This section describes how to install the M5 Monitor Service on a Linux-based PC. Please note this type of installation will require the M5 Control Panel running on a Windows-based PC to configure and operate the M5 Monitor Service after it is installed on a Linux platform. Once configured and data collection is operating, the M5 Monitor Service on the Linux platform can run unattended at the interrogation site for a long period of time.

 

System Requirements

The M5 Monitor Service installer (m5monitorpkg.deb) is available for download from the PTAGIS website. The downloaded file is a Debian package targeting ARM 64 devices, such as the Raspberry Pi 4 device (4GB RAM and 128GB Micro SD card) used by PTAGIS to evaluate this software. Please contact us about the potential support for running this software on other types of Linux devices.

 

The installation process assumes you have access to an account on the target system with sudo command privileges and remote access via SSH and an Ethernet connection. These instructions require a terminal (or command-line) connected to the target system. If you are new to Linux and Raspberry Pi, we suggest you review the help documentation on the Raspberry Pi website. Please review the Security Considerations for a Raspberry Pi section before any field deployment.

 

 

Installing

Follow these steps:

1.Copy the m5monitorpkg.deb file to a temporary folder on the target Linux system.

a.See Using Secure Copy - Raspberry Pi Documentation.

b.Alternatively, use WinSCP or other utility software to transfer file from another Windows PC.

2.From the temporary folder, install the software by executing the sudo apt install ./m5monitorpkg.deb command.

a.Optionally, use the equivalent dpkg command instead of apt.

3.Execute the following commands:

a.sudo systemctl enable m5monitor to allow service to automatically start on reboot.

b.sudo systemctl start m5monitor to start the service.

c.sudo systemctl status m5monitor to verify status of M5 Monitor Service is running.

d.Optionally, execute sudo journalctl -u m5monitor.service to display latest log info.

 

After following these installation steps the M5 Monitor Service will be running as a systemd Daemon service on the target machine. However, the service still needs to be configured to collect data and this is discussed in subsequent topics. The installation process will create folders under /usr/share/PTAGIS/M5 to support data collection and configuration. See previous topic for further explanation of these folders.

 

Upgrading

1.Download and copy the new m5monitorpkg.deb file to a temporary folder on the target Linux system.

2.From the temporary folder, install the software by executing the sudo apt install ./m5monitorpkg.deb command.

a.Optionally, use the equivalent dpkg command instead of apt..

3.Execute sudo systemctl daemon-reload to refresh the systemd service.

4.Execute sudo systemctl status m5monitor to verify status of M5 Monitor Service is enabled and running.

a.If not running, execute sudo systemctl start m5monitor to start the service.

b.If not enabled, execute sudo systemctl enable m5monitor to allow service to automatically start on reboot.

5.Optionally, execute sudo journalctl -u m5monitor.service to display latest log info.

 

Uninstalling

To uninstall the M5 Monitor Service, execute one of these two commands depending upon if you want to keep folders containing data and configuration files

1.sudo apt remove m5monitor to retain configuration and data files.

2.sudo apt purge m5monitor to remove configuration and data files.