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TrackServe
South African based
What is TrackServe? TrackServe is a South African based service allowing the relaying of low volume GSM or stationary based internet data to and from remote devices. You can now connect dynamic IP addresses without the loss of data and without the complexity of managing fixed IP nodes.
Examples of such devices are vehicle tracking and remote control systems. The service supports both commercial Zerksus produced equipment as well as custom user protocols.
Is the system currently working? This web page is actually served on the first active TrackServe machine and the tests have been running since 2009/04/08.
Why would one use such a system? TrackServe provides you with a fixed IP server that is permanently on, has 24/7 support and allows you connect remote and/or mobile equipment to your client software.
How reliable is the system? Firstly the server(s) are stored in air-conditioned rooms, backed up by generators, surrounded by technicians, protected behind locked doors and gates and patrolled by security guards. Then the data links are fast, very fast...and if something goes wrong there is a redundant network. In the last 8 months downtime was only late at night and then for less than one hour, mostly for maintenance. The software itself performs self diagnosis. Then there is the SMS modem bank (offsite) which is in constant contact with the server which will alert us if communications goes down. Then there are the test units that constantly feed data in and out. On-site data is back-ed up to a server to allow quick recovery after a hardware recovery. A server can only handle so much data and at a certain level of loading the next set of queues are loaded to the next machine. In the event of a catastrophic failure the configuration of the faulty machine is loaded to another. Although this will cause loading and added latencies this will give the techies the necessary time to recover/repair the faulty machine. Worse case scenario is that you will lose whatever is in the current queue. In reality you will experience more downtime from the fixed and cellular companies. There are other features in the system that even further improves reliability.
Why can't I just use my own PC at my home or office? Well you can, but (1) you will need a fixed IP internet connection, (2) any loss of connection means loss of data and (3) your machine requires your regular attention.
This sounds complicated. Is the system difficult to use? Not really. For Zerksus commercial products, like the DIY tracking system, you just need to register for an account as the hardware is already designed to point at the server. For the more adventurous GSM/Internet designer the TrackServe service provides a very easy method to cheaply and reliably relay data from any dynamic IP to a dynamic IP client without having to setup a fixed IP server.
Why dynamic IP addresses? Fixed IP addresses cost a lot of money and/or restricts your mobility. Dynamic IP addresses, as found on common modems and especially cheap pre-paid SIM cards, are cost effective but requires a known fixed IP to connect to. TrackServe provides that link between ever changing IP addresses and lets you connect them with your own number system.
Is it expensive? No, it is cost effective. The cost of the link per month is under your control. For GSM units you can opt to either get contract SIM cards or cheap pre-paid cards. The system even provides functionality to recharge the pre-paid SIM over the internet. You decide how much you want to spend based on data transmission tempo and queue length.
Queues, what queues? When you connect your own devices together you risk losing data when your server link is down. Our server sits on the internet backbone on a 1Gigabit/s link. See it as a pipe where your remote device plugs data into. It sits there until it overflows (cost implication) or times out, but in most cases it is safe for several hours or days. If your client internet connection is down the server will keep on logging your data in the queue, until such time as you can log in and download it.
I am a manager but I don't want to sit wait and sift through hours of buffered data. Any solutions for this problem? Yes, as data arrives at the server the stream can be split into more than one queue. The 'long' queue can be made available to your control room while the manager can view a truncated e.g. 3 minute or last 50 transaction version. You can even have full queues for multiple control rooms that are maybe based in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.
I am a developer. Do I need to write and compile code to use your system? No, you don't need to write complex code or compile anything. The entire queue is based on configuration files. This defines the way the protocol looks like on the receiving and transmitting ends, which pieces of information is seen as alarm triggers, web page colours, headings, captions, transmit tempos, SMS priorities/destinations/sources etc... In fact to reduce level of effort we are planning to develop a software wizard to help design and upload the configuration files. Remember that for current commercial products you won't need to worry about any development.
As a developer I don't want to sign any agreement to develop my system ... maybe I won't like it! So what now? No problem. For development you get the development documents, a test account (login/password), test IP port, 3x queues and 5 MB of bandwidth (receive/transmit and web). Keep in mind that the device data requirements are fairly low and that, with 5MB, a packet of sub 100 bytes will allow you to send and receive around 20 000 packets. The test account will also have a time limit of 30 days. If your development results in a contract then the next development account will be larger.
I want to develop my own GSM and GPS hardware but I am basically clueless/don't have the expertise/don't have the time/don't want to reinvent the wheel etc...How can I design my own hardware? Now this is 100% do-able. The first step is to do it with normal PCs connected to internet. Don't develop hardware if your concept is not going to work. The next step is to purchase all the building blocks from www.re-package.com (a division of Zerksus). Here you can buy modules including GPS, GSM, antennas, CPU, GSM rated PSUs, programmers, download development tools and example code. Your device will be functional, although it will be large. Once you know that it works, TrackServe is fully integrated then you can approach us again to have it miniaturized and industrialized.
Will this system only work in South Africa? No, in theory it will work anywhere. As the server, currently based in Johannesburg, is visible all over the world you can track a vehicle in New York, or be in Paris and track a vehicle in Sydney. But if required, and the number of devices justifies it, we can host servers in other countries like the UK or Germany.
Do I need to be an end user or can I re-sell as a business? Both. Zerksus is not in the tracking, alarm or telemetry business. Think of us as an ISP supplying something like email services. As e.g. an email ISP one would not get involved if John wrote a nasty email to Sue. We provide the service and hardware but the responsibility for tracking and recovery remains with the client or reseller. You have the option to buy a product off the shelf, be the developer or reselling the product or service. As a reseller you will receive a commission on all hardware and service fees. Keep in mind that selling a system to a client makes you the responsible party. So, in reality you would either buy and manage the system or be a reseller and be responsible for the system.
Anything else planned? We are busy developing our own mapping software. This will be directly compatible with our client software (used by the Zerksus tracking system). The mapping software uses rental mapping data that is charged, at sub R10 per month, per GPS device. There is no way that you can buy a commercial mapping package at that low price, especially looking over a 2 year GSM rental period.
So if I wanted to operate my own private tracking system then what do I need? You need the tracking device(s), at least one copy of the client software and mapping software and an account on TrackServe which covers all the required devices/queues and an internet connection. If you are prepared to be web-based-only then you can use free mapping web sites saving even more money. It depends on your needs and application.
I don't want to pay for 24/7 security guard monitoring or carry a laptop where ever I go. How do I know an alarm has been triggered? We will provide a premium SMS service that will send a message to your designated cellphone(s) when an alarm bit in the protocol is set. The SMS will contain the device group ID (if you have more than one group or fleet), the unit ID, error/warning/alarm code as well as last known GPS location (if available).
If I am not near my client PC/laptop how can I check the status of my system? The server provides a web interface which lists the last received data of your entire fleet in a table. For standard Zerksus products the table will have fixed fields, but for custom protocols you can upload configuration files to describe the behavior of each data field in the protocol. If GPS data is available then it will be visible in latitude and longitude form as well as a button to redirect the web page to a free mapping website.
Is TrackServe only useful for applications like vehicle tracking? There are limitations. TrackServe is meant for low data volumes (only several bytes per transmission) as well as buffering and other functionality. This means that you can use it to monitor or control just about anything mobile or stationary that does not require large volumes of data. In the current format TrackServe is not suitable for large volumes of data such as audio or video, but it can be used to translate IP addresses to function like a SIP server. There are also numerous other applications that you can think of that will fit into the way the server currently works. Remember the queues can flow in both directions and the queues can be connected together. Your internet product will only be limited by your imagination.
Business opportunities for security and recovery companies. TrackServe can relay just about any internet data but it was primarily designed for vehicle and asset tracking. As stated above Zerksus is no way responsible for recovery of assets or responsible for loss in whatever way. It is the reseller's and/or owner's responsibility to install and configure the system. If the tracking unit becomes faulty then the system will show it hopefully well in advance of theft. Also, due to the fact that Zerksus does not install the hardware we cannot be held responsible if the thief rips the unit out in the first 5 seconds after breaking into the car. But enough said about responsibility. There is the opportunity for those with law enforcement skills to make a buck or two. If an alarm goes off or the vehicle is reported as stolen then a recovery team, armed with the necessary laptop, software and GSM/GPS hardware can be used to track and recover it. Looking at the financial figures it suddenly makes a lot of sense, business-wise, but I am not going to say anything more on this page.
How do I pay for the service? First the hardware. Hardware must be paid for in full, cash, complete and not a cent outstanding. The one option is to cover the cost with a cell phone contract. In that case the responsibility is between the client and the cell company. It is also possible to add the costs of TrackServe, the software, the queue rental and data usage on the contract and pay a higher monthly cell bill. When you only require TrackServe (hardware paid off/not required) then we will work on a month by month basis paid upfront before the 1st of the month, with a 3 month pre-payment plus admin fee. We would prefer a debit order (2.5% discount) and we will give 5% if pre-paid until for 12 months. The hardware we are picky about because our profit margin is small and if you don't pay then we lose much more than the profit. TrackServe is a different story. After you have paid the admin and 3 month pre-payment we are break-even. If you decide to stop payment then we just click on the disable button. The spare capacity is then made available to the next client. Any additional charges (additional data usage, SMSs sent or other charges) will be added to the invoice at the end of the month. Each account has a status page where data and SMS usage is listed.
If you have any queries please don't hesitate to email us at info@zerksus.com .
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