Using SMTP Server Monitoring to Prevent Problems

Posted by The Code Dude & filed under SMTP Server Monitoring Comments: 0.

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Microsoft Exchange and SMTP are two of the most widely used mail server software platforms across hundreds of organizations around the world. The Exchange Server acts as a calendar tool and contact database for employees or members of an organization. Any problem to the Exchange Server affects the functioning of a business.

It is important to monitor Exchange Server problems to allow businesses to function without communication failures. There are several client-server issues that require monitoring in Exchange Server. The most important issues are related to products such as outlook, outlook web access and remote procedure calls (RPC) over HTTP channels.

Most admins monitor Exchange Server issues beginning with the product’s setup and deployment. The connectivity issues from RPC client entries are also a cause for concern. These issues can be monitored by the Exchange Server admin during the initial stages of setup. Other issues that require monitoring include downloading of offline address book. Clients may experience issues while downloading the address book. Another common issue that requires attention is the sync up between client’s outlook and the Exchange Server. This failure is due to connectivity issues or slow Internet connection as well as invalid authentications. Regardless, the admin must be aware of this issue and take action before it affects a large number of users. Sometimes this failure can be identified and the owner can be alerted earlier by using an SMTP server monitoring system. This isn’t always the case, but the sooner an admin knows of a problem, the sooner they can take action to correct it.

Most clients face issues from security setup and issues with sending attachments. The admin must configure the types of files that can be sent via the Exchange Server and notify the users of invalid file types. You can also provide guidance to users on how to configure security features in Outlook. Other common issues reported include setup of rules, setup of calendar and sending meeting invites. Admins as well as users can monitor most of these issues.

Exchange Server admins must always monitor local and group policies. Admins can do this by verifying the Office policy templates with policy settings offered by Windows. Other monitoring requirements include authentication for outlook web access, mismatch of user’s SMTP address with server policies, configuration of web server hosting the exchange server and firewall problems. Proactive monitoring is required to ensure that Exchange Server functions correctly and serves customers without any issues.

Testing and Fixing Problems Related to Website Speed

Posted by The Code Dude & filed under Page Load Testing, Website Speed Testing Comments: 0.

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Website owners experiencing difficulties with slow-loading websites can take many steps to both troubleshoot and fix problems associated with the website. By taking action to minimize the effect of slow page loading, websites will attract more traffic from throughout the internet. In addition, this can help with search engine optimization for website owners and bloggers to drive more traffic to their webpages. This can mean increased revenue and a better reputation in an industry. This article will offer advice for webmasters looking to improve the performance of their website.

Troubleshooting the Problem

Like any doctor would, diagnosing the problem should be the first step taken by anyone trying to solve the problem. Website owners can use many tools available today in order to maximize the loading speed of their website. Some analytics software used today can help website owners find problems associated with their website simply by looking at past reports from previous performance. This information can usually be drilled down to individual pages to find the exact source of the problem. Before going out an haphazardly trying to fix problems, it’s a good idea to run a website speed test in order to make sure that you know what’s causing the problem with your site. If you’re having trouble understand how or why that’s important, think of it like a diagnostic test. It’s just a way to find out what’s going on with your site.

Chrome Developer Console

Since most website visitors today use Google Chrome, they can use the Developer Console built into Chrome  to diagnose most issues related to a websites loading speed. By pressing Control + Shift + C, website owners can open the developer console and begin troubleshooting a website immediately. On the Loading tab, webmasters can diagnose the loading time and file size of each downloaded file by looking at a waterfall chart. A waterfall chart shows how quickly individual elements are loading, and can help diagnose most issues associated with slow loading speeds. The developer console also offers the ability to profile code and it can offer recommendations for speeding up a website.

Talking to a Webhost

With the goal of increasing customer satisfaction, many of today’s leading web hosts will be happy to help developers improve their website’s speed. In addition to helping improve the actual code website, a webhost can offer faster hosting that can increase the loading speed of dynamic websites. More advanced webhosts can even offer content delivery networks that divide a website’s servers into different regions which reduces the response time required due to limitations in the speed of transmission. This can help websites that are struggling with DNS issues, and can improve the loading time of websites that need an extra edge.

SMTP Server Troubleshooting

Posted by The Code Dude & filed under Servers, Uncategorized Comments: 0.

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SMTP servers are the backbone of business communication. They allow employees to communicate with one another and with customers, which means that it’s essential that the servers run consistently and without errors.

When you encounter SMTP problems and errors, there are a few things that you can do to troubleshoot the problems even when your SMTP servers are hosted by a web hosting company where you might have limited access to troubleshooting

1. Bounceback Messages

If you were able to successfully send your email but it was returned to you, then the error you’re experiencing is referred to as a bounceback.

Inside of the returned email, there should generally be an error that tells you what went wrong. Poor reputation errors or “recipient does not exist” errors are likely impossible to fix on your own.

If the errors appear intermittently, then you should contact your web host’s support. You may need help configuring DomainKeys or an SPF record to ensure that your emails can be sent without issues.

2. Unable to Receive Emails

Errors where you can’t receive emails from your SMTP server tend to fall within your realm of fixing.

You should check to ensure that your user name is correct, that you have the correct ports entered, that you have the right host address, and that you’re using the right mail protocol. These points are the most common culprits when it comes to this specific SMTP problem.

If your issues are anything else, then it’s likely that you should contact your support team. The issue could be anything, which includes an improperly configured SMTP server.

3. Unable to Send Emails

Problems when sending emails have a similar troubleshooting checklist to receiving emails.

Even if you can receive emails, check your authentication details twice to ensure that you have the proper protocols, ports and other features that may be required to send emails using your SMTP server. Advanced settings like outgoing SMTP authentication tend to be the reason this error occurs.

If your troubleshooting doesn’t fix your problems, then you should contact the people in charge of your SMTP server. There may be a problem that has to be fixed within the server to enable sending emails.

Increasing Mobile Website Speed and Performance

Posted by The Code Dude & filed under Page Load Speed Comments: 0.

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Having a digital presence is vital in today’s fast-paced, technical world. It is even more important to ensure a website is optimized and running as fast as possible. The following tips can help.

Start With Good Numbers

It’s not a good idea to jump right into trying to fix something without first trying to understand what’s wrong, especially on a mobile-optimized site. If you’re trying to make sure that your mobile content is delivered fast, you might want to conduct a mobile page speed test, which can be different from a regular speed test.

Choose the Right Hosting
Choosing the the right web hosting is the first step in having a fast, reliable site. Small sites will do well on a shared plan, while larger and busier sites may require a VPS or dedicated server. Careful consideration of a site’s needs will lead the way to the best host.

Clean Up Code
Poorly written or outdated coding is another reason for sluggish performance. Clean, minimal markup reduces the time a browser needs to render the page, making for faster load times. Minimal themes or layouts are more pleasing to visitors, making the content easier to read and navigate.

Reduce Image Size
Large image sizes will drastically reduce a site’s perfomance. Using the .JPG format, along with compression techniques like lazy loading, will speed up page rendering immediately. It is best practice to avoid using images as links.

Minimize Requests
Eighty percent of page load time is attributed to requests for scripts, stylesheets and images by the browser. Minimizing these requests by using a single stylesheet, placing scripts at the bottom of the page and using only necessary elements will improve site performance.

Enable Caching
Caching allows many elements of a webpage to be stored on the hard drive of a visitor’s computer, which allows the site to load faster on subsequent visits. Those who are running a site on a CMS such as WordPress can use plugins to cache static content for lightning-fast performance.

Use a CDN
A content delivery network (CDN) utilizes servers around the world to present web pages to visitors as quickly as possible, relative to their location. Another benefit of a CDN is security. The network keeps the exact location of a website hidden, eliminating hacking attempts and other nefarious activity.

Whether a website is large or small, using the tips above will ensure the best possible experience for visitors and deliver better search engine rankings for webmasters and businesses.