[NTLUG:Discuss] Need network attached Temperature monitor/shutdown device

[Chris Cox]

On Tue, 2010-01-05 at 10:58 -0600, Richard wrote:
> with the obvious need for something that is Linux friendly.
> 
> I'm not too impressed with the current PageR  device that now seems to 
> be dead.  It was VERY hard to configure and the only way I was able to 
> get it to shutdown the Linux server was to setup a user with sudo 
> shutdown privileges with a bashrc that initiated the shutdown.
> 
> What do you guys use to monitor the temperature in a server room, email 
> notifications of an overtemp and  then shutdown the servers if the AC 
> goes off or fails?

We've used NetBotz in the past for camera, temp, etc.

With that said... it is wise to consider how you can do things
without utilizing existing infrastructure.  For example, making
sure things can be brought down without using the common network.

Also have to consider power, phone, etc.

It's weird, but when disaster hits and "essential" things go down,
suddenly all that wiz-bang monitor stuff becomes worthless because
it required those "essential" things.  Nobody will get a high temp
alert if the monitor device has no power to operate or can't
make a phone call (etc.).

How extreme should you go with regards to "out of band" solns?  That's
just something you have to determine on your own.