Network Operations Center

The Network Operations Center is the heart and brain of the M2M system, and provides many important functions:

  • Maintains complete on-line information for every site, and organizes the sites and equipment into logical groups
  • Maintains a secure connection to the field units through multiple wireless carriers
  • Provides secure, web-based access to site operators, as well as to individual equipment owners.
  • Receives, processes, stores, displays, and acts upon incoming data reports
  • Sends control and configuration commands to the field units
  • Sends equipment status change and dispatch notifications to all users
  • Maintains a complete history log of all events

On-line Site Information Database

The secure, web-based NOC stores all site information and provides appropriate levels of access to the operations team and end user, including:

  • Customer name and contact information
  • GPS-based equipment locations and interface to Google Earth maps
  • All account and ID numbers
  • Equipment/site descriptions including inspection records and digital photos

A variety of reports are available to facilitate system maintenance:

  • Equipment inventory
  • Measurement and verification data (M & V)
  • Non-responsive units
  • Equipment status change history log files
  • Voice and email notification log files
  • Communication Quality of Service data
  • Customer usage history logs

Multi-Level Accounts & Grouping

The field units can be organized into logical groups based on location equipment type, control schemes, etc. Commands can be sent to any individual field unit or to any predefined group of units. The first level M2M customer has access to all units and customer records under an Admin level username and password. All group reports can be run from this login.

Individual end-user customers have their own user names and password to securely access their customer information and units.

A secure connection to the field units

The M2M NOC connects to a wide variety of cellular carriers plus the Iridium satellite network via secure private gateways.

NOC Diagram

The M2M NOC is hosted in a secure facility in Boise, Idaho. The facility includes a backup generator with a long-term fuel supply as well as a chemical fire suppression system. It is staffed 24 x 7 by technical personnel.

Mobile Access

In addition to the primary Internet site, there are two other methods of access.

(1) Accessing the M2M Mobile web site on an intelligent cell phone (i.e., smart phone) display provides the same information and control capabilities, in a convenient mobile format.

Mobile Graphic

(2) Dialing the automated M2M NOC toll-free number provides a spoken status report of all monitored equipment and facilities from any telephone. The text-to-speech based status message may be as complex as a listing of all monitored inputs and outputs or it may be as simple as "the pump is off.” Remote control commands can also be entered directly from the telephone.