Device Profile: AKCP SensorProbe8Linux data center security monitor

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(Jun. 24, 2005)

AKCP has converted its data center security monitor from a proprietary RTOS to embedded Linux. The SensorProbe8Linux uses a variety of open source software to monitor server status, and a variety of attached sensors to monitor server room physical security.

(Click for slightly larger view of SensorProbe8Linux)

The SensorProbe8Linux closely resembles AKCP's embedded Linux-based CameraProbe8 (pictured at right), but without the integrated camera. Both devices can monitor the operational status of servers, using open source Nagios software, while also monitoring the physical security of server rooms through attached sensors.

The SensorProbe8Linux supports up to eight sensors, which connect to its eight back-panel RJ-45 ports, and track events such as:

door opens
motion is detected
water on the floor
air-flow is diminished
smoke is detected
dry contact or alarm panel activates
temperature is out of range
voltage missing on any device
UPS (uninterruptible power supply) is low

When attached sensors actuate, the SensorProbe8Linux can send email, SNMP traps, or SMS messages. Email messages include a picture of the event, and 16 pictures are stored for each event. To reduce false alarms, events can be filtered by time-of-day or day-of-week, and a maximum number of messages per hour can be set.

Daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly graphs for each sensor's output can be created on the fly, using the open source RRDtool, and viewed online.

The SensorProbe8Linux also provides videoconferencing based on the open source Open H.323 project, when used in conjunction with a user-supplied camera. The device has a built-in speaker and microphone, as well as audio I/O ports.

What's under the hood?

The SensorProbe8 is based on a 32-bit ARM processor. It has 64MB of RAM, and 128MB of nonvolatile Flash, which is used to boot the device, and to store event photos. The device has room to store 2,320 pictures, AKCP says.

I/O ports include 10/100 Ethernet and serial ports, attachments for up to four cameras, audio I/O, and eight RJ-45 ports with configurable analog inputs for sensor attachments.

The device comes in a 1U-high case measuring 9.2 x 5.42 x 1.80 inches, and weighs 2.6 pounds. It is available for purchase direct from AKCP for $1,395.00, which includes a sensorRemote for measuring port temperature and humidity.

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