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New submitter petro-tech writes: I work as a service technician, maintaining and repairing gas pumps and POS equipment. In my day to day activities, one that consumes a ton of time and is relatively regular is the process of upgrading the software on pumps. This is done by connecting to the pump via direct ethernet from my laptop, then running a manufacturer-provided program that connects to the device and pushes the new software. Some sites have 8+ pumps with 2 devices in each, and at 20-30 minutes apiece this can be quite time consuming. Unfortunately the devices are not actually on a network, and as such cannot be updated remotely, also since they are not on a network, they are all configured with the same IP address. Additionally the software doesn't allow you to specify the adapter to use. I would like to be able to get to a site, connect a cable to each pump, and load them all at the same time. The only way I can figure to accomplish this with the software we've been provided is to do this: Get a 16-port powered USB hub, with a usb-ethernet adaptor in each port; Set up 16 VM's with extremely stripped down XP running on each, with only one USB-ethernet adaptor assigned to each VM; Set XP to boot the application for loading software as its shell; and load each device that way at the same time. Is there a better way to accomplish this?
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The only way I can figure to accomplish this with the software we've been provided is to do this: Get a 16-port powered USB hub, with a usb-ethernet adaptor in each port; Set up 16 VM's with extremely stripped down XP running on each, with only one USB-ethernet adaptor assigned to each VM; Set XP to boot the application for loading software as its shell; and load each device that way at the same time.
That might be the best way, because you are limited by the software they gave you. Might consider trying Linux and Wine to save space. If that works, then you can load 16 raspberry pies into a briefcase and run it from there (I've seen similar operations for wireless monitoring).
If you actually do build that setup, please take pics because it sounds kind of cool.
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
If you fix this problem they will more then likely fire you. Nobody likes a smart-ass. They know what your time is worth, likely not much. Just do it the slow way.
Seriously, you are an upgrade monkey.Just monkey on and look for a better job where you can use your skills and you will be _paid for them_.
Alternatively: If your employer is contracting to do the upgrades, figure out how to do it in 25% of the time and take the business from them. They don't own their clients, but likely think they do.
John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
Yup. A bunch of cheap single boards with ethernet would work. Like raspberry pi.
Strip down the OS and script it to push the update from a given directory on boot up. Then you can just clone the SD card for 4/8/16 devices and update them with the new firmware as needed.
Pi, case, battery with power switch, small SD card. $50-$75 a piece depending on how fancy your want to get with the case and battery.
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!
Is there anything that uses Ethernet without using */IP?
I'm not even going to start answering that, but I am curious about one thing.
Which major corporation are you the CIO for? Please be honest, as I stand to win $20 here.
You could fashion a wireless setup pretty easily. Plug Ethernet to wireless dongle into pump, done.
Good-bye