Pan African International Conference on Information Science, Computing and Telecommunications (2014)
Multifunctional Network Monitoring System Using SMS Ahmed Kijazi and Michael Kisangiri Department of Computational and Communication Science and Engineering Nelson Mandela Institution of Science and Technology, NM-AIST Arusha, Tanzania.
[email protected],
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Abstract—Network monitoring is very important for the reliable operation of any network, monitoring is not only concerned with the monitoring of its performance and availability, but also monitoring of network operating environment, because they are both contributing to the reliable operated network. For the effective network monitoring, it is better for Network administrators being intact with both instant network operations as well as different hazards such as fire, water, humidity, power fluctuation and temperature even if they are not physically present in the network operation room [7]. The objective of this paper is to provide an efficient remote Local area Network (LAN) monitoring, mainly focusing on Server room devices and its environment sensors for network administrators. Keywords—Hazard;Multifunctional;Remote;Monitoring; SMS; LAN;
I.
INTRODUCTION
Network monitoring is very important for the reliable operation of every organization's network. There were different efforts which have been done to Network monitoring like an introduction of Network software which enable network administrators to log in remotely to the Servers and Network devices to do troubleshooting whenever the Network problem happened. Fig1. Shows Sample network. With the existing software, it is not possible to login remotely to network 192.168.1.0 or its Gateway device and do troubleshooting if there is link down/network error at A-B while you are at point B or C in the Network. So an alternative way is required. Likewise, there is software which does automatic Local area Networks troubleshooting and sends messages (SMS) about the
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current network operations/problems to the Network Administrators. But this software, they are only sending but not allowing receiving SMS from Network Administrators for troubleshooting purpose. Not only that, also exists different hazards/environment control systems which senses the threshold values of current environmental status and sends SMS to the concerned Network Admin Fig.1. But the problem is how do we ensure continuous operation of these environment sensors? Because Network Admin can think Network operation environment are safe because he didn’t receive any alert Message from sensors, but the truth is there is a fault in the sensor devices. In general, we can say that, however, there is existing solution they fails to address the following, (1).To provide the continuous functionality state of hazard/environment sensors. (2). To empower the Network Administrator with the possibility of diagnosing the network remotely when there is network problem and it is impossible to log in remotely using normal ways such as telnet, secure shell or remote desktop. The development of Multifunctional network monitoring system using SMS helps to solve the issues addressed. This is software which integrates both network and hazard/environment monitoring services. This software empowers the Network Administrator with the capability of diagnosing the network remotely by query to predefined network or hazard parameters from the software. This is done by sending parameters codes from his mobile phone to the software installed in the SMS monitoring server through mobile network as shown in Fig.2.,
Pan African International Conference on Information Science, Computing and Telecommunications (2014)
Internet/WAN
Network 192.168.2.0
C
Users
X
A Fire Sensor
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B C 196.12.3.4 D Gate Way
Gate Way
Humidity Sensor Temperature Sensor
Mobile
Web Server
Networ admin Network 192.168.3.0
Mail Server Window Server Network 192.168.1.0 PRTG
Fig.1. Server room LAN and separate Environment Sensors
thus the software will diagnose the network according to the code received and replay back the output to Network administrator see Fig.2.These codes they have already defined in the software and the software understanding what they are meaning. For example, a code “wbping” my denote Web Server ping, so when the Network administrator send this code to the software, the
software will ping the Web server and report back the status to Network Administrator via SMS. Not only those, also the software continuously monitor any hazardous sensors malfunction and report to Network administrator if they happened. There is no extra software needed to be installed in the mobile phone, any mobile phone with capability of sending and receiving SMS can be used
Internet/WAN
Network 192.168.2.0
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Fire Sensor
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196.12.3.4
Gate Way
Gate Way
Humidity Sensor Temperature Sensor
SMS Monitoring Server Web Server
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Network Admin Person Mail Server Window Server
Mobile network
Network 192.168.3.0
Network 192.168.1.0
Fig.2. Server room LAN embedded with Environment Sensor
From Fig. 2. This software should be installed on the computer within the server room network which act as back up Network as well as environmental/hazard sensors Monitoring System via SMS this is called SMS Monitoring Server. For this software to work environmental monitoring must be part of the LAN, and PACTAT02814
USB modem being plugged to the monitoring server for both sending and receiving SMS to and from the Network Admin [5].
Pan African International Conference on Information Science, Computing and Telecommunications (2014)
II.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Several concepts have been explained to address the same problem. There is an integrated software solution that allows a network administrator to remotely monitor his LAN by his cell. This was done by installing the supporting software in the mobile phone [1].The problem with this approach is, if we installed the software in a mobile phone for monitoring the network we need to have direct access to the network, if there is a link down such as at point A-B sees Fig.1. This approach fails. Similarly there are, Network Monitoring and administration tools Using Email and Android phone when the administrator is away from the office or goes out station [8]. This software explains that, it is possible to login remotely using a mobile phone, but one thing we have to understand is, we cannot log in remotely if we have internet problems or network break down such as at point A-B see Fig.1. Also, these papers didn’t consider the network operating environment condition and safety. In these systems, network and environment monitoring part are separated as shown in Fig. 1, these lead to difficulties to monitor continuous functional state of sensor, since, we don’t have a direct connection with them. To simplify the process of monitoring sensors, it is better to integrate sensors together with a network and build single software which will do both network as well as environmental monitoring at the same time. The software will analyze both network and sensor errors and inform the network administrator about the situation through SMS, also empowers Network administrator to diagnosing the network using SMS when it is impossible to log in remotely. This is a Multifunctional Network Monitoring System Using SMS III.
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
A: Network Monitoring. This paper deals with monitoring of important devices in the network, which upon failing the overall performance of the network may be affected. Such devices are.
Servers
Network monitoring Thread
Monitoring of DNS, MAIL, WEB and Information system Servers availability, Monitoring of Default gateway which acts as door to outside network communication, Monitoring of other network devices such as routers and switches which acts as linking devices in the network and Monitoring of internet connections B:
Operation of network monitoring part From Fig.3, It is a Network Monitoring Thread, a part of a Multifunctional network monitoring System using SMS, implemented using Java. This part operates in two modes; in the first mode network monitoring thread does an automatic network troubleshooting and sends the status of the network to Network Administrator using SMS. Before the status sent to the network administrator, first must be recorded in the SQL Database. The main function of SMS gateway Software is to fetch the recorded information from the SQL Database, and send them to network administrator via Mobile network [4]. The second mode allows Network Administrator to diagnosing the network remotely by querying to a specified network parameter by sending its respective code through SMS to the Software. The code which has been sent is received by SMS Gateway Software and stored in the SQL Database. A Network Monitoring Thread fetches this code from the SQL Database and does network troubleshooting according to the code received. Then the results obtained are sent back to the network administrator via mobile network C: Environmental Monitoring Now days it is possible to integrate software part with environmental monitoring devices, because the most devices vendors provide a programming support for their devices. It is possible to write a program which can read values to the environment sensing devices. This device provides an XML file which store sensed environment parameters [5]. The only task for the programmer is to write programs which can read these values using the IP addresses of the environment sensor devices, see Fig.4.Not only that the software can simply ensure availability of environmental sensors by doing an automatic detection after each specific interval of time because they are integrated in the network. Environment sensor Device
Database(SQL Server) Switch
Router
Values.xml
SMS Gateway Software Modem
BTS
Shared devices
Denote both request and response Fig.3.Block diagram for network monitoring part PACTAT02814
Network Admin
Java Program
Sensor Monitoring Thread
Xml file
Denote both request and response Fig.4. A java program block communicating with sensor devices
Pan African International Conference on Information Science, Computing and Telecommunications (2014)
D: Operation of environmental monitoring part The thread operates in three modes; the first mode Sensors monitoring thread see Fig.5 does an automatic troubleshooting to check if the threshold values of environment sensors have been exceeded and send the status to network administrator using SMS, the second mode allows network administrators to query to a specified environment parameter by sending it’s respective code to the software through SMS. The results obtained are sent back to the network administrator via mobile network. The third mode network monitoring thread provides the continuous functionality state of sensor by detecting their malfunction and report to network administrator automatically. Fg.6. It is a combination of Network Monitoring and Environment Monitoring Threads implemented using java.This combination form a Multifunctional Network Monitoring System Using SMS.
IV.
CONCLUSION.
A detailed review on integrated software for monitoring network and its operating environment have been revealed and clearly presented. This paper provides a footstep on how to create efficient network monitoring tools for reliably operating networks. REFERENCES [1]. Prof. Mamata Bhamare, Tejashree Malshikare, RenukaSalunke, PriyankaWaghmare,”GSM based LAN monitoring and controlling, “International Journal of Modern Engineering Research (IJMER) www.ijmer.com Vol.2, Issue.2, Mar-Apr 2012 pp-387-389 [2].Brad Lehman, “Modeling Effects of Relative Humidity, Moisture, and Extreme Environmental Conditions on Power Electronic Performance,” Dept. Elect. &Comp. Eng Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, unpublished. [3].http://oopbook.com/relationa l-databases/SQL-serverdatabase-connection/ [4]. http: //www.ozeki.hu/index.php? ow_page_number=535
Sensors monitoring Thread
[5].http://www.hwgroup.com/products/poseidon/po
Database(SQL Server)
[6].Black box network services, Understanding the risk to your
s_protocols_en.html
network and how to shoes the
SMS Gateway Software Modem
right solution, 724-724-5500 |
Blackbox.com[7].http://www.serverscheck.com/sensors/temperature_best_practi
BTS
Network Admin
ces.asp [8].Prof. C. S. Nimodia1, Prof. S. S. Asole, “A survey on network monitoring and administration using mobile phone” International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering Web
Denote both request and response Fig.5. Block diagram showing environment monitoring
Site: www.ijetae.com, SSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 4, April 2013
Servers
Network monitoring Thread
Switch
Environment monitoring Thread Database(SQL Server)
Router Shared devices
SMS Gateway Software Modem
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Denote both request and response Fig.6. Combination of network and environment monitoring PACTAT02814
