Cyber Hygiene: Preventing Data Breaches

Cyber Hygiene: Preventing Data Breaches

Since the Covid pandemic began, the word “hygiene” has ceased to be only for germaphobes and has become the holy grail of health.

Washing hands and wearing masks has become as normal as breathing (literally).

But did you know that your computer systems also need some love and hygienic attention?

That’s right!

Cyber hygiene is the new mantra to keep your data and networks healthy and safe from cyberattacks.

So, get ready to discover the 7 best practices that will help you keep your organization safe from cyber chaos. Because if your net fails, there is no disinfectant to save you.

Cyber hygiene keys to protect your data

1) Monitor and control your inventory as if you were Big Brother!

If you don’t know what you have, then you have no idea what you’re protecting.

To make sure your data is safer than Fort Knox, you need to keep a watchful eye on all the junk and software in your company.

Yes, even those devices brought by your enthusiastic employee on “Bring Your Own Device Day.”

Document everything from the software they use to the color of the cables.

If you detect suspicious software, sound the alarm and make sure to keep track of every hardware failure.

Don’t give cyber villains a break!

2) Don’t be a slacker, patch that software at once!

Did you know that outdated software is the “winter refuge” of cybercriminals?

According to a study (totally scientific, of course) conducted by the Ponemon Institute in 2020, 42% of data breaches were caused by the laziness of not applying available patches.

Hackers are out there looking for outdated software to sneak into your network.

Don’t welcome them!

You need a process that reviews and updates all your software in the background, without upsetting your brave end users.

3) Back up, don’t be a (data) loser!

Losing data is as painful as breaking a mirror with your head while an umbrella opens from your mouth (seven years of bad luck included).

Not only can users unintentionally delete files, there are also hardware issues, power outages, and those ruthless malware attacks.

Ransomware, for example, is like virtual hijacking, they ask you for ransom for your data! Save your company time, money and tears by making regular backups.

Automate the whole process to avoid human error and maintain a backup program with the precision of a Swiss watch!

4) Do not give permissions to anyone, be fussier than your father with culinary innovations!

Humans are the cause of 95% of cybersecurity problems, according to the prestigious “Obviously” World Institute.

So, if you don’t want your network to be as safe as an unlocked door, you need to carefully control who has access to what.
Manage user permissions as if you were a guardian of Death Star 4 who does not want the slaughter of 1, 2, and 3* to be repeated.

But wait, assigning permissions manually is a slow and boring process. Instead, use an IT management solution that does all the dirty work for you and automatically assigns usage rights.

*Yes, there is a third in the last Star Wars trilogy.

5) Say goodbye to “123456” and welcome strong passwords!

According to a (very scientific) survey conducted by Google in 2019, 65% of users use the same password for everything.

Even IT professionals are to blame for this digital laziness!

Do you want hackers to crash your network? Of course not.

Raise awareness among users about strong passwords and the importance of changing them regularly.

But come on, let’s face it, nobody likes to rack their brains thinking about complicated passwords and then forgetting them instantly. Use a password manager to automatically generate strong passwords and store them in an encrypted database.

6) Multi-Factor authentication for hackers to cry virtual tears!

Passwords are actually like play dough locks in the digital age, easy to open for evil hackers!

So don’t just rely on them to protect your data. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and make hackers rip off virtual hairs of frustration.

Ask users to verify their identity through different factors, such as one-time passwords sent by text or email, personal security questions, or even facial recognition.

Make hackers feel it’s easier to climb mount Everest with a pressure cooker on your head heating lentils than it is to get into your network!

7) Don’t play Russian cyber roulette, use a cybersecurity solution!

There are many cybersecurity options out there, but here are a few key points to consider:

Find a solution that can detect known and unknown threats. In addition, you need a solution that can automatically repair any infection and clean up any traces of malware. Make sure it’s compatible with all your devices and operating systems, because you don’t want to leave anyone unprotected. And of course, make sure it’s lightweight and doesn’t slow down your devices.

Conclusions

If you want to save time and effort, consider adopting a cybersecurity framework.

Rely on the collective wisdom of thousands of professionals and let their expertise guide you in implementing a robust cybersecurity program.

Because honestly, who has the time to reinvent the wheel of cybersecurity?

Remember, maintaining proper cyber hygiene does as much good as washing your hands after you’ve helped give birth to a cow in the herd.

So, follow these 7 golden keys and keep cybercriminals at bay.

Don’t let them infect you with the cybernetic neglect virus.

Your network and data will thank you!

Would you like to find out more about Pandora FMS?

The total monitoring solution for full observability

Contact our sales team, ask for a quote or solve all of your doubts about our licenses.

Network visibility makes all the difference! The key to Managed Service Providers to protecting your customer data

Network visibility makes all the difference! The key to Managed Service Providers to protecting your customer data

In a world where technology is ubiquitous, network security is of paramount importance.

Every day that goes by, cybercrime evolves and becomes more sophisticated. They improve the materials of their balaclavas and spend more on incognito sunglasses.

In 2015, the damage caused by cybercrime already cost the world 3 trillion dollars, since then the figure has only multiplied.

No wonder companies are looking for ways to protect themselves against cyberattacks, don’t you think?

Anyone can claim that network blind spots are one of the biggest security challenges companies face in their efforts to safeguard data.

This makes visibility a crucial aspect for any security system.

*In particular, poor Managed Service Providers (MSPs) should exercise extreme vigilance as they are the custodians of customer data.

The best kept secret: What is network visibility?

Understanding network visibility is critical to protecting any organization from cyberattacks.

It is a way to be aware of the existence of all the components within your network, allowing you to monitor performance, traffic, big data analytics, applications and managed resources.

But, why stop there?

A complete monitoring solution can give you even more control to make changes based on the metrics you’re monitoring.

With increased visibility, MSPs can improve your customers’ security posture by identifying telltale signs of network compromising.

In addition, better visibility leads to better analytics, allowing MSPs to make informed decisions about the data protection strategies they need to implement.

A good monitoring solution should provide visibility into every part of your network, including your customers’ networks, to ensure that all aspects are monitored and all vulnerabilities are detected.

However, MSPs can only achieve maximum protection by combining their network visibility with effective security tools.

In other words, visibility alone is not enough to protect a network.

It is essential to have the right tools in place to detect and respond to security incidents in real time.

Without these tools, MSPs simply monitor their customers’ networks without being able to act on the information they receive.

Why is network visibility important? Learn how to protect your information in the digital world

Let’s repeat it once more:

Cybercrime is an ever-present threat, as we discussed, and network blind spots only increase the likelihood that attacks will succeed.

Visibility solutions provide valuable help by allowing MSPs to detect vulnerabilities and respond quickly to prevent potential breaches.

By monitoring network traffic, a visibility solution can identify and alert you to any performance bottlenecks.

This means that unexpected behaviors, such as unacceptably slow response times, can be detected immediately, allowing technicians and system administrators to take appropriate action.

Visibility also extends to application monitoring.

As an MSP, you’re likely to rely on multiple applications as part of your services.

With granular network visibility, for example, you can gain valuable insights into how your applications are affecting performance and connectivity.

This information allows you to filter critical app traffic to the right tools and monitor who and when uses each app. You can then make your applications’ performance more efficient, reduce server processing power, and minimize bandwidth usage.

In addition, a good visibility solution should be able to provide centralized control and visibility across all of its customers’ networks.

The right software will allow you to monitor and manage all of your customers’ networks from a single dashboard, allowing you to identify network blind spots across all of your customers’ networks.

With this centralized control, MSPs can ensure that their customers’ networks are always up to date and that vulnerabilities are detected and fixed quickly.

Challenges in network visibility?

As MSPs strive to keep pace with the rapidly evolving network visibility landscape, it is imperative that they take several challenges into account.

One of them is the constant evolution of security threats.

It’s not like cybercriminals are sitting on a couch all day doing nothing. They are always looking for new ways to compromise networks, and MSPs must stay ahead of the curve by implementing advanced security measures.

One of the most significant threats to network visibility is the increase in encrypted traffic.

Many popular websites and apps now encrypt their traffic to protect user privacy, making it difficult for MSPs to monitor such traffic.

As a result, MSPs must implement tools that can decrypt and inspect that traffic without affecting network performance.

Another major challenge for MSPs is the sheer volume of data that modern networks generate.

With the rise of cloud computing and IoT, there are more endpoints and devices than ever before.

This makes it difficult to collect, store and analyze all the data generated by these devices.

MSPs must implement tools that can manage this volume of data while providing accurate information about network performance and security.

Finally, MSPs must cope with the increasing complexity of modern networks.

With so many different components to consider, from mobile devices to cloud services, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

MSPs should choose their tools carefully, selecting those that can provide full visibility into all network components.

Visibility is a critical issue for MSPs, but it is not without challenges.

To stay ahead of the curve, MSPs must implement advanced security measures, tools that can manage the volume of data generated by modern networks, and tools that can provide complete visibility into all network components.

With these measures, MSPs can ensure that their customers’ networks are safe and working optimally.

Conclusions

Let’s be concise:

  1. Network security is crucial in a world where technology is ubiquitous and cybercrime is rapidly evolving, so Managed Service Providers (MSPs) must be vigilant and understand network visibility to protect organizations from cyberattacks.
  2. Network visibility is important to detect vulnerabilities and respond quickly to prevent potential breaches, by monitoring network traffic to identify unexpected behaviors, detect performance bottlenecks, and monitor the use of critical applications.
  3. MSPs face several challenges in the evolution of network visibility, such as the constant evolution of security threats, and need to implement measures to stay ahead of the curve, combining network visibility with effective security tools to detect and respond to security incidents in real time.
Discover Pandora FMS best features 2022-2023 (Part II)

Discover Pandora FMS best features 2022-2023 (Part II)

Today, in Pandora FMS blog, we will continue with the feat of presenting the best features of Pandora FMS 2022-2023. I talk about “continuing” because this article is the second part of a great first episode. If you haven’t read it yet… go ahead, here we’ll be waiting for you, and besides, I’m not in a hurry.

Pandora FMS features 2022-2023 (Part II)


Version 765

First of all, you can now set up a history database for your Metaconsole, as if you were a real data archive.

In addition, if you have any issues with your agents, do not worry, because the new schedule downtimes allow you to disable only the modules that are giving you trouble.

But that’s not all, access to the console has also been improved, now you may restrict access through an IP filter for each user.

As for reports, a new option has been added to filter by agent group and/or module group.

You may also schedule the report forwarding alert action. Do you have a critical module? Well, send a report to solve the problem like a real professional!

And if network maps are your thing, you’ll love knowing they’ve been upgraded with automatic refresh features, the removal of the Pandora node, and the ability to link multiple maps to a dummy node.

Last but not least, Pandora FMS now offers support for Ubuntu 22!

Yes, I know, it’s crazy! But do not forget that it is only available in nodes and with some features in experimental phase.

Version 766

Version 766 arrived loaded with features that will not leave you indifferent.

The first of them has to do with the history database and SNMP traps, in which you may now store both in the node and in the Metaconsole.

In addition, for the most demanding ones in terms of security, you can now configure a custom password policy, with all the requirements you need to keep your credentials safe.

Of course, it will only be applicable if you have the local authentication method configured in your console.

But not everything is about safety in life, you also have to take into account the time we spend on certain tasks. That is why in this new version a feature was added for status scaling based on time in modules, which means that you can choose the maximum number of intervals a module may be in warning state before switching to critical state.

A really good deal for those who want to make the most out of the performance of their modules.

In addition, if you are one of those who use many shared credentials on their devices, you can now configure SNMP and WMI credentials in the credential store and use them in the agent wizard or in those types of modules.

And for those who seek perfection in terms of design, you will now have the option to enable maintenance mode when modifying a visual console, so that other users know that you are working on it.

Conclusions

Although the latest Pandora FMS version, 767, being an LTS version, has only included performance improvements and error correction, we cannot fail to highlight the wonderful features that we had already announced in previous versions, such as status scaling based on time, the possibility of storing SNMP traps in the history database, the configuration of password policies and the ease of use thanks to the option of shared credentials.

These features have undoubtedly made Pandora FMS a market-leading network monitoring tool. (And if you haven’t tried it yet, feel free to contact us to request a free 30-day Trial!)

And here’s our review of Pandora FMS!

If you liked it, do not forget to click Like and Subscribe in our channel to stay tuned with all the news.

And as always, any suggestions, questions or ideas… leave them in the comments below.

Thank you for joining us and see you in future learning videos!

Would you like to find out more about Pandora FMS?

The total monitoring solution for full observability

Contact our sales team, ask for a quote or solve all of your doubts about our licenses.

La solución de monitorización total para una completa observabilidad

Contacta el equipo de ventas, pide presupuesto o resuelve tus dudas sobre nuestras licencias.

Contacta con nosotros
Discover Pandora FMS best features 2022-2023 (Part I)

Discover Pandora FMS best features 2022-2023 (Part I)

Today, in Pandora FMS blog, we want to present you with a video, as nice as you will find it, from our channel, in which we share with you with a sensual and velvety voice Pandora FMS best features for 2022-2023.

*This article will be divided into two parts so you don’t collapse with that much interesting information.

Pandora FMS best features 2022-2023

Version 760

Starting with version 760, Pandora FMS significantly improved its installation process.

Instead of using ISOs, you now have online installation scripts that allow you to install Pandora FMS and all its components with a single run.

In addition, this same version is the one that started including support for Red Hat 8, Rocky Linux 8 and Alma Linux 8 operating systems.

Hard to believe, right?

On the other hand, in the Alerts menu, you will find a renewed tool to schedule alert notification.

You may set multiple schedules in a single day with the advanced mode, or choose only one with the simple mode.

In addition, it also has a new automatic graph for modules based on a histogram that will allow you to see the changes in the module status in the time range you want. Without a doubt, a very helpful tool for your day to day.

Version 761

Pandora FMS version 761 also comes with very interesting news.

For example, you now have two new Module Agent reports, with which you can see the name of the agent and the current value of the modules you select, in addition to the current status of the module, group and last contact.

But that’s not all, a new type of report called “Custom Graphical Representation” was also added, with which you may customize SQL executions or create graphs with your own macros and show any information you want from your environment.

As for views, a new one was added, called “heat map”, which will allow you to see the general status of your environment interactively, being able to filter by agent group, module group or label.

Version 763

Pandora FMS version 763 brought lot of other improvements. One of the main ones is the new method for displaying the service map.

Now, with “Sunburst”, you will be able to see your services in a circular way instead of the common tree shape.

There is also a new widget in the dashboards section, with which you may quickly see the number of agents that belong to each operating system and their current status.

And if that was not enough, event replication was deleted from the command center, which provides higher fluidity and scalability when working with these events.

Version 764

Pandora FMS version 764 is undoubtedly one of the most convenient ones.

Very interesting features related to the Satellite server have been added.

From now on, you can manage the whole configuration of your Satellite servers from Pandora FMS console itself, change any configuration or parameter in the configuration file of the Satellite server itself or even restart the service remotely from the console.

In addition, this version also includes improvements in event management, allowing greater flexibility in event creation and management and their associated actions.

Integration with ticketing systems, such as OTRS or RT, has also been improved, allowing more efficient incident management.

Another of the most notable novelties is the inclusion of a more advanced alert system, which allows you to define alert thresholds based on different metrics and actions to be taken when these thresholds are exceeded.

Conclusions

These new Pandora FMS features for 2022-2023 are like a superhero based in your city, ready to protect your environment from any danger and make your job much easier.

With easier installation, revamped alert tools, new custom reports, and improved event management, this new version is all you need to take your monitoring tasks to the next level.

So if you’re sick of dealing with complicated installations, unclear graphics, and useless alerts, Pandora FMS is the solution for you!

With its powerful combination of features and ease of use, there is no other monitoring software that can compete with it.

Would you like to find out more about Pandora FMS?

The total monitoring solution for full observability

Contact our sales team, ask for a quote or solve all of your doubts about our licenses.

La solución de monitorización total para una completa observabilidad

Contacta el equipo de ventas, pide presupuesto o resuelve tus dudas sobre nuestras licencias.

Contacta con nosotros
You won’t believe the funniest software bugs ever – Top 3 will bring you back memories!

You won’t believe the funniest software bugs ever – Top 3 will bring you back memories!

In our beloved “world of technology”, bugs are allowed. In fact, they are so allowed that software bugs have ended up being like a plague of Cretaceous locusts that reappeared today, after a genetic experiment, to devastate everything*.

*Registered idea for a possible film set in the moors of Jaén. Do not copy us, you saga in evident decline Jurassic Park.

These software bugs we’re talking about can range from minor annoyances to catastrophic events, and have plagued experts since software was born.

The thing is, every once in a while, some random software bug appears and it is so weird or completely absurd that it becomes a bloody legend.

So in this article, we’ll take a look at four of the funniest ones and try to figure out what went wrong.

Are you in?

The funniest software bugs in history

The Killer Typo, one of the most mythical computer errors

Let’s start with one of the most infamous software bugs in history: The Killer Typo.

This bug made headlines in 2003, when a Canadian Space Agency programmer accidentally entered an incorrect variable into a computer program.

The program was to control the Mars Climate Orbiter, but instead of converting the metric system data to imperial units, it left them in decimal metric.

This caused the orbiter to fly too close to the planet’s surface, where it burned up in the atmosphere.

How did it happen?

It turns out that the programmer used an older version of Microsoft Excel which, by default and in turn, used imperial drives, while the program itself used metric drives.

The result was a catastrophic error that costed the Canadian Space Agency $327.6 million.

What have we learned?

Always double-check your variables before sending a billion-dollar spaceship hurtling to another planet.

The Blue Screen of Death. All famous computer scientists have been there

The Blue Screen of Death is a classic software bug that has existed since the dawn of the PC era.

It points to that dreaded moment when your computer crashes and displays a blue screen with a cryptic error message that makes no sense to anyone outside the software developer community.

It’s a frustrating error, yes, but in a way it is also funny.

So what causes the Blue Screen of Death?

It could be many things actually, from faulty hardware to faulty drivers or conflicting software. But whatever the cause, it’s always a headache for end users.

What have we learned?

That repeatedly hitting the side of the monitor waiting for an answer is just one of the many forms of uselessness that human beings show.

The Millennium Bug. Yes, it’s what you’re thinking

Ah, The Millennium Bug.

Do you remember it?

It was supposed to be the end of the world as we know it, as computer systems all over the planet were going to malfunction when the clock struck midnight on December 31, 1999.

The reason?

Most computer systems only stored the year in double digits (for example, “99” instead of “1999”), so they could not distinguish between 2000 and 1900.

It was a failure known for years, but which caused panic and chaos as the new millennium approached.

In the end, most of the time it turned out not to be a problem, but it is still remembered as one of the most exaggerated and overrated software bugs in history.

What have we learned?

We are old enough if we remember that.

The Invisible Mouse. Great programmers of history will remember it in the future.

Finally, let’s take a look at a more recent bug that caused some confusion for users of Windows 10.

Back in 2018, an error was discovered that made the mouse cursor disappear when users tried to move it.

The cursor would still work normally, but it was impossible to see where it was on the screen.

What was the cause?

It turns out it was related to a conflict between certain display drivers and a Windows 10 feature that allowed users to customize the size and color of mouse cursors.

The bug was eventually fixed, but not before causing some headaches to users who couldn’t figure out where their mouse had gone.

What have we learned?

That the essential can be invisible to the eyes, as that smart-ass guy, the Little Prince, said.

What have we learned from this article?

In conclusion, software bugs can be frustrating and even costly at times, but they can also be downright fun if they don’t happen to you.

Savour ITSM’s perfect burger: People, processes and technology

Savour ITSM’s perfect burger: People, processes and technology

In this bleak world where technology has become a vital necessity, IT Service Management (ITSM) has become a key tool for many businesses.” It sounds like the introduction to a dystopian novel, doesn’t it? Easy, it’s not like that, today I didn’t get up very like Aldous Huxley.

We will rather answer the question: What is ITSM exactly? 

Don’t you worry, I will not get too involved with the technicalities, you already know what we’re like, I will explain it to you in an easy way and worth prizes such as the Nobel Prize for scientific dissemination.

Advantages of ITSM: Improve IT service management

What exactly is ITSM?

*Warning: Allegory for children.

Imagine that ITSM is the detective of a company. It’s the tough guy who helps the organization understand how technology works in the business and how it can become more efficient. But to be a good detective, ITSM needs three elements: people, processes, and technology.

People are important in ITSM because they are the ones who use the company’s IT services. End users, employees, customers, and external vendors are all people who need the company’s IT services to do their jobs. 

The implementation of ITSM helps define the roles and responsibilities of each user group, and ensures that everyone understands how they can contribute to improving the management of IT services.

Processes are also important in ITSM. And we’ll go crazy inserting an analogy into another analogy. Inception! 

If ITSM were a hamburger, the processes would be like hamburger mince. 

Processes are the different stages that the company’s IT services go through, such as incident management, IT asset management, and change management. A good ITSM implementation will help the company define these processes and ensure that they are followed correctly.

If we continue with the hamburger simile, technology is like ITSM’s hamburger cheese. It is the ingredient that holds everything together with its caloric value. 

Technology allows the company to automate its processes and improve access to service providers and end users. Automation reduces errors, brings consistency and service metrics based on critical success factors.

Although if you got lost in the middle of my great allegory of detectives and hamburgers I leave you here a more academic and cheeseless definition:

ITSM is the acronym for Information Technology Service Management, which refers to a set of practices, policies, procedures and tools used to plan, design, deliver, operate and control the information technology (IT) services that a company offers to its internal or external customers. 

ITSM is based on the service management approach and focuses on customer satisfaction, continuous improvement of services and efficient management of IT costs and resources. 

ITSM includes processes and areas such as incident management, problem management, change management, asset and configuration management, service level management, and capacity management. 

Implementing ITSM enables companies to improve the quality of their IT services, increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their processes, and reduce the risks and costs associated with information technology management.

Now that we know what ITSM is, what are the keys to its implementation?

Well, there are some key requirements that need to be met.

  • First, the roles and responsibilities of end-users must be defined.
  • Secondly, the processes to be followed must be defined, such as incident management, IT asset management and change management.
  • And finally, the right technology must be implemented to automate these processes and improve access to IT services.

When implementing new ITSM processes, the key is to adapt to the specific needs of your business. 

If your IT support team is always working on the same problems, finding the root cause and solving it is undoubtedly the best option. 

For example, if storage space is a recurring problem, deleting files every time the hard drive reaches its maximum capacity is not a long-term solution. 

Instead, installing a hard drive with greater capacity would be a more effective solution over time.

In ITSM, the incident management process becomes problem management. 

In this example, the lack of storage space is the incidence, while the storage capacity of the hard drive is the underlying problem.

But the implementation of ITSM processes depends not only on the tool used, but also on a culture change. 

It’s important for end users to see the IT team as a service provider, rather than just another department of the company.

Key points to consider when implementing ITSM processes are team maturity and size, identifying specific issues, and selecting the right framework. 

Each framework has its own structure and processes, so the choice will depend largely on the problems to be solved.

Once ITSM has been implemented, what are the advantages and why is it important?

There are many benefits to implementing ITSM. 

ITSM processes are key for companies looking to optimize the management of their IT services and improve customer satisfaction. 

Clearly defining service delivery goals, publishing an IT Service Catalog, and creating well-trained and enthusiastic support teams are just a few of the ways ITSM can benefit a company.

In addition, a good ITSM implementation can ensure quick troubleshooting, saving end users time and reducing help desk workload. 

This, in turn, can reduce IT service provision costs and increase service availability and trust.

Last but not least, ITSM ensures compatibility with different regulations or legal regulations, which is crucial for companies looking to comply with security and privacy standards. 

In short, implementing ITSM processes can provide a number of benefits to businesses, from better management of IT services to greater customer satisfaction and greater compliance with legal regulations.

But what about ITIL?

ITIL is a very popular ITSM framework, but it’s not the only option. 

There are other frameworks and standards, such as COBIT, ISO 20000, MOF and USMBOK, that can also be used to manage IT services. 

The main difference between ITIL and other frameworks is that ITIL is very prescriptive and specific about how IT services should be managed, while other frameworks are more flexible and allow companies to customize their processes according to their specific needs.

Despite the differences between ITSM and ITIL, both are important for IT service management. 

ITIL is a good choice for companies looking for a more detailed and structured solution, while other frameworks may be better suited for companies that need a more flexible and customized solution.

Conclusions

What else can we say, the implementation of ITSM is fundamental for the efficient management of IT services in companies. 

Like a seasoned detective, ITSM helps the organization understand how technology works in the business and how it can be more efficient. 

With the right definition of roles and responsibilities, well-defined processes, and implementation of the right technology, ITSM can improve the quality of IT services and increase end-user satisfaction. 

Whether using ITIL or any other framework, ITSM is a key tool for any company that wants to stay competitive in the increasingly technological world in which we live.

And remember, if you ever have problems with your company’s IT services, don’t worry, because ITSM is here to help you solve the mystery and make everything run smoothly!

As the famous detective Sherlock Holmes once said, “when the impossible has been removed, what remains, however improbable it may seem, is the truth”. And the truth is that ITSM is a powerful tool to improve the management of IT services in your company.

No more mistakes! Learn how to create strong, flawless software deployments with the help of automation

No more mistakes! Learn how to create strong, flawless software deployments with the help of automation

Friends, welcome to the world of software development! There have been more changes here in recent years than in Lady Gaga’s wardrobe during her Super Bowl halftime performance! You know, Agile, DevOps, the Cloud… These innovations have enabled organizations to develop and deploy software faster and more efficiently than ever before. One of the key DevOps practices is automated deployments.

In this article, we will discuss the importance of creating and monitoring strong automated implementations.

Automated deployments: achieve error-free software

Why do you need strong automated deployments?

Traditionally, software deployment was a manual process that implied manifold steps and was prone to human error. 

Automated implantations, on the other hand, allow organizations to implement software automatically without human intervention, reducing the chances of errors.

Automated implementations also offer the following advantages:

  1. Faster deployment: Manual implementation is a slow process that implies manifold steps. Automated implementation reduces the implementation time and allows companies to implement software more frequently.
  2. Coherence: Automated deployments guarantee that the deployment process is documented and can be repeated, which reduces the chances of errors caused by human errors.
  3. Downgrade: Automated deployments allow organizations to return to the previous software version quickly and simply if some problem arises.
  4. Profitability: Automated implementations reduce the need for manual intervention, which can be expensive and time-consuming.
  5. Improved tests: Automated deployments can be tested in a test or pre-production environment before going into production, reducing the likelihood of problems arising.

Steps to create strong automated implementations

Creating strong automated deployments involves the following steps:

  • Defining the deployment process: Define the steps needed to deploy the software, including dependencies, configuration settings, and environment requirements.
  • Automating the deployment process: It uses tools like Terraform, Ansible, Jenkins, and YAML to write the deployment process as code, store it in source control, and test it.
  • Add doors and approvals: It adds doors and approvals to require external approvals, perform quality validations, and collect status signals from external services before the implementation can be completed.
  • Develop a rollback strategy: Develop a rollback strategy that includes feature indicators and bluish-green deployments to roll back to the previous version of the software easier should any issues arise.
  • Implement automated monitoring: Implement automated monitoring of system metrics such as memory usage, disk usage, logged errors, database performance, average database response time, long-duration queries, simultaneous database connections, and SQL query performance.
  • Test and refine: Test and refine the automated deployment process, making the necessary adjustments.

Monitoring of strong automated deployments

Automated implementations must be accompanied by automated monitoring.

Organizations must monitor system metrics such as memory usage, disk usage, logged errors, database performance, average database response time, long-duration queries, simultaneous database connections, and SQL query performance.

Mature monitoring systems make obtaining a baseline prior to implementation easier as well as spotting deviations after the implementation.

Holistic hybrid cloud monitoring tools that alert organizations to errors or abnormal patterns are an important part of feature flags and bluish-green deployments.

They are the indicators that allow organizations to find out whether they need to deactivate a feature or return to the previous production environment.

Tools and processes

Although implementation and monitoring tools alone do not guarantee the success of the implementation, they certainly help.

It is also important to create a DevOps culture of good communication, design reviews throughout development, and thorough testing.

Automated deployments are just part of the DevOps lifecycle, and organizations can decide at what point in the cycle automation it adds value and create it in small chunks over time.

Automated deployments reduce the risk and effort required. Their high return on investment often makes them a great place to start automating considering DevOps best practices.

Conclusion

Automated deployments are an essential part of the DevOps culture. They reduce the likelihood of human error, allowing faster deployment.

Closing the circle with a reference to Lady Gaga:

Automated deployments are like having Lady Gaga’s costume assistant as your personal assistant – there’s no room for error!

Planning in customer service: manage emergencies caused by customers’ poor planning

Planning in customer service: manage emergencies caused by customers’ poor planning

Have you ever heard the saying: “Poor planning on your part does not imply an emergency on my part”?

But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this articWell, let’s just say Bob Carter, the man who said it, was clearly not in the customer service business.

When we talk about dealing with clients, poor planning on their part can quickly turn into an emergency on your part.

And believe me, there’s nothing nice about an emergency with a client.

le, we’ll show you some examples of why a customer’s bad planning IS your emergency.

So sit back, have a coffee, and get ready to learn how to handle annoying last-minute customer requests like a pro.

Customer disappointed for buying something wrong? Learn how to turn their experience into a positive one

Have you ever had a customer reach into their pocket too quickly and buy something without really understanding what they were getting into?

Maybe they thought they were buying the latest model car, but it turns out they actually bought a unicycle.

Well, maybe it’s not such an extreme case, but you know what I’m talking about.

Now they’re disappointed and angry, and they probably take it out on you and your product.

It’s not their fault they didn’t dig out enough information, is it? No, you are to blame.

But fear not, my friend. There’s a way to turn that frown upside down.

First, you need to be actively involved in solving the problem. And no, we don’t mean rolling up a newspaper and slapping them on the face (although it can be tempting) so they don’t do it again.

Maybe you have exactly what they need, but they don’t have the right subscription to access it. Or maybe you have a partner who can offer the missing service, integration, or customization to close the gap.

In any case, you have to help them see the light and make sure they don’t leave with a bad taste in their mouth.

Of course, they may eventually opt for another product or service, but that doesn’t mean their experience with you can’t be positive.

Who knows, they might even become advocates for your brand and recommend you to other people.

So, the next time a customer buys something without understanding it, don’t panic.
Take an active part in solving the problem and make sure they leave with a smile on their face.

The key to success: Adapt communication to your client

Have you ever had a customer who didn’t take advantage of updates and now has a lot of technical issues?

You may have warned them several times and through several means, but they didn’t understand the message.

They were still using the outdated version of their product while you had moved on to the next big update.

Don’t be afraid because not everything is lost. It’s time for you to roll up your sleeves and help them!

After all, if your client did not understand what you warned him about or did not act accordingly, that is still your communication problem.

And let’s face it, sometimes you have to be like a scratched record to reach people.

If you help them catch up, you can make sure that this interruption is simply a setback in the service, and not an opportunity for your customer to run out of your services for a few days and take the chance to take a look at your competitors. Nobody wants that, right?

So, the next time you have to deal with a customer who crossed the line with the update, don’t fall into despair.

Help them get back on track and minimize downtime and wasted resources.

It’s about keeping them happy and making sure they keep using your product or service.

Improve your customers’ satisfaction with communication tailored to their learning style

In today’s world, communication is key. And when it comes to instructing your customers, it’s no exception.

Despite providing clear documentation and countless blog posts about your service, there is always some dumb client who seems unable to read/decrypt the instructions.

And, unfortunately, that can make everything fall apart.

Tasks that fail, problems that are not communicated, and queries that are overlooked.

It’s a nightmare for both you and your functional illiterate client.

But this problem has a solution. Just as each person has a unique personality, each client has a unique way of learning.

It’s up to you to find the communication method that works best for them, whether it’s through text, images, videos, or hands-on training.

If you adapt your communication methods to your customer’s preferred style, you will not only have a more engaged customer, but also a happier one who will no longer be stressed about having systems down or wasting money.

So go ahead, communicate with your whole heart and prevent those instructions from falling into disrepair.

Budget errors: When customers underestimate costs

“Here comes the wet blanket of exorbitant budgets.”

It is especially serious when the customer has not foreseen the costs of additional functions or users.

Maybe you thought you just needed a basic service, but your team expands and suddenly you have to pay for more users than you expected. And those costs multiply faster than a gremlin when you throw him into the municipal pool.

Or they may, I don’t know, not realize that the extra features cost more, and now they’re having a hard time. And not to mention when a specific function is used to the point of overflowing the established budget…

Handling a customer’s complaint about pricing can be a decisive situation. But if you want to retain your customers, you have to address their budget issues head-on.

Flexibility is key.

Can you offer them a more suitable plan or find ways to reduce costs without compromising service?

Remember that a good customer relationship means being prepared to deal with your emergencies, even if it means helping them cope with their own bad planning.

Because, after all, we are all humans trying to cross budget minefields together.

Conclusions

All in all, planning is essential, but even the best laid plans can get twisted.

Your customers may encounter unforeseen problems and have to modify their plans.

It is crucial to cover their backs in these situations.

When you show them that you are willing to solve problems with them, it will build trust and loyalty that can last a lifetime.

Remember that emergencies do happen, but if you can make your customers feel like their emergencies are your emergencies, you’ll create engaged and grateful customers who will likely stick around.

So, be prepared for the unexpected and stay alert to pivot when your customers need it.

 

 

Don’t miss out on Windows! Pandora FMS has the key to its monitoring

Don’t miss out on Windows! Pandora FMS has the key to its monitoring

Is your Windows getting out of hand? Doesn’t it know how to behave in front of guests? Is it like those children usually other people have who break down to cry as if they were boiling them?

Thankfully, Pandora FMS has the solution for you.

Windows server monitoring with Pandora FMS

Yes, the so-called system, network and application monitoring platform has features focused particularly on Windows monitoring, and the best of all, you can do it remotely or locally!

In addition, thanks to software agent installation, you can have total control of your Windows servers.

Pandora FMS offers you full monitoring of Windows servers so you may have the information you need to solve problems in real time. You no longer will have to guess what the hell is going on, with Pandora FMS you can quickly identify problems and fix them effectively.

If this sounds too good to be true… wait until you see our video, the one below, where we will show you in detail all those advantages! Join us on this tour and find out how Pandora FMS can help you take control of your Windows systems easily and effectively!

I know, I know, you loved the format! Well, if so, do not miss our next video on our channel. To date we have more than 1700 subscribers. Slick to be a channel specializing in software monitoring, right?

We tell you with lots of humor why monitoring your equipment is no laughing matter

We tell you with lots of humor why monitoring your equipment is no laughing matter

Let’s face it, enough chit chat, without monitoring, your computer walks on a tightrope, 30 floors high and without safety net: a false movement and BAM! It’s over! Brains omelette for the pigeons of your neighborhood!

Therefore, today, in the sacred and glaucous Pandora FMS blog, we bring you a series of testimonies, of real cases, sent by our esteemed users, where we ask them to tell us their miseries in exchange for taking the only moral possible:

Monitoring your computers is extremely important

Ramontxu Ortega, Software Engineer: “It’s like a glass of juice for your servers”

“I am the father of a small kid. His name is Antonio. I know him, quite a bit I would say, and under no circumstances would I give him a glass of juice without a lid and hope that everything goes well.

I once did. I trusted him. Big mistake. He accidentally spilled all the juice on my collection of origami figures based on the characters played by Bernard Hill. (Titanic, The Scorpion King, Lord of the Rings, The Kid…)

Well, just as I can’t trust my son, you can’t operate your servers without monitoring software.

Monitoring software is that snap lid that will make your figurines not end up soaked. I can forgive Antonio. He’s 11 years old and has balance issues, but performance issues from not using monitoring software are inexcusable.”

Jackie Breslin, Quality Assurance Engineer: “It’s like going to the dentist. More or less”

“My old dentist was named John, John I don’t know what else.

He had a small dental clinic outside Chippewa Falls. John had the most cutting edge equipment and believed his equipment was in good working order.

However, one day, while a patient (ME) was in the middle of an endodontic procedure, the dental drill suddenly stopped working. John was forced to give a tremendous outcry of outrage that frightened both the patient (ME) and half Chippewa Falls.

He interrupted the process of course and changed the poor patient’s appointment for another day, prompting frustration and hatred from both the patient and staff.

What I mean to say with all this useless stuff is that you have to ALWAYS follow up the use and performance of your computers.

Imagine that John’s inoperative had some kind of magic software that would detect problems in his drills before they got stuck in the teeth of his clients.

Good monitoring software is key to maintaining the health and longevity of your equipment.

Invest in monitoring software. Prevent failures. Ensure proper performance.

I mean… don’t be like John.”

Mauricio Núñez, DevOps Engineer and CEO: “Maybe it’s like checking the weather”

“There we were, like a good tech company that had just launched its first product. Excited about the product and confident that everything was working properly. There was no need to put more money into monitoring. Maybe later on…

One morning, two or three days after starting up, I decided to check the company’s website from my phone. Nothing, it was down. Completely. Panicked, I called my team to find out what was going on. It had fallen due to a sudden traffic increase. We didn’t expect such a thing.

I had to check the time before I left home, so to speak.

After all, just as sunscreen protects you from burns, monitoring software protects your equipment from unexpected drops from traffic spikes.

What an analogy, right?

I can do it with the rain too: if I had looked at the weather, I would have known that I had to carry an umbrella (or, in this case, a monitoring software) to protect the startup from unexpected rain (or, in this case, from traffic spikes).

I should have devoted myself to writing.”

Julia Salas, Professional Marketing: “It’s like playing hide and seek”

“Once, as a child, playing hide-and-seek with friends in the dark, I got scared the shit out of me. Literally. I was always afraid of the dark, what I did not know is that it got way worse when it was my turn to seek when playing hide and seek.

That day I closed my eyes, counted to ten and began to look for everyone in that abandoned house.

I did it terribly wrong, every time I was going to reveal someone I was paralyzed by fear. People noticed and decided to give me a break.

Except for Sara. Sara found the perfect hiding place.

She went into a two-door closet in the basement. We looked for her everywhere. Obviously no one was going to open that nineteenth-century closet. We even called her on the phone when we got tired. She had turned it off.

Anxiety got to me and I had to go do my business in the surrounding countryside.

Now I work with software-monitored surveillance programs that would have found Sara in no time.

Monitoring software is good for more things. Spotting security threats, detecting hardware failures, good use of resources… I would only use it to find something you didn’t know was there. Like damned Sara, who came out of her hideout hours after, dust-covered and with a smile on her face.”

Would you like to find out more about monitoring software?

The total monitoring solution for full observability

Contact our sales team, ask for a quote or solve all of your doubts about our licenses.

Pandora FMS transformation: Discover its new interface. Updated, homogeneous and developing

Pandora FMS transformation: Discover its new interface. Updated, homogeneous and developing

Pandora FMS has changed a lot since its inception, and you, dear reader, may have noticed it. Through effort and hard work it has grown older and become someone strong and capable.

As you know, a tool, hard as well as flexible, that recognizes, connects and interprets different types of technologies to present them in a single environment.

A system monitoring software that has gained lots of popularity in the market and has just launched its new interface.

New Pandora FMS Interface: more accessible and updated

The new interface is a project in continuous development that seeks to enhance the homogenization of all the platform’s visual elements.

More accessible to new and old users and also more modern and dynamic to the perception of the market, where it rivals large competitors.

One of the biggest goals in the project has been to reduce the time and effort required by average users to learn how a new feature works.

Pandora FMS should be used at a more smooth and easy level.

The fewer frustrating barriers users find, the greater the preference Pandora FMS will have in the market.

Pandora FMS user interface improvements for a more intuitive monitoring experience

Lighter and fresher color palette

By reducing the visual load and vivid colors, we were able to highlight the important elements of each screen.
Graphs and data have become the protagonists by keeping a palette reserved for them.

Actions such as buttons, selectors, and forms are clearer and simpler.

Quick eye scanning is more effective at finding the things you need.

Unified iconography

Icons have been redesigned from the ground up to share the same graphic line of colors, line thickness, sizes according to their usefulness, and visual style.

But most importantly, each icon has been reviewed to make sure that the design is as clear and distinctive as possible, and that it really represents the context or idea you want to convey.

We have standardized our icons so that they are easily recognizable even if you have never worked with a monitoring tool.


Homogeneous content structure

We have implemented an organizational criterion that stays the same no matter what type of screen you use.
This would greatly reduce the learning times of the platform since you do not have to “learn” to use each individual screen.

The goal is that users, after seeing the basic forms from the beginning or interacting with the first data tables, can instinctively use all the other features because they are presented in the same way.

You will also be able to identify what type of screen you are on without having to detail the content, preventing you from getting lost within the platform.

With the new structure we have also changed the side menu


We divided the sections according to their group and modernized the way you navigate between screens.
All of this in order for each user to have the links they really use, removing visual overcrowding from the screen.


That extra touch that goes beyond


The new interface will also begin to implement life quality for users.
Transitions between screens or states are implemented, Copy UI and Content UX principles are applied to humanize the tool and speak less archaic jargon, graphic elements are added as illustrations that best explain an abstract concept, etc.


Conclusions

Pandora FMS has managed to create a new interface that is not only effective, but also accessible, modern and easy to use.

You no longer have to worry about spending hours learning how a new platform works or trying to decipher complicated data and charts.

With Pandora FMS, you’ll have everything you need in one place, presented in a clear, homogeneous and easy-to-understand way.

Pandora FMS recognized for its excellence in 79 Top 10 reports and 10 G2 grid reports

Pandora FMS recognized for its excellence in 79 Top 10 reports and 10 G2 grid reports

Here we are again, there you go, efforts and perseverance bear sweet fruit sooner or later.

Pandora FMS, leader in monitoring software, does it ring a bell? It has been recognized for its excellence in 79 top 10 reports and 10 G2 reports, one of the main software review platforms in the world.

Pandora FMS at the very top in G2 Grid Reports

As many of you may already know, G2 Grid® reports are the result of real user ratings and reveal which solutions have the most satisfied customers and the largest market presence.

The unwavering commitment and tireless efforts of Pandora FMS team have led the company to receive this important recognition.

“We are delighted to receive this recognition from G2. It is a validation of our team’s dedication and hard work to deliver exceptional monitoring solutions and meet the needs of our customers”, said Kornelia Konstantinova, Chief Marketing Officer at Pandora FMS.

The recognition of G2

Pandora FMS has been recognized in several reports, including the top 10 in 10 of them, and has ranked among the top three in three reports.

The tool ranked among the top ones in categories such as:

  • Enterprise Results Index for Enterprise Monitoring
  • Small-Business Usability Index for Application Performance Monitoring (APM)
  • Enterprise Relationship Index for Enterprise Monitoring
  • Relationship Index for Server Monitoring
  • Mid-Market Relationship Index for Enterprise Monitoring
  • Small-Business Grid® Report for Enterprise Monitoring
  • Relationship Index for Log Monitoring

In addition, the company has been awarded 27 badges (badges) for its excellent performance.

Therefore Pandora FMS arises as the clear winner in monitoring software solution comparatives.

With an astonishing rate of 93% in Recommendation chances and a score of 98% in the Right product direction, it overcomes its competitors by a significant distance. Among them Centreon, Nagios XI, Zabbix, Splunk…

when it comes about Complying with requirements, Pandora FMS receives a score of 94%, one of the highest among all of the solutions.
It addition it takes an outstanding place in Ease of Negotiation with a rate of 94%, Ease of installation 88%, and in Support quality with a score of 90%.

Although other software solutions have certain strengths, none of them can hold a candle to the steady excellency in all categories Pandora FMS keeps.

Even in the categories it does not hold the first positionsit is still quite competitive, as demonstrated by its 85% in Ease of administration and its 90% in Ease of use.

With a score of 88 in Net Promoter Score (NPS), it is clear users are more than satisfied with Pandora FMS.

Some notable user reviews

On behalf of the whole Pandora FMS team, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of our users for their continued support and trust in our company.

We strive to provide a high-performance monitoring solution that meets your needs, and your ongoing support drives us to keep improving and growing.

We are very grateful for your dedication and loyalty, and look forward to continuing to be your trusted partner in monitoring your network and systems.

“Anyone with experience in large deployments in the real world knows that the best word to describe them is: the jungle. In this type of environment, monitoring’s flexibility is tested, since you can face all kinds of exotic systems. Pandora FMS just does the job everywhere. Windows? Linux? * nix? Embedded? RTOs?

We were able to use Pandora FMS on devices where all other vendors failed to provide a solution.

What I like most is that I know that with Pandora FMS we can forget about the target environment to monitor.”

-Hugo V.- Owner.

“It’s amazing how many options it offers from the very beginning. We wanted to monitor our applications in different environments and operating systems (Cloud, on-premise, legacy OS) without having to make big organizational changes, and it was not difficult at all.”

-Daniel Jose F.- Online Media.

“As far as I know, Pandora FMS is the only tool that allows you to monitor the whole computer park, linking it with statistics, maps and one of the most complete IPAM tools on the market.

It allows you to have in a single management console all the information necessary for efficient management.”

-Pedro G.- Small-Business

Conclusions

The recognition of Pandora FMS in so many reports and on such an important platform as G2 is only a small proof of the company’s commitment to excellence in monitoring software.

Because that is what we do here, we provide exceptional monitoring solutions that meet the needs of our customers.

With this recognition, Pandora FMS establishes itself as one of the world’s leading monitoring software companies and continues to demonstrate once more its ability to deliver high-quality monitoring solutions.

Thank you!

Would you like to find out more about Pandora FMS?

The total monitoring solution for full observability

Contact our sales team, ask for a quote or solve all of your doubts about our licenses.

ITSM and monitoring: A match made in IT heaven

ITSM and monitoring: A match made in IT heaven

It has been a veeeeery long time since we discussed a technical concept from an ingenious allegory. Many people send us emails asking us why, and we have to admit that… it’s true, everything is quite more fun with fantastic allegories. So be it then! At the request of our fans. Let’s talk today about ITSM and Monitoring Support through an invented event from which we can then draw a technical lesson.

ITSM and monitoring, that perfect match made in IT heaven

Once upon a time, in the unlikely IT realm of angels, there was the arrival of a new recruit named Gavril.

As soon as he crossed the golden threshold, Gavril was amazed by the grandeur of the environment. Little blue birds on golden clouds, swirling rainbows on radiant fruit trees, etc. In addition, he had heard great stories of how IT angels were responsible for maintaining the flow of information and data in the kingdom, and he was eager to be part of this noble work.

The very morning he arrived, before he could even leave his suitcases in his cloudy cabin, the chief angel approached him, Michael.

-“Gavril, I have an important task for you,” Miguel told him.

-“No formalities, man/woman* You can call me ‘Gavi’. But tell me, what is it, Miguel?” asked Gavril, with emotion in his voice.

*IT angels are hermaphrodites.

-“You see, Gavril, I know you just arrived, I have it all here noted down and all that, but I want you to explain to the other angels what ITSM and Monitoring Support is,” Miguel replied.

-“Hmm…’ITSM and Monitoring Support’?” asked Gavril strangely.

-“Yes, Information Technology Service Management and Monitoring support,” Miguel continued. “As you verywell know, it is a discipline to manage and provide computer services to customers in a structured and efficient way. Support monitoring is a critical component of ITSM, as it helps ensure that IT services are working properly and that any issues are detected and solved quickly. Right?”

Gavril swallowed the large bolus of saliva he had in his throat and nodded.

Miguel continued:

-“In ITSM, support monitoring is usually carried out through a combination of automated tools and manual processes. The goal is to identify issues before they become serious problems and solve them as soon as possible.”

-“Right, but doesn’t this sound a little complicated for a first day? I mean, I think. I just got here and… You know, I’m willing to learn, like a lot, but…” Gavril said sweating.

-“Well,” continued Miguel, cold and demanding like a grumpy father, “as I say, the key to ITSM is to improve the overall quality of IT services. By monitoring support and quickly addressing any issues, ITSM helps ensure IT services are always available and performing at the expected level. This, in turn, helps improve user experience and reduce the risk of business disruption. Don’t you think so, Gavril?”

Gavril was already wondering if there would be some kind of express form to get out of the kingdom, in fact, clouded by the possibility of escape, he got completely lost as Miguel explained some other benefits of ITSM, including how it helps improve IT support team efficiency, it promotes better communication and collaboration, and it is aligned with the needs and objectives of the business.

-“However!,” warned Miguel trying to get his partner to pay full attention again, “implementing ITSM can be a challenge. One of the main challenges is selecting the right tools and processes to monitor support. There are many different tools and processes available, and it can be difficult to determine which will be the most effective for a given organization.”

-”Yes… yes… I understand perfectly,” Gavril replied, “I will make sure to take these challenges into account when explaining ITSM and Monitoring Support to the other angels. Can I go now?…Please?”

And that’s how Gavril took in, by strict obligation, since he could not escape, the task of educating the other angels. Although first, of course, he contacted the people of Pandora FMS forum, since they always help him with this type of burden.

Also, who could know more about ITSM and Monitoring Support than the most cutting-edge company in monitoring software?

So finally “Gavi” came to the stage of the Sacred Court of the IT Kingdom and made the concepts simple and easy to understand, with particular emphasis on the importance of effective management of IT services.

It was quite surprising to Miguel, who had it in for him quite obviously.

Sure, the other angels were impressed by Gavril’s knowledge and appreciated his humor and wit in presenting the information*.

*Not like here on our blog, where you won’t even leave me a congratulatory comment 🙁

In the end, Gavril was even praised by Miguel, who climbed onto a stool to applaud and everything. And from that day on, Gavril was known as “The F Master in ITSM and Monitoring Support” in the realm of angels.

Moral of the story?

Is there any lesson?

I don’t know, maybe that ITSM and Monitoring Support may seem complicated, but with the right approach (given by some Pandora FMS member, like me, and a little humor) they can be easily understood and appreciated by everyone.

Want to find out more about Pandora FMS?

The total monitoring solution for full observability

Contact our sales team, ask for a quote or solve all of your doubts about our licenses.

ASLAN2023 brings together more than 7,500 professionals from the digital innovation industry, including Pandora FMS

ASLAN2023 brings together more than 7,500 professionals from the digital innovation industry, including Pandora FMS

The Congress & EXPO ASLAN2023, organized by ASLAN Association, took place last week at the Palacio de Congresos de Madrid – IFEMA, and brought together more than 7,500 professionals from the digital sector and cybersecurity in Spain.

And, after all the stuff we shared on social media surely you know that Pandora FMS was there!

Learn all about Pandora FMS’ success in ASLAN2023

The event had a whopping +100 exhibitors, each with its very own proposal of innovative solutions. In addition, the organization especially strengthened the presence of strategic vertical sectors at the exhibition.

Not to brag about it, but among the most outstanding solutions presented at the event there was MADE, a monitoring system for large amounts of data that uses Artificial Intelligence and automatically adapts to each management environment.

The tool has been developed by ourselves, in friendly collaboration with researchers from the University Carlos III of Madrid.

As we are restless minds in need of details, we had the courage to talk to Kornelia Konstantinova, CMO at Pandora FMS, and Sancho Lerena, CEO of the company.

Good afternoon, Kornelia!

Tell us, what impact do you think Pandora FMS’ participation in ASLAN2023 had and what was the response of those attending the event like?

It’s still early to talk about results in the short or medium term, but there’s something I can tell you: we exceeded our expectations in terms of the interest generated.

There was a huge flow of visitors and we were able to show our product to a wide audience. Also, to very relevant people!

We got to know some clients face to face, as well as partners with whom we usually communicate digitally.

We also came into contact with other companies in the sector, which we hope will open opportunities for collaboration and synergies.

What was the most difficult challenge to address when preparing your participation in this massive congress?

Without a doubt, the most difficult challenge, not only for us, I think for any exhibitor, is to develop an effective marketing strategy to attract the attention of visitors.

There are many exhibitors who participate and we must differentiate ourselves from the rest, whatever it takes. To that end, you have to be very creative of course and innovative, as well as develop a clear and effective message.

Then, of course, there is logistics, which is always a hustle and bustle.

What do you think is the marketing vision of Pandora FMS in terms of its role, in the long term, in the digital innovation industry in Spain and internationally?

We are the only manufacturer of Spanish Monitoring Software.

In the long term our goal is to consolidate ourselves as leaders in the industry in Spain and internationally.

To achieve this goal, our approach is based on developing and delivering advanced, customized solutions that meet the unique needs of our customers.

At Pandora FMS, we closely follow the latest trends and technologies on the market to stay always at the forefront of our sector.

Our commitment to continuous innovation. And it allows us to adapt to the changing needs of our customers, providing solutions that not only meet their current requirements, but also allow them to anticipate the future needs of their companies.

Therefore, we establish solid relationships with our customers, to understand their needs and offer customized solutions that fit their specific requirements.

We believe that close collaboration with our customers is key to our long-term success.

And now something lighter, any remarkable anecdotes of the days lived in ASLAN2023?

Actually, several. From the overflowing capacity of the first day, where many visitors had to queue to get in, to the amazement of everyone by the numerological studies of our beloved David! The mysterious magician we brought to our stand to predict, through his arts, the future of visitors.

Great, let’s go with Sancho!

How is it going, Sancho? Let’s get to the nitty gritty. We would like to know how the idea of creating the famous MADE system came about and what the development process was like.

There is a lot of techno chatter regarding Artificial Intelligence.
So we wanted to offer something useful, understandable and that could be implemented right away, without having to assimilate what runs underneath.

The truth is, it is a rather complex challenge to try to make easy on the outside what is extremely complex on the inside.

And what features make MADE a unique tool on the market and what advantages does it offer to companies?

Especially the fact that we had international Artificial Intelligence researchers from the University Carlos III of Madrid to create something different from the usual solutions on the market.

Made is a practical approach to a complex problem but has a basic approach:

How to detect anomalies on data that we can not give more information about.

Well, Pandora FMS can handle dozens of thousands of numerical series, all different, because they all represent the “soul” of each connected device.
Made studies each pattern separately, analyzes its behavior over time and like a data psychologist, is able to warn when something is not right.

You can’t diagnose the problem, but you know something isn’t right!

What was the collaboration like with the University Carlos III of Madrid in the development of the MADE solution and what did the university contribute to the project?

I think it was a very smooth process.

We had already tried to participate in other research projects and we really wanted to collaborate.

The university brings the state of the art of the world’s leading AI techniques.

Tell us, what impact do you think Pandora FMS’ participation in ASLAN2023 had and what was the response of those attending your presentation like?

I think Aslan is a good national showcase to show national and multinational companies who we are and the scope of our project.

In addition, thanks to the presentation, we were able to show face to face, what we do and how we can help all types of companies with Pandora FMS.

Any remarkable anecdotes of the days lived in ASLAN2023?

I met some people, senior managers from important companies, and I was pleasantly surprised (like, I really freaked out) because they had a technical profile even more geek than mine.

There is hope when large companies still look to technicians for their foundation to build business.

Thanks a lot!

What about you? Want to find out more about Pandora FMS?

The total monitoring solution for full observability

Contact our sales team, ask for a quote or solve all of your doubts about our licenses.

It’s here! It came! Get to know the Azure Plugin!

It’s here! It came! Get to know the Azure Plugin!

This afternoon, on Pandora FMS blog, we bring you one of those much needed training videos.

No, we are not talking about a tutored Pilates session or a recipe for the best Bacalhau à Brás. Nor do we bring you the trick to get past the chieftain of the desert of Elden Ring.

But today we will see how the Event Hubs plugin works in Microsoft Azure, as well as the prerequisites that you will have to meet in your Pandora FMS environment and the configuration necessary in Azure to be able to make use of the plugin.

Azure and the plugin’s operation for Event Hubs

But before we get into the good stuff and you click on our video…

SPOILER ALERT!

As prerequisites, you must have both the data server and the server plugin activated on Pandora FMS server and download the plugin through the library.

A little more about Azure, in case you are not up to speed

Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing platform that provides a wide range of services and tools for businesses of all sizes.

One of the most popular services on Azure is Azure DevOps, which is a comprehensive suite of tools for modern software development.

In this section, we will take a closer look at Azure DevOps and other related services like Azure Cloud, Azure Pricing Calculator, and Azure Status.

Azure DevOps: Streamlining Your Software Development Process

Azure DevOps is an all-in-one platform for managing the entire software development process.

It includes tools for project management, source control, continuous integration and deployment, testing, and release management.

With Azure DevOps, teams can collaborate more effectively and deliver high-quality software products with greater speed and efficiency.

Azure DevOps includes several key features, including Azure Boards, which is a project management tool for tracking and managing work items, bugs, and issues.

Azure Repos is a powerful code repository that supports multiple programming languages and integrates with popular development tools like Visual Studio and Eclipse.

Azure Pipelines provides continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) automation, allowing teams to streamline their build and deployment processes.

Azure Cloud: Scalable, Reliable, and Secure Cloud Services

Azure Cloud is a cloud computing platform that provides scalable, reliable, and secure cloud services for businesses of all sizes.

With Azure Cloud, businesses can leverage a wide range of services and tools, including virtual machines, storage, databases, and more.

One of the key advantages of Azure Cloud is its ability to scale up or down based on demand.

This means businesses can quickly and easily provision resources as needed, without having to worry about maintaining expensive on-premises infrastructure.

Azure Cloud is also highly reliable, with built-in redundancy and failover capabilities to ensure uptime and availability.

In terms of security, Azure Cloud provides a range of security features, including multi-factor authentication, role-based access control, and encryption.

This helps businesses to protect their data and applications from unauthorized access or data breaches.

Azure Pricing Calculator: Plan and Estimate Your Azure Costs

Azure Pricing Calculator is a tool that helps businesses plan and estimate their Azure costs.

With the Azure Pricing Calculator, businesses can select the services they need and estimate the monthly cost based on usage.

The Azure Pricing Calculator includes a wide range of services and tools, including virtual machines, storage, databases, and more.

Users can select the services they need, choose the region where the resources will be deployed, and estimate the monthly cost based on usage.

Azure Status: Real-Time Service Health Information

Azure Status is a service that provides real-time information about the health of Azure services.

With Azure Status, businesses can stay up-to-date on any service issues or outages, as well as view historical information about service disruptions.

Azure Status provides a range of information, including service health status, incident updates, and historical data. Users can also subscribe to notifications to receive updates about service issues and outages.

Find out for yourself what telemetry is

Find out for yourself what telemetry is

Here at Pandora FMS blog we like to get up early, prepare a cup of pennyroyal mint and while it settles, do a couple of stretches, wash our face and start the day defining strange words worth something for our readers. Today it’s time for: Telemetry!

Do you already know what telemetry is? Today we will tell you

Shall we get straight to the point?

Straight to the point then it is!

Telemetry, roughly speaking, is what automatically measures, collects and sends data from remote sources, thanks to devices that collect data.

It then transmits that data to a central location where it is analyzed and you can then consider your remote system as supervised and controlled.

Of course telemetry data helps, while controlling security, to improve customer experience and monitor application status, quality and performance.

But let’s go further, what is the true purpose of telemetry?

As can be understood, the collection of telemetry data is essential to manage IT infrastructures.

Data is used to monitor system performance and keep actionable information on hand.

How do we measure telemetry?

Easy-peasy! 

Through monitoring!

Monitoring tools measure all types of telemetry data. 

They start with server performance and head towards actionable infinity.

Some types of telemetry data

It all starts with a small signal that indicates whether a server is active or inactive.

Then it tends to get complicated. 

Event and metric data already includes the CPU utilization of a server, including peaks and averages over different periods. 

For example, a type of telemetry data to be monitored includes server memory utilization and I/O loading over time.

*This data is particularly important when using server virtualization.

In these situations, statistics provided by virtual servers may not reveal problems with CPU or memory utilization; instead, the underlying physical server may be underutilized in terms of physical memory, virtualization, CPU, and I/O connectivity with peripherals.

Finally, user requests over time and concurrent user activity on standard deviation charts should be included in server-specific metrics.

This will reveal how your systems are being used in general, as well as information about server performance.

Telemetry Data Monitoring

Now that we’ve taken a look at servers and their telemetry, let’s dig a little deeper into some of the fundamental components of their physical application.

This includes:

  • Network infrastructure.
  • Storage infrastructure.
  • Capacity.
  • Overall bandwidth consumption.

As any experienced IT guy can warn you:

Quantifying network monitoring beyond the strictly commonplace is important.

Measuring network traffic in bits per second across LANs and sub-LANs within your application infrastructure should always be part of monitoring network utilization.

To predict when packets will be lost and when storms may take place in your network, it is essential to understand the theoretical and practical limits of these segments.

The utilization of the segment’s bandwidth over time in multiple network areas must be revealed by network monitoring.

Monitoring certain network protocols will also provide a more detailed view of application usage in real time and, perhaps, of performance issues for certain features.

Likewise, monitoring requests to certain network ports can also reveal any security gaps, as well as routing and switching delays in the relevant network components.

In addition to monitoring raw network usage, it is necessary to monitor the storage systems connected to the network.

To show storage usage, waiting times, and likely disk failures, specific telemetry is required.

Again, it is important to monitor both overuse and underuse of storage resources.

Some basic application telemetry monitoring data

It is very important to monitor the telemetry that can involve access to the database and its processing, monitor the number of open database connections, which can be triggered and affect performance.

Tracking over time allows you to spot design decisions that don’t change as application usage grows.

It is equally crucial to control the number of queries to the database, their response times, and the amount of information circulating between the database and applications.

Outliers and averages should also be taken into account.

Uncommon latency can be concealed or hidden if only averages are controlled, but these outliers could still have a negative impact and irritate users.

Your monitoring strategy should always take into account tool exceptions, database errors or warnings, application server logs looking for unusual activity…

And that’s just the beginning!

Your monitoring software

Having a solid monitoring strategy is crucial, but so is having a well-thought-out reaction strategy that incorporates:

  • Determining, understanding and initiating root cause analysis.
  • A written communication strategy that includes the names and contact details of those responsible.
  • Identifying easy solutions to restore the program in the short term.
  • A research strategy to prevent future problems.

Telemetry Monitoring Elements

Some telemetry monitoring elements that you may use:

  • Dashboards or other real-time system information and telemetry tools.
  • Technologies for analyzing records safe for use with production systems.
  • Business intelligence to retrieve data from records, such as usage trends or security issues during specific time periods.
  • Tools that automate risk detection, recovery, and mitigation to get rid of manual labor.

Using a centralized system and working with a software vendor, you may set in place a robust monitoring strategy that will be developed over time and become more comprehensive.

And there, my friend, is where we come in!

Want to know more about Pandora FMS?

The total monitoring solution for full observability

Contact our sales team, ask for a quote or solve all of your doubts about our licenses.

We received ISO/IEC 27001!

We received ISO/IEC 27001!

We live in an uncertain world and monitoring should try to ensure that whatever happens we will always stay informed.

Therefore, security is the basis of everything in monitoring and for us it has always been one of the pillars of our strategy as a product.

You still didn’t know it? Pandora FMS gets ISO/IEC-27001

Security is not a technology, it is a way of thinking and acting, we could even say that it is an attitude.

For years we have attended international fairs and events where computer security is offered as specific products.

Many people may think that by buying products you reinforce your company’s security, but no, that is only a small part of it.

Security is about changing the way we manage the whole organization, from how we share information to how we use systems.

Pandora FMS has always been aware of that and you may see it in our security architecture guide, our GDPR compliance guide -which is also valid for regulations such as PCI/DSS- and of course, because as a company we are certified with ISO 27001.

We don’t boast about it, but we are also one of the few commercial software vendors with a public vulnerability disclosure policy.

Certification ISO 27001 provides us with important backup towards our national and international clients, many of whom request information from us about our business continuity plans, the security of our development and implementation processes, what protection measures of information privacy we have in force and how we control the information available to our suppliers.

We understand that for them it is as important or even more than for us and having a certification that strongly supports us is something to be proud of.

Many of our clients are pharmaceutical companies, financial institutions – some over a century old – and government entities.

Due to confidentiality contracts we cannot mention their names, but large and small, to a greater or lesser extent, everyone is concerned about aspects related to information security.

Today we can proudly say that not only do we also care about it, but that we have proven our commitment.

But what is ISO/IEC 27001?

ISO/IEC 27001 is a standard for information security (Information technology – Security techniques – Information security management systems – Requirements) approved and published as an international standard in October 2005 by the International Organization for Standardization and by the International Electrotechnical Commission.

It specifies the necessary requirements to set, implement, maintain and improve an information security management system (ISMS) according to what is known as the “Cycle of Deming”:

PDCA – acronym for Plan, Do, Check, Act.

It is consistent with the best practices described in ISO/IEC 27002, formerly known as ISO/IEC 17799, with origins in the BS 7799-2: 2002 standard, developed by the British standards body, the British Standards Institution (BSI).

TCP/IP Model: What Is It and How Does It Work?

TCP/IP Model: What Is It and How Does It Work?

In just a few decades, computers have gone from having few functions and filling up entire rooms to becoming portable necessities for business and leisure. However, on its own and not connected to the internet, an electronic device can only do so much.

Most things we rely on technology for require communication between multiple devices—which is where internet protocols come into play.

What does TCP/IP stand for and how is it used in practice?

From sending a simple message to streaming a film or answering transferred calls online, internet use has become so commonplace that we rarely give our actions a second thought. But for all this online activity to be possible, there’s a lot taking place behind the scenes. Let’s start by talking about TCP/IP—the framework most commonly used to transmit data over the internet and other networks.

TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. The job of TCP/IP is to ensure all communication traveling through the network reaches the intended recipient. It does this by breaking data down into smaller units (packets), which are then reconstituted upon reaching their final destination.

Is there a difference between TCP and IP?

Originally designed by scientists Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn in the 1970s, the Transmission Control Protocol suite has since become the standard method to transfer information. As the name suggests, there are two parts to the picture, and both are equally as important.

The latter part of the TCP/IP abbreviation stands for Internet Protocol. The Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol each take care of a different issue to reach a common goal—the successful transmission of data across a network.

IP operates within what’s known as the network layer, while TCP works within the transport layer. In other words, IP locates the address for delivering data, and TCP takes care of transferring it, as well as correcting errors along the way to ensure successful end-to-end delivery.

To give a real-life example, imagine you’re planning a mass email marketing campaign. You’ve collated a list of email addresses (similar to the IP addresses used by the Internet Protocol to locate intended destinations). By delivering your messages to the recipient, the software through which you send the emails functions much like Transmission Control Protocol.

Lacking either email addresses or suitable software would impede information transfer; similarly, TCP and IP have to work together to be effective.

TCP e IP tienen que trabajar juntos para ser efectivos.

What constitutes the TCP/IP protocol suite?

We’ve now established why TCP/IP can’t function without one another, but the closer you look, the more complex the protocol suite gets. It consists of many supporting models that are fundamental to its function, such as:

  • Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP)
    Whenever a problem materializes during data transmission, it’s the ICMP’s role to send out error messages and operational information.
  • Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP)
    IGMP allows for multicasting i.e sending out the same data to multiple devices at the same time.
  • Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)
    As a communication protocol, ARP helps connect the internet layer address to the link-layer address.
  • File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
    FTP allows for transferring files from a client to a server. For instance, this protocol is what enables us to access data stored in the cloud—look up ‘what is an iPaaS’ to find out more.
  • Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
    Commonly known as HTTPS’ ancestor—only with less data security—HTTP is what makes the interaction between the client and the webserver possible. It’s often considered the foundation for data communication.
  • Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
    SMTPs allow computers and servers to exchange data so users are able to send and receive electronic mail.

puedan enviar y recibir correo electrónico

What are the four layers of TCP/IP?

TCP/IP is comprised of the following four layers, each of which has a unique set of properties and functions that contribute to the optimal function of the TCP/IP system.

Network interface layer

Also called the ‘network access layer’, this part of the TCP/IP model is where a connection between a physical network and a device is formed. The network interface layer defines how data should be sent and received over the network.
In physical devices, such as routers, the network interface layer plays an extremely important role in connecting the device to other users of the network who can then transmit data packets.
In everyday use, laptops and smartphones rely on the network interface layer to connect to wireless networks and access necessary functions such as online messaging or entertainment apps.

Internet layer

The second layer, also known as the ‘network layer’, combines various protocols (such as IP, ICMP, or ARP) to effectively transfer data sequences across the internet.
In the internet layer, each device is identified through a unique IP, which allows the packets to be sent to the correct address.
For instance, when sending an email, the message is cut up into packets to be rebuilt into its original coherent form in the recipient’s inbox.

Transport layer

The transport layer maintains control over the amount of data to be sent and where it’s sent to. To eliminate errors in inter-system communication, the transport layer engages in flow control, error correction, sequencing, segmentation, and de-segmentation.
When data gets lost in transmission, the expert troubleshooter that is the transport layer requests the packet be rerouted and received correctly. It also takes care of the efficient flow of information throughout the network by breaking up data into manageable segments.
It’s important to note that all information sharing comes with safety risks—if you’re concerned about privacy, spam call blocking software could be worth looking into.

Application layer

Within the topmost application layer, the user gets to interact with other software applications ranging from file sharing to remote desktop services.

servicios de escritorio remoto.

Conclusion

The world of data transfer is extremely complex, with many factors combining to ensure that information leaves and arrives in the right shape and form to the correct recipient.

Internet protocol suites, of which TCP/IP is the most commonly used, are what make online communication possible. This is comprised of four layers and relies on a variety of supporting models to transfer data across the network in a reliable and efficient manner.

­

It had to be said: Teleworking promotes productivity and employee satisfaction

It had to be said: Teleworking promotes productivity and employee satisfaction

The formula of teleworking, extended among many companies from the phenomenon of Confinement, caused by the pandemic, has given rise to a new model of labor relations.

A system already called “hybrid” because it combines teleworking with conventional physical presence.

Don’t feel guilty, teleworking works!

According to Microsoft studies on labor trends, it is advisable to keep flexible options for remote work. 

Surveys of 30,000 workers in 32 countries show that almost 73% want to work remotely, at least 60% of their time, while 45% consider changing to jobs that allow them to alternate commuting to their offices with working from elsewhere, through coworking, working at home or in the office itself.

In a technology company, specialized in monitoring systems such as Ártica PFMS, this situation has become an opportunity to significantly improve the work environment. 

We have managed to establish a flexible work system for employees, about 50, that is bearing fruit.

There has been an increase in productivity.

Rotation has decreased noticeably because no one feels overwhelmed. 

It is highly valued to avoid costs and transport time. 

No one is against it and most people are grateful for controlling their time and having options for conciliation and fulfilling their tasks.

Teleworking has been imposed spontaneously because employees have so desired and also because the company management has taken care to channel it and bring it to a successful conclusion. 

Both interests have been combined in search of work harmony, investing in a reconfiguration of the physical space and work procedures, in which each employee manages their own responsibility with the option of teleworking and attending to the office physically when deemed necessary. 

Meetings are scheduled every week and are carried out through a technological communication system that allows a telematic meeting where the company’s professionals, either as a whole or by department: 

  • Commercial (Sales and Channel).
  • Development.
  • Testing and Quality.
  • Support. 
  • Projects. 
  • Human Resources. 
  • Administration and finance. 
  • R&D. 

All contacts are made with a very defined agenda, thus avoiding wasted time. 

Each individual knows when to intervene and what to report. 

The chairman is fully involved and at each meeting sets the guidelines to be followed, answers questions and queries and makes decisions.

Another achievement that we appreciate is that everyone has adopted a greater teamwork spirit. 

Schedule and workplace flexibility, along with useful training, is the perfect combination to retain talent. 

Now we have noticed that in one year we have had “0” rotation due to this new system that we implemented.

Agile room

It is a room equipped with cutting-edge technology that allows combining simultaneously telematic meetings and face-to-face meetings. 

Agile, short meetings can be held, no more than 15 minutes, in which there is spontaneous conversation among the attendees.

Also, there is now a space designed for online training, so that we ensure knowledge updating, keeping the same performance standard we had in face-to-face mode. 

In the training room, the teacher can display screens showing the contents to be explained. 

Their image is combined with screenshots in which you can read texts with higher quality than the traditional power point. 

Students can interact by microphone with the teacher and other colleagues, without having to resort to written chat questions. 

We took an approach to what is called “learnability”, which is the curiosity and ability to learn new skills to stay employable in the long term.

Resetting the old workplace model

We have overcome the traditional model of massive in-person workplaces, a tradition from Taylorism, in which a huge room housed a myriad of aligned employees, who worked without looking up from their affairs and where it was difficult to communicate with the rest of the colleagues. 

That breadth of space has been transformed into a friendly environment. 

We have invested in connectivity to have high quality and safe telecommunication. 

We have overcome the idea that the private office was a privilege for bosses where there were all sorts of comforts for them. 

Now the office is a large office with sofas, armchairs, large windows where you can find the privacy for a call anywhere, warm lighting and screens to connect with whoever you want. 

There is a coffee room for a snack and where any professional of the company can come whenever they want it. 

That change implies a whole evolution in the way to communicate with each other and improve work performance because we all feel comfortably responsible for what we must do, with no additional pressures. 

We are the ideal place to work because employees can choose, according to their mood, their obligations and their tasks within the company, between teleworking or attending a nice environment.

Conclusions

All in all, this new teleworking structuring has allowed us to create a disruptive model where the employee enjoys their freedom of choice, while they allow the company to control the performance of each employee, settling down clear goals for work and measuring in real time their fulfillment. 

It’s a win-win situation for all of us!    

The most accurate oracle: Discovery Oracle

The most accurate oracle: Discovery Oracle

Finally D-Day! Today we will explain, in a simple video, how you can monitor Oracle instances. 

For that we are going to use our Discovery feature, which allows you to connect remotely to applications to bring information and to add it to your Pandora FMS agents.

Do you know the Oracle tasks configured in Discovery?

As you have seen, the Oracle tasks configured in Discovery allow you to connect to remote Oracle instances to monitor them and to generate module blocks with important information. 

Today we focus solely on Oracle, but it is necessary to emphasize that the Discovery menu also allows you to monitor other applications.

To infinity and beyond… of metrics!

To infinity and beyond… of metrics!

Right, we start from the idea that measuring is a form of dominance over things.

In fact, we could say that you can’t measure what you don’t control. 

That is why it is essential to deliberately choose what is measured (especially with our metrics).

Let’s get real. Not all metrics are useful metrics

Today we will talk about metrics in the context of an organization’s environment and goals. Therefore, measurements will always be related to: 

  • History data. 
  • Trends. 
  • Usage patterns. 
  • Typical lines. 
  • Common bases.
  • Current values.

This context has always provided important and obvious benchmarks when comparing and analyzing an IT environment’s performance.

Thus you will determine “what is right”, “what is wrong” and what you just don’t care about. 

Some metrics do not tell the whole truth

We know that availability is usually calculated by dividing the actual measured availability by the total possible availability of a certain interval.

0.9999 availability, for example, is considered a satisfactory result by most standards. Buuuuut, depending on when it takes place, that little downtime can be insignificant or important. 

It is not the same if there’s inactivity between 2 and 3 in the morning for an online retailer or if it is at a time of great activity, near the end of the month or shortly before closing.

We are saying that the opportunity cost of each minute can range between tens of thousands of euros and hundreds of thousands of euros if it actually takes place just before holidays or during the period of greatest commercial activity.

With this we just intend to illustrate the relativism we live in and how crucial the context is to understand measures. 

At a first glance we could say 99.99% is cool. However, it wouldn’t be so cool now if the 0.1% of application demand spikes and the 0.1% of downtimes match. 

In this case, 99.99% uptime creates an over-optimistic image and may work against investigation of the underlying factors that may be causing potential performance issues or improper workload distribution.

In addition, a serious question arises: 

(Serious voice).

Is the drop at times of absolute peaks of use a sign that the app is under-resourced, misplaced, or is it just an unfortunate coincidence?

Load spike failures have financial repercussions due to missed opportunities, but they also require a thorough examination of reliability, availability, network performance, and capacity KPIs, among others, to determine if any adjustments or fine-tuning are necessary.

Are there hidden costs?

Something is clear right here:

The use of automation should be compared to the service ticket and organization standard problem resolution times

*In theory, at least in theory, open tickets should be solved faster the more automation is used.

Therefore, it is important for IT organizations to track service ticket average resolution time (MTTR), as well as the amount and effectiveness of automation being used in their workflows for:

  • Configuration. 
  • Provisioning. 
  • Maintenance. 
  • Problem solving.

In addition, a metric will be needed more than ever to determine and control the value of automation within the organization. 

But we want to make clear that, in terms of automation, more doesn’t have to mean better. 

Self-service portals, incidents and service requests have an inverse relationship: 

The more end users discover that the self-service portal meets their needs for datasets, analytics, access to services and resources, etc., the less frequent IT service requests will be.

This goes beyond simple MTTR reduction

It also involves employing self-service portals to allow customers to complete the most common service requests without the need to create and close a service ticket.

If installed and maintained, this should lead to a wonderful world where there are less service tickets issued, happier and more productive users, and the possibility, even, of users suggesting changes, additions and extensions of self-service portals.

Let’s evaluate the history of metrics

There are too many management tools and utilities for complex, hybrid cloud-based environments, don’t you think?

Companies tend to get the better deal if they focus their search on a single comprehensive, unified and complete management platform.

They often reduce the number of management tools they use, while streamlining the management of their IT operations by performing such a transformation. 

The result? 

A type of “virtuous cycle” that leverages improved automation and visibility to expand opportunities for continuous optimization and raise the level of indicators used to assess the overall health of IT infrastructure.

Conclusion

The areas that will most profit from automation and self-service access will be revealed by establishing useful cost metrics that go beyond the cost of IT acquisitions, amortization and depreciation, as well as the cost of IT consumption, including software-as-a-service solutions (SaaS), Cloud resources, usage, and permanent virtual machine assignments.

As a result, you will identify objectives for constant and continuous optimization and improvements that will keep costs in the right direction.

Want to know more about the IT world?

The total monitoring solution for full observability

Contact our sales team, ask for a quote or solve all of your doubts about our licenses.

Will GPT-3 replace programmers writing code?

Will GPT-3 replace programmers writing code?

Although it has been developed very quickly in recent years, thanks to technological advances, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around since the 50s.

Today this technology is being developed to do tasks that were previously only a matter for humans, such as programming.

What is GPT-3? Is your work as a programmer in danger?

AI is equipped with a set of tools, algorithms and techniques that allow it to learn on its own and improve its skills. 

This makes it an excellent choice to replace programmers writing code in the near future. 

First, AI is much more efficient than human programmers when it comes to writing code. 

AI can analyze patterns and information much faster and more accurately than any human, allowing it to write code much faster. 

AI is also capable of detecting and correcting errors automatically, which means the programming process is much simpler. 

In addition, AI is much less expensive than human programmers to write code. 

This is because AI doesn’t need to spend as much time learning programming languages, allowing it to save on working hour costs.

Well, you see? AI is not bad at all, after all, almost all the previous paragraphs have been written entirely by the ChatGPT.

Had you noticed? 

Don’t worry, don’t panic!

If you really believe that AI in the near future can replace programmers writing code, re-read the previous paragraphs a little more carefully.

GPT-3, the autoregressive language model that uses deep learning to produce texts that simulate human writing, writes well, of course, probably better than me, because it doesn’t make mistakes. 

But, again, read the first paragraph written by GPT-3 again to see if you find out what I’m talking about. 

You get it?

I’ll come and give you a hand.

AI can write better than a human, but it will never have a purpose

If we asked AI to write us a story, it would write something with correct syntax, even with meaning, but the text would offer no greater interest than that written by a good elementary school student. 

However, writing fiction literature or essays is an activity with a very large artistic and creative component. 

You might think, and I do not blame you, that many bestsellers could be written by Artificial Intelligence, and it is more than likely that the authors of the future will use Artificial Intelligence tools to find flaws in their texts, to round off their style and in some cases to add some filling content. 

Moreover, I would say that is already happening

In fact, Google is updating its algorithms to detect content generated by Artificial Intelligences as the Internet begins to be full of it.

However, I guarantee you that this article contains something outside the scope of an AI today: 

  • Acid irony. 
  • Even more acidic sarcasm.
  • And why not? A certain melancholy.

*Damn it, this last paragraph was corrected by the AI, did I not tell you that it was possible?

But let’s go beyond that. 

Before talking about an activity like code, let’s talk about other disciplines affected by Artificial Intelligence. 

Are we talking about autonomous driving? 

Soon Google, Microsoft and Apple assistants will use the new algorithms and will be much, much smarter, they will even be able to help us answer emails while driving, and give us better guidelines. 

What’s more, I’m sure that in less than a decade, they will drive for us from point A (our garage) to point B (a public parking space). 

But wait… 

I live in Madrid… 

Have you ever tried to find a car park in the center of Madrid? 

Surely in Silicon Valley they do not have such hellish parking…. 

So, I withdraw what I said, that will still take some time, at least in Madrid. 

Let’s give it 20… 30 years, but it will come. 

I assure you, it will come.

The same will happen with text translation (but much, much earlier), the musical composition of the greatest hits, and with illustration, painting and graphic design. 

If I ask Dall-E2 (the interface for creating OpenAI images with GPT3) to create an illustration for me under the premise “marvel-style illustration of a Hungarian family celebrating New Year’s Eve” it will draw this:

I swear I’m not kidding. It did it for me, in no time.

Is your position as a programmer in danger?

But back to the subject of code. I have no doubt that sooner or later (10 years from now) there will be tools that help developers create, debug and test code as a functional part of software development suites, such as add-ons or additional utilities.

Artificial Intelligence is/will be little by little an assistant that will add tasks to its backpack, but in the near future, the creation of full applications through a simple premise does not make sense, since as in literary, visual or musical creation AI lacks context. 

Creating an application is an extremely complex process, where the code part is only one part, and it is not the most important part.

Context is much more important, and it includes answers to questions such as:

  • How will it be used? 
  • Who will use it? 
  • What data inputs and what data outputs are expected? 

AI is good at giving answers, because what it does is study millions of existing questions and their answers, validating that learning process over billions of turns to the shaker we call Deep Learning, but… 

Is it capable of asking new questions? 

No, absolutely not.

Many will say that pure creation does not exist. That all stories have already been told, and that modern popular music does not come out of four chords repeated ad nauseam in different rhythms and melodies. They are right, but nuances are almost everything. 

In the world of software development, these subtleties are a universe full of very subtle nuances that we can not “put in a shaker” and expect the mixture of previous formulas to work. It is science fiction and if I may say it, bad one.

Maybe one day Formula One drivers like Fernando Alonso will compete on a circuit hand in hand with Artificial Intelligence. But it won’t be this decade, or the next. 

There are not only practical limitations, but ethical, moral, economic and legal limitations. 

A commercial airliner could land on its own, but no insurance company would insure the device. 

After all, who were we going to blame in the event of an accident?

The same applies to code generated by AI. 

Who would patch it? Who would extend it? Who would talk to the client to understand the requirements? Who would invent the text of the “tooltips” to help in the interface? Who would design the interface (UI)?

Let’s get even more risky. Why not buy AI as a company CEO? Why not buy AI as President? Why not buy AI as a partner or lover?

AI applied to everyday life has just begun, but companies like Google already see their business model in danger, because what an AI does very well is answering questions and simplifying the process of obtaining information and delivering moderately satisfactory results. 

Nowadays it is the ideal assistant, who does not stop observing and learning. And the time will come when it takes control over many activities, but as for software developing, it is still too soon. 

Although we shouldn’t relax that much, everything is a matter of time.

After all, I said that this text was not fully written by AI, 

but… 

Can you really be sure about that?

Pandora FMS Journey to the Middle East, Black Hat MEA 2022

Pandora FMS Journey to the Middle East, Black Hat MEA 2022

At Pandora FMS we like to travel! Traveling, meeting people, bonding… And barbecues or country getaways are great, but there’s nothing we like more here than an event focused on technology!

That’s why we accepted the exceptional invitation to the latest Black Hat MEA edition held at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last November. 

There we went, to the Middle East no less, with our stand and our roll up, to present our respects, and services, to the most cutting-edge community that exists out there.

Pandora FMS visits Black Hat MEA 2022, the event of the year

Black Hat MEA, un evento de ciberseguridad

For those who are not aware of all this stuff: 

Black Hat MEA is a fairly iconic cybersecurity event, with year-round ethical hacking courses and offensive security classes that everyone wants to attend. 

A global event that pushes the secrets of data security to the limit.

The largest information security trade show held anywhere in the world in 2022, bringing frontline and technology-loving companies together annually in a professional and festive atmosphere.

But I will explain. 

We better talk to our lucky Pandora FMS colleagues who were able to attend this latest edition on behalf of our community. Alberto Sánchez, Systems Technician and Alexander Rodríguez, Salesperson

Alexander, what would you say Black Hat MEA was like for Pandora FMS?

Alexander, Pandora FMS

I think the event was a great chance! 

Having a space within the booth provided by our exclusive partner in Saudi Arabia, LoopTech, was wonderful.

Stand Pandora FMS

It allowed us several positive meetings with clients.

In addition, we had the honor to receive the visit of his Excellence Advisory Mr. Turki Alshikh. We were able to present him not only Pandora FMS, but the rest of the solutions in the field of Cybersecurity that our partner Looptech has. 

We were very happy to receive a lot of positive feedback from the product. 

Without a doubt, having participated in this event will help us achieve a better position in the Middle East market.

What did you learn from a place like Saudi Arabia and its people?

Saudi Arabia surprised me a lot. 

It is a country that is growing very fast

Although it still retains authenticity in the mud buildings in the middle of the desert and the spectacular sunsets on the dunes.

Its people are super friendly and are willing to help you in everything necessary to make your stay as pleasant as possible.

Most people speak English so it was very easy to communicate. 

And I was hugely impressed that everything there is “go big or go home”: great plates of food, huge malls…

I would go visit the country again, without a doubt, to continue finding out more about its culture.

And you, Alberto? What do you think Pandora FMS contributed to Black Hat MEA?

Alberto, Pandora FMS

I believe at least that Pandora FMS contributed to difference and originality, compared to the rest of solutions that showed up to the event. 

As you already know, Black Hat MEA was focused in cybersecurity, meaning there were thousands aimed at email or mobile security, others focused in failure detection and there were those that avoid intruder access to devices. 

Well Pandora FMS, among all of them, proved to be the tool that better looked after device health. 

That its essential security feature is simply to prevent device malfunction thanks to monitoring, was something that stood out above the rest.

Any special memories of such an incredible journey?

Alberto y Alexander, Pandora FMS

It’s a tough question, because the whole trip was incredible. 

The kindness and “brotherhood” of the people was shocking.

It was surprising the diversification of cultures that we experienced with people from all over the world, and the number of students who visited us asking really difficult questions to answer…

But, if you insist, I’ll tell you a very funny moment that stuck with me. 

During a demo we could see that a group of students from the women’s university in Riyadh stared at us and laughed. 

When we finished the demo, we invited them to ask things about Pandora FMS and we took the opportunity to ask them why they were laughing during my demo, you know, in case we had failed at something… 

Their answer, while laughing, was that the word “Pandora” in Arabic is “Tomato”. 

For the rest of the event we struggled, at the booth, to say Pandora FMS without a smile on our faces.

Want to find out more about Pandora FMS?

The total monitoring solution for full observability

Contact our sales team, ask for a quote or solve all of your doubts about our licenses.

Pandora FMS: What do you know about sending additional information in email alerts?

Pandora FMS: What do you know about sending additional information in email alerts?

When monitoring the software components of a server, sometimes you may need to find out some additional information about the performance of the metrics you monitor.

Sending additional information in email alerts

This is all about putting data into context, because 25 is not the same if it is 25% of a CPU, or 25% of a CPU with other three more CPUs, all of them at 100%, or 25% of a CPU of a computer about to be blocked by excess of I/O transactions that has been overloaded for hours, which has risen the system’s temperature to the maximum.

Isn’t it true that “25” can mean many things? Let’s dig a little deeper into it

Continuing with the previous case, suppose that you wish to measure the CPU usage in one of the servers you manage, and where you defined thresholds that force notifications by email to computer managers. 

This threshold (CRIT for CPU > 80) would be reflected in the module configuration as follows:

The alert is defined using the template “Critical condition” and I use the action of sending custom email to send to a specific mailbox.

Okay, so far it’s kind of basic. 

But you may like to be able to send some additional information about the problem, something to collect only when needed, real-time information that is useful for you to find a solution automatically.

But…. Can Pandora FMS do this?

Well, you may include information from other modules in the email using alert macros that reference other modules. 

You may check the full list of macros in our documentation, but we will give you a quick summary of some interesting ones:

moduledata_X_: It will show the data of the  “X” module of the same agent as that of the module that triggers the alert. 

That way, if you have a module called LoadAVG, calling the macro _moduledata_LoadAVG_ you may dump the value of the system load. 

Likewise, to show a graph of the last 24 hours of that module, you should use the macro _modulegraph_LoadAVG_24_ 

*This last thing about the graph is still experimental, until version 772 it will not be available to everyone.

Showing procedures

Perhaps you would like to include textual information about what to do in case your module is set into CRITICAL, as some kind of instructions or procedure. To that end the macro _alert_critical_instructions_ will return the text that you configured in said module for this case.

Showing previous data

You may also be interested in showing the previous data on this monitor before the alert was triggered; to that end you may use the macro  _prevdata_

Showing agent informational custom fields

Imagine that you have a field in the agent that collects data, which tells you the name of the system administrator and their phone number, as custom agent fields with ID 7 and ID 9. 

To that end we would use the macro_agentcustomfield_n_ as macro_agentcustomfield_7_ and macro_agentcustomfield_9_ and thus be able to add to the email the name and phone of the person in charge of the system.

A full example, using macros in an email

Let’s now see an example!

If you wanted to send a somewhat more complete email, edit the email action you are using to add new macros:

Using dynamic information

What if you want to go further

What if you want to execute a command every time something happens and collect the value to send it in the email? 

That way, you do not need to have a constant additional metric when monitoring so as not to fill the database with information that is only useful in critical situations.

In order to submit additional information, it will be necessary to create a previous module in your software agent so that it collects the information only when necessary. 

With that purpose in mind, enter the following structure within your module:

module_begin 

module_name MODULE_NAME

module_type async_string 

module_precondition > X COMMAND_TO_RUN_AS_CONDITION

module_exec FINAL_COMMAND_TO_BE_EXECUTED

module_end

  • The module will have to be asynchronous and with the type of data that you will collect. 

This is due to the need for this module not to go into an unknown state, thus giving a false perception of failure, when it does not meet the module’s precondition.

  • A condition expression will have to be incorporated so that you may run the module normally. 

For that purpose, run a previous command from which to obtain the numerical information to obtain the data. Following the example of the CPU described above (which is higher than 80%) it would be something like:

  • module_precondition > 80 uptime | awk -F “,” ‘{print $3}’ | awk ‘{print $3}’ | tr d “\n”
  • Finally, use the command to obtain such additional information in order to attach it to your email.

In the previous case, it would be convenient to know the processes that are using more CPU (top 5 processes), so you may enter the following case:

  • module_exec top -n1 | head -12

So in the previous example there would be a module as follows:

module_begin 

module_name TOP5_CPU_Proc_Usage

module_type async_string 

module_precondition > 80 uptime | awk -F “,” ‘{print $3}’ | awk ‘{print $3}’ | tr d “\n”

module_exec top -n1 | head -12

module_end

Once you create the module that will only be executed when necessary, enter this information in your email.

 For that purpose use the following macro within the email:

_moduledata_TOP5_CPU_Proc_Usage_ 
This is only a way of using it to send the additional information, you may use it for other cases such as for example if the disk usage of a server is reaching the limit, you may show the five heaviest files saved on the server using the command  “du -Sah/ | sort -rh | head -5”

Do you want to know more?

What is hyperconvergence?

What is hyperconvergence?

Pandora FMS blog has a very clear purpose: for you to find out everything there is to know about the largest number of rare words related to computing, technology or monitoring, so you can show off among your peers (with whom the hell may you brag about this).

Today it’s “Hyperconvergence“! It may sound like something about spacecrafts going into a state close to the speed of light or psychic-type Pokémon attack, but no, it’s something else!

Do you already know what hyperconvergence is? Let us tell you about it!

Relax man! I’m not going to explain it… we better let an expert in the field speak, our dearest Chief of Systems, Mario Pulido.

Extraordinary Mario, sorry for the alliteration, could you explain to us what this hyperconvergence thing is?

Of course, kind and eloquent editor of Pandora FMS blog.

Hyperconvergence is a virtualization platform in which hardware resources (CPU, RAM,..), storage, network connectivity

and pre-installed software are combined into a single manager. 

This improves the scalability of the resources needed for 

each of the services installed on the platform. 

It also allows implementing HA, flexible, etc. environments running on virtual machines or in containers, depending on the need for resources within each environment.

Wow, and what is the structure of hyperconvergence made of or what does it include?

Well look, it is made up of a set of computer systems that provides the main hardware resources (CPU, Memory…), a storage system, networks and software.

All these resources are organized through a hypervisor, which is designed to be able to manage all the hardware and software resources necessary to establish the final service that needs to be implemented.

Is it true that there is a convergent infrastructure? What is the main difference between converged and hyperconverged infrastructure?

Yes, there is, of course they’re not the same, and the main difference between the converged infrastructure and the hyperconverged one, is that the hyperconverged one adds a top layer of software that allows to unify the management of different virtual services, containers… and to manage from that software, or device, all the resources to provide the service needed.

What would be the business benefits of hyperconvergence?

You’re one-track minded, aren’t you? 

Well, above all, speed and ease of deployment, but also the ability to scale. 

A unique appliance that integrates computing, storage and storage networks, everything integrated.

Process automation and higher control over the infrastructure elements, managing everything from a team of people, thus reducing personnel costs.

¿And for Pandora FMS? Our beloved company and increasingly more people.

Pandora FMS suite may require the deployment of multiple servers to obtain full infrastructure monitoring in an on-premise or Maas environment. 

For that, it may be necessary to implement several VMs to install several Nodes in HA; to implement VMs to implement the Metaconsole; docker environments to start WUX or Elasticsearch containers, Satellites…

Hyperconvenience helps us in the implementation and deployment of the full Pandora FMS server environment, its possible vertical or horizontal scaling, as well as pre-production or backup environments to carry out tests and customized developments.

As with most of the services needed in a company, hyperconvergence makes it easier for us to implement Pandora FMS service.

Thank you very much Mario! It is always a pleasure to have your encyclopedic knowledge to reveal the truth to the world!

If you have any doubts, however small, do not hesitate to leave your questions in the comment box. We promise a quick, concise and loving response.

Do you want to know more about Pandora FMS?

Dear world, Pandora FMS wishes you Merry Christmas 2022

Dear world, Pandora FMS wishes you Merry Christmas 2022

Christmas! That endearing time in which the streets are covered in lights, fallen leaves and warm couples holding hands. 

Children smile and the chimneys smoke. Gingerbread, nougat and homemade almond cake become our sweet treats and, if we are lucky, a friendly family member offers to give us the Christmas bonus. 

Yes! At Pandora FMS we love this time of year and we could not miss, for nothing in the world, to wish you a Merry Christmas 2022!

Merry Christmas 2022 from the whole Pandora FMS team

On these days we like to have sweets and for us there is nothing sweeter than each of the small and great achievements that we managed to unlock this year. 

A sometimes difficult year, but thanks to our team, our customers and users we managed to successfully get by. 

Pure product

Throughout the year, Pandora FMS has released a series of releases on a monthly and steady basis. 

They have included all the evolution, innovation and fixes that Pandora FMS workers have added to our tool. 

There have been so many improvements that it would be impossible to discuss them all in a single article, but we’ll leave here just a few:

Alert templates with multiple schedules

The possibility of including several schedules for both module and event alerts has been incorporated. With this new feature, different time slots can be generated within the same day or week, where alerts can be generated.

Support for MySQL8 and PHP8

We included support to be able to use MySQL8 without any type of modification or previous adjustment. We also prepared the console to work on PHP8 since the PHP7.4 support ended on 28 Nov 2022.

New report types

  • Custom Render
  • TOP-N connections
  • Agent/module
  • Agent/module status
  • SLA services…

LTS started being implemented  

LTS versions are aimed at consolidating all changes of the RRR versions and offering maximum stability. Only two a year:

Sunburst, new service representation

The possibility of a new service representation has been added. 

This will be a centralized view where you may see the details of the tree node through a tooltip when hovering with the cursor.

Scheduled agent autoconfiguration application

Added the ability to schedule the appliance of Command Center agent auto-configuration rules automatically.

IPAM from Satellite

From Pandora FMS 764 RRR version it is possible to define IPAM network scanning from the Satellite server, indicating it in the Satellite server configuration file.

Improved network maps

Multiple changes have been made to network maps to improve the usability, performance and network map setup. 

  • Map drawing and refreshing is automatic and dynamically reflects the changes in the network, highly improving the existing display in previous versions.
  • The possibility of deleting “Pandora FMS” node as well as all its relationships has been added. Usability has also been improved in manual relationship management between nodes.
  • Added linking between network maps. When there is a dummy node pointing to another network map, it will be possible to access that map from the dummy node options. 

Report sending by mail as an alert action

A new feature has been added to Pandora FMS alert system whereby it is possible to send reports by email in PDF thanks to its incorporation as new actions/commands within Pandora FMS.

Trap history

The possibility to generate a trap history in the history database has been added to improve this feature’s performance in the console and improve the main database’s performance.

Credential store: WMI and SNMP

Although the credential store already existed in Pandora FMS, the possibility of saving them to be used in WMI and SNMP modules has been incorporated.

Forbidden password list

Added a password exclusion list so that the system does not let users enter certain weak passwords, thus strengthening the system’s security.

Pandora FMS Roadmap 2023

We want to take a qualitative leap to make Pandora FMS not only the most flexible tool on the market, but an essential part for IT management and daily operation.

That’s why we’re working on process automation thanks to powerful Artificial Intelligence, the creation of a CMDB, security monitoring and automated deployment.

For more news

But, as you know, it doesn’t end here.

Pandora FMS does not take a rest on its evolution and development and so that you do not miss any news, we leave you this link here.

Follow our change log and you’ll always be up to date!

Our headlines

Pandora FMS and drought monitoring

As you know, this summer half of Spain was on drought alert. A consequence, without a doubt, of the extreme summer heat and the scarcity of rains. 

Thank heaven and science, technology experts already point out some solutions to reduce the impact of this type of phenomenon.

And we are very proud to say that among those solutions there is Pandora FMS.

Pandora FMS gets Red Hat Enterprise Linux software certification

Yeah, yeah, yeah! Thank you all! 

At Pandora FMS we are in luck, we now have Pandora FMS RHEL8 software certificate.

Some called it impossible, others the next step to take, however, we all received it with a round of applause.

Pandora FMS brings the Internet to 500,000 people in Brazil

We said it just like that but… 

More than 500.000 inhabitants of the working-class district of Povo do Acre, located in the northwest of Brazil, have Internet connection thanks to the collaboration of our company.

What a great work!

Pandora FMS becomes an M81 partner to make IBM i system monitoring easier

Well, well, look at that! This year we became an international benchmark in system monitoring by becoming a technology partner of the French company M81

As many of you may know, the French platform has extensive experience in the sector since its foundation in 1988 and is currently considered one of the great experts when it comes to monitoring IBM i systems

As a brand, we will now have the opportunity to transfer these types of solutions to Spanish companies to improve IT management and the efficiency of the different work areas.

Pandora FMS receives the Emerging Favorite mention in Capterra’s Shortlist of server monitoring software and APM

Prizes! Awards!  Medals! Honorary pins! 

Yes!

We are proud to announce Pandora FMS as the winner of the Best Usability 2022 badge in the Network Monitoring category. 

Apart from its mention as an Emerging Favorite in the 2022 Shortlist of Server Monitoring and APM Software from Capterra, the world’s leading software review platform.

Coastal municipalities monitor their beaches to measure the environmental impact of tourism 

This year the Spanish tourism sector has had a record summer. 

90% of foreign tourism that visited the country in 2019 was recovered this summer. 

Therefore, the administrations of the main tourist centers were reinforced with the technology necessary to control capacities. 

Yes, by “the technology necessary” we mean us. 

We loved helping to improve the performance of public services and minimize the environmental impact this summer.

The arrival of Pandora FMS in the United States thanks to the master’s degree of Rice University

Pandora FMS is an international entity and needs activity. 

And in search of that activity we set our eye on that great technological power, the United States.

In the end we managed to count on a native and capital team, with five senior professionals who helped us with their proposals and whom, in turn, we helped with their project.

Madrid improves EMT services by monitoring its bus data

The public service of buses of Madrid, the EMT, was one of the protagonists of Global Mobility Call developed between 14 and 16 June at the IFEMA. 

The company from Madrid exposed its future plans tracing the route to continue transforming the capital into a smart City where sustainable mobility and independent vehicles acquire great relevance. 

Nevertheless, executing this plan would be impossible without technology characterized by generating data on a steady basis. 

Therefore, the city went for data control through monitoring. (That is us!)

This is the secret of the success of the EMT, who has already established a monitoring system thanks to Pandora FMS.

Pandora FMS at the top of G2

G2, a platform that currently has more than 60 million visits a year, and in which users can read and write quality reviews on 100,000 software products and other professional services. 

That is why it is so important and honorable that Pandora FMS has become part of its Top 10 of the best Network Monitoring software.

Conclusions

And these are just a few small strokes of all the success we achieved throughout this 2022 thanks, we repeat, to all of our colleagues and to all our clients and followers. 

That is why we will not stop repeating it over and over again: 

Merry Christmas 2022!

May you have all your loved ones as close as the frozen bottle of champagne and the mix of chocolates, sweets and nougat! 

Would you like to find out more about what Pandora FMS can offer you?

Pandora FMS team will be happy to help you!

And if you don’t want to miss out on any of our new features and you are into IT, releases and, by all means, monitoring, we wait for you in our blog and our different social media, from Linkedin to Twitter, not foregetting Facebook of course. 

We even have a Youtube channel with the best narrator voices ever. Oh, and we also recently got our Instagram channel. Follow us! We still have a long way to go to match that of Billie Eilish!

You needed it and we bring it to you: New Pandora FMS Community!

You needed it and we bring it to you: New Pandora FMS Community!

Pandora FMS Community was first launched sixteen years ago. Today, it has more than 2.5K active members* that visit it to participate, learn, answer questions, and contribute everything they can and know.

*4.6K discussion threads and over 16K responses.

But the time for change has come!

The new Pandora FMS Community is here!!!

With the growth of the community, and the extensive scope of useful content available, we knew it was time to invest in updates to support our users and welcome new members with open arms.

We migrated to a new platform.

A platform for Pandora FMS Community that allows new user experience with categorized questions and answers as well as private and public groups. New knowledge base and integrated blog.

Because of that, the domain changed from https://pandorafms.com/forums/ to

https: //pandorafms.com/community/

But don’t worry, all the previous links are redirected to your new home!

The question is: Why are we launching a new community site?

Simply put, we want to help our whole community connect, collaborate, and share knowledge in every way possible. 

And this launch is our particular investment to provide you with the technologies and capabilities to enhance your experiences and increase support, education and contribution.

What new features await you?

  1. Private and public groups

Would you like to contribute with your own ideas? What would you like to improve? This is your group, open to anyone who wants a better IT world.

Restricted group for users who manage complex Pandora FMS configurations (Open or Enterprise) and want to contribute. Discuss the roadmap, usage issues… Access to unpublished material will be restricted.

Pandora FMS Beta program helps to publicize what is currently being developed in Pandora FMS, both in the Community and Enterprise versions, accessing development versions generated daily. 

These versions can be used to test new features, evaluate bug fixes, and evaluate development progress in test environments. 

Since the group is closed and small, it is an excellent group to propose improvements, usability failure detection or non-contemplated use cases, etc.

To join the group, which is a restricted-access one, you must request access through our community website. 

In this group there are community users and Enterprise version customers alike, there is no need to give away any personal data or identify yourself in any way, all those who want to be part of the group and can contribute something are welcome.

Whether you are an IT company professional, a teacher of a technical course or an open source enthusiast, this group is geared towards helping coordinate Pandora FMS working groups and events.

  1. Categories established with different topics
  1. Range ranks and badges with karma system updates
  1. Private messaging on the platform

Its main differences with the previous forum?

The previous forum was limited to questions and answers, a forum for pure and simple discussion. 

The new Pandora FMS online community, in order to enhance bilateral communication between users, integrates many more options apart from the forum:

  • Its very own blog.
  • A knowledge base. 
  • Public and private groups.
  • Q&A. 
  • Resources. 
  • Private instant messaging. 
  • Online merchandising store. 

In short, we wanted to open a wide range of information, concentrated into a single place, to make it easier for all of our users to understand so much information, instead of just using it to their advantage.

Conclusions

The new Pandora FMS Community brings together in one place everything you may need to share, expand and improve knowledge about monitoring with Pandora FMS, both for Enterprise users and those from the OpenSource version. 

It is not just about bringing together people with the same interest, but about taking advantage of the knowledge of the team and the community so that members can achieve their goals in an integrated way in the same place.

Would you like to find out more about the new Pandora FMS Community?

What do you know about Pandora FMS Enterprise features?

What do you know about Pandora FMS Enterprise features?

We have talked many times about the life and miracles of Pandora FMS Enterprise version. We are very proud of it indeed! We are like the father of the kid who wins the football final of the school league or the mother of Halle Berry crying inconsolably when her girl received her Oscar.

That’s why today, in Pandora FMS blog, we wanted to stop for a second to talk, summing things up, about our Enterprise version features. 

We are going to list them and, like a game, you are going to point out whether you knew each one of the features or not (sort of a test to check whether you are a valid human being or not, you know). 

Every “Yes, obviously I know this feature!” will be 10 mini points. 

Learn about our Enterprise version features

Let’s see how many points you get!

Services (10 points)

Root Cause Analysis and visual display of the tree of critical elements that make up a service. 

At a glance you will see the source of any issue!

Policies (10 points)

They enable homogenized monitoring and deploy standard monitoring by technologies. 

You may manage the configuration of hundreds of agents in a simple way, with just a few clicks. Save lots of time and efforts!

Customization and OEM (10 points)

You may modify the console’s looks, installers, and even the product name if you wish so. 

We can make custom installers to make a white label for you, so that you can sell Pandora FMS as your own product with all of our help and support.

History DB (10 points)

It stores in long-term databases information for reports, graphs and raw data from all your monitoring. 

You won’t have to give up any data if you don’t want to!

Delegated Authentication (10 points)

Delegate to your Active Directory all user authentication, profile-based creation, and attribute-based role assignment.

 Save your time and efforts.

Distributed servers (Satellite) (10 points)

Deploy monitoring in remote locations, customer offices or isolated environments. 

Use our servers as intermediate management centers. 

You will have the flexibility to obtain information in every way possible.

Remote control (10 points)

Integrate the control of your servers and workstations into the monitoring console, centralizing system management. 

Windows, Linux and Mac. 

Remote desktop and shell, file copying, and service and process control.

Transactional User Experience Monitoring (UX) (10 points)

Learn how your apps work, step by step, screen by screen, simulating the actions of an end user. 

Carry out tests from different locations. 

Don’t wait for users to detect faults, get ahead of yourself!

Remote Agent Deployment (10 points)

Plan and manage agent deployment remotely centrally, defining different configurations based on IP addresses or user attributes. 

Omnishell (10 points)

Programmed and distributed remote command automation and execution. 

Run commands and scripts in bulk and in a centralized way.

Collections (10 points)

Distribution of tool packages, monitoring plugins, configurations or scripts to deploy complex monitoring among your systems.

Command center (Metaconsole) (10 points)

Our solution to monitor dozens of thousands of systems. 

A federated console capable of centrally managing an unlimited number of items.

HA (10 points)

High availability across all major components. 

An integrated system that allows database switch-over either scheduled or manually, as well as node recovery.

Log collection (10 points)

Use monitoring agents to collect native logs from applications, operating systems, or system events. 

Unify all the information and have it available to find out what is happening in real time or do forensic analysis after months of data collection.

Correlated alerts (10 points)

Define logic relationships between events to detect complex casuistries. 

Relate events to logs, group search results logically. Integrated event and log correlation.

Inventory alerts (10 points)

Define alerts to find out when something changes, to know if you have vulnerable software installed, or if a firmware version is faulty. 

Use extensive inventory information to anticipate problems.

Discovery Cloud (10 points)

Discover and monitor systems, databases, and other resources in environments such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. 

Manage costs in AWS and unify all your system information, wherever they are, on a single platform.

Discovery Applications (10 points)

SAP, Oracle, DB2, SQL Server, and other applications will deliver low-level or high level data that is easily and centrally accessible.

Enterprise ACLs (10 points)

Customize console access by users, groups, and features. 

Along with visual customization, it allows you to design the use you want to make of the console for your users.

TO SUM UP

To wrap up, keep your score at hand. Let’s get to the summary and result. 

Now imagine the voice of your head as if it sounded like Steve Harvey reading.

If you got from 0 to 50 points:

What a mess! It’s time to check your knowledge on the tool and stop worrying about the monitoring lobby.

From 50 to 150 points:

Improvable but on the right track. We leave you here a link to our wiki so that you do not stop feeding that curious mind that God and so portentous genetics have given you.

From 150 to 190 points:

You’re awesome! You can celebrate your triumph with a little dance on your seat or throwing kisses into the air. You are the best that happened to us and we are as proud of you as of our tool! Pay us a visit at our offices to collect your gift:

A COLLECTIVE HUG!

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?

What’s new in PHP version 8

What’s new in PHP version 8

Although 2020 brought us the coronavirus pandemic, in November of that same year version 8 of the PHP language also came into our lives. Two years later, Pandora FMS LTS 767 version will be the first full release with version 8.  

Let’s talk about what’s new in PHP version 8

PFMS Web Console

Pandora FMS has several components and where the use of PHP language is most essential is in your Web Console. 

*It also uses other technologies such as JavaScript, AJAX, etc., but the “dark horse” is undoubtedly PHP.

As an example, PHP is the connection tool with the database and the one in charge of generating the HTML code (yes, a programming language generating code for another language), as pillars of greater importance for work.

During these years, the focus has remained on providing full compatibility with PHP 8, being version 760 the first to use this version without losing compatibility with PHP 7.4, introduced in version 759 (PHP 7.2 was active from version 729 to 758).

On November 28, 2022 the life cycle of PHP 7.x ends and therefore from version 766 RRR, in new installations, by default, Pandora FMS uses PHP 8. For existing customers, both Open and Enterprise must keep in mind the upgrade to PHP 8 after obtaining, through Warp update, the 767 LTS version.

Features

The PHP language has dominated the web application market for decades (an estimated 80% presence) and, although it has many detractors, it actually has its good things and its so-not-good things.

One of its features is that it is an interpreted language, for which it takes four steps in its execution.

Although code preloading and advanced cache usage were introduced in version 7.4, in version 8 they reduced the steps to only three, resulting in speed and energy savings.

*It is much more complex than I describe it. I set out here in broad outlines and always for informative purposes.

PHP 8 features 20 new features, from simple things like the use of commas at the end of lists (trailing commas) to the “mandatory” and fully integrated use of JSON format handling.

Although all of these features are completely transparent to developers, a few will be noticeable even in end users. Such as, for example, in the processes of sorting elements, which are now completely stable.

There has been reported an improvement in WordPress of 18% in the number of requests per second able to be performed and in Laravel of 8% of improvement accordingly. 

Both improvements over PHP 7.4 and 7.2.

Implementation

PHP 8 must be implemented by the local area network administrator, so you must follow the data backup (and even recovery) routines before performing a successful update. 

At Pandora FMS, considering that outdated software is one of the six common computer maintenance issues, we have a basic guide for upgrading to PHP 8, depending on the operating system used to run Pandora FMS:

https://pandorafms.com/manual/es/documentation/07_technical_annexes/18_php₈

PHP is as exciting as your toothbrush. You use it every day, it does the job, it’s a simple tool, so what? Who would like to read about toothbrushes?

PHP 8 is significantly better because it contains much less of my code.

— Rasmus Lerdorf (Humble creator of PHP)

Note: At the time of writing these lines the current PHP version is 8.1 and they are expected to release version 8.2 on December 8, 2022. For more information visit: https://github.com/php.

Have fun again creating! Get to know visual console and dashboard editing

Have fun again creating! Get to know visual console and dashboard editing

Did you know that the visual console editor allows users to design the final look by dragging elements with the mouse?

You just have to choose the background and icons that represent the status of each relevant aspect you want to display.

We tell you this and much more in the video on our workshop.

Are you familiar with visual console and dashboard editing?

As you may have seen, among many other things, with dashboards you may define screens with different visual monitoring elements you created previously and share them with other users, or see them in full screen in slide mode for the whole team to see them.

If you still feel there are any issues to portray or solve, please feel free to contact us through our comment section, social media, our own website or our forum especially devoted to the community. 

Where is data center architecture headed to?

Where is data center architecture headed to?

You know what data centers* are, we’ve told you a lot about the on this blog. Today, however, it is time to check out a particular aspect such as the singleness of their architecture**. In addition to what role they play in the present and which one they will play in the future.

* Physical facility that organizations use to host their information, applications, critical data…

**There’s a good example of alliteration, great rhetorical figure.

So let’s go!

Data center architecture, present and future

Lately with so much cataclysm and recession, it seems that the world is going backwards. However, there are things that improve. The Succession TV show is cooler every season and last summer they released a new variety of Magnum ice cream that is superior to the previous ones. For instance.

Technology is also evolving. In fact, you can see right now how all sorts of innovations take us to the next level.

Data centers are not left behind

About moving forward, I mean.

Why?

Well, because in recent years, IoT technology, the overwhelming need to accumulate data and our beloved Cloud have lovingly promoted the modernization of traditional data centers.

Otherwise these would be obsolete.

As many of you know, the design of a data center is based on a network of computing and storage resources that allows delivering shared data. 

Its key components include:

  • Routers. 
  • Switchgear. 
  • Firewalls. 
  • Storage systems.
  • Servers.
  • Etc.

This is when a number of companies are shifting to modern forms of data centers*.

*Which pose as many advantages as challenges. 

More than twenty years ago, when data center architecture became a hot topic, there was debate between the CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer) and RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architectures, and between SMPs, mainframes, and small systems. 

All this happened before the surprising emergence of coprocessors, AISCs and other accelerators, to boost data access and optimize complex operations. 

Currently, data centers are mostly aligned on x86 CPUs, small two-socket servers, and a general standardization of the components that make up the modern data center. 

Even so, corporations continue to look for ways* to increase their efficiency and productivity by helping themselves with technological advances.

*Always at a lower cost.

Where do data centers come from and where are they headed to?

Like all technologies, from the pulley system to home ice-cream maker, data centers have also gone through a long way of transformation.

  • Before the 1990s, data centers were made up of large computer rooms. There, any computer error made them stand out within the system.
  • In the 1990s, as the Internet began to take shape and take center stage, data centers became popular among businesses. 
  • As the new century began, folks began to become more aware of the data centers and brought to light incredible improvements.  Such as data center services, outsourcing demands, shared hosting, application hosting, managed services, ISPs, ASPs, MSPs, etc. 

During later years, data centers became stabilized as a concept in society. The focus, then, was on energy efficiency, refrigeration technologies and management facilities.

Is this the end of ordinary data centers?

Today, a good Intel CPU is considered the most powerful on the market. 112 cores, an incredible number of features to handle all kinds of workloads or technical machine learning activities. 

Even so, companies seek, as police hounds, a new solution.

They are aware that big data analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, the so-called “Internet of Things” and other high-spectrum technologies are changing the approach to data centers. 

Modern technologies, as they have been doing from the pulley system to home ice-cream makers, try to minimize costs.

That’s why, if we take into account the money, efficiency, power and optimization in a modern data center, you’ll find old architectures no longer work. 

They consume more energy and take up more space. 

Furthermore, there are already better services, more attractive ones

GPUs are being used, for example, for specialized tasks that suppress single-core CPU performance. 

In fact, GPU-enabled platforms have caused a readjustment of system designs, addressing the data-avid nature of processors.

Despite what it may seem, in recent times, cloud providers are switching to independent data centers, and, of course, large corporations are following suit. 

In the immediate future, the evolution of data centers is expected to approach a new paradigm, probably because the Covid 19 pandemic has pushed the world to work in the cloud like no one imagined.

Do you want to know more?

The most dangerous computer viruses in history

The most dangerous computer viruses in history

Here, in our beloved Pandora FMS blog, we have talked a big deal about computer risks. This does not mean of course that we consider ourselves to be faint-hearted or timid, but rather cautious heroes. And in order not to be alone in a battle against the evil that lurks around, today, continuing with this theme of terror and digital desolation, we bring you: some of the most dangerous computer viruses in human history!

These are the computer viruses you should fear the most!

What is a computer virus?

Before bringing on the storm, listing malicious software, we’d better explain a little what this whole thing about computer viruses is and why, although you have to be careful with them, you don’t need to use masks.

A computer virus is a malicious program or code created and conceived to truncate the operation of a computer. 

Like the biological microorganism, they are also infectious, although these replicate only within computer equipment. 

They propagate from one computer to another, usually attached to a legitimate document, then execute their cursed code.

Although you may think the computer virus has been with us since the first pulley system, it was Leonard M. Adleman, in 1984, the first to use the term while finding similarities between his student Fred Cohen’s college experiment and the HIV virus.

List of the most dangerous computer viruses that have ever existed

Now, let’s get down to business! 

We go into it!

I LOVE YOU

Funny thing is, this virus does everything but love and appreciate you for who you are. In fact, on its own, it has devoted itself to creating chaos around the world with about 10 million dollars in damages.

It came to be believed that 10% of all computers in the world were infected by it and it caused large institutions and governments to disable their email system for not wanting to take any risks. 

You see, something not even the tiresome, stalking Linkedin publicity achieved.

I love you was created in the Philippines by Reonel Ramones and Onel de Guzman using social engineering (“A set of techniques that cybercriminals use to trick incautious users into sending them confidential data, infecting their computers with malware, or opening links to infected sites”) they sneaked it into the Philippines, to all of Asia, and in a short time to the rest of the world.
Fun fact:

As the email they sent for you to click on the attachment was a declaration of love, the virus was called “I Love You”.

MELISSA

Its creator was David L. Smith and detonated in ’99 as an infected Word document that was presented to the world as the best thing ever for perverts: 

“Hello, I am a list of passwords for pornographic websites.”

At that time the virus was mailed to the fifty most important people in your email and created havoc with his deceptive list of passwords. Of course, the most curious and salacious ones fell for it right away.

It also came with a sort of cover letter, a reference to the Simpsons. 

Less than a week after his presentation to the public, David L. Smith was captured by the police. Oh, I’m sorry, David.

However, for his special collaboration with the authorities in trapping other perfidious virus creators, his sentence was reduced from 10 years to 20 months. 

Still… His virus caused 80 million dollars in damage.

Fun fact:

If “Melissa” sounds like a sinuous and more like the name of a hurricane, it has to do with the fact that it comes from an exotic dancer from Florida. 

ZEUS

A trojan (“A malware that presents itself to the user as a seemingly legitimate and harmless program, but which, when executed, gives an attacker remote access to the infected computer”) created especially to truncate computers with Windows

It did a number of awkward things on your computer, including capturing forms.
Most computers became infected due to hidden downloads or phishing (“A technique that involves sending an email from a cybercriminal to a user pretending to be a legitimate entity”).

It was used for such ominous things as stealing login credentials from social networks, emails, and bank accounts.

In the United States alone, more than one million computers were infected.

Fun fact:

It compromised corporations such as Amazon, Oracle, Bank of America, Cisco, and many more.

STUXNET

The virus is believed to have been created by the Israel Defense Forces along with the United States Government

With these two agents involved, what do you think? That the virus was spawned as an experimental project and that it got out of hand? Or that it was done, expressly, to bring chaos upon our civilization?

Bingo!

This virus was designed for cyber warfare. 

It had the goal of halting Iran’s advances in nuclear defense. And so it was, much of the infection took place in Iran.

Fun fact:

It spread through infected pen drives and altered the speed of the devices until they became damaged.

CRYPTOLOCKER

A ransomware (“A type of malicious program that restricts access to certain parts or files of the infected operating system and asks for a ransom in exchange for removing this restriction”) Trojan that uses, among other means, email to spread.

Once your computer was infected it went on to encrypt some files from the hard drive. 

The thing here is that, even though it’s easy to remove as a virus, the files it encrypted stayed still encrypted, unless you paid a ransom by a deadline.

The ransom used to be $ 400, although it could increase, and the number of infected computers was 500,000

Make the numbers yourself… With only half paying the scammers, you could afford a house in Florida! 

Thank God, Evgeny Bogachev, leader of the organization that operated with this virus was arrested and forced to return all encrypted keys.

Fun fact:

In the end, only 1.3% of those infected fell into the scam… That’s about 3 million dollars. Not bad at all!

Cybersecurity Summit in Madrid: “Europe is already on alert for data to not depend on third parties”

Cybersecurity Summit in Madrid: “Europe is already on alert for data to not depend on third parties”

Madrid hosted on October 26th and 27th one of the major international cybersecurity summits. 

The fair Cyber Security World has brought together large technology companies, public administrations and references from the IT sector to address the main topics. 

Among them that of cybersecurity

An increasingly analyzed concept that, in the midst of the Ukrainian war, has multiplied its concern among companies and governments.

What do you know about the Madrid cybersecurity summit?

Data hosting in the cloud, the adaptation of the different administrations and the emergence of new solutions are some of the issues addressed by the major players in the sector with the aim of preparing for the new digital era.

“Europe is already on alert for data to not depend on third parties.

It is a maxim both among public administrations and among companies, who may see their systems attacked by hackers or simple computer errors,” 

ensures monitoring expert Sancho Lerena, CEO of the IT company Pandora FMS

The European Commission, in fact, has already set ahead the goal of achieving technological independence by 2030. 

According to the data they provided, 90% of the data of the European Union are managed by American companies

In addition, less than 4% of major online platforms are European. 

An example of this technological fragility is that the European market represents less than 10% in the microchip manufacturing sector. 

“In a couple of years, more than 50% of companies should be using the Cloud,” the expert says. 

The European future of cybersecurity

The challenge for 2030 is to maximize digitisation within the European Union. 

The project Compass Digital, for example, includes multiple investments and objectives, but the sector agrees that many steps must be taken to achieve full cybersecurity nowadays. 

“There are many companies that still have legacy, outdated systems that cannot incorporate the latest security developments,” acknowledges Lerena.

The IT company Pandora FMS is one of those that works with both digital administrations and companies through its monitoring system. 

The concept of monitoring is increasingly widespread in the sector, as it allows the real-time management of all data generated within an IT structure. 

That way, companies achieve greater efficiency and reduce costs.

“This technology not only helps improve the control of data and activity of a platform, it also strengthens security and warns about possible errors to improve reaction time.” 

Explains the head of technology, whose solution is present in institutions such as Madrid Digital, relying on the Comunidad de Madrid, or the EMT

Also, having international giants such as Rakuten or Toshiba shows the importance that this type of technology currently has.

Europe is already looking to 2030 with the intention of extending this digitisation.

Companies are incorporating monitoring systems and strengthening the cybersecurity of their companies.The objective is none other than to prevent European actors from being “well below the EU’s global economic weight” in technologically relevant areas.

Essential for Smart Cities

Cybersecurity will become increasingly important.

Especially considering that the objective of the most developed countries is to implement those known as Smart Cities where technology and data control will be fundamental for the efficient management of cities.

The concept of Smart Cities responds to those cities where, through data analysis and the use of the latest technological solutions, services are more efficient for citizens and do not generate a negative impact either in economic terms or in the environmental field. 

For example, to find out in which areas more waste is generated to improve the garbage service in that area or the management of public transport through citizen accessibility. 

Therefore, the proper processing of these data and their security will be a pillar for the cities of the future

“Without the control of these data, and without technological independence, it will be very difficult to develop these Smart Cities in a stable way”, says Lerena. 

Have you become curious and want to find out more about how Pandora FMS can influence your future?

What are Pandora FMS values and code of ethics?

What are Pandora FMS values and code of ethics?

“The Code Ethics of a company” sounds pretty serious right? Something like out of a philosophy masterclass or something your dad would say when scolding you.

Maybe something like a TED talk or a day of self reflection. What can we say? In this house Kant rules!… as well as morality, in addition to justice and getting along as well as we possibly can, both professionally and purely socially.

That is why we would like you to have the code of ethics of  Pandora FMS at hand. Because we are that transparent and prone to letting people know the inner workings of our company.

Personally, I’ll go over it one more time. 

After all, they are the rules of the best board game possible. 

What’s Pandora FMS code of ethics?

Objective and scope

The group of companies behind Pandora FMS, led by Artica PFMS, seeks through this Code of Ethics and Conduct, to reflect the ethical criteria that have guided us so far. 

Thus, the objective of the code is to establish general guidelines of conduct that guide the performance of the professional activity of all people related to Pandora FMS and complying at all times with current legislation. 

Each of the actions and decisions must be oriented towards “doing the right thing”, to strengthen the reputation that characterizes us as a Company.

  • Recipients: The recipients of the code of ethics of Pandora FMS group are all its partners, employees, suppliers, partners, customers and/or any third party who maintains a relationship with Pandora FMS
  • Validity: This Code will enter into force the day after its approval, which includes Pandora FMS management team and the Works Council. 

Its content will be reviewed periodically on an annual basis, in order to make the appropriate modifications.

Mission and values

Pandora FMS group has been researching, developing and innovating since 2005. 

With products such as Pandora FMS, the monitoring software that we market in more than 50 countries around the world. 

From Pandora FMS, we seek long-term customer relationships, being able to adapt and grow at the same time as our customers.

Our mission; as monitoring experts, we know the huge potential of Pandora FMS to improve any organization that supports its business on technology. 

We want to work as an early warning, warning at the right time before an unforeseen event happens. 

Always working as a committed community committed to excellence and integrity.

Our approach is to be key service technology providers and be present in companies from multiple sectors worldwide.

Since its birth, the company has always stayed strong, firm and safe on six pillars. 

Six pillars that surround and delimit it as well as cement and roof it. This means for us a home made of values, with which we coexist and improve looking for a prosperous tomorrow while elaborating a worthy legacy.

  • Honesty: Because to be sincere and consistent we should start with ourselves, and from there we can then attempt to harmonize at all times what we say and what we do. 

This is something that characterizes us and to which we attach great importance, both for our own coexistence and for the perfect development of our work.

  • Loyalty: Because, as a basic principle, we will never turn our backs on our work, our clients, or our employees. 

We are united by bonds beyond convenience and profit, as deep as the fulfillment of honor once was and will always be the treasure of gratitude.

  • Trust: Because we have the belief and persistent faith of suitability among us. 

We do not hope, we know that we will act properly both in the ordinary morning and in the exceptional afternoon, and our confident actions reinforce this conviction day by day.

  • Team Spirit: Because a crushing fist is always made up of five skillful fingers that perfectly match each other. 

And because one, alone, never planted battle. And if it did, whether it won or lost, it always waited for the applause or the sympathy of its companions.

  • Objectivity: Because despite the sensitivity or affinity that binds us to our work, we limit ourselves to indicating the observable and evident features to judge it. 

And so we offer the world what we understand to be good and necessary from every point of view and sentence.

  • Quality: Because the only thing that can come out of this house of ours is the excellent and a hundred hours worked, the purely tested and effective, what the customer wants and aims for, even what no one expects and exceeds all expectations. 

After all, it bears our signature, that of every Pandora FMS colleague who has pledged to give their best.

Ethical principles of conduct

The Code of Ethics and Conduct determines specific guidelines for action in the following content areas:

A. Compliance with legality

Compliance with the national and international laws, regulations and good practices applicable at any time in any territory or country in which Ártica PFMS SL and its affiliated companies operate will always prevail in the development of the business activity against any other consideration, without exceptions. 

Company professionals must keep, in all circumstances, exemplary ethical behavior and avoid any behavior that may go against applicable regulations, damage the reputation of the organization or adversely affect its public image. 

Nor will they collaborate with third parties in activities that could violate the legislation in force or damage the trust of third parties in the organization. 


WORKERS

B. Equal opportunities:

Pandora FMS offers the same opportunities to any partner of the company. 

This equality is expressed through dignified treatment at all levels for all people. 

Ensuring the application of laws that take their chances on equality and rejecting any manifestation of physical, psychological, moral, abusive, intimidatory or offensive harassment against the rights of individuals. 

In no case shall discrimination be permitted on grounds of gender, ethnic and/or racial origin, nationality, age, socio-economic status, disability, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, etc.

Pandora FMS is committed to diversity, where anyone who demonstrates commitment and good results will have the opportunity to develop themselves in the organization.

C. Reconciliation of family and professional life:

The balance between work obligations and family life is advocated, maintaining a policy that makes it possible to reconcile both vital areas. 

For this, we are committed to teleworking, so it is allowed to carry out contracts in areas and cities that are not in the usual work centers.

D. Customer service:

We base our success on customer satisfaction, being a fundamental requirement for business growth. 

Therefore, our goal is to provide the best possible service, always taking our chances on integrity, respect and dignity. 

We declare our opposition to any type of action that may harm third parties and thus the image of the company.

E. Occupational safety and health:

At all times the preventive measures established by current legislation will be followed, in order to achieve safety in the facilities and services. 

Therefore, the instructions of the external occupational risk prevention company will be followed, where the staff will obtain the resources and knowledge necessary to perform their functions in a safe environment. 

Accordingly, the entire workforce will know the protection rules, to ensure their own safety and those of colleagues, customers, suppliers and/or any third party that may be affected. 

We firmly believe that the people who make up our team are the most important asset of the company.

F. Fair competition as a Worker:

Commitment to compete fairly in the markets, complying at all times with competition regulations. 

In the event of termination of the contract, the worker must not concur with the activity of Ártica PFMS S.L within two years following the termination of the contract, being unable to provide services directly related to Pandora FMS in another company.

G. Selection, remuneration and professional development: 

Personnel selection and promotion is based on the competences and performance of professional functions, together with the skills defined in the requirements for the job, making possible flexibility regarding a change of position within the company at the request of the person concerned. 

The company offers a fair remuneration, always above the Collective Agreement for consulting and market studies. 

Within the company it is possible to grow professionally according to employee performance, always following the principles of equality and respecting family and work reconciliation.

CUSTOMERS, PARTNERS AND SUPPLIERS

H. Confidentiality and privacy:

All information developed by Pandora FMS group, (including personal data that we process both as Data Controllers and as data processors), is considered private and confidential. 

It is forbidden to disclose any information related to specific operations, with people who are not directly related to the operation. 

Likewise, it is stipulated as confidential information, and therefore, it is not allowed to share with third parties any documentation that is not provided with the category of public, avoiding to share any document including

  • Sales strategies.
  • Financial information. 
  • Wages. 
  • Information on specific operations. 
  • Nonpublic tables of prices. 
  • Personal data. 
  • Etc. 

In any business agreement, an agreement of effective confidentiality will be signed during the whole business relationship.

I.  Conflict of Interest:

All members of Pandora FMS group seek well-being and business growth. 

For that reason, it is forbidden to act to seek a personal benefit at the expense of Pandora FMS. 

All activities must seek the well-being of the company, avoiding improper profit or involving a problem to the performance of the organization. 

The company will seek integrity at all times.

J. Non-competition agreement:

As an employer, any figure related to the activity of Pandora FMS must respect the agreement of non-competition and permanence of the company, according to Article 21 of RDLeg. 2/2015 of 23 Oct. (Consolidated text of the Workers Statute Law). 

Therefore, no job offers or employment contracts will be made to workers who provide services in the company.

K. Quality of services:

Any company or person that provides a service related to our company must seek excellence and act with an adequate knowledge that allows them to perform adequate services. 

It is important for all relationships to be documented in clear terms, in order to be able to determine precisely the rights and obligations arising from these relationships.

L. Transparent business practices:

Transparency is key to strengthening the relationship with Pandora FMS community. For this reason, the information will be transparent, open and two-way, creating relationships of trust where the relevant opinions that help business growth are taken into account.

M. Care of our resources and work tools:

The company’s human and technical resources are limited. 
For this reason, it is important to make correct and effective use of all resources.

N. Fraud prevention:

In no case will be incurred in actions that can be considered as fraud against the company

The values of integrity and honesty will always be followed. 

Within examples of fraud, we can find: entering undeclared money from a sale, making false expense reports, making incomplete deposits, fraud with licensing, among others.

O. Relationship with the authorities:

We are governed by information honesty and transparency

For this reason, whenever an authority, regulatory body or the Public Administration requires information, it should be provided. 

On no occasion shall bodies, inspection bodies or administrative supervisors be denied or prevented from acting.

P. Declination of gifts:

Seeking objectivity in the selection of third parties, The offer or delivery or acceptance of gifts or attentions that could induce one to think about possible deals of favor or counterparts, whether real or not, are not allowed. 

The exceptions to this rule must refer, necessarily and exclusively, to gifts or hospitality that, having an irrelevant or symbolic economic value, fit within the usual standards of business relations and do not present any caveat from the point of view of the legislation in force in each country. 

When in doubt as to whether a gift is considered inappropriate, you can check directly with HR or write to the ethical channel of Pandora FMS.

Q. Environment:


All employees are committed to taking care of the planet’s resources, making rational use of water, paper, electricity and all natural resources.

Whistleblowing

Whistleblowing channel

Within the work environment, if you are a victim or witness of any situation of injustice, abuse or any act that violates our Code of Ethics, do not hesitate to use the means that the company puts at your disposal, to communicate the incidence. 

For any suggestions or complaints you may write directly to  [email protected] or address the company at [email protected]

Pandora FMS is now certified Red Hat Enterprise Linux software

Pandora FMS is now certified Red Hat Enterprise Linux software

In Pandora FMS we are in luck, we now have Pandora FMS RHEL8 software certification.

Some called it impossible, others the next step to take, whatever the case everyone received it with applause!

But hold on…

What is Pandora FMS RHEL8 software certification?

This certification now features a set of executable tests for partners that produce results that are then reviewed by Red Hat

Your non-containerized software is certified when test results show successful interoperability with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 in a safe and supportable manner using best practices. 

Once verified, you can promote your product(s) in the Red Hat Ecosystem catalog.

In addition, Red Hat will grant partners a free limited subscription to TSANet for collaborative customer case management to improve their ongoing user experiences.

Does anyone give more?

Why Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8?

Well, because Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the industry leader in enterprise Linux deployments, is the foundation of Red Hat’s open hybrid cloud portfolio, providing the underlying engine for developing and deploying complex workloads across physical, virtual, private, and public cloud environments in a more secure and controlled way. 

After just a few months, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 is already the number one RHEL version among developers, with hundreds of thousands of downloads.

*Don’t worry, if you need to learn more about RHEL 8, visit the developer page  RHEL 8.

 Certification Features

This new Red Hat Enterprise Linux software certification means that:

  • Our executable is verified with a Red Hat seal of approval.
  • Our products are differentiated by being more compatible, interoperable and safe.
  • We get a limited TSANet membership (courtesy of Red Hat) to improve your customers’ long-term support and experiences.
  • We get free technical support for the certification.

 Benefits for partners

The benefits that partners receive from this certification include:

  • Have your certified software published and promoted in the new Red Hat Ecosystem catalog.
  • Co-branded product overview.
  • Exposure to Red Hat sales.
  • The opportunity to participate in Red Hat Partner Connect podcasts.
  • Awareness in Social Networks

 Advantages for the client

The benefits that clients receive from this certification include:

  • A higher degree of operationality assurance when using Red Hat certified products.
  • Mitigate security risks through verified best practices.
  • Improved supportability of Red Hat and Red Hat partners through TSANet.

As usual, around here we could not be happier!

Tell me, what about you?

How will you make the most out of this wonderful chance? 

Pandora FMS a remedy for drought?

Pandora FMS a remedy for drought?

As you know, this summer half of Spain has been on drought alert. A consequence, without a doubt, of the extreme summer heat and rain scarcity. 

Andalusia was one of the most affected.

Therefore, companies and public administrations in the area have raised the alarm. Especially because of environmental and economic effects. 

Thank heaven and science, technology experts already point out some solutions to reduce the impact of this type of phenomenon.

Pandora FMS and drought monitoring

Nowadays, many cities go for digital and technological help to improve resource management. 

One of the most popular practices among companies is monitoring. It is known that this can work, without a doubt, as a defense against catastrophes such as the one that devastated Andalusia this summer. 

“Monitoring systems improve the effectiveness of any workforce. And, therefore, their resource management.” 

Indicates Sancho Lerena, general director of the monitoring company Pandora FMS

“Monitoring how reservoirs are falling, the level of rainfall compared to the usual figures, or even finding out whether household water consumption is increasing significantly can help anticipate scenarios such as the current lack of water.”

This type of approach, monitoring, is increasingly used. For now public administrations are adapting, but this is already something common in the business field

Monitoring can reduce the workload in the retail sector by 30%. In addition, it can triple the response time to citizen service. Which, frankly, would be very good for any public administration.

Andalusia and its battle against drought

Andalusia has already referred to the year 2022 as one of the driest of the last 50 years

The Doñana National Park has been one of the most affected scenarios, along with the rest of the reference reservoirs, which are below 11% of flow.

These circumstances are also having a negative economic impact. For the time being, olive oil production in 2022 is expected to be reduced by 50%. The poorest year of the last decade, compared to over one million tons in 2021.

But initiatives to alleviate these problems have already been set in motion, many of them proving the effectiveness of monitoring. 

Malaga, just as any other example, has recently started a test project to monitor the operation of the counters of 8,000 households with older residents or dependents. The administration will be able to identify strange behaviors through this method. Such as families with long periods of inactivity in water consumption or households in which an increase in consumption may be a sign of a resident accident.

And the CSIC is leading a different case focused exclusively on environmental control. A monitoring system that analyzes meteorological drought nationwide, providing experts with additional information to predict the phenomena of the coming months.

This is where Pandora FMS is proposed as the key to measure, for example, how widespread water use is in particular months and therefore predict some measures in case a drought is foreseen during the year.

Do you think Pandora FMS could help you too?

We tell you how: