diff --git a/btv b/btv
index 85646c9..1bf9113 100755
--- a/btv
+++ b/btv
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import os
 import shlex
 import sys
 import time
+import socket
+import urllib.request
 
 CONFIG = "/etc/btv/config.ini"
 LOCKFILE = "/run/lock/btv/serialization.lock"
@@ -259,6 +261,12 @@ def serialize(snap, outdir, key, snap_from=None):
 	
 	return 0
 
+def ping(url):
+	try:
+		urllib.request.urlopen(url, timeout=10)
+	except socket.error as e:
+		print("Ping failed: %s" %(e))
+
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Verbs
 
@@ -306,6 +314,10 @@ def do_create(args):
 		elif snaps_since_rank_1 >= cfg.getint("snap", "rank_1_interval"):
 			snapshot.rank = 1
 	
+	ping_url = cfg.get("monitoring", "rank2_start_url")
+	if snapshot.rank == 2 and ping_url:
+		ping(ping_url)
+	
 	## create the snapshot itself
 	##
 	os.makedirs(snapshot.path)
@@ -358,6 +370,10 @@ def do_create(args):
 	
 	## garbage collection
 	do_gc()
+	
+	ping_url = cfg.get("monitoring", "rank2_end_url")
+	if snapshot.rank == 2 and ping_url:
+		ping(ping_url)
 
 def do_list(args):
 	"""
diff --git a/cfg/config.ini b/cfg/config.ini
index cb00390..f3dc5a9 100644
--- a/cfg/config.ini
+++ b/cfg/config.ini
@@ -35,3 +35,10 @@ dir = /mnt/pool/subvol/_backup
 rank_0_count=25
 rank_1_count=36
 rank_2_count=42
+
+[monitoring]
+# GETs this URL before starting a rank2 snapdhot
+rank2_start_url = 
+
+# GETs this URL after successfully completing a rank2 snapshot
+rank2_end_url =