Business component of the project:powerful computer technology and fast internet are not all the components of a successful computer club. It is very important to competently organize the control system, without restricting users' access to the necessary resources, while at the same time securing the information and installed software. Our company was faced with the task of creating a comprehensive solution that would take into account all the features of such a system.
This solution is scalable and is able to support the maintenance of both one club and a network of computer clubs.
Brief description of the project:
The management system for gaming computer clubs, developed by our company, includes the following components:
- the server part, which stores user data, tariffs, session history, is responsible for authorization;
- the cashier application, which is presented in the form of a web application and allows the club administrator to manage the credentials of visitors, replenish the balance, remotely manage the blocking of workstations;
- a shell for client machines, which is responsible for managing a paid session of a club client and blocking the station after the paid time has expired;
- A Windows service written in Java that catches and prevents unscrupulous users from unauthorizedly terminating the shell process;
- installer: the shell and the Windows service are transferred as an executable file that installs the necessary software on the user's machine and performs additional system configuration. The installer is implemented using the Inno Setup tool.
Technical description of the project:
The shell is a desktop application and is implemented using the Electron framework. The client shell and Windows service work closely together to form a “client application”. The service monitors the shell process and restarts it every time it crashes or is closed unauthorizedly through the task manager. The service also implements session duration tracking. When the user's paid time ends, the service tells the shell to block the user's access to Windows.
The service is installed automatically during shell installation. At the same time, a limited user is created in Windows and set as the “default user”. A shell is assigned as the shell for the new account.
To preserve the possibility of performing preventive or other administrative work, the created Windows service will try to restore the shell process only in the account created during installation.
Communication between the cashier, client and server components is implemented in the REST architecture.
The club operator from his workplace can block any user car. To do this, the cashier application will send a request for blocking to the server, and the server will send a message to the client application via webSocket.
Computers in the cashier application are identified by their ip-address and identification number, which is generated by hashing the computer's mac-address.
Data about all user sessions are stored in the MySQL database and displayed in the cashier application.
Technology:
Stack:Apache Maven, Apache Tomcat, Tyrus, ReactJS, Redux, JNA
Programming languages: Java 11, JavaScript, Node.js
Frameworks: Electron, Spring Boot, Spring Data, Spring Security
Infrastructure: Gerrit, IntelliJ IDEA, Jira, Inno Setup, VM VirtualBox, JetBrains WebStorm
DB: MySQL
Test libraries: Junit, DBunit.
Other libraries: Lombok, JsonWebToken, Log4j2.
Protocols: WebSocket, REST.
Screenshots:
Features of the project:
- system development from scratch: from business analysis to solution testing;
- a clear division of work into stages, from researching the existing solution at the customer's site to developing a prototype and testing it;
- system programming: developing a Windows service in java;
- monitoring and managing processes of the Windows operating system;
- development of a desktop application in "kiosk mode". That is, the application should occupy the entire screen area, closing the taskbar, including, have the highest priority over other applications. The application cannot be closed, minimized, moved;
- minimal need for club staff to install and configure an application for custom machines;
- weekly deliveries to the customer of intermediate versions of the prototype throughout the entire development time for testing,
every week the product was demonstrated to the customer, which allowed him to keep abreast of the progress of work and see how the system was being created before his eyes.
Project result:
In three months, a large amount of work was completed and the solution was handed over to the customer:
- a technical assignment for a computer club management system was created;
- the architecture was designed and a description of the entire future solution was prepared;
- a description of the prototype has been prepared - a minimum set of working components that demonstrate the possibility of a solution;
- prototypes of all system components and a desktop application installer for client machines were developed;
- a test plan with more than 100 test cases was written and implemented;
developed and fully tested prototype.
Achievements of the company on the project:
- a number of non-trivial tasks related to the Windows service have been successfully solved;
- the project was supported at all stages of work: research of the customer's existing solution, identifying needs, conducting business analysis, writing a technical assignment, designing an architectural solution, prototyping a future system, direct development of a prototype, testing;
- the customer's requests and comments that came to us, arising in the process of getting acquainted with the intermediate version of the prototype or demonstration, were quickly processed, discussed and, if necessary, implemented.
What we did on the project, our responsibilities:
While working on the application, the team performed the following work:
- researching the customer's existing solution, identifying his needs, processing them, analyzing and fixing them;
- preparation of technical specifications for processed requirements;
- research of existing solutions;
- architecture study and solution description;
- development of all components;
- development of a system installer for cars in clubs;
- integration of components;
- writing a detailed test plan, more than 100 cases are processed and included in the plan for their run on an ongoing basis;
- continuous testing process, including on the customer's equipment,
- weekly demonstration of work to customers;
- weekly delivery of the solution to the customer.
The programs are designed to administer clubs, internet cafes and other similar establishments.
↓ New in the category "Clubs, Internet cafes":
Computer Room 3.85v free
Computer Room 3.85v is a program for administering an Internet cafe or managing a computer club. The "Computer Room" program can monitor network traffic and paid time, and also monitors printing and the work of administrators.
Smart Club Keeper 2.50 free 
Smart Club Keeper 2.50 is an application for automating the work of administrators in computer clubs or internet cafes. The Smart Club Keeper program keeps track of the use of paid time or Internet traffic.
Network Administrator 6.6.3 free 
Network Administrator 6.6.3 is a computer management system for working in clubs, gaming and internet halls or salons. The Network Administrator program allows you to make the administrator's work fully automated.
Locker 5.84 free 
Locker 5.84 is a comprehensive computer room automation system. Locker program is designed to register sessions of the computers in the hall, as well as block the computers on which the session has expired.
IPGuard 3.0.11 free 
IPGuard 3.0.11 is a free software for managing multiple computers in internet clubs. IPGuard software is equipped with a warehouse and sales module for related products.
GameAdmin 1.0.0.9 free 
GameAdmin 1.0.0.9 is a program for managing an Internet cafe or computer club. The GameAdmin program has two modules for managing controlled computers.
ClubTimer 2.82 free 
ClubTimer 2.82 is a program for managing a computer club or internet cafe. The ClubTimer program will help to control the working hours of clients or visitors, with the calculation of the cost of sessions and the possibility of booking time.
APTimer 1.2 free 
APTimer 1.2 is a program that is focused on various salons or clubs, where the cost of services depends entirely on the time of the visitor's work (bowling, billiards, Internet cafes, and the like). The APTimer program allows each visitor to set the time of the service, end the countdown, and extend the time.
Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to check out and touch all the programs for controlling the computer room, but nevertheless I decided to make a small subjective review of existing programs for controlling computer time in an Internet cafe so that you know what programs exist, where to download or buy them and the main functions of these programs. I have tried only the first two programs from the entire list.
GameClass
Pretty powerful but buggy program. It is protected by the fact that working on server Windows, it writes data to the MSSQL database running under another user and the operator does not have access to change the data. I liked the system of accounts, when users, having deposited money into their account, no longer bother the operators and sit down with their password. An extended statistics system that shows how much each account has gained over a period of time. Ability to remove only one specific task without touching the rest. I did not like the format of the logs, according to which it is very difficult to find out who sat down when and how long he sat on what conditions. Very often glitches occur when a negative amount of money is obtained on the account, while at zero the account is blocked. When you start the Generals game, if you choose to turn off the computer, an error occurs, the GCC client falls off and the computer remains unlocked. This is very actively used.
Astalavista
Great program, but unfortunately I only worked with the old version. An intuitive log of operations, a clear description of the configuration of each computer, a list of running programs, the ability to connect via vnc / radmin to the client directly from the program. I was able to run this program directly from Linux using wine. In one of my clubs the operators still administer the hall using Astalavistu under Linux. Having registered the path to vncviewer in the astalavista settings, even under linux, you can perfectly connect to the client computer. Several glitches appeared under Linux: at 100% processor load, Astalavist stops responding to clicks. All programs work without even noticing this load, and the astalavista does not even budge. The second is that the operation log does not appear immediately, but after a while flush does not help.
astalaViSta SuperViSor Ver.2
The software complex ".:. AstalaViSta SuperViSor" is the backbone software (software) for automating the activities of computer centers (CC), computer clubs (CC), Internet centers, Internet cafes, home networks, computer classes in educational institutions, points of collective access points, Internet access points, etc. Our development is based on experience in the field of computer club automation over the past five years (since February 1999).
Network Administrator
Network Administrator is a system for managing computers and keeping records in an Internet cafe or computer club. The system allows to fully automate the work of the administrator, and also has the following capabilities: Simple and intuitive interface, shell for clients, automatic raising of clients after the paid time. Automatic calculation of the cost of services. Unlimited number of services and tariffs, discount for users. "Night" mode with prepayment. Ability to manage client computers (view active tasks, shutdown, reboot, issue a message, start programs). System of reports for the manager, the ability to convert reports into HTML format and send them to e-mail. Built-in NAT, proxy, accounting and Internet access restriction. Possibility of prepayment and after payment. Client warning about the end of work in 1 and 5 minutes. Creation of tariffs depending on the time of day, on the day of the week on the number of purchased watches.
Locker
It is a complex automation system for computer clubs and internet cafes. The main tasks of the system are registration of sessions of the computers in the hall and blocking the operation of computers, the session of which has expired. In addition, Locker keeps track of the Internet traffic of each computer, accounting for any additional services, user payments, the balance of each user, accounting for computer reservations, collects statistics and generates various reports on work, and much more ... The program has a developed system for sharing employee access to various functions and reports. With the help of additional modules, it is possible to display the state of the computers in the hall on a separate screen to users at the entrance to the computer room, display the current state of computers on the club's page on the Internet, send messages about the current state to the head of the club, and automatically print receipts on the cash register.
Computer room The "Computer Room" program is designed to automate the work of computer clubs, Internet cafes. The main tasks of the program: control of paid time, traffic control, control of printers, control of administrators, maintaining popularity ratings of programs used by clients.
ESMART® Cafe
Billing system for Internet cafes and computer clubs. Support for fiscal registrars SHTRIH-FRK and the ability to use smart cards as a customer's payment instrument.
KravNetAdmin ™
Professional software package for accounting of finances and management of the computer center. This phrase hides more than five years of difficult but interesting work for us; and a serious result for you. The presented complex has absorbed all the best ideas, both ours, and administrators of clubs, and managers, and directors. We tried to build an ideal and complete set of programs that suits everyone.
Taskmaster
Management, automation and control system for computer clubs and Internet cafes Taskmaster Center Enterprise.
ClubControl
Powerful and reliable management system for computer clubs and internet cafes.
ZShell
The ZShell system is designed to facilitate the work of the administrator and the user, to restrict user access to system resources, as well as to record and control the cash register and incoming money, to maintain complete statistics of the administrator's actions and the operation of computers.
IPGuard
Completely free full-featured program for managing computer and Internet clubs. It can also be used in other cases where controlled restriction of access and accounting for the use of a PC over the network is required.
Non-Russian-language Internet club management programs
CafeSuite
CafeSuite is a powerful cyber cafe management software package that can help you with controlling your computers, managing customers, accounting and billing.
EasyCafe
EasyCafe is a complete solution for your management needs in your Internet Cafe. It is capable of handling the customers, the accounting and the cafeteria with the minimum human assistance. Moreover EasyCafe has many unic features for adding diversity for the clients. EasyCafe using cybercafes increase the quality of their services by providing wider options to their customers.
