How it works
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Simple Failover is built around the concept of Server Sets.
A Server Set represents 2 or more servers which host the same Internet service (for example a web site) for the same domain name.
A Server Set also defines various properties of the service, such as the domain name, the service type (HTTP, FTP, etc.), the DNS servers, etc.

Simple Failover basically does three things:

At defined intervals, it monitors the status (polls) of each individual server in the Server Set.
All the settings for server monitoring are configured individually for each Server Set in the Servers tab of the Server Set Properties dialog.  
For details on how different server types are monitored, see Server monitoring methods.  
All servers in the server set will be polled unless the option Skip polling lower priority server when higher priority server respond correctly is enabled in the Advanced Server Set Properties dialog.  

Based on the results of the monitoring (1), it updates your DNS servers so that the domain name for the Server Set always points to the IP address of a functional server.
All the settings for updating DNS are configured individually for each Server Set and for each DNS server in the Update DNS tab of the Server Set Properties dialog. For some or all Server Sets, you can also select to use the Default DNS servers configured in the Options dialog.  
For details on the different methods available for updating DNS, see DNS update methods.  
For instructions and recommendation for specific DNS servers, see Specific DNS servers.  

It optionally notifies you about any problems detected. It can do so in several ways:
a) By e-mail.  
The general settings for e-mail notification are configured in the E-mail notification tab of the Options dialog.  
You can enable e-mail notification and define a unique To e-mail address for each Server Set in the Notification tab of the Server Set Properties dialog.  
b) The Problem tab of the main dialog always contain a list of current problems.  
c) Balloon tips from the tray icon.  
This can be enabled in the General tab of the Options dialog.  
d) Through the Windows Event Log.  
This can be enabled in the General tab of the Options dialog.  
e) Via customizable scripts.  
Scripting is configured in the Scripting tab of the Options dialog.