What indicates that a DSA may have an offline status?

The indication that a DSA (Deep Security Agent) may have an offline status is when it exceeds the missed heartbeat threshold. The heartbeat mechanism is a critical communication process between the DSA and the management server, which regularly checks in to confirm its operational status. If the agent does not report back within the specified time frames determined by the heartbeat settings, it is flagged as potentially offline.

In this context, a missed heartbeat can result from various factors, including an actual disconnection or issues affecting the DSA's ability to communicate. However, simply lacking an active internet connection does not necessarily confirm an offline status, as the DSA could still be operational on a local network. Moreover, undergoing maintenance might temporarily prevent communication, but it doesn't inherently mean the agent is offline; it could be scheduled and anticipated. Similarly, a power outage impacts the DSA's functionality but is a distinct event that doesn't relate to the heartbeat threshold itself. Thus, exceeding the missed heartbeat threshold primarily points to the agent's inability to confirm its active status, making it the most accurate indicator of an offline condition.