Item: OpenText SiteScope
Rating: 8
Author: Aaron Hartzler

Overall Satisfaction with HP SiteScope

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

In my previous role, HP SiteScope was critical for us in our business. We mainly used it for monitoring, alerting, and notifying on the different servers and I.T. infrastructure equipment. It was definitely a necessity to have SiteScope up and running at all times so that we would be alerted in the event of another system or server having an issue or a problem.

SiteScope was mainly used by the I.T. Infrastructure team. However, other internal teams did make use of its specific alerting capabilities as SiteScope is very customizable.

The main business problem that SiteScope addressed was "how do we get alerts, notifications, and/or emails when there are true issues in our environment?" SiteScope was flexible enough to satisfy being the answer to this question. I will say this, that it, in and of itself, was not the sole solution, but rather a piece of our overall greater monitoring and alerting solution.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Custom monitors with custom thresholds, timing, polling, and many other configuration options.
Custom ways to alert and notify. Of course you have email and text message capabilities, but SiteScope also allows for specific messages and variables within those messages to be sent out so that your alert is data filled and you can know exactly what is going on and why you received that specific alert.
Monitor templates for quick and rapid deployment of one's standard set of monitors. Easy ability to "copy" and "paste" monitors so there is no need to re-create from scratch.
Scripting. SiteScope also allows for custom scripts to be called from specific alerting triggers. This allows for HUGE and POWERFUL customization and automation through SiteScope. You can easily have scripts that "take action" on a specific alert so you don't have to!!
Very easy to use in my opinion. Learning curve is very short and you can master this system fairly quickly for all of the depth of customization that it offers.

Cons

SiteScope does not monitor certain physical components. For example, SiteScope cannot monitor things like power supplies failing, failed hard drives (it DOES monitor disk space), array controllers, etc.
SiteScope does not offer cascading alerting. By that I mean that alerting is an all or nothing type of thing. It does NOT offer this example of a kind of configuration: alert tier 1, if no response, then alert tier 2. It is only capable of alerting 1 to many emails. So if you are looking for that type of cascading logic to alerting, you may want to look elsewhere.
There is no mobile application that I know of. So, you are limited to email and text message alerting unless you link it to some other application that does that sort of thing.

Return on Investment

A positive is that SiteScope has allowed us to be alerted and respond quicker in the event of issues.
A positive is that SiteScope does have reporting capabilities on monitoring history. You are able to look back and see trends of different monitors and therefore able to adjust your environment accordingly. This could potentially allow you to "downsize" different servers in regard to memory, disk space, CPU, or others.
A negative is that it is not a one stop shop solution. Unless you are all virtual and have no need to monitor physical components, then you will need something else along side this.
A negative is that there is no real true discovery. Not like others you may have sampled (i.e. Solar Winds). The plus in that is that you monitor exactly what you want with no plethora of other junk you may not want. The "negative" is that you must set up all the monitors. I know I did mention the templates and copy/paste features, although it can be streamlined, it is still a manual process for each server.

Alternatives Considered

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor, SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor, WhatsUp Gold and VMTurbo Operations Manager

I will begin by saying that I "inherited" SiteScope". So, it really was not my choice as to whether or not I was going to use it. Also, we were so heavily ingrained in SiteScope, that it would have taken a HUGE overhaul of our monitoring system to switch to something else.

SiteScope does not have a discovery option. Not like others you may have sampled (i.e. SolarWinds). The plus is that you monitor exactly what you want with no plethora of other junk you may not want. The "negative" is that you must set up all the monitors. I know I did mention the templates and copy/paste features, although it can be streamlined, it is still a manual process for each server. SiteScope is all a very manual process while others crawl your network and discover stuff.

Likelihood to Recommend

SiteScope is definitely well suited in an HP server environment. It is also well suited for virtual server environments. It is also well suited for those who are happy with email and text based message alerting.

It may not be appropriate in other environments where monitoring physical components is critical. Because HP SiteScope does not monitor certain physical components, it does fall short of being able to be a "one stop shop solution" in regard to monitoring. It is not well suited for those looking for logic in how alerts are sent and cascade to other people or groups.

OpenText SiteScope Feature Ratings

Using HP SiteScope

Usability

Very straightforward and easy to use once you get past the short learning curve.

Usability Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using	None

While not a "one stop shop", HP SiteScope is a highly customizable monitoring and alerting solution.