«... SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol ) – is a standard Internet protocol for managing devices in IP networks on the basis of TCP/UDP architectures. Devices that support SNMP are routers, switches, servers, workstations, printers, modem racks and others. A protocol is usually used in network management systems for controlling devices, which are connected to the network for conditions that warrant an administrator's attention. SNMP is determined by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) as a TCP/IP component. It consists of a set of standards for network management, including an application layer protocol, a database schema and a set of data objects (the article «SNMP» from Wikipedia) …»
Devices for remote monitoring of NetPing sensors also support operation via an SNMP protocol. An SNMP protocol allows to integrate NetPing devices into different systems and applications for remote monitoring of objects under observation. A wide possibility of integrating increases the spheres of using NetPing devices and allows to monitor objects using more convenient methods. One of such convenient monitoring methods is monitoring using a cell phone of a technical specialist. A display of a phone gathers all necessary real-time information.
This article will examine an example of using the software «Monitor Master Free» (free version) for remote monitoring of the object by receiving data from a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device, which has two connected temperature sensors, installed into switching racks at a server room.
Requirements
To implement remote temperature monitoring in a server room and to receive data onto a display of a cell phone in a real time mode, there is a need to have:
- a device for remote monitoring of sensors UniPing server solution v4/SMS, published on the Internet;
- two 1-Wire temperature sensors;
- the application «Monitor Master Free»/«Monitor Master» to monitor devices and systems that support an SNMP protocol;
- a cell phone with the operating system Android 4.0+/IOS 8.0+ and access to the Internet
Configuring a UniPing Server Solution v4/SMS Device
To implement temperature monitoring using two temperature sensors in a server room, there is a need to connect temperature sensors to the device UniPing server solution v4/SMS and configure network parameters of a device to access it via the network. You can read more detailed information in a corresponding documentation of a device:
The information on how to provide an access to a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device via the Internet, can be read in a corresponding article «How to Make NetPing Accessible from the Internet?».
Installing Monitor Master Free
The application «Monitor Master Free» can work in two operating systems: Android 4.0+ and IOS 8.0+.
To install the application in Android OS, there is a need to go to the next links:
- Free version - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.itos.monitormaster.free;
- Paid version - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.itos.monitormaster.pro
To install the application in IOS, there is a need to go to the next links:
- Free version - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/monitor-master-free/id1052712342?ls=1&mt=8;
- Paid version - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/monitor-master/id1052663431?ls=1&mt=8
A free version of the application «Monitor Master Free» is different from the paid version of «Monitor Master» by a possibility to support only one widget at a desktop of a cell phone.
Configuring Monitor Master Free
After a necessary configuration of a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device is completed and the application «Monitor Master Free» is installed, there is left to add required monitoring objects into a mobile application to monitor a temperature at a screen of a cell phone.
To do this, there is a need to run a mobile application from the main menu of a phone:
After the application has been started, a brief instruction for configuring «Monitor Master Free» is displayed at a screen:
Accordingly, before configuring a widget, it has to be dragged to a phone desktop:
After dragging a widget, an empty unconfigured one appears on the screen of the phone:
To configure a widget for showing a temperature from two temperature sensors, installed into switching racks in a server room, there is a need to click a rectangular area of the widget. Then, choose a suitable background for a widget using left/right arrows and set cells using up/down arrows if necessary:
Basic settings of a widget are indicating IP address or a DNS name of a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device, published in the Internet network, an SNMP port for a device, which is published in the Internet network, a necessary version of an SNMP protocol for requesting a monitoring device, an SNMP community and an interval for updating data.
Let us suppose a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device for requesting data via an SNMP protocol is available through the Internet via the address http://np.tst.netping.ru:16121. Then basic settings of a widget will look like the following:
Now it remains to configure each cell of a widget separately. A top cell will show a configured location «Server room» in a device web interface of a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device.
A middle cell of a widget will show a temperature of the first temperature sensor. A bottom cell of a widget will show a temperature of the second temperature sensor.
A cell for configuring is chosen by clicking a necessary area of a widget. Configuring a top cell of a widget is shown at the screenshot below:
where:
np.tst.netping.ru – is a published DNS name of a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device on the Internet, which is specified in the basic settings of the widget;
OID – is an SNMP identifier «sysLocation» (.1.3.6.1.2.1.1.6.0), which stores a textual value of a location of a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device. A description of all SNMP OID identifiers is located in the MIB file for a corresponding NetPing device, which can be downloaded from the page with a description of a device, the section «Documentation and files»;
Description – is a textual description of the cell;
SNMPv1, ping21 – is a version of an SNMP protocol and an SNMP community of a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device, specified in the basic configuration of the widget;
Refresh in 1 hour – is a refresh interval of data, specified in a basic configuration of the widget
Configuring a middle cell of the widget is represented at the screen below:
where:
OID – is an SNMP identifier «npThermoValue.1» (.1.3.6.1.4.1.25728.8800.1.1.2.1), where values from the first temperature sensor of a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device are stored. Descriptions of all SNMP OID identifiers are located in the MIB file for a corresponding NetPing device, which can be downloaded from the page with a description of a device, the section «Documentation and files»;
Units – is a drop-down list from certain measurement units, which are represented by the widget;
Description – is a textual description of a cell;
Notification – is setting of a sound alert by means of a cell phone about exceeding a specified range of a specified range of values
Configuring a bottom cell of the widget is represented at the screenshot below:
where:
OID – is an SNMP identifier «npThermoValue.2» (.1.3.6.1.4.1.25728.8800.1.1.2.2), where the values of the second temperature sensor of a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device are stored. Descriptions of all SNMP OID identifiers are located in the MIB file for a corresponding NetPing device, which can be downloaded from the page with a description of a device, the section «Documentation and files»;
Units – is a drop-down list from certain measurement units, which are represented by the widget;
Description – is a textual description of a cell;
Notification – is setting of a sound alert by means of a cell phone about exceeding a specified range of values
After performing all described configurations of the widget, there is a need to run the application «Monitor Master Free» to start requesting data from a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device:
Result
As a result, the readings of all temperature sensors, installed in a server room in a real-time mode will be displayed at a screen of a cell phone:
In addition, if the readings of temperature sensors overpass the thresholds of acceptable temperature range, a cell phone will play a sound alert and issue an informational message:
Such monitoring in a real-time mode by means of a cell phone and NetPing devices will decrease a probability of emergencies at surveillance objects and extend the life of server and network equipment operation.
