Alerts
Overview
OWS Alerts work by defining Rules for system Events. Each time a recorder loses connection or a sensor is triggered, it is registered as an event in the server software. These events are transmitted to the cloud as part of their lightweight connection to OWS. There, the events are compared against the Alert Rules defined by the user, and, if they meet the conditions of the rule, an Alert is generated. Read more about the differences between Events, Rules and Alerts.
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Alert Definitions
Event: This is defined as dispatches sent from recorders to OWS when a specific action has occurred. OWS will track events and generate an Alert based on the event threshold set in an alert rule.
Rules: Otherwise known as a set of user-defined parameters, will then filter out significant Events from insignificant ones. OWS will generate an alert based on the threshold set for the tracked events. It is crucial to configure Rules correctly to avoid being flooded with unimportant Alerts.
Alert: This is created when an Event or Events meets the parameters outlined in a Rule. If part of the Rule definition includes sending an email, one will be sent to the defined users. If the Rule’s parameters are properly configured, only important Events will be reported.
Notifications: Communication about Alerts can be set and are received by various methods including Email Alert, Push Alert, and Client Alert.
Active Alerts: A way to display and manage critical alerts generated by OWS. Users can tag any alert rule as an Active Alert. Active Alerts are displayed as a widget seen on every page of OWS and are listed in the new Active Alerts Dashboard. Active Alerts can be managed or cleared directly from the dashboard. Email notifications are labeled as “Active” for easy filtering.
Alert Types
- Analytics and Analytics Queue Alerts: For cameras preconfigured to send analytic events, an alert can be sent based on specifically defined audio or video events within a selected time period.
- License Plate Alerts: License Plate Recognition (LPR) Alerts are sent when numbers and letters that match the rule's criteria are detected by a camera on a vehicle's plate during a specified time period.
- Environmental Alerts: An Environmental Alert helps identify when thresholds are exceeded within an environment as well as sound abnormalities detected by sensors.
- Point of Sale Alerts: Configure Point of Sale alert rules to receive automatic notifications based on specific transaction criteria such as refunds, voids or discounts.
- Motion and Sensor Alerts: Motion Alerts are sent when movement is detected by a camera during a specified time period, and Sensor Alerts are sent when a sensor connected to a recorder is triggered.
- Access Control and Door Access Alerts: An Access Control Alert identifies when there is a trouble event identified with a door. Door Access Alert identifies when an attempt is made to access an area.
- Intrusion and Intrusion Sensor Alerts: An Intrusion Alert or Intrusion Sensor Alert identifies when a sensor event is received from an intrusion system.
- Health and Storage Retention Alerts: Health and Storage Retention Alerts help identify when something is affecting the ability of hardware to capture or record video.
- Software Updates Alerts: Software Updates Alerts generate an alert if a Software Updates policy has been paused due to too many failures.
NOTE: Some alerts are dependent on license type.
Best Practices
- All Health Alerts should be deemed active.
- After working through the left-hand menu to create a new rule, work your way back up the menu to re-check your settings.
- OWS can push alerts directly to third-party central stations.
- OWS can tie an alert to the state of an Access panel. This gives flexibility to customers with floating closing and opening times.
Best Practices Channel Partners
- Channel Partners can add certain alert rules to all accounts at one time in the Accounts/Locations tab under Add Account and selecting Enable All Accounts.
- Channel Partners should include their internal support team to receive active alerts so they can proactively attend to any issues.
Alert Permissions
- Administrators should ensure users are added to the desired alert rules and have appropriate location and device-level access. For more information, see Creating an Alert Rule.
- Users need to be given the View Alerts permission and be added to alert rules. They only see alerts for the rules they have been added to and the devices they have permission for.
- Users can be given the Alert Administrator permission. This permission allows the user to view, create, edit, and delete all alert rules, even those they are not added to. This does not give them the permission to view alerts for alert rules they are not added to, and they will still need to be added to view alerts.
- Administrators don't need to be added to alert rules to see the alerts. If they are added to alert rules, they have the ability to toggle a filter in Alert History filters for Show my Alert Rules or Show all Alert Rules. By default it is set to Show all Alert Rules.
- Alert Notifications
- Notifications of Alerts can be set and are received by various methods including Email Alert, Push Alert, and Client Alert.