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This is a project suggested by Marco Zennaro of ICTP Trieste to build a PingER monitoring host based on an inexpensive embedded Linux platform. If successful one could consider using these in production reducing the costs, power drain (they draw about 5W of 120V DC power compared to typically over 100W for a deskside computer or 20W for a laptop) and space (6x6") assisting monitoring sites to be able to procure and support such monitoring hosts. This could be very valuable for sites in developing countries where cost, power utilization and to a lesser extent space may be crucial. The ICTP Science Dissemination Unit (SDU) decided to donate two such embedded hosts to Zambia and worked with Les Cottrell of SLAC to set up the machines with PingER.
Embedded Linux Processor
The initial two machines were alix2d2 models purchased from PCEngines located in Switzerland. The cost is about $110/machine. The machines purchased each have 256MB RAM, on a 500MHZ AMD Geode CPU, with 128KB L2 cache, and a 4GB Flash memory. They have 2 USB and 2 Ethernet interfaces. There is a picture here of one of the machines, and there is more information at the PCEngines site.
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