Tutorial

The service thethings.io offers a full range of solutions for the market of Internet of Things (hereinafter IoT) (Internet of things concept), as well as a simple and flexible API for the developers of IoT applications. This service is not related to any certain hardware platform and can be integrated with almost any device if it supports one of the next protocols: HTTP, Websockets, MQTT or CoAP. More detailed information on the issue can be learnt at this page of the project.

In the previous publications on an integration of NetPing devices, two examples with cloud services of Internet of things concept (IoT) were examined: xively.com and thethings.io. Now it is a turn for the integration of NetPing devices with a similar service dweet.io to be examined.

A distinctive feature of this service is the fact that there is no need to sign up or configure something to work with it – data from your devices can be transferred at once. The service is built on the principle of objects named "things", into which a data is transferred through HTTP requests. In case if there is no object with such name, it is created automatically. A name for a future object must be unique.

«... 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) …»

On the basis of a developed functionality of sensor monitoring devices and remote controlling of NetPing power supply, it is possible to implement collecting information in different systems of monitoring and accounting. First of all, it is necessary to watch important parameters in the field of interest, as well as building various reports and charts for a specified period of time.

Receiving the information from NetPing devices can be flexible when based on the support of an SNMP protocol and specialized HTTP API commands. Everything necessary to do is to have a NetPing device with connected sensors, certain software or a script and a little time for configuring.

Previously, we examined an example of integrating NetPing devices with a cloud service dweet.io. A distinguishing feature of the service is a lack of the need to sign up or configure anything to work with it – data from your devices can be transmitted at once. You can watch changing data from sensors in the view of graphs via the address:

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.

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.

Practical Use of Temperature Monitoring Devices

NetPing devices for temperature monitoring in a server room and implementation of other functionality use different modern techniques and protocols. The simplest method of watching temperature readings is using a built-in web interface. For example, at the page «Thermo sensors», it is possible to watch the readings of connected temperature sensors for a server room in a real-time mode:

Modern technologies are found today in all spheres of life, allowing to automate and simplify different processes for a human. Not the latest role is given them in the sphere of access. The things that needed to be performed manually before can be trusted to the remote control systems today. Thanks to this, an execution time is shortened, and a work for a human is simplified in general.

NetPing devices, which are designed to monitor a microclimate status of server rooms and other objects, provide security functions and rapid alerting of corresponding personnel, additionally help to implement a system of remote controlling objects with a feedback. This solution based on NetPing devices contributes to significant reducing of financial expenses compared to professional systems, deployment time, and get simple management and high reliability of work.

In this article, we will examine an example of implementing a remote control for a barrier (on the basis of open/close buttons) with a LED light, which must react at a position of a barrier.

Today there are a lot of services, which require authorization through a confirmation code to work with them. The code can be received through SMS message only. In the scale of a company, employees of which work remotely, the issue of getting such SMS message can be solved by redirecting the message to e-mails of a group of company employees. To do this, there is a need to register an office e-mail account on a corporate email server or register it at one of the popular free services.

Let us consider a simple case, when a gateway NetPing SMS and equipment with the application Trap Receiver are located in one local network. A scheme works the next way:

A difficult job of a network administrator is based on watching the status of a network equipment and servers. This task is complicated when there is no access to the Internet network at fingertips either a necessary equipment. The article describes how to solve this issue with a monitoring system Zabbix by using a phone with a possibility to send/receive SMS-messages and a NetPing SMS device.

Zabbix is a universal and flexible OpenSource solution for monitoring a network equipment (NMS) of a corporate scale. The system has a possibility to notify about events in different ways: E-mail, SMS, Jabber, user scripts. In the article, a method of using user scripts and a NetPing SMS device as an SMS gateway for sending SMS responses about a status of requested sensors in Zabbix monitoring system will be described. To receive SMS requests, a NetPing SMS device will be used as well. The device can transmit SMS requests in Zabbix in the form of SNMP traps. As a result, when organizing this method, a system administrator will always have an actual information about a status of the network equipment at any moment of time.

Sometimes certain situations happen when there is a need to coordinate the actions of employees, send company's news to the customers and notify them about alterations without excessive spending on a corporate communication. Also the same important is the use of a tool for SMS notifications when critical events appear at important objects, for example, a notification about exceeding a safe temperature in a server room, sudden server shutdown, or entry of unauthorized individuals  to an object, and many others.

A connection between a NetPing SMS gateway with a Zapier platform allows organizing a possibility to receive information from emails to cell phones as SMS notifications. NetPing SMS is an independent network device that works as an SMS gateway and allows sending SMS notifications and execute SMS commands that are sent via the Ethernet/Internet network. Zapier is a system platform for the exchange of data between web applications using software that supports more than 300 applications. Zapier may be used to connect different cloud services and automation of repeated processes. Zapier eliminates a necessity to pay a developer for a mutual integration of services that have crucial meaning for business. In addition, the platform allows configuring a free account and deal with configuring connections between applications in several minutes.

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. 

Today there are many services that require authorization with a confirmation code sent by SMS only for working with them. For a company, employees of which work remotely, an issue of receiving such SMS notification may be solved by redirecting it to the email of a group mailing list for company employees. To do this, there is a need to create a service e-mail account on a corporate mailing server or register it on one of popular free services.

Let's consider a simple case – interaction a NetPing SMS gateway and a zapier.com service.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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.