Add A New Feature That Behaves Like The Existing Link Activity Timer

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Introduction

The existing Link Activity Timer functionality in our system is useful, but it has limitations. It starts counting up after any change to the connection state, but only resets when there is local RF activity. This can lead to situations where the timer reaches its maximum value and a macro is executed, even if there is still internet activity on the link. To address this, we propose creating a new feature that behaves similarly to the existing Link Activity Timer but with a key difference: it resets the timer to 0 whenever there is any activity on the link, whether it's local RF or internet activity.

Understanding the Existing Link Activity Timer

The existing Link Activity Timer functionality starts counting up when there is a change to the connection state, such as establishing a new connection or performing a disconnection. The timer is set to 180 seconds (3 minutes) by default, but this value can be adjusted using the lnkacttime parameter. If there is no local RF activity, the timer will reach its maximum value and execute the macro defined by lnkactmacro. However, if there is local RF activity at any point during the timer period, the timer is reset to 0 and starts counting up again.

The Need for a New Feature

While the existing Link Activity Timer is useful, it has limitations. It only resets the timer when there is local RF activity, which may not be sufficient to identify periods of inactivity on the link. A new feature that resets the timer to 0 whenever there is any activity on the link, whether it's local RF or internet activity, would provide more flexibility and allow for more sophisticated automation scenarios.

Proposed New Feature: Internet Node Activity Timer

The proposed new feature, Internet Node Activity Timer, would behave similarly to the existing Link Activity Timer but with a key difference: it would reset the timer to 0 whenever there is any activity on the link. This would include both local RF and internet activity. The new feature would use the following naming standard:

  • intnodeactenable: Enable or disable the Internet Node Activity Timer
  • intnodeacttime: Set the timer value in seconds
  • intnodeactmacro: Define the macro to execute when the timer reaches its maximum value
  • intnodeacttimerwarn: Set a warning timer value in seconds

Existing Code Reuse

There may be existing code that can be reused to provide this new requirement. For example, the /usr/sbin/asterisk -rx 'core stop when convenient' command may be useful in implementing the new feature.

Implementation Details

To implement the Internet Node Activity Timer, we would need to create a new module that interacts with the existing Link Activity Timer functionality. The new module would need to:

  1. Monitor the link for any activity, including local RF and internet activity
  2. Reset the timer to 0 whenever there is any activity on the link
  3. Execute the macro defined by intnodeactmacro when the timer reaches its maximum value

Benefits of the New Feature

The Internet Node Activity Timer would provide several benefits, including:

  • More flexibility in identifying periods of inactivity on the link
  • Ability to execute more sophisticated automation scenarios
  • Improved system reliability and uptime

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Internet Node Activity Timer is a new feature that would provide more flexibility and functionality in identifying periods of inactivity on the link. By resetting the timer to 0 whenever there is any activity on the link, whether it's local RF or internet activity, this feature would enable more sophisticated automation scenarios and improve system reliability and uptime.

Implementation Roadmap

To implement the Internet Node Activity Timer, we would need to:

  1. Create a new module that interacts with the existing Link Activity Timer functionality
  2. Implement the logic to reset the timer to 0 whenever there is any activity on the link
  3. Test and validate the new feature

Timeline

We estimate that the implementation of the Internet Node Activity Timer would take approximately 2-3 weeks, depending on the complexity of the implementation and the availability of resources.

Resources

To implement the Internet Node Activity Timer, we would need the following resources:

  • 1-2 developers with experience in Asterisk and Linux
  • 1-2 weeks of development time
  • Access to the existing Link Activity Timer code and documentation

Conclusion

Q: What is the Internet Node Activity Timer?

A: The Internet Node Activity Timer is a new feature that behaves similarly to the existing Link Activity Timer but with a key difference: it resets the timer to 0 whenever there is any activity on the link, whether it's local RF or internet activity.

Q: Why do we need a new feature like this?

A: The existing Link Activity Timer has limitations. It only resets the timer when there is local RF activity, which may not be sufficient to identify periods of inactivity on the link. A new feature that resets the timer to 0 whenever there is any activity on the link would provide more flexibility and allow for more sophisticated automation scenarios.

Q: How does the Internet Node Activity Timer work?

A: The Internet Node Activity Timer would work by monitoring the link for any activity, including local RF and internet activity. Whenever there is any activity on the link, the timer would be reset to 0. When the timer reaches its maximum value, the macro defined by intnodeactmacro would be executed.

Q: What are the benefits of the Internet Node Activity Timer?

A: The Internet Node Activity Timer would provide several benefits, including:

  • More flexibility in identifying periods of inactivity on the link
  • Ability to execute more sophisticated automation scenarios
  • Improved system reliability and uptime

Q: How would the Internet Node Activity Timer be implemented?

A: To implement the Internet Node Activity Timer, we would need to create a new module that interacts with the existing Link Activity Timer functionality. The new module would need to:

  1. Monitor the link for any activity, including local RF and internet activity
  2. Reset the timer to 0 whenever there is any activity on the link
  3. Execute the macro defined by intnodeactmacro when the timer reaches its maximum value

Q: What resources would be required to implement the Internet Node Activity Timer?

A: To implement the Internet Node Activity Timer, we would need the following resources:

  • 1-2 developers with experience in Asterisk and Linux
  • 1-2 weeks of development time
  • Access to the existing Link Activity Timer code and documentation

Q: What is the estimated timeline for implementing the Internet Node Activity Timer?

A: We estimate that the implementation of the Internet Node Activity Timer would take approximately 2-3 weeks, depending on the complexity of the implementation and the availability of resources.

Q: What are the potential risks and challenges associated with implementing the Internet Node Activity Timer?

A: The potential risks and challenges associated with implementing the Internet Node Activity Timer include:

  • Complexity of the implementation
  • Availability of resources
  • Potential impact on existing system functionality

Q: How would the Internet Node Activity Timer be tested and validated?

A: The Internet Node Activity Timer would be tested and validated through a combination of unit testing, integration testing, and system testing. This would ensure that the new feature works as expected and does not introduce any new bugs or issues.

Q: What is the expected outcome of implementing the Internet Node Activity Timer?

A: The expected outcome of implementing the Internet Node Activity Timer is improved system reliability and uptime, as well as the ability to execute more sophisticated automation scenarios.