Question/Suggestion - users is online?

[BenHayat]

Suppose you need to shut down Aware server. Is there any info that control panel can provide us, how many users are logged in or using the system?

If not, wouldn't you agree, it would be useful to have that on control panel, before shutting down?

Taking this, one step further, Suppose Aware does offer a utility like this to us, then how do we tell those users to exit out within x # of minutes before server shuts down?

Is this something we need to build ourselves in the app or something outside within control panel?

Thanks!

[BenHayat]

Just an extra note. This shut down is not a pre set "maintenance" shutdown, but more like an emergency or an important update to server.

[tpis001]

Hi Ben...

We had exactly this today - we'd had a problem with our startup.html file which was causing the log in process to be very slow.

There is nothing (as far as I can see) that is available on the control panel.

We actually have a whole bunch of business spaces live, so this is a very real problem.

I suppose it is possible to have something in the front end which shows the logged in users and to build in the ability to send a notification to these users, alternatively our log (control panel - settings - logging - log to viewer) provides a rough idea about which users are logged in due to background processes running but all these still means addressing each business space individually.

I'd be keen to see something like this - but I am not sure how the control panel could broadcast a message to users?

Martyn

[BenHayat]

Hi Ben...

We had exactly this today - we'd had a problem with our startup.html file which was causing the log in process to be very slow.

There is nothing (as far as I can see) that is available on the control panel.

We actually have a whole bunch of business spaces live, so this is a very real problem.

I suppose it is possible to have something in the front end which shows the logged in users and to build in the ability to send a notification to these users, alternatively our log (control panel - settings - logging - log to viewer) provides a rough idea about which users are logged in due to background processes running but all these still means addressing each business space individually.

I'd be keen to see something like this - but I am not sure how the control panel could broadcast a message to users?

Martyn

Your suggestions are my exact thoughts.
Previously, I had built my own App server, and part of that, the app server always had a live list of logged in users with names and how long they have been logged in and how long since their last interaction with server. The System admin could see that and I wrote a notification routine that the system admin could ask admin for the # of minutes users have to exit and the system would notify all online users and those who have not been active for a while, the system would log them out automatically and then the system was ready for graceful shutdown.

We need a system like this so we can bring it down gracefully. I hope Support would take note of this request and also the other request on memory usage in case Aware is running low on memory.

Hope this helps.

[BenHayat]

Anytime I build any large system (like a SaaS app), I try to have as much System Admin tools as possible as part of my development. These System tools can be extremely beneficial at some crazy moments when it's too late to write them at that moment. It's like having or not having spare tire in the middle of nowhere when you have flat.

So, I bring up these points, like having Help articles, memory watch, users online and others that I have not brought up, to see which ones "we" as Aware developers should build and which ones should be part of Aware Infrastructure.

[RocketRod]

In all my apps I put in:

1. Who is online
2. Message facility to tell them to log off.
3. Application locking so logins not accepted. Good for maintenance periods.
4. Tracking of all logging on and off.

All easily done with just a few small processes and the NMB_OF_Sessions function.

[BenHayat]

In all my apps I put in:

1. Who is online
2. Message facility to tell them to log off.
3. Application locking so logins not accepted. Good for maintenance periods.
4. Tracking of all logging on and off.

All easily done with just a few small processes and the NMB_OF_Sessions function.

Nice!

[Gabbitas]

Hi Rod,

Can I ask how you have implemented a way of locking an application to prevent users logging in?

Thanks

[RocketRod]

Just have an attribute on system settings which is a lock flag Yes / No. Then run an initialization process for the VP which checks flag. If you are the administrator it bypasses check but if a normal user then displays a VP with informs the user of what is happening via a message on the screen and provides only one option which is to Logout. You single out an administrator from a user anyway you like.

Cheers Rod

[RLJB]

Hey RocketRod

Re:

2. Message facility to tell them to log off.

Mind sharing how you do this? We have toyed around with a few different ways of getting an async message to pop up to all online users, but have never found a clean and good way of doing it.

Any tips welcome!

[RocketRod]

Nothing special. Just doing what you have tried but it works ok for me. Basically just find out who is online and send them a pop up message.

What fails for you?

[ACDC]

Using the instant message feature as implemented in the CRM sample and NMB_OF_Sessions function, seems to provide the complete solution

However when the server is down and users are trying to login, then all of the above is unavailable. What kind of best practice should be used here ?

I thought of having a separate awareim server with a small app thats dedicated to routing users to their respective BSV and then handle server down messages or alternate server url. Any ideas for a simpler solution ?

I like the concept of a dedicated awareim "router server", because it would let me integrate it into all my BSV's resulting in an automated messaging system embedded into the shutdown procedure. Also auto load balancing comes to mind here

[RocketRod]

It's not ideal but...

AwareIM crash.

1. I use Status Cake to email me when AwareIM is down. Free service.
2. If I can't fix it quickly then I just replace the login html pages with prebuilt ones for this purpose whilst I fix the issue. I always have a separate login page for each app/customer. It just outputs a message to the screen that AwareIM is not available and is being investigated.

Problem is that they have to keep trying to login as I don't message them in anyway when it's back up again. I'm looking at using an AwareIM process to email a Company contact when it starts or even just emailing them via email system.

AwareIM maintenance.

1. As outlined get current users off the system and stop new users logging into the system.
2. Replace the login html pages with prebuilt ones for this purpose whilst I perform maintenance. It just outputs a message to the screen that AwareIM is down for maintenance.

Again they are not emailed when back up but I usually give a time period that the maintenance is down for so they usually try once that time is passed.

Nothing flash.

Cheers Rod

[hpl123]

Good stuff covered here. I haven´t configured StatusCake yet for the uptime monitoring, RocketRod, mind answering a couple of questions?

- How did you set it up? Just a link to a guest perspective? (and also related, what do you have in your guest perspective i.e. does the link start a process or something like that)

- Have you noticed ANY performance change after implementing the uptime solution (the uptime service calls the link/guest perspective or process every x minutes and can maybe affect?)

PS: I recently found another uptime monitoring service which also has SMS notifications in it´s free plan: www.pingdom.com

Thanks

[RLJB]

Can anyone provide an update on using StatusCake? Is it good? Recommended? Best manner of setting it up? Thanks.