Sony has updated its Device Monitor multi-protocol monitoring system with the release of version 5.0.
New features include a more graphical and intuitive user interface, improved set-up support for Sony VTRs, enhanced multimedia capabilities and updated Simple Network Management protocol (SNMP) functionality.
The Device Monitor technology provides continuous health and utilization awareness notifications of devices and the environmental conditions in which they operate.
In addition to open standards such as SNMP, HTTP and XML that are presently adopted for use in new devices, Device Monitor is also compatible with Sony's ISR, VDCP, PJCP and plasma displays devices as well as other major manufacturers' legacy devices like Panasonic's D5 and DVCPRO products.
"Device Monitor has the ability to automatically update machine setups resulting in less downtime and greater confidence about system status," said Erwin Ishmael, vice president of Sony Electronics' Professional Services Group. "Customers can use it to track information for other devices for which no interface exists, to automatically notify personnel in the event of a problem, escalate the notification process, keep operations managers up to date on real-time device performance, pre-set maintenance due schedules, and log work performed."
Device Monitor is supported on numerous platforms including Windows 2000 and XP as well as such UNIX variants as Solaris and Linux. The technology works within an existing infrastructure to keep other systems up-to-date on current status. Device Monitor application servers can also share a centralized database in large-scale installations or across multiple locations.
Key features and capabilities of version 5.0 also include:
MemoryStick capability: Users can store and recall file-based setup information for Memory StickTM enabled cameras.
Enhanced sound support: Users can configure responses with corresponding sound files to be played within a browser as an additional notification method to the typical e-mail and text page.
Updated SNMP components: Device Monitor 5.0 will check SNMP component values every minute (or every polling period if longer than one minute) and any changes will be reflected in the machine details page.
Addition of Scalable-width icon fields: Views include a field to specify the icon width to use. Values between 20 and 300 pixels are accepted, and each icon will be scaled to the specified width when displayed in the graphical view.
"Pop-up" help links: A pop-up box displays information describing the function of the link.
Modified editing of translations: Information is entered in a text area where each "value=translation" is entered on a single line. Also, the number of translations that may be defined is much larger than the previous 1024 character limit (approx. 65535 characters).
Model number associations: To help in navigating components and metrics as well as provide an indication of the models each is a part of, the associated models are included when listing or viewing the details of components and metrics.
Critical device value readings: Device Monitor 5.0 now allows for threshold-checking of critical device metrics at every pass to provide timely failure detection. Less critical devices can be polled less frequently. Thresholds may now be defined as a deviation from past reading values. The deviations may be specified as 1, 2 or 3 standard deviations outside, below or above the average value for a definable number of reading values. Component values are also now read once per minute or every polling period, which ever is greater.
Reduced database connection: All threads will test the database connection at a maximum rate of once per minute regardless of their polling periods.
Maintenance type descriptions: When logging a new maintenance activity, the description defined for the selected maintenance type will be imported into the maintenance edit form. The information may then be augmented before submitting the maintenance. This allows users to complete forms or surveys, defined in maintenance types, when logging maintenances.
More information about the currently available Device Monitor version 5.0 can be obtained online at http://www.sony.com/M2M.
