Monitoring the Simonsvoss CommNode Server Service 

IT SERVER TEAM ONLY:

Simonsvoss is a digital access locking software management system used across the University in managing access to the rooms that have been fitted with Simonsvoss locking technology.

The article is for IT Services Staff: mainly aimed at the Server Team, and awareness across IT Services for Application Support and IT Service Desk.

This article advises that the Simonsvoss CommNode Server Service is now being monitored to ensure that it is operational on the VM server: DSLOCKKEY1

Issue with CommNode Service

From time to time, the Simonsvoss CommNode service stops working (Server DSLOCKKEY1) which then prevents the various Client Users, Faculty Building Managers and Estates E-Locking Team to program their networked remote door locks. There is an underlying bug and the root cause has never been fully identified, yet and sometimes false positives can occur. When the Simonsvoss CommNode service stops it needs to be restarted. This is 5 min fix as long as one understands the urgency of this software system and how its affects the Simonsvoss Users. 

This does not effect any other functionality of Simonsvoss or the ability of any staff to use the fobs to enter/exit any door.

When the Simonsvoss CommNode service stops only the following Simonsvoss functions are effected and Building Managers are unable to:

• program/amend the settings for their networked door locks,
• create/amend any future door operations for opening/closing time-periods for the networked locks.
• perform Audit Trails on the networked locks

Things to Check

• Is this been reported as a local network issue or is all users of Simonsvoss effected?
• If everyone is affected, check the CommNode service on server and restart it.
• If only the local user is effect it will most likely be the network router attached to the network lock at that door location. In this case, please contact the Estates eLocking Team (Email: essimonsvoss@leeds.ac.uk ). They will contact TIS Ltd to check local routers feeding the locks and reboot them.

Monitoring CommNode Service

A PowerShell script is now in place which:

• monitors the CommNode service
• If the service is down, to send an email alert to nominated IT staff and Estates engineers (eg: IT Server team, Mansoor Butt, and Estates Locksmiths)
• attempts to restart the service
• Windows Task scheduler is setup to run the PowerShell script every 30 mins!

Whenever an incident of this nature is logged with the IT Service Desk, the ticket is linked or references the KB article: KB0012841.

Service Name: SVCommNodeSvr
Display Name: Simonsvoss CommNode Server 
Startup Type: Automatic