It is very often that the power supply of IT infrastructure objects of small and middle offices is a bottleneck. Server rooms of small and middle companies often are not organized well, do not satisfy informational, fire, and electrical safety requirements and are limited in space. Such conditions may lead to emergency situations that are followed by downtime or, if luckily, potential risks, which can cause unnecessary anxiety about the safety of employees and business as a whole. To solve these issues, there is a range of effective practical methods to improve the operability of information equipment in small server rooms. In this article, we will examine a feature of intelligent power management of a small server group using NetPing power distribution units.

Devices for remote controlling of power supply NetPing (IP power distribution unit) can control a status of network equipment connected to them and reboot the power supply of the equipment when necessary.

In this article, the example of configuring the automatic reboot of a router connected to a NetPing 2/PWR-220 v3/ETH IP power distribution (IP PDU) unit when the Internet connection fails will be examined.

On the picture above, an approximate interaction scheme is represented: a network router with the Internet access is powered from a PWR1 socket that is controlled by a NetPing IP PDU. To test a network connection status, a NetPing IP PDU sends specific requests in the ICMP format to network resources specified in the settings. As soon as the access to the requested resources fails (i.e. they stop responding to ping), a NetPing IP PDU reboots the power supply of a router.

To implement such a scheme, there is a need to have:

• NetPing 2/PWR-220 v3/ETH power distribution unit;
• a router with the Internet access channel

A vacation time is getting closer. As any other employees, system administrators also dream about having a vacation somewhere far from their workplace. For a majority of system administrators, especially in small organizations, it is not that easy to get distracted from work even for a relatively short time. Many of them are single-handedly responsible for a status of different components of the IT infrastructure. So how an IT specialist can have a vacation being confident that a company can work the same efficiently, as usual? Before, we already examined a process of creating bots for a «Telegram» messenger in our blog. In this article, we examine one of the variants of remote controlling a power supply of the IT equipment from any location of the Earth (having the Internet access) using the integration of a «Telegram» messenger and NetPing power distribution units (IP PDUs). If necessary, an IT specialist sends a command for a socket using «Telegram». After applying a command in «Telegram», a specialist will receive a notification about a successful application of a command and a socket changes its status.

Earlier in our blog, we examined the process of creating a bot for a «Telegram» messenger that allows to receive the information from sensors and IO lines of a NetPing server room environmental monitoring unit and power distribution unit per request and automatically. In this article, we will examine the example of a practical use of these bots by adding features operating in a link with a UniPing server solution v3 server room monitoring unit to a bot that allows controlling an air conditioner in a server room in any time and in any location (having the access to the Internet).

In our example, a bot mimics clicking the buttons on a remote control of an air conditioner using URL-encoded commands that will be sent to a UniPing server solution v3 server room monitoring unit. In turn, a device sends control commands that have been previously recorded to the memory using an IR module IRC-TR v2 to an air conditioner located in a server room.

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.

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.

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 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?

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.

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:

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.

NetPing company announces the issue of the firmware update for a device for remote controlling power supply sockets NetPing 4/PWR-220 v4/SMS. This firmware version contains the implementation of new features, bug fixes, and the layout updates of certain pages of a device web interface.

What has been changed in the last version?

The sensor SWF5.1 is designed to control the presence of water and other water solutions that are non-aggressive to the elements of a sensor cable in a controlled zone. Design specifications of a sensor cable allow to install a sensor on different types of managed objects, such as tubes, flat surfaces (including metal ones). Because of a lack of contract potentials on sensitive elements, a sensor cable can be immersed in the fluid for a long time without damaging sensitive elements. When using a water leakage sensor SWF 5.1 with the devices from NetPing company, a customer receives a ready system, which can be used in all activities, where the presence of water and non-aggressive water solutions is crucial for proper functioning of the equipment and living, such as housing, air conditioning and ventilation systems, basements, Data Processing Centers (DPC), boilers, water supply and heating systems for houses and cottages (bathrooms, kitchens, heating batteries), glass facades of buildings, stock storages, etc. Thanks to having a sensor cable of a big length, a sensor can simultaneously control a fluid leakage on the vast area. A water leakage sensor SWF 5.1 together with devices of NetPing company allows to react to leakages adequately by informing via E-mail, SMS (in devices with a built-in GSM modem) and SNMP Trap.

SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) – is a standard Internet protocol for controlling devices in IP networks on the basis of TCP/UDP. architectures. Devices of remote control and monitoring NetPing sensors support the operation via SNMP protocol as well. One of convenient ways of monitoring is monitoring using a mobile phone.

In this article, an example of using "Monitor Master Free" software (free version) for remote controlling a NetPing device, namely controlling external devices (for example, a signal alarm or a light beacon) that are connected to IO lines in the "output" mode is described using UniPing server solution v4/SMS device, as well as controlling sockets of a NetPing 8/PWR-220 v4/SMS device as an example. 

One of the most important issues of a physical security of a server equipment as well as a security of the entire IT-infrastructure is tracking and controlling access to server rooms. A tracking system must notify system administrators and technical specialists about any access to a server room or protected object 24 hours a day 7 days a week with a possibility to browse a history of events in any moment of time. Such way of informing allows system administrators to control an access to the object without using expensive access control systems, which contain different types of electronic locks, components of employee identification via electronic maps, coded key locks and other security elements.

In this article, an example of organising the system of tracking access to server room on the basis of NetPing device and a monitoring system PRTG Network Monitor will be examined. The essence of the system is in monitoring a door opening/closing sensor, which is connected to a NetPing device by means of the PRTG monitoring system, as well as building a graph of opening a door within different time intervals.

To control and monitor a corporate IT environment, it is possible to use the product from the Microsoft company named System Center Operations Manager (SCOM), which is included in the integrated management platform System Center. This product allows combining the information about the operability from different components of IT infrastructure, providing its generalized representation in one console. SCOM allows tracking services, devices and operations for many PCs in the network. Operators can rapidly estimate a state of IT environment and its IT services, run different systems and workloads using multiple representations, which show the information about a status, operability, and performance.