Solutions

 

Solutions Overview

Resources & tools:

• White papers
• Application Briefs
• Solution Briefs
• Success Stories
• Case Studies
• Tutorials

• Multi-Functional Monitoring Solution
• Creating a unified platform
• Guide to Finding the Right Product

“Our Data-Link units allow us time to fix the problem or shut equipment down before the threshold where damage is likely to occur. Not knowing of high temperatures in our equipment rooms is a big deal. To avoid the loss of telephone service, the system’s ability to notify us of alarms is crucial.”

Terry Schimon - Telecom Network Specialist for Pierce County

Evaluate Text Alarms (PBX, etc.)

Asentria products allow you to receive and evaluate serial alarms (and in some cases text alarms collected over the network).  This bridges the gap between your network management system (NMS) and legacy serial devices that lack a network interface. Our products interpret data alarms issued from RS-232 ports, then send notification to technicians who can take immediate corrective action. Since each legacy device has its own unique alarm format, you set up alarm recognition parameters to identify specific alarm conditions. Some alarms are easy to identify while others require more sophisticated setup parameters. Some important points about this aspect are discussed below in more detail, including:

Creating Alarm Formulas Multi-Line Alarms Custom Scripting Octel and Avaya Definity Alarm Scripts SNMP Trap Capture TBOS/TL1 Monitoring Alarm Notification Methods

Several Asentria products support serial alarm monitoring. The right product for you will depend on your application and the features you want to use in addition to serial alarms. In order to determine which of our products best suits your needs, please read the following brief discussion regarding important aspects of serial alarm detection, and then use the Product Selection Wizard to select the product that best fits your needs.

Creating Alarm Formulas
Every product has a different alarm message format, so Asentria cannot preprogram our products to recognize your specific serial alarms. That means you will need to set up your alarm parameters. You can detect most alarms by setting up "Alarm Formulas," a simple two step process where you first enter values to define where the "fields" of the alarm exist in a serial alarm record, then you use the fields to write an alarm "formula" such as:

If TIME>"06:00" and MESSAGE="OVA005" and PORT="005" then (actions)

Several Asentria products support setting up a limited number of alarm formulas, while others support up to 100 alarm formulas. If you have many serial alarm messages to monitor then you should choose a product that supports 100 alarm formulas. (back to top)

Multi-Line Alarms
Some devices utilize 'multi-line text alarms, meaning the alarm data is represented in several lines of text.  These alarm records need to be grouped together and evaluated as a single block of alarm data.  Most data buffer products do not have this capability, however, Asentria products do support the handling of multi-line alarm records.  Examine the alarm format of any text-based alarms your want to monitor to determine if they are single-line or multi-line alarms.(back to top)

Custom Scripting
In some cases the acquisition of alarm data or the evaluation of the data can be sufficiently complex that a simple Alarm Formula method will not work. In this case, the Asentria product uses custom "scripts" to manage alarms. The scripts are written in C and create custom feature modules that you can load into a product to handle more complicated alarm collection and evaluation. Not all Asentria products support custom scripting. If you think your application might be complex enough to require scripting, you should consider a product that supports this feature.(back to top)

Octel™ and Avaya™ Definity™ Alarm Scripts
Asentria offers support for the special alarm collection methods of the Octel Voicemail system and the Avaya Definity line of PBXs, but only on certain products. If you need this feature then select it in the Product Selection Wizard. If you have a requirement you think is similar to this, make sure you select Custom Scripting instead. (back to top)

SNMP Trap Capture
Several Asentria products support a special feature called SNMP Trap Capture which allows them to receive SNMP traps from other devices and convert them into a multi-line text alarm which can then be evaluated like any other alarms messages.(back to top)

TBOS / TL1 Monitoring
Asentria offers support for collection and interpretation of serial alarms using the legacy TBOS and TL1 protocols. If you need this feature then select it in the Product Selection Wizard below. If you have a requirement you think is similar to this, make sure you select Custom Scripting instead.(back to top)

Alarm Notification Methods
Asentria products can transmit alarms via various methods, including:

• Modem
• Email
• Pager
• SNMP Trap

Alarm messages can go over the network and sometimes over a modem.  SNMP Traps are the most common form of alarm notification when integrating with a network management system.   To receive SNMP Traps, customers may utilize their existing SNMP software, or Asentria AlarmManager software, which is now available free.  Some products do not support modem alarms or email alarms.(back to top)

Product Selection Wizard
Several Asentria products may suit your needs depending on the combination of environmental monitoring features and other options your application requires.   Select all the appropriate boxes below so our Product Selection Wizard can help find the right product for you. (back to top)