Remote Notification: Setting Up an Alarm in Metasys

Remote Notifications: Setting Up Alarms in Metasys

Configure Metasys to send alarm notifications via email, SMS, or other channels to ensure critical issues reach the right people promptly.

Notification System Overview

Components

Component	Function
Alarm Source	Equipment/points generating alarms
Notification Class	Rules for who gets notified
Delivery Channel	Email, SMS, push notification
Schedule	When notifications are active
Escalation	Backup if primary contact unavailable

Notification Flow

Alarm Occurs → Matches Class → Active Schedule? → Send Notification → Log Delivery

Setting Up Email Notifications

Prerequisites

1. SMTP server configured in Metasys
2. User email addresses entered
3. Notification classes defined
4. Network connectivity to mail server

Step 1: Configure SMTP Server

1. Go to Administration > Server Settings > Email
2. Enter SMTP server details:
   • Server address: smtp.company.com
   • Port: 25 (or 587 for TLS)
   • Authentication if required
   • From address: metasys@company.com
3. Test configuration
4. Save settings

Step 2: Create Notification Class

1. Navigate to Administration > Notifications
2. Click Add Notification Class
3. Configure class:
   • Name: Critical Alarms
   • Priority Filter: Critical only
   • Equipment Filter: All or specific
   • Active Hours: 24/7 or scheduled

Step 3: Add Recipients

1. Select notification class
2. Add recipients:
   • Select users from list
   • Enter email addresses
   • Add distribution lists
3. Set delivery preferences:
   • Immediate vs. digest
   • Include details or summary

Step 4: Configure Alarm Assignment

1. Navigate to equipment or alarm extension
2. Set Notification Class property
3. Select the class created above
4. Alarms from this equipment use that class

Notification Templates

Email Content

Customize what's included in notifications:

Field	Example
Subject	[CRITICAL] High Space Temp - Room 301
Equipment	AHU-01
Point	Zone Temperature
Value	82°F (Limit: 78°F)
Time	2024-01-15 14:32:05
Location	Building A, Floor 3

Template Variables

Use placeholders for dynamic content:

• {AlarmMessage} - Alarm description
• {EquipmentName} - Source equipment
• {Value} - Current value
• {Timestamp} - When alarm occurred
• {Location} - Space/building

Advanced Configuration

Time-Based Routing

Different contacts for different times:

Time	Primary Contact	Backup
Business hours	Building Engineer	Supervisor
After hours	On-call Tech	Answering Service
Weekends	Duty Manager	Emergency Line

Escalation Rules

If primary doesn't acknowledge:

1. Immediate: Send to primary contact
2. After 15 min: Resend + add supervisor
3. After 30 min: Add facility manager
4. After 1 hour: Add emergency contact

Priority-Based Routing

Priority	Recipients	Channel
Critical	All + On-call	Email + SMS
High	Engineers	Email
Medium	Operators	Email digest
Low	Logged only	None

Testing Notifications

Test Procedure

1. Create test alarm condition
2. Verify notification sent
3. Check recipient received
4. Confirm content is correct
5. Test acknowledgment flow
6. Clear test alarm

Common Test Scenarios

• Normal business hours delivery
• After-hours routing
• Escalation timing
• Email + SMS combined
• Distribution list expansion

Troubleshooting

Notifications Not Sending

1. Check SMTP configuration - Test email settings
2. Verify alarm class assignment - Equipment linked?
3. Check schedule - Notifications active?
4. Review recipient list - Valid addresses?
5. Check server logs - Delivery errors?

Delayed Notifications

1. SMTP server queuing
2. Network latency
3. Digest mode enabled (batching)
4. Email server spam filtering

Recipients Not Receiving

1. Check spam/junk folders
2. Verify email address correct
3. Check corporate email filters
4. Test with alternate address

Best Practices

Reduce Alarm Fatigue

Strategy	Implementation
Proper alarm limits	Tune thresholds to avoid nuisance
Appropriate priorities	Reserve Critical for true emergencies
Time delays	Require condition to persist
Consolidation	Group related alarms

Documentation

Maintain records of:

• Notification class configurations
• Recipient lists and schedules
• Escalation procedures
• Test results and dates

Regular Review

• Audit notification effectiveness quarterly
• Update contact information
• Review alarm statistics
• Adjust thresholds as needed