Alarm Cast Alarm 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.

Agent

A module that is developed to work closely with a specific alarming/event notification system.

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.

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.

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.

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 CIMPLICITY standard server.

An example of a gateway would be an interface to an HMI or SCADA system forwarding events from that system to Alarm Cast Alarm Manager for processing.

Host

The host is the location or machine name where alarms are initiated from.

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.

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.

User Text

Custom text fields that may be added to alarm messages. ??Alarm Manager allows up to 20 user text messages to be configured.

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.