Function Specification

AlarmTool

CONTENTS page
1 Introduction 3
1.1 Terminology 3
1.2 Application Unit Overview 3
1.3 New Functions in AlarmTool 3
1.4 Preconditions 5
2 Functional Description 5
2.1 General 5
2.2 Channel List Pane 6
2.3 Channel Details Pane 6
2.4 Browser Support 6
3 Technical Specification 7
3.1 Characteristics 7
3.2 Limitations 7

155 17-CNZ 223 10/1 Uen Rev G 2005-08-31

© 2005 Ericsson AB
All Rights Reserved
Function Specification – AlarmTool 2(7)

The contents of this document are subject to revision without notice due to
continued progress in methodology, design and manufacturing.

Ericsson shall have no liability for any errors or damages of any kind resulting
from the use of this document.

155 17-CNZ 223 10/1 Uen Rev G 2005-08-31

 Function Specification – AlarmTool 3(7)

1 Introduction
AlarmTool is a tool for viewing the alarm status of an AXE exchange.

1.1 Terminology
CSV Microsoft Excel text file format

OPI Operational Procedure Instruction

POD Printout Description

1.2 Application Unit Overview

AlarmTool is a Windows application for viewing the alarm status in one or
several exchanges. It uses WinFIOL Channels when connecting to an exchange
and can display the alarm status and some performance information from the
exchange.

1.2.1 Reasons for Using AlarmTool

AlarmTool gives the user a good graphical overview of the alarm status of an
exchange. It is especially useful during installation and upgrading of an AXE.

1.2.2 AlarmTool Functions

AlarmTool supports the following functions:

• Channel List

• Alarm List

• Software Alarm Panel

• Clone Channel and Open in WinFIOL

• Browser support
with connections to POD and OPI

• Export to File

1.3 New Functions in AlarmTool

The following functions are new and/or improved in the new version of
AlarmTool.

General

155 17-CNZ 223 10/1 Uen Rev G 2005-08-31

Function Specification – AlarmTool 4(7)

• AlarmTool can monitor up to 10 exchanges simultaneously

• No adaptation of hardware or software in the exchange is needed.

• Not dependent on the alarm classes and categories in the exchange.

• Automatic connect retrial when communication is lost.

Channel List

• Open, close, stop, start and update of channels

• Two types of software alarm panels

• Performance meter showing processor load

• Settings preserved when AlarmTool is closed

• Open WinFIOL towards supervised exchange

• Edit channel properties

• Customizable column widths

• Customizable channel item height

• Sound notification on lost connection

• Sound notification on raised alarm

Alarm Lists

• Divided into three tabs; New, Acknowledged and Ceased alarms.

• An extra tab showing overflowing alarms when AXE alarm list is full.

• Accessing ALEX documentation for a selected alarm

• Sorting of alarms

• Customizable column widths

• A window showing the alarm printout for the selected alarm in the list

• Clear Ceased alarms

• Clear Full alarm list

Console

155 17-CNZ 223 10/1 Uen Rev G 2005-08-31

 Function Specification – AlarmTool 5(7)

• Tab showing MML input and output

Log

• Tab showing detected errors

File export

• The current alarm lists for a channel can be exported to a CSV file.

1.4 Preconditions
The following requirements are specific for this tool. For general system
requirements see the Function Specification for WinFIOL, 155 17-CNZ 223 05.

1.4.1 PC Requirements

AlarmTool requires 2 MB of hard disk space.

1.4.2 AXE Requirements

AlarmTool can be used for an AXE with IOG11, IOG20, APG30 and APG40.

2 Functional Description

2.1 General
AlarmTool is a tool for viewing alarm status in one or several exchanges. It uses
WinFIOL Channels when connecting to exchanges and can display the alarm
status and some performance information from the exchange.

The AlarmTool window is divided in to two major panes, the channel list pane
and the channel detail pane.

AlarmTool retrieves all needed information from the exchange without any
special configurations in the exchange. This is achieved by letting AlarmTool
connect to a port where spontaneous alarm printouts is received.

AlarmTool supports sound notification when a new alarm is received. AlarmTool

uses separate sound notifications for different alarm classes.

AlarmTool immediately detects MML SERVER UNREACHABLE and SYSTEM

RESTART. If no spontaneous alarms are received within 2 minutes AlarmTool
will try to connect in order to detect CP NOT OBTAINABLE or total loss of

155 17-CNZ 223 10/1 Uen Rev G 2005-08-31

 Function Specification – AlarmTool 6(7)

communication. If the communication is lost AlarmTool will automatically try to

regain contact with the exchange.

The alarm lists can be exported to a CSV text file.

2.2 Channel List Pane

The channel list, on the left hand side, shows all monitored exchanges. Each
monitored exchange is presented with name, connection status, a software
alarm panel and performance.

The alarm status is displayed as a matrix of “lamps” pretty much like the physical
alarm panel with alarm classes vertically with descending severity and alarm
categories horizontally. When there are one or several alarms the lamp is
highlighted and the number of corresponding alarms is displayed.

The software alarm panel can also be changed to a simpler form where all alarm
categories are added so the alarm panel only shows one lamp for each alarm
class. This can be useful when the number of alarm categories is large.

2.3 Channel Details Pane

On the right hand side, the channel details pane displays the details of the
selected exchange.

The details are divided into several tabs containing three alarm lists (active,
acknowledged and ceased alarms), a large software alarm panel and a log of the
MML traffic. If the exchange alarm list is full another alarm tab will show the
overflowing alarms.

All alarm lists shows alarm information in a column wise representation. The
columns are:

• Severity
• Category
• Alarm number
• Time
• Slogan

The alarm lists can be sorted on all columns and all alarms can be viewed in
detail.

2.4 Browser Support

The AXE documentation, POD and OPI, for the selected alarm is reachable from
AlarmTool if the document browser is configured in the channel properties.

AlarmTool supports following browsers:

• Active Library Explorer (ALEX) for Windows (local access)

155 17-CNZ 223 10/1 Uen Rev G 2005-08-31

 Function Specification – AlarmTool 7(7)

• Active Library Explorer (ALEX) server via Internet/Intranet

The browser connection is reachable when viewing an individual alarm. The user
can to go to the POD for the alarm or to go directly to the corresponding OPI for
the alarm.

3 Technical Specification

3.1 Characteristics

3.1.1 Performance

3.1.2 Reliability

3.1.3 Capacity

3.1.4 Security Aspects

AlarmTool supports the AXE authority system with the Login Engine function.

3.2 Limitations
One instance of AlarmTool can work towards a maximum of 10 exchanges at a
time.

Multiple instances of AlarmTool can be opened at the same time but will interfere
when it comes to saving settings for the application.

155 17-CNZ 223 10/1 Uen Rev G 2005-08-31