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SOP-T1-14: Using the Monitoring Tool

Uptime Monitoring Platform Guide — Tier 1 Support Standard Operating Procedure

Document ID: SOP-T1-14

Version: 2.1

Owner: Tier 1 Support Associates

Approver: John Martinez — T1 Manager

Applies To: Tier 1 Support Associates

Related SOPs: SOP-T1-02 — Monitoring Down Notifications SOP-T1-11 — Proactive Alert Notification Handling

1. Purpose

This procedure explains how to use the uptime monitoring tool that tracks whether managed circuits are online, and how to search, add, edit, and remove monitors, including for key account circuits.

2. Scope

This procedure applies to all Tier 1 work inside the monitoring tool — both the main monitoring account and the separate key account monitoring account. It supports SOP-T1-02 (Monitoring Down Notifications) and SOP-T1-11 (Proactive Alert Notification Handling), which describe what to do when a monitor reports downtime; this SOP covers the tool itself.

3. Roles & Responsibilities

Tier 1 Support Associate: Searches and reviews monitor status, and adds, edits, or removes monitors as circuits are onboarded, changed, or decommissioned.

T1 Manager: Approves this SOP.

4. Prerequisites

Non-Technical Prerequisites

  • Access to the shared monitoring tool login credentials via the team password manager (see credential handling note below).
  • Awareness that key account circuits appear in both the main monitoring account and the separate key account monitoring account.

Technical Prerequisites

  • Ability to locate a circuit's Gateway IP, Network IP, deal number, and carrier from the ticketing system before adding or editing a monitor.

5. Procedure

STEP 1 — Log In to the Main Monitoring Account

Sign in at the link below to view monitor status.

Portal link

The login link is stored with the credentials in the team password manager.

On the left side, select Uptime Monitors. This shows all circuits/deals/IPs currently being tracked, and whether each is up or down.

Ignore known noise

Ignore monitors showing very long downtime, “not in active status,” or “monitoring not started.” Most or all of these are already reported and recorded, and do not represent a new issue.

STEP 2 — Search for a Circuit

Use the search button on the upper left side. Type in the IP address or deal number of the circuit you need, then click the magnifying glass icon. Results will be filtered to only what matches the IP or deal entered.

STEP 3 — Add a Deal/Circuit to the Monitoring Tool

Credential handling

Changing anything in the main monitoring account requires the shared T1 login. Retrieve the username and password from the team password manager rather than sharing them in chat, tickets, or customer-facing communication.

Select Add Monitor on the right side, then choose Monitor Type → Ping/Service Monitor. Fill out the following:

  • Monitor Name — use the format “Company – Deal Number – Carrier – Gateway IP.”
  • Hostname or IP Address — use the Gateway IP for the deal/circuit, or the Network IP if the Gateway IP is not applicable.
  • Contact List — select the ticket-alert contact list (exact name recorded in the team password manager entry).
  • Checkbox — select New York, San Francisco, Dallas, and London.

Under Advanced Settings, go to “Alert Only After X Minutes of Downtime” and select “Alert me after 5 mins of downtime.” Then select Add Monitor.

STEP 4 — Edit a Deal/Circuit in the Monitoring Tool

Click the pencil icon on the right side of the monitor to edit it. Update the details that need to change — such as Gateway IP or deal number — then click Edit Monitor.

STEP 5 — Remove a Deal/Circuit from the Monitoring Tool

Click the gear icon on the right side of the monitor, then select Delete Monitor.

STEP 6 — Using the Key Account Monitoring Account

Designated key accounts (listed in the T1 Internal Contact Sheet) have their own dedicated monitoring account, separate from the main monitoring account. Their deals/circuits can also be seen in the main monitoring account.

Credential handling — key account monitoring account

Retrieve the key account monitoring login from the team password manager rather than this document or any other shared location.

Once signed in, select Uptime Monitors. All interfaces, and the process for adding, removing, and editing monitors, are the same as in the main monitoring account (see Steps 2–5).

6. Escalation Criteria

  • Shared main monitoring or key account monitoring credentials are not available in the team password manager → escalate to the T1 Manager rather than requesting or sharing the password through another channel.
  • A monitor shows down but does not match any known circuit or deal in the ticketing system → confirm with the T1 Manager before creating a ticket, since this may indicate a monitor that was not properly decommissioned.

7. Do's and Don'ts

Do

  • Use the exact Monitor Name format: Company – Deal Number – Carrier – Gateway IP.
  • Set new monitors to alert after 5 minutes of downtime, using the ticket-alert contact list and the New York, San Francisco, Dallas, and London locations.
  • Check both the main monitoring account and the key account monitoring account when working a key account circuit.
  • Retrieve login credentials from the team password manager.

Don't

  • Don't share the main monitoring or key account monitoring password in chat, tickets, or with a customer.
  • Don't treat monitors with very long downtime or “not in active status” as new issues — these are typically already known and recorded.
  • Don't add a monitor without first confirming the Gateway IP, Network IP, deal number, and carrier from the ticketing system.

8. Revision History

v1.0: Original knowledge-base article format.

v2.0: Restructured into standard SOP format (Purpose, Scope, Roles, Prerequisites, Procedure, Escalation Criteria, Do's/Don'ts, Revision History). Added credential-handling callouts directing associates to the team password manager. No other procedural content changed.

v2.1: Prepared for public-facing publication: removed customer names, internal staff names and email addresses, third-party vendor names and contact details, and internal tool names (replaced with neutral terms such as “ticketing system” and “monitoring tool”). Contact details now live in the T1 Internal Contact Sheet. No procedural steps changed.