Triggering corrective actions via SMS to manage the network

WARNING: This option is available only if you use the monitoring software LoriotPro. The SMS dispatch Manager alone can't perfom actions.

SMS Dispatch Manager may also be used for the remote control of several different types of network or system devices by triggering actions and alarms.
This means that after receiving an alarm by SMS and sending the corresponding « acknowledge » message, it is possible to then launch a corrective action from a distance. For example, this command could be for instance to reboot or restart a server or application, launch an audit, purge a log, etc. 

The principal of using SMS to give orders to the LoriotPro software is a very powerful one because it uses all the possibilities of the LoriotPro event actions.

By sending an SMS directly from your cell phone, you may thus perform several actions such as; executing either a DOS or Windows program, generating audio alarms on the console, sending an e-mail, an SMS, a SYSLOG message, or launching LUA scripts (Extended Edition).

Using the software is very easy and rapid; all you have to do is to send an SMS with the predefined LoriotPro event number which will then trigger one or several actions using filters which are also predefined. For additional information on managing events, please refer to the documentation on Events.

SMS Dispatch Manager is also integrated with a system that verifies the phone number from which the command emanated in order to prevent triggering actions from numbers either than those listed for the authorised personnel. This verification is based on the x (number varies) last digits of the phone number. 

Sending an action SMS

The format for an action SMS consists of an event number, declared in the LoriotPro software, preceded by two space characters. Once received, SMS Dispatch Manager then generates an event in The LoriotPro events history « event log » with the following format:

SMS received from: [number/name] for action: xxxxxx

The number corresponds to the phone number of sender of the SMS.

The name is derived from the list of senders mentioned in the SMS Dispatch Manager « Recipient » tab available in the Setup mode.

The value xxxxxx is replaced by the event number selected when theSMS was sent.

If filters exist for the received event, then the actions linked to these filters will then be executed.

Just a quick reminder; LoriotPro is capable of receiving different kinds of SMS.

1. The acknowledgement SMS which are comprised of the 4 digits of an alarm SMS.
2. SMS to carry out actions comprised of two space characters followed by an event number.

Informative SMS which do not have any precise format and which are used to send messages   to the operator of the LoriotPro console in the form of a generic event.
 
Configuration preliminary steps

In order to trigger an action by SMS, the preliminary steps for configuration have to be respected.

1. Declare the events
2. Declare filters and the actions linked to these filters
3. Test the filter actions by performing an event simulation
4. Test the action by sending an SMS

Declaring events

To declare a new event in LoriotPro, open the «Configure » menu and select the « Register New Event Number » option.

The event registration window is displayed « Event Number Selector window ».

In the « Event Number » field, enter the new event number that you wish to create.

Select a description for this event.

Click on the « Register or Modify Event » button.

The new event should now appear in the list.

Click « OK » to finish.

Declaring filters and filter actions

The next step consists of defining the event filter which will trigger the required action.

Display or select the filter window option on the View menu -> Events/Traps Filters.

Right click to open the contextual menu then select the « New Event Filter »

The window for creating a filter is displayed. This window makes it possible to define the filtering conditions.

The parameters to be defined are the following:

Event Number: The number of the event to be filtered.

IP: The IP address of the LoriotPro software source generating the event.  In our case, the IP address of LoriotPro which will be the source of the event sent by SMS Dispatch Manager. If we leave the value 0.0.0.0, the value of the IP address is not taken into account during the filtering process.

Mask: The IP address filter mask. For example, the value 255.255.255.255 makes it possible to select a unique IP address while 255.255.255.0 makes it possible to select the 255 addresses of the class C network specified in the IP field.

Strings: makes it possible to define two chains of characters that are present in the message, as a conditional argument for filtering.

Next, you must define the action attached to this filter.

In the example, we will execute a Windows program which triggers a command to shut-down and then reboot a remote server named ULYSSE.

The following syntax is viable for Windows VISTA.

C:\Windows\System32\shutdown.exe /r /m \\ULYSSE

The command may be tested in a DOS window beforehand.

Testing a filter action by an event simulation

In order to verify that a filter is functioning well, it is necessary to simulate the event with the program that is generating the events. This can be done by accessing the main Menu and choosing the option Tools -> Event Simulator.

By default conserve all the values proposed, except in the Event field which should contain the number of the event to be simulated. If the IP address filter is also active, you should also modify the « IP Reference » field with the LoriotPro IP address.

Click « Send Event » to generate an event simulation.
In our example, in the Events window the event 60000 appears.

If the filter is satisfactory, the filter counter should have increased. Verify by going to the window that displays all the successful filters, the « Event Filter Counters » window by right clicking on the contextual Menu to get the Event window below.

In our example the counter displays 9 successful filters.

Testing an action by sending an SMS

To finish, it is necessary to verify the complete chain. Make sure that the SMS Dispatch Manager program is switched on (Start button gray). On your phone, create an SMS to be sent to the GSM modem number connected to LoriotPro. The SMS should contain two space characters followed by the event number that is «   60000 » in our example.  

After sending the SMS you should have among the events received, the event for the action that you sent, 60000 in our example.

You can double-check that the filter was successful by choosing the option « Event Filter Counters » available by right clicking on the contextual menu and by checking that the required action was effectively carried out (i.e. server shut down).

If this first example works, reproduce it, this time adding events and filters /actions for all the actions for controlling your information system that you would like to perform by simply sending an SMS.

Using SMS Announcer for the management of the SMS for action on your mobile phone

In order to facilitate exploitation on your mobile phone you can use a program for managing SMS templates such as SMS Announcer (WM5/WM6) 1.0 by Dreamsoft http://www.dreameesoft.com/

This software allows you to define and save all the actions in template form and then access them directly to send SMS messages. It is then no longer necessary to memorise event numbers and this also helps you to avoid errors that may occur from texting in the wrong numbers.

An example on using SMS Announcer:

1st step: Launch SMS Announcer and create a template using the « new » option of the software. Give a precise name to your template such as in the example below which describes the action that is to be realised.

2nd step: Next, put in the text for the action message, that is to say, the event number preceded by two space characters.

3rd step: Once the templates have been created, you can select one to generate an action by clicking « Compose ». Your destination list appears; select the destination number corresponding to the LoriotPro GSM modem. To facilitate the selection, we have deliberately created user number « 000 LoriotPro » so that it appears first on the list. Click Send to dispatch.

Without doubt, there are other applications which may be used to facilitate the management of the LoriotPro SMS actions on the mobile phone. Please feel free to communicate your experiences on this subject to support@loriotpro.com.