Deliberant Scout
From Deliberant wiki
Contents |
Introduction
Deliberant Scout is a Java application, which can be integrated with RCMS server or run as a stand-alone application. This is a tool for graphical representation for network topology and status of Deliberant devices.
 | Launch of Deliberant Scout requires Java Runtime Environment (J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 or later) to be installed. This may be downloaded from: http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp. |
The Deliberant Scout should run from a machine on wired side of the network. It is possible to run the Deliberant Scout from the wireless side of the network, but does not guarantee optimal performance and is strongly discouraged.
Deliberant Scout features:
- Shows mesh network topology and individual Deliberant devices
- Ability to search mesh elements by MAC, IP or device name
- Capability of operating as a standalone application, without the existing RCMS server
- Ability to filter by part of the IP address, by Service Set, by part of the Firmware (includes ability to filter by hardware type), active nodes (inactive/offline nodes are hidden),
- Bird's eye view/navigation - ability to view all network at once
- Discovery tool - allow to discover Deliberant devices (Mesh and Non-mesh) within reach of a single multicast packet.
For proper operation Deliberant Scout needs the statistical information from Deliberant devices. Deliberant devices are periodically sending status information - heartbeats. The heartbeat sending interval is configurable in the device configuration, by default this interval is 30 seconds. The Deliberant Scout updates the screen continuously while receiving the heartbeats. The configuration of Deliberant devices must be configured properly to send heartbeats to the Deliberant Scout. It can be done in two ways:
- Correctly configured RCMS agent settings in the device configuration
- Correctly configured IP multicast discovery settings in the device configuration and by enabling Heartbeat Polling via Multicast on Tools menu in the Deliberant Scout.
There are three ways to run Deliberant Scout:
- load Deliberant Scout from the RCMS server;
- load via WebStart from the download area of the official Deliberant site [1];
- install on your PC and run Deliberant Scout as standalone application.
Running Deliberant Scout with RCMS server
To run Deliberant from the RCMS server, click on the Registered devices tree first, then click Deliberant Scout tab on the menu and the Deliberant Scout will be successfully launched.
If the connection with the RCMS has been lost, use the File -> Connect to RCMS or click appropriate icon, and specify RCMS administrator's credentials for proper Deliberant Scout connection to the RCMS server:
Running Deliberant Scout as Standalone Application
To run Deliberant Scout as standalone application, download the Deliberant Scout archive and install on the computer. Once the Deliberant Scout archive is downloaded, extract it and run the DeliberantScout.jar file.
The successfully loaded Deliberant Scout will display only the devices which are sending the heartbeats to this particular Deliberant Scout or those devices which are reached within single multicast packet (refer to the section Heartbeat Polling via Multicast how to enable this option). To configure Deliberant devices to send they heartbeats to particular Deliberant Scout, the IP address with port 8282 of the server with the continuously running Deliberant Scout must be scpecified in the Deliberant device configuration (e.g. http://192.168.2.2:8282/heartbeat.php).
Deliberant Scout Usage
| | Some features available in the Deliberant Scout utility do not pertain to Deliberant devices. For instance, the mesh properties of some devices in Deliberant Scout only apply to LigoMesh products (in LigoWave product line). Deliberant, LigoWave, and Wilibox devices all may share the same Scout application. |
The main pane of the Deliberant Scout window displays icons. Deliberant device icons initially appears in a cluster, however, they can be moved to desired locations by clicking and dragging. Green icons show online Mesh Nodes (darker green means marked device); while gray icons indicate that a particular Mesh Node or Deliberant device is offline. The MESH devices are represented as bubbles while non-mesh Deliberant devices are displayed as squares. Each relay Mesh Node icon has a line that connects it to its parent Mesh Node (or Mesh Gateway).
The left upper pane of the Deliberant Scout represents the list of the Deliberant devices. The Mesh Nodes are ranged in the Mesh position. The devices are named by MAC addresses or by Friendly Names optionally (View -> Use friendly names option).
The left lower pane of the Deliberant Scout is dedicated for details of each Deliberant Device. All information of a selected Mesh Node is available at a glance on the Properties tab. This includes hardware information, MAC addresses, IP settings, Mesh position, etc. The Clients tab allows user to view information (MAC address and the SSID of the Service Set) of all clients connected to the selected Mesh Node. The Heartbeat tab displays the content of the last received heartbeat. The non-mesh devices does not have Mesh statistics and information about clients.
The main pane on the right of the Deliberant Scout frame displays graphical view of the Deliberant MESH network topology, relationships between the Mesh Nodes and Mesh Gateway. The number indicated on the Mesh node shows the number of clients connected to that node. Each Deliberant device (Mesh and Non-mesh) can be marked by its Label (View -> Show Device Labels). The Label can be chosen as IP address, MAC address or by Friendly name (View -> Customize Labels). The Links of the Mesh Nodes can be also be labeled by the signal quality (View -> Show Link Labels).
| | The information on the Deliberant Scout is refreshed with each new heartbeat update from any Deliberant device. The heartbeat interval should be specified by configuring the RCMS client on the each Deliberant device. |
Layout
Use File -> Layout to save current layout of the device icons or load existing layout. It is useful for monitoring a big network with volumes of device icons. Using this function you may save the chosen locations of your icons and each time after starting the Deliberant Scout there will be no need for placing them again.
Load Layout - click to load previously saved icon layout from local PC.
Save Layout - click to save current icon layout to local computer.
Load Diagram - click to specify the picture or diagram you want to upload on the background. It is useful using together with layout, for example placing device icons of the Mesh network in the scheme of the building where the network is.
View
Use this menu to select proper display for your needs.
Use Friendly Names - if this option is selected, the device list will be displayed in Friendly Names instead of MAC addresses. Refer to particular device user guide for instructions how to specify device Friendly Name (by default Deliberant device Friendly name is "name").
Show Device Labels - select this option, to display device labels near the icons in the main frame of the Deliberant Scout.
Show Link Labels - select this option to label links of the Mesh devices in signal quality.
Customize Labels - choose what information in the labels will be displayed near the Deliberant device icons [IP address/MAC address/Friendly name].
Filter - use filter to sort what devices to display:
- Show only online nodes - only online nodes will be displayed. The grey icons will be hidden.
- Show only offline nodes - only offline nodes will be displayed. The green device icons will be hidden.
- Show only nodes with Mesh SSID <...> - the Mesh nodes with specific SSID will be displayed, all other device icons that does not meet requirements will be hidden. This option requires additional parameter SSID.
- Show only nodes with IP address <...> - only devices with indicated IP address will be displayed, all other device icons that does not meet requirements will be hidden. This option requires additional parameter IP address.
- Show only nodes with firmware version <...> - only devices with indicated firmware version will be displayed, all other device icons that does not meet requirements will be hidden. This option requires additional parameter Firmware version.
Heartbeat Polling via Multicast
Use heartbeat polling via multicast to discover and display all Deliberant devices in a single multicast packet. Navigate Tools -> Heartbeat Polling via Multicast to enable this option:
When this option enabled, you can find all Deliberant devices using Device Discovery Tool even Deliberant devices don't have configured RCMS/Deliberant Scout settings.
Use Tools -> Heartbeat Polling Period option to change default polling period if required:
Discovery Tool
Use Device Discovery tool to discover Deliberant devices within reach of a single multicast packet. It is useful when Deliberant device is connected for the first time to local LAN with DHCP server running and you do not know what IP address is given to the Deliberant device. Load the Deliberant Scout utility navigate, Tools -> Device Discovery to run this tool:
| | The Heartbeat Polling via Multicast option should be enabled to use Device Discovery Tool |
The Device Discovery tool displays all Deliberant devices that responds. They are listed in the table with appropriate settings:
Device IP address - displays device IP address.
WAN IP address - displays device WAN IP address
WAN Hardware address - dislays WAN hardware MAC address
Firmware version - displays device firmware version.
Rescan - click to renew information.
Close - click to close Device Discovery window.
