Why You Should Change the Active Time Setting in Alarm Server

Connected Field Service only triggers a new workflow when the active time changes.

In AlarmWorX™64 Server, the active time changes whenever the alarm changes from a normal state to an active state. This happens regardless of acknowledgment. However, in GENESIS Alarm Server, the default behavior is to only change the active time if the alarm both returns to normal and is acknowledged before it goes into the alarm state. If the alarm returns to normal and then re-alarms before it has been acknowledged, the alarm time remains the same and a new Connected Field Service workflow instance isn't triggered.

For example, let's assume we have an alarm that triggers when a door opens. We want to send an email whenever the alarm occurs.

Action	Time	Result with AlarmWorX64 Server and AlarmWorX™64 MMX	Result with Alarm Server and Connected Field Service Using Defaults
Door is opened.	01:00	Alarm goes into the alarm state with an active time of 01:00. An email is sent.	Alarm goes into the alarm state with an active time of 01:00. An email is sent.
User acknowledges the alarm.	01:05	Alarm is acknowledged.	Alarm is acknowledged.
Door is closed.	01:10	Alarm returns to normal.	Alarm returns to normal.
Door is opened.	02:00	Alarm goes into the alarm state with an active time of 02:00. An email is sent.	Alarm goes into the alarm state with an active time of 02:00. An email is sent.
Door is closed.	02:10	Alarm returns to normal but remains unacknowledged.	Alarm returns to normal but remains unacknowledged.
Door is opened.	02:15	Alarm goes into the alarm state with an active time of 02:15. An email is sent.	Alarm goes into the alarm state, but the active time remains 02:00. No email is sent.

Updating the active time behavior of an alarm type can make Alarm Server and Connected Field Service behave like AlarmWorX64 Server and AlarmWorX64 MMX.