We have added a new feature that allows an admin user to remotely request a reboot of a sensor from the sensor status page of the dashboard.
While this feature has been added based on customer feedback, it’s important to understand how it works, what it can (and cannot) do, and when it’s appropriate to use it. We understand that rebooting a device is a familiar troubleshooting step for many users, and we wanted to make it available for those who want to perform this step to validate an issue.
What Does the Reboot Sensor Button Do?
The Reboot Sensor button on the sensor status page instructs the sensor to gracefully restart. The sensor periodically checks the UXI dashboard for new configurations. If it receives a configuration with a reboot request, it will complete its current test cycle and reboot. The dashboard will display whether a reboot command has been requested by a user and when the reboot is completed by the sensor. It may take 30 minutes or more to complete the reboot, depending on the number of issues detected by the sensor, the number of networks being tested and it will likely result in a gap in the charts for the test result data.
What the Reboot Sensor Button Cannot Do
While rebooting a sensor may sound like a quick fix for various issues, it’s important to note the following limitations:
Offline/Power Outage Sensors: If your sensor is offline or has a power outage, the reboot command cannot be performed because the sensor cannot communicate with the UXI cloud, and therefore the button will have no effect. Therefore, for offline sensors or sensors with a power outage, you cannot select the reboot button. Refer to the sensor status light and our troubleshooting guide for more details.
Issue Resolution: Rebooting will likely not resolve the underlying issues detected by the sensor. Sensors are designed to run a round-robin test cycle. Each test cycle, the sensor runs tests and confirms issues that are detected or resolves issues that are no longer present. The sensor doesn't get stuck on any test. For failed tests, the issue triage already has the time the issue was first detected and when it was last detected (An example is shown in red below).
Sensors only: This reboot functionality is only available for UXI hardware sensors, and not to UXI agents.
When Should You Use the Reboot Sensor Button?
The Reboot Sensor button may be helpful if, as part of your normal troubleshooting process, you tell a user to reboot their machine. This button allows you to rule out the sensor and focus your efforts on the issue itself.
What to Do if Rebooting Doesn't Solve the Issue
If rebooting your sensor does not resolve the issue, it is further confirmation of the issue. If the issue is the result of a failed test, refer to the issue triage to see a root cause analysis of the issue. You can also refer to our troubleshooting guide for more details.