Alarm Panel Load Balancing via Allocation Server
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Modern alarm systems transitioning from public switched telephone networks to packet switched data networks face challenges in load balancing, as manual intervention for distributing alarm panels to servers is cumbersome and error-prone.
Innovation Solution
An allocation server dynamically assigns alarm panels to monitoring servers over a data network, providing each panel with the data network address of its assigned server, allowing for flexible and fair distribution of monitoring responsibility across multiple servers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual intervention is used to assign alarm panels to monitoring servers, then load distribution can be controlled, but the process becomes cumbersome and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The alarm panel automatically contacts the allocation server to obtain its assigned monitoring server address without requiring manual configuration. The panel self-configures by storing the received address in its non-volatile memory, eliminating manual intervention and reducing errors while maintaining reliable load distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The allocation server acts as an intermediary between alarm panels and monitoring servers. It receives requests from panels, determines appropriate server assignments based on load balancing criteria, and provides the correct addressing information, thereby automating what would otherwise require manual configuration while ensuring reliable load distribution.
2Productivity
If multiple monitoring servers are used to handle call overflow, then load balancing is achieved, but manual assignment of panels to servers increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
Each alarm panel automatically obtains its assigned monitoring server address by contacting the allocation server during initialization. This self-service approach allows multiple servers to handle call overflow and achieve load balancing without requiring manual configuration of panel-to-server assignments, thereby increasing productivity while reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The allocation server serves as a mediator that manages the complexity of assigning panels to multiple monitoring servers. It automatically determines appropriate server assignments based on current system state, allowing the system to scale to multiple servers for improved call handling capacity without proportionally increasing configuration complexity.
3Reliability
If alarm panels are pre-programmed with multiple server addresses, then failover capability is provided, but the configuration becomes error-prone and difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The alarm panel automatically receives and stores its assigned monitoring server address from the allocation server during initialization, eliminating manual pre-programming. This self-service configuration method reduces errors and makes the system easier to manufacture and deploy while maintaining reliability through automatic failover capabilities managed by the allocation server.
Data Source
AI summary
Alarm panels are assigned to monitoring servers at a monitoring station by an allocation server. Each panel obtains the data network address of its assigned monitoring server by contacting the allocation server, upon installation/configuration. The provided data network address is stored at the panel for later use. This allows the allocation server to fairly and flexibly distribute monitoring responsibility for the many panels across multiple monitoring servers.