The Alarm Behavior table defines a set of alarm rules. Each rule defines name, a trigger, and a behavior for the alarm.
• The name is used to group multiple alarm rules into one alarm definition that can be associated with a SCADA measurement or System alarm.
• The trigger defines when the alarm is generated. An example of a trigger is an Unexpected Open event.
• The behavior defines how the alarm behaves after it is generated. For example, a behavior could require that the alarm be acknowledged.
Alarm Behavior Table Columns
• The Name column defines a common alarm definition name. The name is used to group multiple alarm rules names into one alarm definition.
For example, a single bit digital alarm has two states (ON and OFF) and device can change through control or through an unsolicited change. In this case, the alarm definition would have four rows in the table for the following triggers:
• Expected OFF
• Expected ON
• Unexpected OFF
• Unexpected ON
When the device changes to ON as a result of an operator control request, an alarm will be generated that follows the behavior as defined by the Expected ON rule.
If a rule does not exist for a devices state, then an alarm will not be generated when the device changes to that state.
• The Trigger Type column defines the context around how a measurement changed state. The trigger type can be one of the following values:
• Expected: A change in value caused by a control request
• Unexpected: An unsolicited change in state of a SCADA measurement.
• Intermediate: An open or close change for a switch with an associated auto-recloser where the auto-recloser is still attempting to close the switch.
• Manual: A change due to a manual entered value by the operator.
• Override: A change due to a manual override by the operator.
• Inhibit: A inhibit has been applied to the SCADA measurement.
• Quality: A change in a quality code for a SCADA measurement.
• Cleared: The clearance of a quality code for a SCADA measurement.
• System: A system generated event.
• Limit Band: A change in limit band.
• The Trigger Value column defines the NMS Value for a SCADA measurement that will cause the alarm to be generated. If the Trigger Value has no value, then this means that the alarm rule applies to all values. For example, an alarm rule with a Trigger Type of Unexpected and no Trigger Value for a single bit digital, would be used for any unexpected change in value of the device.
The Trigger Type in conjunction with the Trigger Value defines which alarm rule will be used to generate an alarm.
A typical alarm definition for a single bit digital would have the following trigger conditions:
• Expected ON
• Expected OFF
• Unexpected ON
• Unexpected OFF
• Manual
• Override
• Inhibit
Note: The manual, override, and inhibit Trigger Types have no Trigger Value and are used for any ON or OFF change in value.
A typical alarm definition for an analog with high and low limits configured would gave the following trigger conditions:
• Limit Band 1: Used when the analog enters the high (Hi) limit.
• Limit Band -1: Used when the analog enters the low (Lo) limit.
• Limit Band R: Used when the analog value enters the reasonability limits.
• Limit Band ~: The ~ (tilde) rule is triggered when the limit band enters the normal range.
A typical alarm definition for a normally closed switch with an associated auto-recloser would contain the following trigger conditions:
• Expected
• Unexpected Open
• Unexpected Close
• Intermediate
• Manual
• Override
• Inhibit
Note: The Expected, Intermediate, Manual, Override, and Inhibit Trigger Types have no Trigger Value and are applicable to both the Open and Close changes in value. The Unexpected Trigger Type used different rules for the Open and Close alarms, which is typically to assign a higher priority to the Open alarm.
• The Priority column defines the priority of the alarm. The priorities are configured in the Priorities tab.
• The Class column defines the alarm classification. The classes are configured in the Classes tab and allow alarms to be grouped into common classes (for example, System, SCADA, and so on).
• The Category column define the alarm category. The categories are configured in the Categories tab and each class has a set of associated categories.
• The Requires Ack column defines whether the alarm must be acknowledged by the operator before it becomes inactive and is removed from the alarm list. If an alarm does not require operator acknowledgment, then the system will automatically acknowledge it.
• The Standing column defines the alarms behavior once it has been acknowledged by the operator. If an alarm is standing, then it will only be removed from the alarm list once the following two conditions are met:
• It has been acknowledged by the operator or system.
• The alarm condition is no longer present.
In conjunction, the Requires Ack and Standing columns control when and if an alarm is seen in the Alarms list. Regardless of these settings, the alarm will always appear in the Alarm History.
A typical configuration for a switch would be:
• Expected OPEN, Requires Ack = NO, Standing = NO
• Expected CLOSE, Requires Ack = NO, Standing = NO
• Unexpected CLOSE, Requires Ack = YES, Standing = NO
If an alarm is generated as a result of an operator control request to open or close the device then the alarms do not require acknowledgment and are not standing and therefore do not appear in the Alarm List.
If an alarm is generated as a result of an unexpected OPEN, then the alarm appears in the Alarms list as unacknowledged. If the operator acknowledges the alarm, then the alarm will remain in the Alarms List and will only be removed when the switch closes again (either through an unexpected event or control).
If an alarm is generated as a result of the unexpected CLOSE, then the alarm appears in the Alarms list as unacknowledged. If the operator acknowledges the alarm, then the alarm is removed from the Alarms list.
• The Latched column defines whether the alarm should be treated as a latched alarm. In the field a latched relay will be set and always immediately reset. In this case two alarms are always generated, the ON then OFF alarm. However we do not wish the OFF alarm to replace the ON alarm in the Alarm List.
A typical configuration for a latch relay would be:
• Unexpected ON, Requires Ack = YES, Is Standing = YES, Latched = YES
• Unexpected OFF, Requires Ack = NO, Standing = NO
If the ON alarm is generated, it appears in the Alarms list and must be acknowledged by the operator. When acknowledged, it remains in the alarm list.
If the ON alarm is generated and then the OFF alarm is generated (before the operator has a chance to acknowledge the ON alarm), then the ON alarm remains in the Alarm List and is unacknowledged. Once acknowledged, the alarm is removed from the Alarms list. The OFF alarm never appears in the Alarms list.
If the ON alarm is generated and acknowledged by the operator (so that it remains standing) and the OFF alarm is subsequently generated, the ON alarm is removed from the Alarms list. The OFF alarm never appears in the Alarms list.
• The Single column defines whether this alarm should act as a single alarm or should be automatically grouped in the Alarms list with any other unacknowledged alarms for this device and this alarm definition. Normally alarms are not configured as single alarms and this means that each alarm generated replaces the last alarm in the Alarms list (or becomes the last alarms parent if the last alarm was not acknowledged). If the alarm is configured as a single alarm, then it will never be replaced by any new alarm.
A typical example of a non-single alarm definition would be:
• Unexpected ON, Requires Ack = YES, Standing = NO, Single = NO
• Unexpected OFF, Requires Ack = NO, Standing = NO, Single = NO
If the Unexpected ON alarm is generated, it is shown in the Alarms list and requires acknowledgment.
If the Unexpected OFF alarm is subsequently generated, it replaces the ON alarm in the Alarm List. The ON alarm becomes a child alarm of the OFF alarm as it has not been acknowledged.
A typical example of a single alarm definition would be:
• Unexpected ON, Requires Ack = YES, Standing = NO, Single = YES
• Unexpected OFF, Requires Ack = NO, Standing = NO, Single = YES
If the Unexpected ON alarm is generated it is shown in the Alarm List and requires acknowledgment.
If the Unexpected OFF alarm is subsequently generated, it does not replace the ON alarm in the Alarm List.
• The Ack Outstanding column determines whether an alarm should automatically acknowledge any unacknowledged alarms for the device and alarm definition in the Alarms list. Normally when an alarm replaces another unacknowledged alarm, then the older alarm is added as a child alarm of the newer alarm. If the newer alarm is configured to acknowledge outstanding alarms, then the older alarm is instead automatically acknowledged and removed from the Alarms list.
A typical example would be:
• Unexpected ON, Requires Ack = YES, Standing = NO, Ack Outstanding = YES
If the Unexpected ON alarm is generated, it is shown in the Alarms list and requires acknowledgment by the operator.
If the Unexpected OFF alarm is subsequently generated the ON alarm is automatically acknowledged and removed from the Alarm List. The OFF alarm remains in the Alarm List and is unacknowledged.
• The Text Before column determines the text at the beginning of the alarm message.
A typical example would be:
• Trigger type = Unexpected. Text Before = Unsolicited
• Trigger type = Expected, Text Before = Solicited
An unexpected alarm would generate an alarm message:
Unsolicited <rest of message>
An expected alarm would generate an alarm message:
Solicited <rest of message>
• The Text After column determines the text at the end of the alarm message.
A typical example would be:
• Trigger type = Unexpected. Text Before = Unsolicited, Text After = Event
An unexpected alarm would generate an alarm message
Unsolicited <rest of message> Event
• The Show Value column determines whether the value that caused the alarm to be generated should appear in the alarm message.
A typical example would be:
• Trigger type = Unexpected, Trigger value = OPEN, Text Before = Unsolicited. Show Value = YES
An unexpected OPEN alarm would generate an alarm message:
Unsolicited OPEN
• The Show Units column determines whether the units of the SCADA measurement are displayed in the alarm.
A typical example would be:
• Show Value = YES, Show Units = YES
An analog alarm for an amps measurement with a value of 10 and units of A would generate an alarm message:
10A
• The Show Limit column determines whether the limit value is displayed in the alarm message. This is typically used for limit alarms to allow both the analog value and the limit value to be displayed.
A typical example would be:
• Show Value = YES, Show Units = YES, Show Limit = Yes
An analogue alarm for an amps measurement with a value of 10, units of A and low limit of 12 would generate an alarm message:
10A (12A)
• The Limit Text column allows some additional text to be added before the limit value in the alarm message.
A typical example would be:
• Show Value = YES, Show Units = YES, Show Limit = Yes, Limit Text = Limit
An analog alarm for an amps measurement with a value of 10, units of A, low limit of 12, and limit text of Limit would generate an alarm message of:
10A (Limit 12A)
• The Attachment column allows a document attachment to be associated with the generated alarm.
• The User Comment column allows an operator to add a description to the alarm rule.
• The Active column defines whether the rule is used by the system or not.
Context Menu Options
The following context menu options are available when you right-click a table row.
• Add A New Definition…: Opens the Add / Edit Alarm Definition dialog box to allow a new alarm rule to be created.
• Add Row To Definition…: Opens the Add / Edit Alarm Definition dialog box to allow a new alarm rule to be created. The Name field is populated with the selected row's name.
• Edit…: Opens the Add / Edit Alarm Definition dialog box with the selected row's values.
• Remove: Deletes the selected row.
• Preview Alarm: Displays what the selected alarm would look like in the Active Alarms and the Alarm History lists when triggered.
Buttons
• Add Definition…: Opens the Add / Edit Alarm Definition dialog box to allow a new alarm rule to be created.
• Add Row To Definition...: Opens the Add / Edit Alarm Definition dialog box to allow a new alarm rule to be created. The Name field is populated with the selected row's name.
• Remove…: Deletes the selected alarm rule.
• Edit…: button invokes the Add / Edit Alarm Definition dialog box with the selected row's values.
• Clear Preview: Removes the alarm preview from the Active Alarms and the Alarm History lists.
• Refresh: Refreshes the screen.
• Recache Services: Causes the Oracle Utilities Network Management System services to recache with the new alarm rules you configured; if you do not recache, your saved changes will not be recognized until services are restarted.
• Export Table…: Displays the SQL needed to create the data displayed in this table.