Downtime events like the Sept 27, 2012, PNC Financials website outage make for compelling headlines, banker headaches, and bank website user annoyances. But, is this downtime more than that? Is it another locus-of-control (digital access to money) in the modern age that is spinning out-of-control into an encroaching cyber black hole of economic chaos? Well no, but… downtime and slow downs do have an impact.
Dotcom-Monitor is tracking the current Wells Fargo Bank outage as well as a reported US Bank outage and PNC outage. Dotcom-Monitor cannot confirm a denial of service attack is behind the current bank issues. We will provide updates on information regarding these banking websites as we research the issue.
The GoDaddy DNS outage and Paternity Test: Who’s your GoDaddy? Its another episode of the Maury Povich Paternity Test on DNS Outage TV yesterday. Having just written about a major AT&T DNS outage on Aug. 15, here we are again on Sept 10, 2012 witnessing the GoDaddy DNS outage. Millions of website and email users DNS look-up process is playing out like a Maury Povich TV episode of paternity testing gone wrong. First time visitors to a GoDaddy website type the GoDaddy URL into their browser and the answer from the DNS comes back “This aint your GoDaddy.” Or something like that.
To Cache or Not-to-Cache – that is the DNS Monitoring Question
Firstly, it is not generally well-known that external-based HTTP request-type website monitoring, like coffee at your local java joint, comes in different “grades” – cache-based and non-cache based. Dotcom-Monitor employs non-cached monitoring, which propagates through the full DNS process with each monitoring instance. Cache-based monitoring (used by many basic monitoring services) does not propagate through the DNS process and misses DNS issues.
How to Effectively Monitor for the next DNS Outage Situation
In the case of the AT&T DNS outage issue there are several key factors that help to speed up Time-to-Repair (TTR), or avoiding downtime.
Doing DNS Monitoring Right: The AT&T DNS Outage: The AT&T domain name server (DNS) outage of Aug. 15, 2012 exemplifies why a “non-cache based” method for monitoring of websites is important for mission-critical websites. Firstly, a bit of a review. The most common, basic form of website monitoring is conducted using a synthetic browser (not an actual browser), which connects to the target server via an HTTP request process. A number of server-focused processes, such as the availability of the target server, the time it takes to load the HTML file for the website from the server, and the capability to detect keywords within the HTML file are checked via the use of a synthetic browser using an HTTP request process.
August 15, 2012-The ATT DNS outage demonstrates the importance of real-time root cause diagnostics when monitoring Internet services. Intermittent ATT DNS errors were first detected at 5:23 AM PST by Dotcom-Monitor a full hour before AT&T reported the issue. The Dotcom-Monitor Minnesota node noted the issue and captured a diagnostic DNS trace at the time of error. Non-clients of Dotcom-Monitor can use a free DNS trace tool here to test if their domain is affected by selecting Trace Style “DNS”.
This piece of info was sent immediately to Dotcom-Monitor clients whose services were affected by the ATT DNS outage. This diagnostic gave Dotcom-Monitor clients immediate info that pinpointed the root cause of the issue without the need for additional troubleshooting. Dotcom-Monitor clients using ATT DNS made extremely fast, informed decisions, such as moving their DNS to another provider, or taking alternative measures to re-route traffic.
Aug. 15, 2012- Dotcom-Monitor is monitoring a DNS issue involving ATT DNS nameservers and will provide updates as new details emerge.
Dotcom-Monitor Makes Web Performance Testing Faster at Velocity Conference 2012
Santa Clara, CA- Velocity Conference (Booth 512), June 27, 2012 – Dotcom-Monitor launches the world’s fastest scripting tool for automating web performance monitoring of website applications with dynamic page content, UserView Monitoring.
“DevOps needs two things to respond to demands on their time for monitoring of complex web applications. Automation of web performance monitoring scripts that takes minutes – not days – and browser scripts that can step through dynamic page content without breaking,” said CTO Vadim Mazo, “UserView Monitoring gives them both.”
While at Velocity Conference 2012, Dotcom-Monitor is providing expert feedback on website performance and conducting live worldwide website performance tests. Dotcom-Monitor will also be demonstrating its exclusive Picture Match monitoring technology, which quickly automates the most complex monitoring scripts using its proprietary EveryStep Recorder tool.
The ability to quickly set-up effective monitoring is important for the same reason a fast website is important to website users – basically, goal-oriented people value their time. With that in mind, the EveryStep Recorder tool provides the fastest automation of complex website scripting of website monitoring available.
Announcing BrowserView Monitoring at Internet World Tradeshow: Dotcom-Monitor Launches Worldwide Speed Performance Website Monitoring Solution
Minneapolis, Minnesota – April. 20, 2012 – Dotcom-Monitor, (www.Dotcom-Monitor.com), today announced the immediate availability of BrowserView Monitoring™ website speed testing solution testing using Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer browsers from worldwide locations.
“The 20th anniversary of Internet World is an ideal launch event for BrowserView Monitoring,” said Vadim Mazo, Chief Technical Officer (CTO). “Obviously, slow web pages frustrate website customers. Having the ability to affordably uncover website issues and make constant improvements is a key goal for website marketing and IT,” noted Mazo, “Consistent delivery of web pages at peak speed is critical to customer satisfaction and repeat visits.”
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