/DeviceNanny

Mobile device checkout system

Primary LanguagePythonMIT LicenseMIT

DeviceNanny is a device lab checkout system. It was designed with one goal in mind: be as reliable as possible. In fact, it's so reliable that you can't not use it. Devices are connected to the system via USB, and USB actions trigger the check-in, checkout, or device addition processes. Say hello to a fully charged device lab with an accurate inventory of available devices.

Features:

  • Super simple checkout and check-in process triggered by USB connections/disconnections
  • Every device is fully charged and ready
  • Renew your expired checkouts through your browser
  • Slackbot notifications when you check out/in a device
  • Slackbot reminders to check in a device
  • Monitor available devices, reliably, through your browser
  • Channel alerts when a device is taken without being checked out
  • Monitor device checkout activity in a Slack channel
  • Easily add devices to the database by plugging them in
  • RFID for devices not plugged in via USB
  • Smart script to fix situations where devices could be taken/returned without being checked in/out

Hardware Requirements:

  • Raspberry Pi (version 3 recommended)
  • Raspberry Pi power supply
  • Cool Raspberry Pi case
  • USB hubs for power and data (must be able to power all connected devices)
  • USB cords for all devices
  • RFID reader (optional for devices that won't connect via USB)
  • RFID tags (optional for devices that won't connect via USB)

Required packages if not using Debian Jessie:

  • lightdm as default display manager
  • zenity

Configuring the Raspberry Pi from First Install

  1. Download and install the latest image of Raspbian Jessie from https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/

  2. Update settings in Raspberry Pi Configuration:

    • Open Raspberry Pi Configuration in the Menu or sudo raspi-config
    • Expand Filesystem
    • Disable Underscan if necessary
    • Set Localization options (especially timezone)
    • Reboot

  3. Download and install system updates:

    • sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade -y
    • sudo reboot

  4. Disable screen from sleeping:

    • sudo nano /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf
    • Change #xserver-command=X under the [SeatDefaults] header to this xserver-command=X -s 0 -dpms (make sure you uncomment the line)

  5. ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT Disable auto-mounting USB devices:

    • sudo nano ~/.config/pcmanfm/LXDE-pi/pcmanfm.conf
    • Under [volume] change all options to 0

    [volume] mount_on_startup=0 mount_removable=0 autorun=0

    • Reboot sudo reboot

NOTE: You might need to disable ModemManager as well, if you're using a different Linux distro.

  1. Install MySQL server:

    • sudo apt-get install mysql-server -y
    • Create password for root user when prompted

  2. Install PyMySQL:

    • sudo pip3 install PyMySQL

  3. Install Apache2:

    • sudo apt-get install apache2 php5 libapache2-mod-php5 -y

  4. Install PHPMyAdmin:

    • sudo apt-get install phpmyadmin -y
    • Select Apache2 as the server to use
    • Select Yes to configure database to PHPMyAdmin
    • Enter the root password entered for MySQL
    • Enter a password for PHPMyAdmin

  5. Edit Apache to include PHPMyAdmin:

    • sudo nano /etc/apache2/apache2.conf
    • At the bottom of the file, add Include /etc/phpmyadmin/apache.conf then save and exit
    • Restart apache2 sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 restart

  6. Test PHPMyAdmin:

Create Database and Web User

  1. Log in to http://localhost/phpmyadmin

  2. Create a new database called DeviceNanny

  3. Create a new user for web front end with read only privileges

    • Go to the Privileges tab
    • Click Add User
    • Create a new user with at least Select and Update privileges under Data

Download and Configure DeviceNanny

  1. Clone the repo to your home directory (/home/pi/)

    • Go to the home directory: cd
    • Clone the repo: git clone https://github.com/hudl/DeviceNanny

  2. Install requirements:

    • sudo pip3 install -r ~/DeviceNanny/requirements.txt

  3. Copy file config/DeviceNanny.ini.template:

    • Paste and rename without .template extension
    • Add your database password
    • Add your Slack api key
    • Add your Slack device room ID

  4. Copy file web/secretInfo.php.template:

    • Paste and rename without .template extension
    • Add the username and password for the web user

  5. Copy file start_checkout.sh.template:

    • Paste and rename without .template extension
    • Change the path to your DeviceNanny/usb_checkout.py location

  6. Import tables into database:

    • Login to http://localhost/phpmyadmin
    • Click into the DeviceNanny database
    • Go to the Import tab and choose to import DeviceNannyDB.sql in the /resources directory

Add UDEV Rule and Cron Job

  1. Copy file /resources/device_nanny.rules.template

    • Paste file without .template extension
    • Change the RUN= path to your DeviceNanny/start_checkout.sh location
    • Copy /resources/device_nanny.rules to /etc/udev/rules.d/
    • sudo cp ~/DeviceNanny/resources/device_nanny.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/

  2. Add Cron job (needs sudo):

    • sudo crontab -e
    • If promted, choose your favorite text editor
    • Add */1 * * * * cd /YOUR/PATH/TO/DeviceNanny/ && ./nanny.py to the end of the file
    • Save and exit

Enable Front-End

  1. Apache2 changes:
    • Open file sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf
    • Change DocumentRoot to /YOUR/PATH/TO/DeviceNanny/web/pages
    • On the line under DocumentRoot add DirectoryIndex devicenanny.php
    • Save and exit
    • Open file sudo nano /etc/apache2/apache2.conf
    • Scroll down to the <Directory> section and add this below the last </Directory> MAKE SURE TO CHANGE THE PATH
<Directory /PATH/TO/YOUR/DeviceNanny/web/pages/>
    Options FollowSymLinks
    AllowOverride None
    Require all granted
</Directory>
  1. Restart apache2 sudo systemctl apache2 restart

Add Users

  1. Login at http://localhost/phpmyadmin

  2. Manually input users to the Users table

Reboot and Configuration is COMPLETE