How it works: Monitoring

WISPs and businesses selling Internet access must provide a reliable service. If the service fails then customers will get angry, and income will stop flowing in. It is important to install robust equipment that is reliable and has redundant features. This type of equipment is called carrier grade.

Equipment will fail sooner or later however and it is important that it is replaced quickly. The WISP or hot spot operator should know about the failure quickly before users call in to complain.

The avansu software provides a warning when the device fails through a continuous monitoring process with an automated trouble ticket mechanism. The WISP can configure a failure warning for each monitored device. The WISP also provides an email to send warning messages, and a cellphone number to send a text message. The message is entered in the form of a work order so that instructions are given to replace the node that has failed.

WISP manage hot spot node monitoring alert via SMS and email

The email message is sent to the WISP's network manager to advise that a failure has occurred.

The text message is sent to the field service technician with instructions about the repair that must be made.

The configuration file of each node is backed up and can be restored to the replacement device which simplifies the field service procedure.

The field tech needs only to swap the failed device and power it up then download the configuration file for that location.

Finally the field tech checks that the device is fully functional.

The network manager can also download the configuration file remotely.