Alphanumeric Pager - TelAlert
Pagers can receive alphanumeric messages also
Based on a server at SLAC
Has been in pilot mode growing to 50 users over last 2 years
Keeps audit trail (pages are not private)
For highly critical messages use phone to send message (i.e. digital only)
Only people who have registered can be sent messages
Notes:
30KB limit to length of what pagers can store and 34 messages. Each pager includes 150 pages/month, additional pages are charged at a rate of $0.10/page. TelAlert server is on UPS, software is local to the server, uses network for receiving messages.
May need a second server ($10K) for backup or if growth from 50 to 800 users causes contention problems (modem, cpu, etc.)
Working on improved monitoring and sending email if problems (cant use pager if problems!)
It keeps an audit trail log - thus pages should not be considered private.
Web page is SLAConly. Have had requests to extend beyond SLAC, however without some authentication this is asking to be spammed. Outside users can send telealert pages by logging onto SLAC. Form requires valid sender & recipient. Valid means SLAC POP/Unix account. Sender not authenticated, but email is sent to the sender to alert in case of misuse.
For higher availability either use phone system directly, or have own pager modem and software on critical system. For Windows there is COTS shrinkwrap software. For Unix software costs $5K.
Could also use email to Airtouch 1650xxxxxxx@alphapage.airtouch.com or use their Web page at http://www.airtouch.com/paging/at_ip1.html. But no audit trail, requires big portion of network to be up, messages can be sniffed and added to spam lists