line entry was 1 (LF), change it to 1025 (CRLF)
- If the first line entry was 1025 (CRLF), change it to 1 (LF)
- Save and close the file by pressing ALT > F (File) > X (Exit) > Enter (Save)
- Repeat process for the mail.err and mail.nmi files.
- From the C:\XIO directory, type XIO to return to the main console.
- Send a manual update. (See Below)
Automated Process - Using CFGMAIL
Every time the CFGMAIL program is run, the four mail configuration files are overwritten. The information must be fully entered at each prompt. Hitting Enter at each line wipes out the corresponding information from the four mail configuration files.
To run the CFGMAIL program perform following steps:
- Go to DOS from the main console by pressing ALT-Q and selecting "No, Going to DOS and Returning."
- If prompted with "XIO will reboot automatically in 30 Seconds. (Hit ESC to boot now)" Press CTRL-C > Y to terminate the batch job and get a command prompt.
- From the c:\XIO prompt, type CFGMAIL
- Proceed through the configuration by answering the questions again, choosing the other Line End format when prompted.
- When complete, from the C:\XIO directory, type XIO to return to the main console.
- Send a manual update. (See Below)
Sending a Manual Update
The Magnitude sends a general update once every 24hour period. This update consists of basic hardware and configuration information and is only used for monitoring and troubleshooting purposes by Xiotech Customer Support.
To manually send a general update perform the following:
- From the main MMC console, enter Setup mode by highlighting the Menu tab, pressing Enter and selecting Setup.
- Right arrow over to the Options tab and press Enter.
- From the Options screen, press F4.
- Select "Yes, I have Active Watch support." when prompted.
- Note the bottom Log portion of the screen. If Active Watch is properly communicating with the SMTP server an "Email Sent" message will appear in the log.
- Wait 5-10 minutes and contact Xiotech Customer Support at 800.734.4716 to verify that the update has been received.