best strategy to monitor/manage windows services from multiple clients?. (C#)

Question

I have a windows service (.net) that is an implementation of a custom protocol. I need monitor this service from multiple desktop clients (packets arrived, rejected, error, and things like that).

I'm evaluating different alternatives (remoting, socket multicast, etc), but I like to know if this problem have and standard solution. I think this is a very common scenario, if you think in services like IIS, serviced components, etc., you can connect remotely from many clients at the same time and manage the service.

I appreciate suggestions and examples.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

SNMP.

Quote from wikipedia (I've highlighted the interesting part):

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is an "Internet-standard protocol for managing devices on IP networks. Devices that typically support SNMP include routers, switches, servers, workstations, printers, modem racks, and more.”1 It is used mostly in network management systems to monitor network-attached devices for conditions that warrant administrative attention

C# implementation: http://www.snmpsharpnet.com/

Answer 2

A simple implementation is to use Custom Commands.

You would then be able to use WMI to administer the service with your custom commands.