[hobbit] sms alert sample script - good solution?

Fri Apr 11 19:19:28 CEST 2008

The smsplus script sends SMS-style alerts via email.  Yes, this isn't the
most reliable system (e.g. what if the email system isn't working), but for
us it works.  We have Hobbit paging the oncall people, but we also have an
operations group that monitors the Hobbit webpage 24x7.  In the event that
our email system has failed, we will eventually get called by the operations
group, and so the method we are using is fail-safe.

There shouldn't be any reason why the smsplus script couldn't be modified to
make use of an attached modem, instead of email.  In fact, those without
some sort of fail-safe system _should_ modify the script as appropriate
(unless of course it isn't that critical of an issue).

On Fri, Apr 11, 2008 at 12:26 PM, Phil Wild <philwild at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Oliver,
>
> Whoops! , I just reread your message and understand your comment better
> now - when I first read it I didn't realise you were making comment on a
> solution where someone was emailing an sms through a mail gateway rather
> than an direct sms based soln.
>
> Sorry
>
> Phil
>
> 2008/4/12 Phil Wild <philwild at gmail.com>:
>
> Hi Oliver,
> >
> > Have a good read of the man pages around hobbit-alert. You do not need
> > to involve email when sending messages at all and probably the most reliable
> > method is with an attached GSM modem. It is much faster than analogue
> > dialing a messaging provider.
> >
> > We use two gsm modems attached to two independent hobbit servers in two
> > data centres connected to two different mobile providers. We have hobbit
> > monitoring the messaging queues and have failover in place, if a message
> > fails to get out via one provider after a number of retries, it is
> > transferred to the other server.
> >
> > We have also planned to set up a ping test via sms where one modem sms's
> > the other but it has fallen off the bottom of our todo list as the current
> > configuration has proven to be very stable...
> >
> > It would be nice though if the modem hardware was more stable, regular
> > restarts when they hang (wavenet modems). Can't say other brands are better
> > and the monitoring and scripting has made them reliable enough so that we
> > don't need to replace them and start again...
> >
> > Your carrier may also be able to provide a status message feature where
> > you receive back an sms once your message has entered the recipients phone
> > (extra messaging cost and no guarantee they will read it of course but then
> > that is what escalation is for). I am sure it would be possible to script a
> > confirmation check and retry on the other network if you really wanted to
> > guarantee the message got to the phone...
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > Phil
> >
> > 2008/4/11 Oliver Grube <oliver_grube at campbellsoup.com>:
> >
> >  Hello,
> > >
> > > this is just my opinion and something to thought about...
> > >
> > > I have read about SMS alerting here. I think, from a reliability point
> > > of view, this kind of alerting, is not stable enough.
> > > Your designs are based on sending an eMail to an SMS sending system.
> > > A simple question: How do you get alerts for your eMail system?
> > > We have implemented this functionality with a simple modem attached to
> > > the Hobbit system and we dial the SMS provider directly.
> > > I think, that this is a more reliable solution, if you want to do SMS
> > > Alerting.
> > >
> > > Another option is to give the important guys Blackberry or similar
> > > devices and let them read the alert via eMail.
> > > Advantage: they can access internal hobbit systems directly and
> > > confirm alerts...
> > >
> > > As I said... just some thoughts...
> > >
> > > mit freundlichen Grüßen - Best regards
> > > Hälsningar - Met vriendelijke groeten
> > > Sincères salutations
> > >
> > > Oliver Grube
> > > EU Security&Controls Manager
> > >
> > >
> > > [image: Inactive hide details for "Benjamin P. August"
> > > <baugust at stanford.edu>]"Benjamin P. August" <baugust at stanford.edu>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >     *"Benjamin P. August" <baugust at stanford.edu>*
> > >
> > >             2008-04-11 17:44
> > >             Please respond to
> > >             hobbit at hswn.dk
> > >
> > >
> > > To
> > >
> > > hobbit at hswn.dk
> > > cc
> > >
> > >
> > > Subject
> > >
> > > RE: [hobbit] sms alert sample script
> > > Yes, that's what we did.
> > >
> > > ----from hobbit-alerts.cfg----
> > > $SUPPSMS=SCRIPT /u01/webapps/hobbit/server/ext/smsplus.sh
> > > [comma-separated list of SMS email addresses] DURATION>6 REPEAT=120
> > > RECOVERED
> > > ----
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > --Ben
> > > Benjamin P. August
> > > System Administrator - VPUE
> > > Stanford University
> > >
> > >
> > > Quoting Taylor Lewick <tlewick at tradebotsystems.com>:
> > >
> > > > I mean, we have a staff of 5 people who I would want to send the
> > > alert
> > > > too on their cell phones.  Can I create a group alias like IT-NOC
> > > that
> > > > would have 5 cell phone numbers to alert to?
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Josh Luthman [mailto:josh at imaginenetworksllc.com<josh at imaginenetworksllc.com>
> > > ]
> > > > Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2008 9:09 PM
> > > > To: hobbit at hswn.dk
> > > > Subject: Re: [hobbit] sms alert sample script
> > > >
> > > > 5 lines or an alias?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 4/10/08, Taylor Lewick <tlewick at tradebotsystems.com> wrote:
> > > >> Thanks, I was actually after the smsplus.sh part, hadn't bothered
> > > to
> > > >> check deadcat, I should have done that.  Ben posted the smsplus.sh,
> > > so
> > > >> between the two I think I am good to go.
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> I believe I can setup macros with the hobbit-alerts.cfg file too.
> > >  Can
> > > >> you set up an alias group so that you can send SMS alerts to
> > > multiple
> > > >> cell phones, i.e. say you want to send it out to 5 phones at once?
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> Thanks,
> > > >> Taylor
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> ________________________________
> > > >>
> > > >> From: Josh Luthman [mailto:josh at imaginenetworksllc.com<josh at imaginenetworksllc.com>
> > > ]
> > > >> Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2008 4:28 PM
> > > >> To: hobbit at hswn.dk
> > > >> Subject: Re: [hobbit] sms alert sample script
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> HOST=*
> > > >>   MAIL josh at imaginenetworksllc.com COLOR=RED DURATION>15m REPEAT=60
> > > >> RECOVERED FORMAT=SMS
> > > >>   #SCRIPT /home/hobbituser/server/ext/smsplus.sh
> > > >> josh at imaginenetworksllc.com DURATION>15m
> > > >>   #4sms#MAIL 9371231234 at txt.att.com COLOR=RED DURATION>15m
> > > REPEAT=60
> > > >> RECOVERED FORMAT=SMS
> > > >>
> > > >> This what you're after?
> > > >>
> > > >> On Thu, Apr 10, 2008 at 4:46 PM, Taylor Lewick
> > > >> <tlewick at tradebotsystems.com> wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> Can someone provide a sample script they are using to send out SMS
> > > >> alerts via hobbit.  If you are using add-on tools to do this please
> > > >> provide which tools you are using.
> > > >>
> > > >> Is anyone creating aliases for phone numbers?
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> Thanks,
> > > >>
> > > >> Taylor
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> --
> > > >> Josh Luthman
> > > >> Office: 937-552-2340
> > > >> Direct: 937-552-2343
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> > > >>
> > > >> Those who don't understand UNIX are condemned to reinvent it,
> > > poorly.
> > > >> --- Henry Spencer
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Josh Luthman
> > > > Office: 937-552-2340
> > > > Direct: 937-552-2343
> > > > 1100 Wayne St
> > > > Suite 1337
> > > > Troy, OH 45373
> > > >
> > > > Those who don't understand UNIX are condemned to reinvent it,
> > > poorly.
> > > > --- Henry Spencer
> > > >
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