On this page you can find an SMS solution for Zenoss that allows to send SMS alerts from PC to mobile phones of the IT staff. With this solution, continuous availability can be ensured while the performance is also increased. For implementing this SMS solution, install Ozeki NG SMS Gateway software. The greatest advantage of this solution is that it satisfies the needs of the IT staff, the management and customers. Read more...

How to use SMS technology with Zenoss

System and network monitoring applications such as Zenoss are essential parts of a corporate IT system to provide a better IT operation and ensure right performance. Though the effectiveness of IT infrastructures still can be further increased if you want to operate at the highest level.

If you wish to make a system that is able to notify you or the IT staff in case of system malfunctions, it is recommended to implement SMS technology in your IT system. SMS functionality allows you to send SMS notifications or SMS alerts to the mobile phones of the IT staff or other intended people. With these SMS notifications you can prevent several further cases and avoid work stoppages as the intended person can intervene in real time. Moreover, multiple messages can be sent out, so not only the IT staff but the management can also be informed instantly. Therefore, all the staff can be up-to-date and well-informed about the condition of the IT system even if you are on the move.

To achieve these features you need to download and install a stable SMS gateway such as Ozeki NG SMS Gateway. It will provide SMS functionality right after its installation and you can start to build your SMS system. It forwards SMS messages to the mobile network either with the help of a GSM modem attached to the PC; or it connects directly to the SMS center of the mobile service provider. This solution helps you improve your monitoring application and saves considerable time and money.

Benefits of SMS messaging with Zenoss

  • Allows real-time SMS notifications and SMS alerts if there is an error in the system
  • Cost and time effective
  • Offers unique capacity on the market
  • Improves effectiveness
  • Increases availability
  • Improves corporate communications
  • Not requires Internet connection (in case of GSM modem connection)

System prerequisites

If you wish to setup this application you need to establish a connection between your system and a mobile network. You can choose from two options: Internet connection or wireless connection (when you attach a GSM phone or GSM modem to your computer). If you visit the following website: Internet based SMS connections vs. GSM modem based (wireless) SMS connections you can decide easily which solution is the best for you. You will need different tools for this application on the basis which solution you chose.

Requirements to connect your system to the Mobile network via the Internet

The following tools will be necessary if you wish to establish a connection between your system and an SMS service provider:

Figure 1/a - IP SMS connection checklist

You will need an SMS service provider who will be able to reach mobile phone surrounding you. To help you find a provider who can provide SMS service via the Internet, we have collected some provider on the following website: SMPP SMS Service providers. After you have chosen a provider and purchased its service you will get connection parameters and with these parameters you can set Ozeki NG SMS Gateway software according to your needs.

Requirements to wireless connection to the Mobile network

To establish wireless connection between your system and the GSM modem, you will need a GSM modem/ GSM phone and with a data cable you can connect it to your computer. In this way your Ozeki NG SMS Gateway software can handle the phone and the software can manage messaging wirelessly. The following tools will be necessary if you wish to establish this connection method:

Figure 1/b - GSM modem connection checklist

How Zenoss SMS system works

If you make sure that you meet all the above mentioned requirements, you can start to build your SMS system that will work as follows: If an error occurs in the IT system, Zenoss detects this malfunction and generates a report about it. This report will be forwarded to Ozeki NG SMS Gateway through a HTTP request. Finally, the SMS gateway processes it, and send out the SMS message to predefined phone numbers. This process can be examined on Figure 2.

Figure 2 - SMS messaging in Zenoss with Ozeki NG SMS Gateway

How to configure Zenoss SMS solution

To send SMS messages from Zenoss you need to configure your system in just a few steps. Please follow our step-by-step installation guide and watch the video tutorials to be successful in configuration.

First log into Ozeki NG SMS Gateway with your username and password, and click on "Server Preferences" in "Edit" menu (Figure 3).

Figure 3 - Edit server preferences

Click on "E-mail forwarding" tab, enable the built-in SMTP server and specify the FQDN of the service (Figure 4).

Figure 4 - Enable built-in SMTP server

Start Zenoss with typing the follows into the web browser (Figure 5):
http://IP ADDRESS:8080/

Figure 5 - Load Zenoss

Enter Zenoss and click on "User name" menu item (Figure 6).

Figure 6 - User's preferences

Then enter an email address in the following form: recipient@computer name. The recipient needs to be the phone number of the recipient; the computer name will be the IP address or DNS name of the computer to which Ozeki NG SMS Gateway has been installed. If it is done, type your password at the bottom of the form and click on "Save" to save the changes (Figure 7).

Figure 7 - Provide e-mail address and save

If you saved the changes, a "Test" button appears next to email field (Figure 8).

Figure 8 - Test e-mail address

If you click on "Test" button, it will send a test message to the defined phone number. This sent message appears in Ozeki NG SMS Gateway (Figure 9).

Figure 9 - Sent test message

Then click on "Advanced" in Zenoss (Figure 10).

Figure 10 - Edit SMTP server

In the "Settings" menu specify the SMTP Host which is the IP address of the Ozeki NG SMS Gateway (Figure 11).

Figure 11 - Edit SMTP server

Then click on "Events" -> "Triggers" menu in Zenoss (Figure 12).

Figure 12 - Add Notification

Add new trigger (Figure 12).

Figure 12 - New trigger

Provide an ID for this trigger, in our example it is "Error", and click on "Submit" (Figure 13).

Figure 13 - Trigger ID

Choose the new trigger and click to the "Edit" button (Figure 14).

Figure 14 - Edit Trigger properties

Next, specify the rule and click to "Submit"(Figure 15).

Figure 15 - Specify rule

Then click on "Notification" -> "Add new notification". Provide an ID for this notification and choose Email action. Finally click "Submit" (Figure 16).

Figure 16 - New notification

Next, click to the "Edit" button. On the Notification tab set the "Enabled" value to "True" and add a trigger. (Figure 17).

Figure 17 - Notification tab

Click to the Content tab and compose the body of your message (Figure 18).

Figure 18 - Content tab

Finally click to Subscribers tab and add a user (Figure 19).

Figure 19 - Add subscriber

After you click Submit you are ready to alert configuration (Figure 20).

Figure 20 - Submit the notification

Conclusion for Zenoss SMS solution

To summarize the above mentioned, Ozeki NG SMS Gateway is the best solution to further increase the performance of your monitoring application like Zenoss. With our solution you will be able to build a stable and well-functioning SMS system at the highest quality to give a helpful and efficient assistance to the IT staff and let the management be well-informed and up-to-date on all the happenings of the corporate IT environment. Improve your business and attract more customers and business partners with a competitive solution.

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