SSH Check Basics

The Uptime.com SSH check is a basic check type for monitoring SSH services in intervals ranging from 1-60 minutes, with a default of 5 minute intervals. 

SSH is a set of rules and protocols for secure data communication, or "remote shell services." Many servers provide the ability for remote login to a shell with SSH services. Uptime.com’s SSH checks provide information about the availability of your SSH services.

What can the SSH Check Do?

• Monitor SSH for a Domain or IP
• Monitor SSH for a specific port

Table of Contents

• Adding Your First SSH Check
• Adding an SSH Check via the API
• Check That Your SSH Services Are Available
• Failed Checks
• Finalizing Your Check

Adding Your First SSH Check

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To add a new SSH Check, click Monitoring, and then Add New.

Select SSH from the Check Type drop down.

Name your check, and set the SSH Check’s interval. Next, assign any contacts that will receive alerts.

Adding an SSH Check via the API

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Here is a cURL request to the POST endpoint to add an SSH Check with our default locations, using the default contact, pointed to port 22:

curl -X 'POST' \
  'https://uptime.com/api/v1/checks/add-ssh/' \
  -H "Authorization: Token USERTOKENHERE"  \
  -H 'accept: application/json' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
  "name": "CHANGE ME",
  "contact_groups": [
    "Default"
  ],
  "locations": [
    "US West", "US East", "US Central", "Austria", "United Kingdom"
  ],
  "tags": [
  ],
  "is_paused": true,
  "msp_interval": 5,
  "msp_address": "CHANGE.ME",
  "msp_port": 22,
  "msp_sensitivity": 2,
  "msp_num_retries": 2,
  "msp_use_ip_version": "",
  "msp_uptime_sla": "0.99",
  "msp_response_time_sla": "2.2",
  "msp_notes": "Created with the Uptime.com API",
  "msp_include_in_global_metrics": true
}'

To use the above cURL command, fill in the check’s name in the NAME parameter and the URL to monitor in the msp_address parameter. Note that is_paused in this example is set to TRUE, which indicates this check will be paused upon creation. 

Check That Your SSH Services Are Available

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The default setting for frequency is 5 minutes, but you can adjust the frequency of the SSH check from 1 minute to an hour.

This test will check your domain or IP to determine if the SSH service is accepting connections. If you don’t set the port number your SSH service is responding on, it will default to port 22.

Required Parameters for the SSH Check.

Optional Parameters for the SSH Check.

For a detailed explanation of every parameter, please review the Uptime Checks Field Explanation Support Article.

Failed Checks

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When you first created your Uptime.com account you entered an email address for the individual to notify in the event of a failed check. The individuals specified will receive automated email notifications by default, including a response code, locations of failure, and which checks have failed in the description.

When you receive the email alert, login to your Uptime.com account and click on Monitoring, and then locate your SSH Check to view technical details of the error report.

We will fix our check and wait for testing to indicate the SSH access is back up. Uptime’s next check will observe the SSH server is now functioning, and run the validation we defined. Uptime will send our contacts a new message informing us the SSH access is available and the total length of downtime.

Finalizing Your Check

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Before you finalize your check, click Run Test to verify your settings are returning the expected results. 

It’s helpful to familiarize yourself with our Field Explanation support article for a more detailed breakdown of the terminology you might encounter using the tool.