NanoMon: An Adaptable Sensor Network Monitoring Software
Misun Yu, Haeyong Kim, and Pyeongsoo Mah
Embedded S/W Research Division
Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI)
Gajeong-dong 161, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-700, South Korea
{msyu, haekim, pmah}@etri.re.kr
Abstract
In this paper, we present a sensor network monitor-
ing software, named NanoMon, which has a flexible ar-
chitecture and supports for various user requirements of
sensor network applications in an adaptive manner. With
NanoMon, users can specify custom GUI plug-ins and in-
ternal module parameters by using a simply describable
configuration file; and it can be automatically integrated
to NanoMon framework to support user-specific sensor
network applications. NanoMon employs a widely used
database, MySQL, to concurrently and correctly manage
sensing data and node information of several types of sen-
sor network applications.
To show flexibility and adaptability of NanoMon, we im-
plemented two WSN applications- home monitoring and
parking lot monitoring systems. By selecting a WSN appli-
cation name specified in the configuration file, users can
easily and dynamically change GUI and internal module
parameters such as sensor types and database locations of
NanoMon used to display the status of WSN.
1. Introduction
Wireless sensor network (WSN) is a computer network
consisting of spatially distributed sensor devices, which col-
lect quite detailed information about the physical environ-
ment. WSNs have made many novel applications possible to
emerge in the fields of environmental monitoring, home au-
tomation, object tracking, security and prevention of disas-
ters. In these application systems, several tens or hundreds
of sensing devices generate a volume of data. To deal with
sensor network data generated various operating environ-
ment, users inevitably require monitoring software with de-
cent abilities: abilities to flexibly change and scale its func-
tions and appearances suitable to the purpose of various sen-
sor networks as well as to monitor and analyze the collected
information from sensor networks.
In this paper, we present architecture of sensor network
monitoring software named NanoMon. NanoMon enables
users to interpret sensor network status visually by pro-
viding decent visualization components for sensor network
monitoring: topology, sensor data, sensor list, node status,
received packet log and so on. In addition to its visualization
components provisioning capability, NanoMon can manage
multiple sets of sensor network information and store sensor
data related with them. NanoMon also provides plug-in ca-
pability for adding and removing custom GUI components
at need.
2. Capability Comparison of NanoMon and
Other Monitoring Tools
Currently, only few kinds of sensor network monitoring
tools are available, which provide sensor network data dis-
play capability, topology visualization and sensor network
information manageability to users. Mote-View [1] moni-
toring tool is capable of logging wireless sensor data to a
database, analyzing sensor readings and plotting them. It is
composed of several modules which scale flexibly enough
to support disparate needs from various users by using the
plug-in capability. Surge-View [2] provides similar func-
tions with Mote-View except the plug-in capability. In Spy-
Glass framework [3], visualization plug-ins can register dif-
ferent data types and display information using a flexible
multi-layer mechanism that renders information on a can-
vas. This software targets on debugging of applications and
making the setup process easier. TinyViz is a Java-based
GUI and a part of the TOSSIM package of TinyOS [4] [5].
It visualizes sensor readings, LED states and the status of
radio links. Additionally, it allows a direct interaction with
running TOSSIM simulations. The adaptive architecture of
TinyViz allows users to add application specific visualiza-
tion functions. These functions include specialized draw-
ing operations, subscription/reaction to events and opera-
tions for providing feedback to the TOSSIM simulator.
Table 1 shows the comparison among NanoMon
XXX
XXX T ools NanoMon MOTE-VIEW SpyGlass Notes
F eatures XXXX
Multiple WSN moni- O X X
toring
Plug-in capability for O O O
custom GUI
Sensor node control X O X Future work
based on GUI
Database MySQL TinyDB None
Application platform Platform independent Windows XP & Platform independent
(implemented in Java) 2000 (implemented in Java)
WSN platform .Nano-24(NanoQplus) Mica-series [6] Mica-series (TinyOS) We will test NanoMon
.ETRI-SSN(NanoQplus) (TinyOS) with various WSN
.MicaZ(NanoQplus) platforms in near fu-
ture.
O: supportable, X: unsupportable

Table 1. Capability comparison among monitoring tools

and some of above tools which is similar to NanoMon.

NanoMon can manage and visualize multiple sensor net-
work information such as history of received sensing data
and network topology using MySQL databases. All tools
listed in the Table 1 provide plug-in capability for GUI ex-
tension, but only our tool provides easy GUI extension
method such as a configuration file. NanoMon and Spy-
Glass are implemented in Java language to offer plat-
form independence. Additionally, NanoMon provides
well-defined packet format to connect with sink nodes or Figure 1. Sensor network monitoring frame-
other monitoring devices. work of NanoMon

3. Sensor Network Monitoring Framework

Sensor network monitoring framework of NanoMon
is composed of following four functional parts. Fig-
ure 1 shows how these parts are interconnected with each
other.
• Wireless sensor networks
• Monitoring server
• Databases
• Monitoring clients
A wireless sensor network includes micro-sensor nodes
loading sensor OS (e.g. NanoQplus [7] [8]), sensor appli-
cations and routing facilities, and a sink node. Environ-
ment information generated by sensor nodes is forwarded
to a designated sink node. Each sink node sends collected
data and topology information to a monitoring server (e.g.
NanoMon).
After the monitoring server receives the sensor network
data from sink nodes, it filters, arranges and displays them
in turn. And then it transmits data to a database server via
TCP /IP network to store them. The monitoring server can
also forward sensor data to monitoring clients connected
via TCP/IP. In our implementation, we defined XML packet
formats for sending sensor data to monitoring clients.
The database is a data storage saving sensor data, net-
work topology, etc. We use MySQL [9] as a database man-
ager.
Monitoring clients are computer programs(e.g.
NanoMon) utilizing sensor data and topology infor-
mation of a sensor network received from monitoring
servers (NanoMon). Monitoring clients and monitor-
ing servers communicate each other through TCP/IP
network. When past data related with a sensor net-
work is requested by users, a monitoring client con-
nects to its database server via TCP/IP network and re-
trieves those data from it.
4. NanoMon Architecture
Minimum components of NanoMon are one configura-
tion file, essential five software modules and a database.
Users can set GUI components, sensor related informa-
tion, the database information and connection information
to sensor networks just by writing a configuration file. Each
software module reads specific parts of the configuration
file dedicated to it and adjusts its appearances or creates in-
ternal parameters according to them.

4.1. Configuration file

A NanoMon configuration file can contain module set-

tings of several sensor network applications to make all of
their connections and environment settings to NanoMon at
once. Module settings of a specific sensor network appli-
cation split into four parts: GUI setting part, sensor setting Figure 2. Structure of NanoMon configuration
part, database setting part and connection setting part. GUI file and its example
setting part includes names of plug-in components which
will be integrated into the GUI framework when a user se-
lects a specific sensor network application. Sensor setting
part includes sensor related information such as names and
identifiers of sensor types, measurement units and calibra-
tion classes of sensor data used in the sensor network ap-
plication. Sensor identifiers are numbers to identify sensor
types used in the packets received from a sensor network. A
calibration class is used to convert sensor readings of a spe-
cific sensor to universal engineering units. Database setting
part includes database location and user information (user
id and password). Connection setting part includes connec-
tion type between NanoMon and a sensor network such as
RS-232 serial data communication protocol or TCP/IP with
their specific parameters. Figure 2 shows the structure of
NanoMon configuration file and its example.
Figure 3. Software architecture
4.2. Software Architecture
the packet processing module. This module pro-
NanoMon is composed of five software modules -
cesses connections requests from external monitoring
GUI integration module, sensor network abstraction mod-
devices which want to receive the information gener-
ule, packet processing module, data management mod-
ated from sensor networks connected to NanoMon.
ule and connection module. Users can flexibly scale and
change the operation of NanoMon according to its special- • Packet Processing Module parses packets re-
ized sensor network application requirements by using the ceived from the connection module according to
configuration file. Figure 3 shows the software architec- well-defined packet formats and transmission pro-
ture of NanoMon and its constituting modules. cedures. This module also sends parsed data to
data management module to store them into the
• Connection Module connects NanoMon with sen- database and to sensor network abstraction mod-
sor network via serial data transmission protocols ule to send to GUI module consequently. When ex-
or TCP/IP as specified in the connection set- ternal monitoring devices are connected to NanoMon
ting part of the configuration file. After connection via TCP/IP, this module sends parsed data to these de-
is successfully established, this module forwards re- vices in accordance with the well-defined procedure
ceived packets from wireless sensor networks to and an XML packet format through the connec-
 tion module. 5.1. Transmission procedure
• Data Management Module defines and implements
Figure 4 shows the packets used to send information and
data access interfaces so as to write/read sensor node
the transmission procedure between a sink and NanoMon.
data to/from the storage specified in the database set-
When NanoMon wants to receive information such as sens-
ting part of the configuration file. All the other mod-
ing data, its network topology and remaining battery vol-
ules can access the storage using these data access in-
ume of constituting sensor nodes from a sensor network, it
terfaces. NanoMon provides sensor data history and
starts the procedure by sending a MON REQ packet. After
conditional sensor data searching functions by using
receiving the request from NanoMon, the sink node starts
this module.
to send packets containing WSN information (WSN INFO,
• Sensor Network Abstraction Module contains infor- WSN DATA, WSN BATTERY) to NanoMon. WSN INFO
mation of sensors, nodes, connections between nodes packet contains sensor network’s topology information such
and its data used in the GUI integration module. If user as existing sensor nodes, attached sensor types and parent
sets receiving mode to ”live mode” in GUI framework, nodes of them. When the topology of a sensor network has
this module provides current sensor network status changed, its sink node sends a WSN INFOMS packet in-
and the most recent data from sensor nodes, otherwise cluding the revised topology information. WSN DATAMS
it contains the past status and data generated for speci- packets include sensing data collected from sensor nodes in
fied period. This module reads the sensor setting parts a WSN. Sink nodes send this type of packets to NanoMon
of the configuration file and then creates sensor ob- periodically or immediately. A WSN DATAMS packet con-
jects dynamically and integrates calibration classes. tains node IDs, sensor types and sensing data. Sensor nodes
periodically send battery volume to sink node. And sink
• GUI Integration Module creates GUI framework and
nodes send collected battery values to NanoMon using
integrates GUI plug-ins specified in the configuration
WSN BATTERY packets. If NanoMon doesn’t want to re-
file into the framework. Users can add and remove
ceive sensor network information or ends execution, it sends
plug-ins freely at their needs. Plug-ins can use inter-
a MON CLOSE packet to connected sink nodes.
faces provided by a sensor network abstraction mod-
ule to access information of a sensor network con-
nected with NanoMon. NanoMon basically provides
below plug-ins.
– Topology plug-in visualizes sensor nodes and
connections between them.
– Sensor data plug-in displays accurate sens-
ing value from sensor nodes and data recep-
tion time. This plug-in also provides interfaces
for searching particular sensor data accord-
ing to input conditions.
– Chart plug-in visualizes sensor data using the
various types of charts such as line chart, bar Figure 4. Transmission procedure
chart, and so on. User can dynamically add and
remove user-defined charts.
– Sensor list plug-in displays live sensor nodes
and their detailed information such as battery 5.2. Packet format
volume, install location, ID, nick name, last
sensing value and etc. Figure 5 shows packets and their format used to trans-
fer the information of sensor networks or inform the status
5. Communication Protocol with Sink Nodes (start and close) of a monitoring application.
Figure 5-(a) shows the common format of pack-
NanoMon provides well-defined packet format and ets used in the NanoMon monitoring framework. All pack-
packet transmission procedure to sink nodes so as to of- ets must include node ID of a sender and packet type iden-
fer sensor network platform independency to users. tifier. Figure 5-(b) shows the packets from sink nodes
NanoMon uses binary packets to communicate with sink to NanoMon. WSN INFOMS packets include informa-
nodes. tion of sensor nodes composing a specific sensor network
such as total number of nodes, each node’s ID, node’s par-
ent node ID and sensor types of nodes. Sink nodes trans-
mit WSN DATAMS packets to send collected sensing data
from sensor nodes. These packets include sensor node’s
IDs, sensor types and sensing data. WSN BATTERY pack-
ets are used to inform battery volume and live state of sen-
sor nodes periodically. WSN BATTERY includes nodes
IDs and battery volume. Figure 5-(c) shows the pack-
ets from NanoMon to sink nodes. MON REQ and
MON CLOSE packets just inform the starting and clos-
ing of NanoMon application to sink nodes. These packets
include no data field.
Figure 5. Packet formats
6. Sensor Network Monitoring System Exam-
ples
We applied NanoMon to two sensor network applica-
tions - home monitoring system and parking lot monitor-
ing system. Each system has several sensor nodes, a sink
node and NanoMon. Sensor nodes send sensing data and
battery volume to a sink node through RF communication.
A sink node sends received data and connection information
between sensor nodes to NanoMon using serial communi-
cation. We used ETRI-SSN and Nano-24[8] board as sensor
nodes and NanoQplus as sensor node’s OS. ETRI-SSN and
Nano-24 board can attach several sensors (or sensor boards)
such as temperature, light, humidity, gas, infrared rays and
ultrasonic sensors.
Temperature, light, humidity and gas sensors are inte-
grated into one sensor board which is called integrated sen-
sor board.
6.1. Home monitoring system
First, we built a home monitoring system which can col-
lect environmental information of home like temperature,
humidity, states of lighting, gas leakage and movement of
objects. WSN is comprised of a sink node and seven sensor
nodes. Five of sensor nodes are attaching integrated sensor
board and the others are attaching infrared ray sensors.
Figure 6 shows the configuration file of home monitoring
system which specifies sensor information (e.g. types, iden-
tifiers, measurement units and calibration classes), plug-in
GUI modules, communication protocol between sink node
and NanoMon and database information.
Figure 6. Home monitoring system
Figure 7 shows home monitoring system maed of a WSN
for environment sensing of home, a sink node collecting
sensed information from sensor nodes and NanoMon con-
figured using the above configuration file.
Figure 7. Home monitoring system
6.2. Parking lot monitoring system
Second, we built a parking lot monitoring system which
shows the empty spaces of parking lot. WSN is comprised
of ten sensor nodes attaching infrared ray sensor and a sink
node. When a car enters a parking space, installed sensor
node in this space sends information to the sink node. The
sink node forwards this information to NanoMon immedi-
ately, and NanoMon displays the total number and position
of empty spaces.
 We added settings of NanoMon for parking lot moni-
toring system to the configuration file of home monitoring
system to concurrently monitor(manage) two systems using
one NanoMon application. Figure 8 shows the configura-
tion file including settings of home monitoring system and
parking lot monitoring system.
Figure 8. Configuration file of parking lot
monitoring system
Figure 9 shows parking lot monitoring system having
sensor nodes for recognizing empty or full spaces of parking
lot, a sink node collecting parking lot information from sen-
sor nodes and NanoMon configured using the above config-
uration file. NanoMon can connect with any of sensor net-
work specified in the configuration file, and monitor cur-
rent status of selected WSN. We selected parking lot mon-
itoring system in Figure 9 using the upper right combo
box of NanoMon. When we select another WSN, NanoMon
changes its appearances (plug-in GUI components) and in-
ternal parameters (sensor types of WSN, serial parameters
for connection with a sink node and etc.) dynamically.
Figure 9. Home monitoring system
7. Conclusion and perspectives
NanoMon provides configuration files for users to set
GUI, database, sensor types and desired connection pro-
tocol to connect sensor network applications to NanoMon.
Users can easily change external appearances as well as in-
ternal modules of NanoMon into more adequate forms to
interpret the status and data of sensor networks according
to their own sensor network applications. The multiple con-
nections support capability of NanoMon to sensor networks
and their designated database enables users to switch among
several sensor networks and observe current and past status
of them.
We designed well-defined packet format and transmis-
sion procedure so that NanoMon can connect with various
sensor network platforms.
Currently, we completed the implementation and testing.
Testing was performed with real sensor nodes embedding
Nano-Qplus platform and its applications. We have a plan
to publish NanoMon with Nano-Qplus package. In the near
future, we are going to test NanoMon with real sensor net-
work applications composed of a lot of sensor nodes and
reinforce its ability by adding sensor network management
functions such as remote management of sensor nodes, net-
work performance monitoring functions and so forth.
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