Alarm Cast Administrator Glossary

Administrator

Typically a GUI application, this component facilitates configuration and monitoring of a server engine. If changes are made to the server configuration the administrator notifies the engine to reload its running configuration either automatically or on user demand. An example of an administrator component is Alarm Cast Administrator.?? This administrator allows you to maintain the Alarm Cast server's engine configuration.

Administrator Kit

An administrator kit contains the product's administration component only.?? After installing this kit on a workstation you may utilize any of the features of the Administrator component.

Alias

An Alarm Cast Server alias is an alternate name, which may be assigned to a destination. Alarm Cast Server client applications may choose to allow users to utilize aliases to lookup actual destination names.

Alpha Length

The Alpha Length property of a provider indicates the maximum length a single message may be for this service provider. Messages of longer than this length will either be rejected by the provider or truncated. By setting this value to a number either the same or smaller than the provider???s maximum, Alarm Cast Server will automatically break any transactions exceeding this limit into multiple messages.

ANS

The ANS protocol is a proprietary messaging protocol of Ford Motor Company.

ASCOM

The ASCOM protocol is a proprietary messaging protocol used to interface with the ASCOM PBX.

Client

A client component utilizes the facilities of a standard server.?? Typically a GUI application, this component provides a user-friendly interface of the available services offered by the server engine. An example of a client tool would be Alarm Cast Client, which presents the user with a list of known messaging destinations and allows them to send messages to one or more destinations.

Coverage

The coverage property of a provider is a name assigned to reflect the geographical area that this connection to the service provider allows you to send message too. Usually for example in the case of dial-up modem connection to service providers a different phone number is provider for each city. The coverage field provides the administrator an easy method of tracking all of the different coverage areas a single provider is supporting.

Destination

An Alarm Cast Server destination is a name assigned to a messaging location to which text messages may be delivered. Ex. SCOTTS_PAGER, KENS_PHONE, JIMS_EMAIL.

Device

An Alarm Cast Server device is a name assigned to a physical connection point on the server that will be used to establish a connection with a service provider.

Device Pool

A device pool is a collection of multiple devices that work together to provider a higher throughput connection to one or more providers. Commonly used with modems a device pool of 3 modems can provide a high level of throughput to a provider with only dialup modems for input, or two or more providers can share the modem pool and use as many modems as they require at the time. Should more throughputs be required one or more additional devices may be added to the pool at any time.

Distribution List

An Alarm Cast Server distribution list is a collection of destinations that can be sent a message with a single transaction. Similar to an e-mail distribution list a client that??initiates a transaction with a distribution list will automatically send the same message to all associated destinations.

DSN

A DSN, Data Source Name, is the name assigned to an ODBC driver and configuration information that allows an ODBC enabled application to connect to a data source.

Engine

An engine component implements a unified interface to a set of common,?????????????? related protocols. The engine provides services to clients and gateways such that a common interface may be used to manipulate many different types of devices. Engines are administered via Administrator components and are utilized by clients, gateways or use written components.

Error Correction

The Error Correction property of a provider indicates that for the modem connection to this provider the providers modem use or do not use modem error correction features. If this item is unchecked then error correction will not be used when connecting to this service provider.

Gateway

A gateway component creates a bridge between a third party product and a standard server. Typically an engine this component provides a conduit for forwarding events from the third party product into a standard server.

Group

An Alarm Cast Server group is a name assigned to a collection of destinations that are logically connected. Groups are used by Alarm Cast Server clients to limit the destinations which are available for use.

IXO

The IXO protocol is the predecessor to the TAP protocol. See TAP.

Max Transactions

The max transactions property for an Alarm Cast Server provider reflects the maximum number of message transactions the provider will allow in a single session, before disconnecting the device. Entering a value of slightly lower than the provider, allows Alarm Cast Server to cleanly interface with the service provider.

Max Connection

The max connection property for a Alarm Cast Server provider reflects the maximum number of seconds the Alarm Cast Server may remain connected to the provider before the provider initiates a disconnect. By entering a value of slightly lower than the time the provider allows before forcing a disconnect, Alarm Cast Server will be able to more cleanly interface with the service provider.

Modem Compression

The Modem Compression property of a provider indicates that for the modem connection to this provider the providers modem use or do not use modem compression features. If this item is unchecked then modem compression will not be used when connecting to this service provider.

Modem Pool

A modem pool is a device pool consisting of only devices of type: Modem, ModemIP, or a combination of the two.

Network ID

A destination network id is the identifier the messaging network requires to remit a message to an end destination. Similar to a phone number a network id can be any number of numbers, alphabetic characters, or a combination of the two. For TAP connected providers the network id is usually a numeric value. For SMTP connected providers the network id is the devices assigned e-mail address.

Numeric Length

The Numeric Length property of a provider provides the same functionality as the Alpha Length property.

ODBC

The ODBC protocol is an implementation of the Microsoft ???Open Database Connectivity??? API allows Alarm Cast Server to forward messages to any ODBC compliant data source.

PET

The PET protocol is the predecessor to the IXO protocol. See TAP.

Phrase

An Alarm Cast Server phrase is a word or group or words, which the system administrator can restrict from being transmitted to a destination. Primarily designed to limit the use of foul language, any transaction containing one of the defined phrases will be rejected by the engine.

Provider

An Alarm Cast Server provider is a name assigned to the configuration information required to connect to a messaging service provider.

MS-Speech

The MS-Speech protocol is a speech API protocol that converts text to speech using available voice options.

Schedule

An Alarm Cast Server schedule is a name assigned to a set of weekday configuration rules, which define the times during which a destination may receive messages. A schedule, once defined may then be assigned to a destination over a time period.

Server Kit

A server kit typically contains the server engine and administrator components. In some cases a client component is also included with this kit. The server kit is usually installed on a centralized host, and one or more clients or gateways utilize this server. An example of a server kit is Alarm Cast Server. This kit contains the Alarm Cast engine, administrator and client.

SMS

The SMS acronym stands for ???Short Message Service???. This term is usually used to define the paging component of today???s multi-functional wireless phone handsets.

SMTP

The SMTP protocol is the ???Simple Mail Transfer Protocol???. Forming the backbone of the Internet mail transport, this protocol is used to move almost 100% of all e-mail sent via the Internet. Some wireless service providers assign a unique e-mail address to each wireless device to allow anyone with an Internet e-mail account to send messages to the device.

SNPP

The SNPP protocol is the ???Simple Network Paging Protocol???. Loosely based on the SMTP protocol, SNPP has been tailored to support both one and two way messaging services. It is used to connect to providers who offer connections to their networks via the Internet.

TAP

The TAP provider protocol is the ???Telocator Access Protocol???. This protocol, standardized by the PCIA (Personal Communications Industry Association) it providers Alarm Cast Server with the primary connection method for most of North America???s one-way paging providers.

UCP

The UCP protocol is the ???Universal Computer Protocol???. Primary utilized to connect to European GSM/SMS telephone handset PBX???s, this protocol contains many more features than the more common TAP protocol.

Wizard

A wizard is a prompted process that guides an application user through a complicated data entry process, providing hints as to the appropriate answers required for each field or screen.