Alarms can be attached to specific sensors and triggered from user specified thresholds.
The screenshot below shows an alarm threshold is setup via the website. Settings can be adjusted later at any time and new settings are downloaded directly to the Outpost device - no direct connection to the device is required.
The alarm delivery mechanism is determined by the alarm roster that is actioned by the alarm event (the screenshot below show a roster called "Default" is to be actioned on the alarm event).
Alarms can be delivered by text message (SMS), email, fax or phone.
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Website Screen-shot: Alarm Setup
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Once a set of alarm conditions have been configured you can select the delivery mechanisms for the alarm from the following:
SMS Text Messages
SMS Text messages can be sent to as many different text capable phones as is required. The message text can be customised from the website and includes the current value of the Input being monitored.
E-mail Notifications
An Email mesage can be sent to as many different email addresses as is required. The email text can be customised from the website and includes the current value of the Input being monitored. The email can also include a pre-saved graph as an attachement to aid diagnostics. You might for example attach a graph of todays rainfall if the soil moisture gets above a certain value.
Phone Call Notifications
For people without a mobile phone but with a fixed landline, you might choose to call a phone number and have OutpostCentral "read out" an alarm. The alarm message can be customised from the website and a natural sounding voice will read you the message when the phone is answered.
Fax Notifications
A fax machine (or machines) can be sent a customisable message if an alarm condition is met. Like the Email alarm this fax can include a pre-saved graph to aid diagnostics.
Audited alarms
The OutpostCentral.com intelligent environment does not stop working after delivery of an alarm. It can be configured to ensure that someone is going to do something to fix your problem. You can set up email, Text message and Phone call alarms to require a reply from the recipient. If the recipient does no reply to the alarm within 5 minutes of it being sent then the next person/s on the list will be sent an alarm. In this way OutpostCentral.com can ensure delivery of your important alarms through more than one channel.
You might for example send an email to 3 people in technical support when an alarm occurs. If they don't reply to the message because they are busy or there is a network problem then you might send a text message to the same 3 people. If they still don't reply then you might wake yourself up as a last resort with a phone call because you don't get cell phone coverage in your bedroom.
