DSX Access Systems, Inc.

Alarm Echo / Remote Control

Alarm Echo

Alarm Echo and Remote control are two very powerful features of WinDSX. One allows offsite monitoring of alarms and the other allows remote login and control. Alarm Echo is started automatically by Time Zone for a time of day and day of week scheduled operation. Once the Time Zone that enables Alarm Echo becomes active the Comm Server PC at the Remote site will forward selected alarms to a WinDSX Comm Server at a DSX Central Monitoring Site.

The Comm Server PC at the Remote location reports selected alarms to another WinDSX Comm Server PC using a dial-up modem. For example: In an application where the system PC is on the premises of an End User (Remote Site) who administers and monitors activity during normal business hours, it is required that alarm activity be monitored after hours at an offsite Central Monitoring Station. All Alarm and cardholder activity will be stored at the Remote Site, while selected alarms will be redundantly reported to the Central Site. This application could be performed 24 hours a day instead of just after hours.

Alarm events that can be echoed are Location Comm Loss and Restoral (enabled under Location), Device Comm Loss and Restoral, Consecutive Denied Exceeded, AC Power Loss and Restoral, AC Power High and Restoral, and Door Open Too Long (enabled under Device), and Input Alarm and Restoral followed by Input Trouble and Restoral (enabled under Inputs). The events are selected under Locations, Devices, and Inputs. It is possible to echo events from some devices (readers) and not others. It is possible to echo events from some inputs and not others.

To prevent conflicting Location numbers at the DSX Central Monitoring Site an Alias Location Number can be assigned to the Remote DSX Site. This way although the WinDSX system at the Customer (remote) site is Location One it reports as the specified Alias Location number to the Central Monitoring site.

Alarm Echo requires a dedicated modem at the Remote Site. If there is a modem for controller communications a separate one must be used for Alarm Echo. The Central Monitoring Site requires a modem but it does not have to be a dedicated one. The Central Monitoring Site need only have the location, devices, inputs, outputs, and override groups defined. No other information is necessary. Do not define Outputs or Override Groups that you do not want Remote Control of at the Central Monitoring Site.

Remote Control Location

When selected Remote Control allows the Central Monitoring Site to call the Remote Site and remotely view and control a location. This allows the Central Site diagnostic and control of Inputs and Outputs at the Remote Site. It does not provide the ability to change the database or cause a download to the remote site location. This option must be enabled at the Central Monitoring Site. The Central Monitoring Site need only have the location, devices, inputs, outputs, and override groups defined. No other information is necessary. Do not define Outputs or Override Groups that you do not want Remote Control of at the Central Monitoring Site.

The Central Monitoring Site Comm Server utilizes a special protocol to communicate through the Remote Site Comm Server to view or control the remote location. The Central Monitoring Site Comm Server calls the Remote Site Comm Server using one of its standard dial-up modems. The Remote PC receives the call and utilizing another special protocol allows the Central Site Comm Server to view and control the field controllers directly connected to one of its other serial ports.