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Version: v3.6 (Not Supported)

What is Alert

Alert is a software package of alarm and on call management that functions under the Windows environment (Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP) and exploits features of the client-server architecture of this environment. Alert gives a way to all Windows application to trigger calls and send messages to operators using various media"s: telephone (embedded vocal server), beeps, pagers, fax, printer, email, etc. Alert can be used by all Windows applications that support the DDE1 or OPC2 communication protocol. It can be used also through its programming in terface (API or Active X) in order to command its main function alities by simple call of functions and can be solicited through its command line to activate, reset or acknowledge alarms or to order execution of other commands. The possibility of selecting a Mediator3 module to interface the client application and Alert increases ergonomics and possibilities of the software: maximal integration to the supervised application, simplified configuration of the data to supervise, possibility of interfacing with any non Windows application (UNIX, etc.). A specific mediator, the Message Processor allows Alert to be interfaced with any application that is capable of producing information on a serial or TCP/IP link, in a file or a database or by sending short message s (GSM). This information is processed by the message processor to extract alarms and trig consequent actions.

1 DDE ("Dynamic Data Exchange") Windows protocol of communication and data exchange between applications. An application server proposes services to all client applications interested by these services. 2 OPC ("OLE for Process Control") Universal communication protocol that manages Client/Server communications with industrial devices and that tends to become a standard in Industry. 3 Mediator A module "mediator" is a DLL module that assumes information exchange between ALERT and the supervised application. Its interface with ALERT being normalized, it is developed specially for a type of application and is therefore in measure to process all features of this application. It not ably allows the importation of the variables defined in the supervised application, with all their parameters (alarm message, priority, groups ...) and to process directly modifications of these variables (alarm activation or deactivation, acknowledgment from the application or from ALERT). It can also allow realizing specific processing : capture in a text file of contextual information attached to an event, dynamic modification of priority level, etc.

Alert is at the same time an alarm manager and an on call server that proposes the following basic services:

  • management of users who are called to intervene either locally or at a distance.
  • management of groups, every group possessing its own schedule,
  • detection of alarms and trig of calls to the concerned operators,
  • diffusion of alarm or service messages, either numerical, alphanumeric or vocal,
  • management of call and alarm acknowledgments,
  • management of alarm history including daily, weekly or monthly statistics on failures and interventions,
  • management of an event log and a on line printed report,
  • management of intervention reports. With Alert, the client applications don't have to worry of to choose the operators to call and of the means required to alert them. They can only give the order of triggering a call cycle, explicitly by a control, or implicitly by positioning a variable in an alarm state. The selection of the operators to call and the alarm messages transmitted will effectively depend on the software configuration.

Alert can be used according to 3 modes:

Client mode:

The user application runs according to its own logic, on an independent way. Its only constraint is to deliver information that can be interpreted as events when they are transmitted or indicate a determined change of state. This transmission can be performed through a DDE or OPC server integrated in the supervised application, a file, a serial link (printer output), a data base and many other mechanisms. In this mode, Alert directly assumes the polling of the events declared in the application server. It also can take in charge acknowledgments done either from Alert or from the supervised application. Alert is also able to directly supervise a Programmable Logic Controller by the way of a DDE or OPC communication server.

Server mode:

The user application integrates the Alert software in its working logic. In t his mode, Alert can be considered like an evolved call transmitter that allows a supervision application to be discharged from all aspects of the call management (constitution of groups and teams, schedule management, communication with operators...). In this mode, Alert answers to explicit solicitations of the client application (alarm triggering, messages transmission...). These commands can be transmitted either through its programming interface (API) of DLL type, through its DDE server interface, or through its command line.

Integrated mode:

Alert uses a mediator module that is especially developed for an application or a type of application. This mediator takes in charge all the problems concerning the interface between Alert and the supervised application: import of variables defined as alarm with all their attributes (messages, priority, group...), detection of the activation and the deactivation of alarms, management of reciprocal acknowledgment, specific treatments, etc.

Alert can be perfectly inte grated in a network environment. By using the NETDDE protocol (DDE by network) or OPC (via DCOM interface), the application can be distributed on several stations. Alert can support all types of media in order to communicate numerical, alphanumeric or vocal information to an operator. The adaptation to an unsupported media requires only the addition of the suitable DLL module (driver). Alert integrates a vocal server which allows alarm transmission and acknowledgment by using a very common media: the tele phone. The vocal alarm messages can be recorded (either locally or by telephone) or, in option, they can be automatically synthesized from the associated alphanumeric messages. With its server version, Alert can manage Alert Client stations. These client stations provide an efficient interface to deal with the software from any network station: schedules, alarms, histories, journal, etc. Associated to the Visual Access software (terminal and WAP server), Alert proposes a remote terminal interface that offers many services to a remote operator (consultation and acknowledgment of alarms, visualization and modification of schedules, call numbers, visualization and downloading of files, remote supervision of the supervised application through synoptic screens and menus. Alert is a complete and secured tool for alarm treatment:

  • Alert is not only able to record and transmit the detected alarms, but it can display some complementary information (instructions, contextual report established automatically at the time of the alarm, dynamic values).
  • Alert guarantees traceability of operations (alarms detected and actions performed to handle them), through the event log and the alarm table that includes for every alarm a memo displaying all the operations relative to th e alarm an d the alarm history that records all alarms and the associated treatment (date, duration, acknowledgment), integrating some statistical functions about failures and interventions. On option, the alarm and call history can be automatically exporte d in real time to an external database.
  • Alert is able to perform an active supervision of its environment in order to detect an abnormal working of the supervised application or a dysfunction of the calling system (modems). This " watchdog" function can tri gger calls like for events detected in the supervised application.
  • Alert can guarantee a very high level of security while running in redundant mode (double installation). In this mode, stations supervise each other; only one station is in charge for the calls at a specific time. In case of failure of the active station, the other station automatically takes over from the first one, without any loss of information. The configuration of redundant stations is automatically synchronized.
  • Alert can be entirel y customized for user's category and to offer a work environment adapted to each operator: displayed menu and toolbar, accessible screens, authorized commands,