Configure Alarm Input Contacts

Step 1

Create the FlexConfig object to configure the alarm input contacts.

1. Choose Objects > Object Management.

2. Choose FlexConfig > FlexConfig Object from the table of contents.

3. Click Add FlexConfig Object, configure the following properties, and click Save.

   • Name—The object name. For example, Configure_Alarm_Contacts.

   • Deployment—Select Everytime. You want this configuration to be sent in every deployment to ensure it remains configured.

   • Type—Keep the default, Append. The commands are sent to the device after the commands for directly-supported features.

   • Object body—In the object body, type the commands needed to configure the alarm contacts. The following steps explain the commands.

4. Configure a description for the alarm contact.

   alarm contact {1 | 2} description string

   For example, to set the description of contact 1 to "Door Open," enter the following:

   
   alarm contact 1 description Door Open 
   

5. Configure the severity for the alarm contact.

   alarm contact {1 | 2 | any} severity {major | minor | none}

   Instead of configuring one contact, you can specify any to change the severity for all contacts. The severity controls the behavior of the LED associated with the contact.

   • major —The LED blinks red.

   • minor—The LED is solid red. This is the default.

   • none—The LED is off.

   For example, to set the severity of contact 1 to Major, enter the following:

   
   alarm contact 1 severity major 
   

6. Configure the trigger for the alarm contact.

   alarm contact {1 | 2 | any} trigger {open | closed}

   Instead of configuring one contact, you can specify any to change the trigger for all contacts. The trigger determines the electrical condition that signals an alert.

   • open —The normal condition for the contact is closed, that is, the electrical current is running through the contact. An alert is triggered if the contact becomes open, that is, the electrical current stops flowing.

   • closed —The normal condition for the contact is open, that is, the electrical current does not run through the contact. An alert is triggered if the contact becomes closed, that is, the electrical current starts running through the contact. This is the default.

   For example, you connect a door sensor to alarm input contact 1, and its normal state has no electrical current flowing through the alarm contact (it is open). If the door is opened, the contact is closed and electrical current flows through the alarm contact. You would set the alarm trigger to closed so that the alarm goes off when the electrical current starts flowing.

   
   alarm contact 1 trigger closed 
   

7. Configure the actions to take when the alarm contact is triggered.

   alarm facility input-alarm {1 | 2} {relay | syslog | notifies}

   You can configure more than one action. For example, you can configure the device to activate the external alarm, send syslog messages, and also send SNMP traps.

   • relay—Energize the alarm output relay, which activates the external alarm that you attached to it, such as a buzzer or a flashing light. The output LED also goes red.

   • syslog—Send a syslog message. This option is enabled by default.

   • notifies—Send an SNMP trap.

   For example, to enable all actions for the alarm input contact 1, enter the following:

   
   alarm facility input-alarm 1 relay 
   alarm facility input-alarm 1 syslog
   alarm facility input-alarm 1 notifies
   

8. Verify that the object body contains the commands you want.

   For example, if your template includes all of the command examples shown in this procedure, the object body would have the following commands:

   
   alarm contact 1 description Door Open
   alarm contact 1 severity major 
   alarm contact 1 trigger closed 
   alarm facility input-alarm 1 relay 
   alarm facility input-alarm 1 syslog
   alarm facility input-alarm 1 notifies
   

   The object body should look similar to the following:

   
   

   

   
   

9. Click Save.

Step 2

Create the FlexConfig policy and assign it to the devices.

1. Choose Devices > FlexConfig.

2. Either click New Policy, or if an existing FlexConfig policy should be assigned to (or is already assigned to) the target devices, simply edit that policy.

   When creating a new policy, assign the target devices to the policy in the dialog box where you name the policy.

3. Select the alarm contact FlexConfig object in the User Defined folder in the table of contents and click > to add it to the policy.

   The object should be added to the Selected Appended FlexConfigs list.

   
   

   

   
   

4. Click Save.

5. If you have not yet assigned all the targeted devices to the policy, click the Policy Assignments link below Save and make the assignments now.

6. Click Preview Config, and in the Preview dialog box, select one of the assigned devices.

   The system generates a preview of the configuration CLI that will be sent to the device. Verify that the commands generated from the FlexConfig object look correct. These will be shown at the end of the preview. Note that you will also see commands generated from other changes you have made to managed features. For the alarm contact commands, you should see something similar to the following:

   
   ###Flex-config Appended CLI ###
   alarm contact 1 description Door Open
   alarm contact 1 severity major 
   alarm contact 1 trigger closed 
   alarm facility input-alarm 1 relay 
   alarm facility input-alarm 1 syslog
   alarm facility input-alarm 1 notifies
   

Step 3

Deploy your changes.