Monitoring SQL Database

I am new to SQL environment and want to know if there is a way to monitor the
SQL database. I will like to be notify if the sql database is down and any
tables/database have been deleted. I am running SQL server 2000.
You can monitor the tables being dropped in various ways in SQL Server 2005,
but in SQL Server 2000 you are more limited to 3rd party tools eg Lumigent
Log Explorer (http://www.lumigent.com/products/le_sql.html).
For the server being up, you could create an app to use OLEDB to poll the
server, telnet to ping the port or use a monitoring tool eg
http://www.bmc.com/products/proddocv...5_2123,00.html
Cheers,
Paul Ibison SQL Server MVP, www.replicationanswers.com .