Configuring the Alert Sierra Service

In Workbench, you can configure how GENESIS handles SMS text messages using your Sierra Airlink modem.

To configure the Alert Sierra service:

  1. Open Workbench and in Project Explorer, expand Alarms and Notifications > Alert Notifications, and then do one of the following to display the New SMS/Text Node pane.

    • Right-click SMS/Text Nodes, and then select Add SMS/Text Node.

    • Click SMS/Text Nodes, and then click Add SMS/Text Node on the Home ribbon.

  2. In the General section on the Hardware and Data tab, complete the following fields.

    Field

    Description

    Name

    Enter a name for the configuration.

    Enable the SMS node

    Select this checkbox to enable the Alert Sierra configuration.

    Node

    Enter the node name.

    Device

    Enter the name or IP address of the modem.

    Receive commands on this node

    Select this checkbox to make this configuration the commanding configuration.

    Notes:

    • Only one commanding configuration is supported. You use the commanding configuration for clients like Connected Field Service and Bridging.
    • The Test SMS button is not supported for Alert Sierra services. To verify Alert Sierra functionality, see Creating an Alert Sierra Test Configuration.
    • When Received commands on this node is not set, a configuration is randomly selected.

  3. In the Sierra Modem Settings section, complete the following fields, and then click Apply & Close.

    Field

    Description

    Use Sierra Modem for sending SMS

    Select this checkbox to enable sending SMS messages.

    Client IP Address

    Enter the modem's IP address, https://127.0.0.1:9443.

    Client Port

    Enter the modem port number to use to send outgoing User Datagram Protocol (UDP) messages. Do not use the same port for the client port and the server port.

    Server IP Address

    Enter the IP address of the computer running the Alert Sierra point manager.

    Server Port

    Enter the port of the computer running the Alert Sierra point manager to use to receive incoming UDP messages. Do not use the same port for the client port and the server port.

    Start String

    By default, set to <![CDATA[<<<]]>, which converts to <<<.

    End String

    By default, set to <![CDATA[>>>]]>, which converts to >>>.

    Delimiter

    Enter the delimiter to use for UDP messages.

  4. In Project Explorer, expand Alarms and Notifications > Alert Notifications, and then double-click General Settings to open the General Settings pane.

  5. Select the following checkboxes.

    Checkbox

    Description

    Enable SMS ID

    Select this checkbox to support acknowledgment using an incrementing SMS Message ID in outgoing messages. To acknowledge receipt, the receiver replies with the SMS Message ID. For example:

    Sender: 103 First Message
    Receiver (reply): 103
    Sender: 104 Second Message
    Receiver (reply): 104

    The SMS Message ID automatically increments with each message sent until the SMS ID maximum value is reached, which is set in the FwxServer.PointManagers.config file. To update the FwxServer.PointManagers.config file, see Updating the FwxServer.PointManagers Configuration File.

    Enable Acknowledge ID

    Select this checkbox to require an acknowledgment code with reply SMS messages. For example:

    Sender: 103 First Message
    Receiver (reply): 103 12345
    Sender: 104 Second Message
    Receiver (reply): 104 12345

    You must select the Enable SMS ID checkbox first.

What's Next?

Updating the FwxServerPointManagers configuration file