Remote panels access

[parenp]

I am trying to create a type of scheduling system for a set of online remote experimentation activities that our group is developing. We have already created a first example that allows students to control a tensile test machine over the Internet using remote panels. The lab is currently setup so that students gain background information about the objective, theory, apparatus, procedure, analysis, and conclusion on a standard HTML page. The lab contains a set of data logging and control tools, as well as a webcam display built into the front panel.

This setup works fine, with one exception--we currently have no control over who can connect to the experiment and when. Since we will be working with a limited number of licenses, it would be nice if a teacher could visit our webpage and reserve a time when they could run the lab without having to worry about some of the students in his or her class getting locked out. For instance, if two classes happens to want to use the machine at the same time, then some people in each class run the risk of not being able to view or control the experiment.

There are a few ways that I can think of that will help limit access to the experiment based on schedule. First, the IP address access control list can be used to only allow certain computer to connect to the experiment. This method does not present the best solution to us, however, since the teachers will probably not be privy to their own IP address information and autodetection must be ruled out because teachers might not be using the scheduler from a computer within the same IP address range as the computers in their lab.

Second, a login system could be used. Doing the login from the lab VI itself is not a great solution either because someone can still use up licenses by simply opening the remote panel and not even taking control. Doing the login external to the VI also presents a problem like the one I've described here: http://exchange.ni.com/servlet/ProcessRequest?RHIVEID=101&RPAGEID=135&HOID=50650000000800000043490000&UCATEGORY_0=_49_%24_6_&UCATEGORY_S=0

I am open to suggestions of any kind. Please feel free to post anything you think will be helpful. I'm sure this is a problem that other people have encountered or are bound to encounter as they try to build systems around the new remote panels feature.

Thanks,
Pete

[Randy_H]

Pete,

I am trying to create an example program that does this. However, it is taking a while to get a good example written. I will post again when it is finished.

Randy Hoskin
Applications Engineer
National Instruments
http://www.ni.com/ask

[parenp]

Actually, we figured out a pretty good way of creating a login system by using the LabVIEW CGI server and remote panels server together. Basically, all of the scheduling and login information is handled by the CGI server which then updates the IP access list of the remote panels server when a login is permitted. The IP address of the client can be retrieved from the environment variable of the CGI session, so setting the permissions is easy. Really, only three main VIs are needed to accomplish all of this functionality:

1) A scheduler CGI VI that can take time and data as well as login information from a form and write it to disk
2) A login CGI VI that can check a user's name and password against the login information for the current time slot and change t
he IP access permission of the remote panel server
3) A manager VI that allows an admin to change the schedule and automatically removes IP addresses from the access list when their time slots expire

Right now, I'm not in charge of this project with our group so I'm not sure when it'll get done. I'll post our solution if and when it becomes available.

Pete

[Simon C. DuBerger]

Hello,

I am currently looking for a solution to the exact same problem you had one year ago. I suppose you have been able to work on your solution meanwhile. Could you give me some insight on how it works?

Thanks,

Simon

[Simon C. DuBerger]

Randy,

Is this example finished? I am looking for a solution to this problem. I think you example would be very helpful! Just to let you know, I am using LabVIEW 7.0 and the last version of Internet Development Toolkit. I don't know if these versions have some special way of dealing with this particular problem.

Thanks,

Simon