Introducing Simon 4!
Simon version 4 is now available. It includes a significantly redesigned appearance, group support, and numerous other improvements. Plus, version 4 licenses enable an unlimited number of tests!
Important: please note that Simon 4 requires a minimum of Mac OS X 10.10 (Yosemite), and is a paid upgrade from Simon 3. Purchasers since November 1, 2014 are eligible for a free upgrade, and Simon Express, formerly in the Mac App Store, is automatically recognized as a version 3 license.
Re: More tests wanted - POP/SSL, SMTP/SSL, NTP
You can add them easily via the Port service (or Script, if you prefer). If you do, please let me know what you end up with, and I'll add them as default services.
Re: More tests wanted - POP/SSL, SMTP/SSL, NTP
I would like to add these myself, but don't see any options in Simon for using UDP instead of TCP (for NTP), or for opening an SSL connection. Any hints?
-- Rex
Re: More tests wanted - POP/SSL, SMTP/SSL, NTP
I'm not aware of a way to connect via UDP instead of TCP using telnet-like operations. I have heard of a tool called netcat, but it doesn't seem to be installed in Mac OS X by default. If you installed it, you could write a Script-based service to call it.
If you or anyone else is aware of any alternative solutions, I'd be keen to hear of them.
NTP test
Here's an NTP test that works using /bin/bash:
echo -n '[ !!!!0000NONE111111112222222233333333Success!' | \nc -w 1 -u {Server name} 123 | \
grep 'Success!'
Note that there are three "blank" characters between the left bracket and the first ! in the echo line.
This test creates an barely-legal NTP packet, sends the packet to the server using "nc" with a 1 second timeout, then looks for part of that packet to be echoed back (part of the NTP protocol).
Result 0 is success, anything else is failure.
Here's my description:
Tests that an NTP server is responding using a custom shell script.
Does NOT test if the response makes any sense.
I created a Custom Variable of "Server name" with default of "time.apple.com".
netcat is the full name, but "nc" is the Unix command name. "man nc" for details. nc seems to be installed by default on Leopard.
Re: NTP test
Forgot the reference to the NTP protocol, see:
http://www.faqs.org/ftp/rfc/rfc1305.pdf Appendix A
POP3/SSL test
Here's a POP3/SSL test that works using /bin/bash
openssl s_client -connect {Server name}:{Server port} < /dev/null | grep '^+OK 'Here's my description:
Result 0 is success, anything else is failure.
The default for Custom Variable "Server port" should be 995. No default for Custom Variable "Server name".
The POP3 protocol is here: http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1939.txt
See "man openssl" for more information on that command.
-- Rex
SMTP/SSL test
Here's an SMTP/SSL test that works using /bin/bash:
openssl s_client -connect {Server name}:{Server port} < /dev/null | grep '^220 'Here's my description:
Result 0 is success, anything else is failure.
The default for Custom Variable "Server port" is 465, which is considered obsolete, but used by Lotus Notes. SSL encrypted SMTP (and POP3) is supposed to use the standard ports (25 and 110 respectively), then run the STARTTLS protocol. The Custom Variable "Server name" has no default.
The basic SMTP protocol is here: http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1939.txt
-- Rex
Thank you
Thank you for those. I've added them to the Simon Extras page.