openGear - Control & Monitoring

Dashboard
Network control & monitoring application

The DFR-8310 openGear frame offers remote control & monitoring with the combination of the MFC-8310-N, network interface card, and Dashboard application. This offering allows users to remotely monitor and control parameters on openGear modules that support remote control. Remote control simplifies the setup of numerous modules in a large installation and offers the ability to centralize monitoring.

The control system is built on Ethernet and TCP/IP, which allows remote access across both LAN and WAN architectures. The control system offered by Ross is unique, as it operates under a well-defined protocol, which is available to all openGear partners enabling Dashboard with the ability of controlling 3rd party partner solutions.

Monitoring
A network of frames and cards can be monitored allowing end users to quickly isolate and correct potential problems from a central monitoring station.

Three levels of monitoring/alarms are available:

• Green - system is performing with no known errors
  
• Yellow - minor alarm indicating a potential problem
  
• Red - major alarm

Control
The control system offers real-time control of module parameters. Parameter types vary depending on module functionality.

Configuration
Modules can be upgraded, both software and firmware, in the field. The upgrade utility verifies firmware and software upgrades against module hardware in the frame and prevents accidental loading of incorrect files to the wrong the hardware.

Dashboard
Dashboard is a “FREE” control & monitoring application for the openGear platform. Dashboard is a generic Java GUI (Graphical User Interface) application allowing it to operate on numerous platforms such as, Windows, Linux, and Mac. As a generic GUI, the presentations of parameters are defined by the card under control, allowing for future cards to be automatically controlled without the requirement of upgrades to Dashboard. Dashboard is designed to allow for future feature plugins and upgrades to allow end users the ability to customize control & monitoring needs.

Key Features of Control & Monitoring

• Dashboard is a “FREE” application
• Java based for installation in Windows, Linux, and Mac
• 10/100 Mbit Ethernet control, future proofed
• Multiple frames can be connected to multiple control and monitoring stations
• Automatic discovery of cards
• Auto discovery of frames on the same subnet
• Software & firmware upgrades via Ethernet/Dashboard Lite
• DHCP configuration available

Screenshots

Download
DashBoard installation program for Windows (39 Mb)

Instructions: download to a temp directory, run the executable - it will install DashBoard on a Windows PC