Sprint 2 – From Monitoring to Management

Overview

In Sprint 2, the PyDataCenter system evolves from passive monitoring to active control. Agents become responsive, API security is added, and a basic UI is introduced. Each task is designed for parallel execution by team members.

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Task 1: Implement Multithreaded Data Collection in Agent

Description:
Refactor agent.py to collect and send data using separate threads:

• Thread 1: Collect system metrics periodically.
• Thread 2: Send metrics to the controller.
• Thread 3: Watch process status (e.g., check if sshd is running).

Goal: Increase agent reliability and real-time performance.

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Task 2: Add Command Execution Support in Agent

Description:
Enable agents to fetch commands from the controller (HTTP GET), execute safe commands (e.g., uptime, ls), and return output. Commands are initiated via controller and must be limited to a whitelist.

Goal: Begin remote execution support.

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Task 3: Build Command Dispatch API in Django

Description:
Create /api/command/ endpoint that:

• Accepts a command and target hostname.
• Stores command in a CommandHistory model with status “pending.”
• Allows agent to fetch pending command and send back the result.

Goal: Add backend support for remote ops.

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Task 4: Create Controller CLI to Trigger Commands

Description:
Build a CLI admin tool (Python 3.8) that:

• Lists active agents.
• Sends commands to a selected agent via Django API.
• Displays command execution result.

Goal: Create a command center interface for the controller.

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Task 5: Store Command History in Django DB

Description:
Add a model CommandHistory with fields:

• hostname, command, result, status (pending/done/failed), timestamp

Make it accessible from the Django Admin and/or frontend.

Goal: Enable tracking of all issued and executed commands.

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Task 6: Add Token-Based API Authentication

Description:
Use Django REST Framework's TokenAuth or Simple JWT:

• Each agent must send an authentication token in headers.
• Reject unauthorized requests.

Goal: Secure the controller API against unauthorized agents.

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Task 7: Integrate Telegram/Discord Alert Bot (Prototype)

Description:
Create a simple bot that:

• Sends alert when agent reports an error or process failure.
• Sends command results or status messages. Can be implemented via webhook or polling.

Goal: Enable real-time notification for admins.

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Task 8: Build Basic Real-Time Dashboard

Description:
Create /dashboard/ page using Django Templates or JS frontend:

• Show live agent list (hostname, IP, uptime, last seen).
• Optionally highlight down agents (no report > 1 min).

Goal: Visualize system state in real-time.

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Task 9: Detect and Log Failed Processes in Agent

Description:
Extend the agent to monitor specific OS processes (e.g., nginx, sshd):

• If a process is not running, log the issue.
• Send alert via POST or bot.

Goal: Add basic anomaly detection to agent.

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Task 10: Write Unit Tests for Agent and API

Description:
Write tests for:

• POST /api/status/ and /api/command/
• Agent data collection functions
• Retry logic and command handling

Use Django’s test client and basic Python test framework (unittest or pytest).

Goal: Improve reliability and enable continuous testing.