Welcome the WallBotz 400, the latest environment-monitoring solution from NetBotz. The WallBotz 400 includes a camera, environment sensors and device-crawler software--providing eyes and ears for administrators when no one can be at your site. After a theft occurred at Network Computing's Syracuse University Real-World Labs®, I was eager to try it out.
Wallbotz SetUp
The WallBotz 400 includes a wall-mounting kit that lets the device swivel 360 degrees. I used this to mount the WallBotz to the wall opposite the entrance of our lab. Next I mounted the door sensor to the door and connected it to the WallBotz.
I assigned the WallBotz an IP address and connected it to the network. The WallBotz can be configured via serial console or a Microsoft Windows application. Initially I configured the WallBotz to send me an e-mail every time the door was opened or if the device detected motion in the room. However, this setup generated a lot of messages, and it was almost impossible to search for a specific alarm. I reconfigured the WallBotz to post data to an HTTP server, and using a MySQL database and a couple of PERL scripts, I built a simple system to collect the data. This setup also let me run queries on the alarms and view pictures in nearly real time.
24x7 Monitoring
The camera included with the WallBotz can be set to take pictures every 0.2 to 15 seconds and produces grayscale images at a resolution of 320x240 dpi.
When an alarm occurs, the WallBotz takes pictures at the configured interval. You can set it to send up to 80 pictures from after the alarm occurs and up to 60 pictures from right before the alarm occurred.
The camera view has two refresh speeds: normal and maximum. When I used the normal-refresh feature over a 10-Mbps Ethernet connection, the picture was updated about every three seconds; when I selected maximum refresh, the picture was updated about once every second. The difference lies in the photo format: Normal refresh converts the picture to JPEG, conserving network bandwidth but consuming more processor time. Conversely, with maximum refresh, the picture is left in native bitmap format, consuming more network bandwidth but using less processing time.
The WallBotz is more than a camera, however. It can be configured to monitor almost every aspect of a computing environment, including room temperature, humidity, airflow and noise level. Earlier-generation WallBotz products offer these same features, but the 400 has external sensor connectors that let you connect up to seven additional sensors. You can set these to monitor amperage or to check the temperature inside the rack, for example.
Each sensor can be configured independently and on a seven-day schedule. When a sensor is installed in the WallBotz, that does not mean it has to be enabled--there is no point in monitoring motion during normal business hours, for instance, when someone is going to be at the location. Sensors can be configured with thresholds--allowable ranges of temperature, humidity and airflow, for example--or they can be set simply to ignore alarms during certain times of day.
In configuring the motion detection, you can adjust the sensitivity and how long the motion has to last before being considered an alarm. In addition, there is a masking option that lets you mask an area off so it can be ignored by the motion detector. This might be useful, for instance, if you have a clock in the room that would otherwise trigger a motion alarm.
NetBotz Device Crawlers software, an add-on to versions of WallBotz, is included with the 400. It lets the WallBotz monitor up to 16 SNMP-enabled devices. I configured our Device Crawlers and set a polling interval in seconds. The WallBotz did an SNMP get at the specified interval to check whether the devices were alive, as expected. I configured the WallBotz to notify my cell phone if one of the devices didn't respond and if the device came back online.
NetBotz included its Branch Checker module with our test unit, normally a $195 add-on. This let me monitor specific services running on a server. I configured it to send an HTTP request to our local Web server at an interval of 30 minutes. The Branch Checker triggers an alarm when the response time exceeds the specified threshold for that service and provides a trace route to the host.
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Vendor Information
WallBotz 400, $1,495. Available: Now. NetBotz, (877) 908-2680, (512) 439-5800; fax (512) 439-5801.
www.netbotz.com
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The WallBotz 400 includes a proprietary digital port that lets you connect more advanced accessories to the WallBotz. With that in mind, NetBotz this month is releasing the Last Call, an analog modem with a 30-minute battery that will use this port. The Last Call will come in handy if the power goes out or if your Ethernet connection is down, and will be able to send notification as well.
Administration and Real-Time Monitoring
The WallBotz 400 works with just about any operating system. The interface has a Microsoft Windows like feel and is simple to administer and configure-- the only requirement for administering the WallBotz is a Web browser and Java 1.3.1.
Access to the interface is divided into three privilege levels: sensor access allows views of the current picture and the sensor readings only; application access adds checks of the Device Crawlers and Branch Checker statuses; and supervisor access allows unrestricted access to all the features, including administrative.
The WallBotz 400 provides outstanding real-time, 24x7 monitoring and would work well in collocated facilities or for remote-office security. But to take full advantage of its features, you'll have to use some elbow grease or use it with an enterprise-monitoring product to collect and archive the alarm data.
Mitch Hochhauser is a network research associate with the Center for Emerging Technologies at Syracuse University. He has extensive experience in application development, systems administration and wireless network technologies. Send your comments on this article to him at mbhochha@syr.edu.
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