Alarm Services

Configuration Hub allows you to manage your iFIX alarm services from the Alarms panel.

Access Alarm Services

To access Alarm Services:

  1. From the Navigation panel, select your node, iFIX project, and then Alarms.
  2. Click Destinations. The Alarm Services settings appear as shown in the following figure.

Details for Alarm Services

The following tables describe the details you can manage for alarm services.

Table 1. Alarm Summary Service
Field Description Default
Service Status Species whether the service is enabled or disabled.

By default, the Alarm Summary Service automatically deletes an acknowledged alarm when the block's current value returns to normal. If you do not want to delete acknowledged alarms automatically, you can disable this feature and delete the alarms manually by re-acknowledging them after the block's value returns to normal.

Enabled
Alarm Deletion Specifies whether alarms can be deleted automatically or manually. Automatic
Alarm Horn Support Allows you to enable the alarm horn so that an alarm sounds when a new alarm appears. The horn repeats at three speeds to distinguish between low, medium, and high priority alarms. A one-second increment between beeps signifies high priority alarm, a two-second increment signifies a medium priority, and a three-second increment signifies a low priority. Disabled
Configured Areas Specifies whether to use Common alarm areas, or specific alarm areas for the specified alarm service. Select the button to pick your options. Common
Table 2. Alarm File Service
Field Description Default
Service Status Species whether the service is enabled or disabled.

When enabled, the Alarm File service receives alarms and messages, and saves them to a text file, yymmdd.ALM. This file resides in the Alarm path.

Disabled
Configured Areas Specifies whether to use Common alarm areas, or specific alarm areas for the specified alarm service. Select the button to pick your options. Common
Use Common Message Format Leave the default of yes, or click the button to display the Alarm File Service Message Format Configuration dialog box, and select the service's message format. Yes
Table 3. Alarm History Service
Field Description Default
Service Status Species whether the service is enabled or disabled.

Be sure that the Alarm History Service is always enabled. If the Alarm History Service is disabled, you may receive an error message stating that no destination is currently available to dispatch the alarm.

 Enabled
Configured Areas Specifies whether to use Common alarm areas, or specific alarm areas for the specified alarm service. Select the button to pick your options. Common
Use Common Message Format Leave the default of yes, or click the button to display the Alarm File Service Message Format Configuration dialog box, and select the service's message format. Yes
Table 4. Alarm ODBC Service
Field Description Default
Service Status Species whether the service is enabled or disabled.

When enabled, this service sends alarms and messages to an ODBC-compliant relational database, allowing you to retrieve any information you want by querying the database. You can use the iFIX ODBC Alarm Service Configuration dialog box to configure the Alarm ODBC Service.

 Disabled
Configured Areas Specifies whether to use Common alarm areas, or specific alarm areas for the specified alarm service. Select the button to pick your options. Common
ODBC Configure Describes whether this feature is configured. Select the to configure your Alarm ODBC Service. No
Table 5. Alarm Network Service
Field Description Default
Service Status Species whether the service is enabled or disabled.

If your system is networked, be sure that the Alarm Network Service is always enabled. If the Alarm Network Service is disabled, you may receive an error message stating that no destination is currently available to dispatch the alarm.

 Enabled
Send Startup Queue to Original Typers Select the Send Startup Queue Alarms to Original Typers check box to distribute alarms from the SCADA server to all the enabled alarm destinations on the View client. Clear the check box if you want to send the alarms to the Alarm Summary and Alarm Startup Queue Services, or if the Alarm Queue Service is disabled. Check box cleared
Table 6. Alarm Startup Queue Service
Field Description Default
Service Status Species whether the service is enabled or disabled.

When enabled, the Alarm Startup Queue Service provides a View client with a list of the alarms that occurred on a SCADA server prior to starting iFIX on the View client. In addition, iFIX can send messages to the Alarm Startup Queue Service along with the alarms.

If you are using the Startup Queue, be sure to enable the Alarm Summary Service.

Disabled
Summary Alarms Only Select the Summary Alarms Only check box to receive alarms and messages. To receive only alarms from the Alarm Summary Service, leave the check box selected. Check box selected
Enable Time Filter If you want to filter alarms by time, select the Enable Time Filter check box and then enter the maximum age of the alarms and messages you want to receive in the Hours and Minutes fields. Check box cleared
Filter Alarms Older Than The maximum age of the alarms and message you want to receive. 23:59:59