- Created By : 21-May-2018
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OpenNMS is a high-level platform with an open source code that is designed for making decisions for monitoring networks and network devices. By following this guideline, you will get the installation platform ready to work with NetPing server room environmental monitoring units and power distribution units, and you will learn to:
- configure monitoring NetPing units using the features of a described system;
- configure gathering readings of sensors;
- create graphic reports
By following this article, you will configure an OpenNMS monitoring system that is ready to operate. A solution is designed for network administrators, system administrators, technical support employees upper than level 1, and other people, whose job is connected to monitoring and servicing of networks and services. The system allows tracking availability, change in a response time, failures of different elements of a network infrastructure, which, in turn, allows to warn and act accordingly to decrease the risks of operability failures on networks and services in the network, as well as the expensive server equipment. In addition, using the system, it is possible to analyze the network infrastructure if there are narrow spaces and the most probable failure points.
«Telegram» is a cross platform messenger that allows to exchange messages and media files of many formats. Besides a standard message exchange in dialogues and groups, it is possible to store the unlimited amount of files, to channel (to microblog), create and use bots in a messenger. Bots are third-party utilities that are launched inside the application «Telegram». In fact, these are accounts controlled by software, not people. It is possible to use programmed buttons of a virtual keyboard for work, using which a bot is turned into a mini-application with intuitively clear interface. Using a bot allows receiving actual information from sensors connected to NetPing server room environmental monitoring units and power distribution units for monitoring and remote control of a power supply in any time and any location.
In this article, we will examine the process of configuration of receiving notifications from sensors in Telegram.
Zabbix Templates for NetPing Server Room Environmental Monitoring Units and Power Distribution Units
«... A template is a set of objects that may be applied to several nodes of the network.
These objects may be:
- data elements;
- triggers;
- graphs;
- groups of data elements;
- complex screens (starting from Zabbix 2.0);
- low-level detection rules (starting from Zabbix 2.0);
- web scenarios (starting from Zabbix 2.2)
As soon as many nodes are identical in a real life or more or less similar, the sets of objects (data elements, triggers, graphs,…), created by you for a network node, may be useful for many nodes. Certainly, you may copy them to each new network node, but it would require many manual work. Instead, you may copy these objects to one template by using templates and then apply this template to any number of required network nodes.
A rotation unit for air conditioners is designed to ensure the switching mode of work in two air conditioners with a specified period of time and maintain a normal temperature mode in a room in different climatic conditions.
Using a control unit for air conditioners allows to use the lifetime of main and backup air conditioners equally by switching their roles from time to time. It also automatically switches a backup conditioner on when a main one failed or it is not powerful enough.
As a rule, rotation and backing up are used in the rooms where there is a need to maintain a maximum allowed temperature, for example, in server rooms with a big number of expensive equipment. To implement a backup scheme, there is a need to make sure that a power of either one of both conditioners is enough to maintain operating climatic conditions. I.e. one conditioner operates while another one is on backup.
In the firmware of NetPing power distribution units it is possible to configure only weekly schedule (with several exceptions for holidays). In addition, there is a feature of switching on/switching off sockets according to the schedule but no more than four times a day. To bypass such limitation in the firmware, there is a need to organize a random schedule for controlling sockets in the firmware using the chain Google Calendar and IFTTT service, i.e. configure switching on/switching off sockets the unlimited number of times in a day, configure a random monthly and yearly schedule, get a possibility to control sockets from several devices (PC, tablet, smartphone) through a common schedule.
Ball electric valve GIDROLOCK ULTIMATE is designed to turn off water supply (heating) if there is a water leak. Ball electric valve consists of a ball valve and an electric drive for controlling a ball valve.
When using a ball electric valve GIDROLOCK ULTIMATE with devices from NetPing company together with water leakage sensors, a customer gets a ready system that can be used in all areas of life, where appearing of water and non-aggressive water solutions is critical for functioning of the equipment and living, such as housing and utilities, conditioning and ventilation systems, basements, Data Processing Centers (DPC), boiler rooms, water supply systems and heating systems for houses and cottages (bathrooms, kitchens, heating batteries), stock warehouses, etc. Our monitoring device together with a water leakage sensor combined with electric ball valve GIDROLOCK ULTIMATE will allow to react to appearing of water on the object in time by turning off water supply (heating) with following notifying of the emergency via E-mail, SMS (in NetPing devices with a built-in GSM modem) and SNMP Trap.
The same as Zabbix, Nagios, PRTG Network Monitor and others, LibreNMS is a monitoring and surveillance system for network devices and servers.
The aim of the LibreNMS project is to create a monitoring system with as simple control as possible to survey devices. A system is distributed under the GPLv3 license. A detailed information can be found on the official website of the project: http://www.librenms.org/.
Let us examine an example of the integrating LibreNMS with a UniPing server solution v4/SMS monitoring unit.
NetPing east Co Ltd. company informs about the issue of firmware updates for devices for remote controlling power supply sockets (IP PDU) NetPing 2/PWR-220 v3/ETH and NetPing 2/PWR-220 v4/SMS. New firmware versions contain implementation of new functionality and an error correction.
What have been changed in the latest version?
NetPing company announces the issue of the updated firmware version DKSF 54.3.3 for a device for remote controlling power sockets NetPing 4/PWR-220 v4/SMS. This firmware version contains the implementation of the new functionality, error fixes and layout update for certain pages of a device web interface.
What has been changed in the last version?
NetPing company announces the issue of an updated version of the firmware DKSF 48.4.11 for a NetPing 8/PWR-220 v4/SMS device. This firmware version contains the enhanced functionality of a device.
What have been changed in the latest version?
Nagios – is an open source program, designed for monitoring computer systems and networks, namely: monitoring, controlling the status of calculation nodes and services, and alerting system administrators in case of stopping or continuing of operation of any services.
Together with sending e-mail notifications to notify system administrators, it is possible to use SMS notifications, which increases the reaction speed to the issues that appear during the service operation. To send SMS, it is possible to use the next devices of the NetPing company:
To start with, let me tell you a few words about what is MikroTik. It is a Latvian manufacturer of network equipment that is distinguished by affordable price and vast functionality. Router OS is a basis for MikroTik products – it is a network operating system based on Linux. This OS also exists as an x86-distributive, so that any individual who wants to assemble a powerful router on the basis of a regular PC for an affordable price can do that. The same OS in a variety of versions is installed to RouterBOARD that is a line of hardware solutions of MikroTik that includes both operator's equipment and SOHO solutions.
MikroTik routers may be equipped with backup WAN channels that can be a GSM modem in addition to the wired Internet network. In this case, there is a possibility to launch scripts on MikroTik via SMS. This feature enables controlling NetPing devices that do not have a built-in GSM modem. Also, this feature may be urgent when a web interface of NetPing devices is unavailable via a common Ethernet network, or if a modem of a NetPing device got frozen.
A NetPing east Co Ltd. company announces the issue of a firmware update for a device of remote controlling power supply sockets (IP PDU) NetPing 2/PWR-220 v4/SMS. A new firmware version contains implementation of new features and bug fixes.
So what have been changed in the latest version?
A logic firmware module of NetPing devices is designed for a simple automation and may perform such tasks as maintaining micro climate, controlling automatic switching on/off the backup equipment and many other. Logic works on the basis of rules programmed by a user through a web interface. In the new firmware DKSF 54.3.2 for a NetPing 4/PWR-220 v4/SMS power distribution unit, a new module "Logic" was developed with the extended functionality. In the nearest time, the old module "Logic" will be replaced by the new module in all other devices.
Task: There is a need to ensure the temperature is in the range 10°C - 20°C indoors. To do this, there is a need to switch a heater on when the temperature drops below 10°C and switch it off at its rising more than 20°C. When a temperature sensor fails, there is a need to send an SMS-notification about the failure and activate an emergency mode without controlling temperature with periodic switching on a heater for 15 minutes every hour. When the normal operation of a temperature sensor is restored, there is a need to switch to a regular mode.
A logic module of the firmware of NetPing devices is designed for a simple automation, and can perform such tasks as maintaining a micro-climate, controlling an automatic switching on/switching off backup equipment and many more. Logic works on the basis of the rules programmed by the user through a web interface. In the new firmware DKSF 54.3.2 for NetPing 4/PWR-220 v4/SMS power distribution unit, a new module "Logic" is implemented with additional features, which are powerful and flexible. In the nearest future, this module will be applied to other NetPing models.
Task: intermittent operation of the ventilation system with the switching on every hour for five minutes. This can be useful during a cold season and for minimizing power consumption and maximizing a lifetime of fans.
The logic module of the firmware of NetPing devices is designed for a simple automation and can perform such tasks as maintaining micro climate, controlling automatic switching on/switching off the backup equipment and much more. A logic works on the basis of the rules programmed by the user via a web interface.
Task: Sometimes situations of unplanned deenergizing of a server room take place, for example, because of a power line failure. After eliminating failures, all server equipment should be switched on in a certain consequence, with the aim to ensure a correct start of corporate services in the network and decrease the load to the uninterruptible power supply sources for the time of switching the servers on.
A logic software module of NetPing devices is designed for a simple automation and can perform such tasks as maintaining a micro climate, managing automatic switching on/ switching off the backup equipment and many more. The logic works on the basis of the rules that are programmed by a user through a web interface.
Task: When closing a door in a server room more than 20-40 times during 30 minutes, there is a need to lock an electric door lock and send an SMS notification to a group of system administrators.
A gas alarm AVUS-COMBI is designed to signal about exceeding specified values for pre-explosive concentrations of methane (propane) or a massive concentration of the carbon dioxide. Design features of a gas alarm allow to install it in non-explosive areas that do not contain aggressive gasses and vapors. When using a gas alarm AVUS-COMBI with devices of NetPing company, a customer gets a ready system that can be used to control the parameters of working area of residential, administrative, public, industrial premises, garages, car parks (parking lots), boiler houses and other objects of using gas. A gas alarm has one channel and can signal to switch an output relay on or to close shut-off gas valve depending on its modification. Together with the devices of the NetPing company, the gas alarm AVUS-COMBI will allow to react to the gas leakage in time by notifying via E-mail, SMS (in NetPing devices with a built-in GSM modem) and SNMP Trap.
Micro-climate monitoring of a server room and sensors of "dry contact" type can be performed for example using UniPing server solution v4/SMS. However, when the power supply is lost or the network fails, the device will not be able to send notifications to Zabbix monitoring system. To solve this problem, it is possible to send SMS notifications from sensors, connected to a UniPing server solution v4/SMS device. These notifications will be sent to NetPing SMS gateway to convert SMS to SNMP TRAP notifications with the following sending them to Zabbix monitoring system.
Automation Example of System Administrator Tasks in a Server Room on the Basis of Zabbix and NetPing
Technical requirements for server rooms are determined by the building code 11-2-80 for buildings of "B" category, and the "Instruction on designing buildings and rooms for electronic computing machines SN 512-78".
In the section of micro-climate and noise requirements, the next is indicated: