Creating Alarm Email Notifications in Systemlink Server

A configured This document assumes a basic knowledge of creating custom Tags  and configuring custom alarms in Systemlink server. In addition to displaying alarms in SystemLink server's Systems menu, alarms can be configured to send email notifications to designated users. This document outlines the steps required to set up alarm email notifications. 

To enable email notifications for alarms, the following components are required: 

• A configured SystemLink SMTP server:  SystemLink uses this SMTP server to send email notifications. 
• Email Template – Defines the content of the email notification.  
• Email Group – A list of email addresses that will receive the alarm notification. 
• Notification Strategy –Connects the Email Template to the Email Group.

Configuring the SystemLink SMTP server:

1. Open the NI SystemLink Server Configuration application.
2. Select the Smtp tab from the left-hand side.
3. Configure the following options:
   • Host is the SMTP server (the default is "mail")
   • Port (Default is 25. Use the default port or your SMTP server port).
   • STARTTLS encryption (to encrypt emails notification. This section is disabled by default.)
   • Require authentication( is disabled by default).
   • From address should be the SystemLink server administrator's email address. Email notifications will be sent using this address. (The default is no-reply@localhost )
   • Timeout (deault is 60)
4. Click  the Send test email button. If successful, an email should be delivered to the the specified To address within one minute.  After a successfull test, the following message will appear below the Send test email button:  "Successfully transmited the test email to the SMTP server". Finally, Also,verify that the message was received in the inbox of the specified To address.  For Gmail SMTP requirements refer to  Send email from a printer, scanner or app 

5. If successful, click Apply.
6. Make sure all services have restarted.

Creating Alarm Rule Notification

1. Log into the SystemLink web UI.
2. From the menu, select Utilities >> Alarms.

3. Select the Email Templates tab and, from the top click New to create a new template.

4. Enter all necessary information:
   • Selected Template should match the name of a configured Alarm Rules. Refer to this article for instructions on creating custom Alarm Rules.
   • Subject and Body fields can be left as default. Notice that SystemLink will automatically include the name of the tag, it’s severity and the timestamp of the alarm occurrence in the email content.

5. Click Save to save the template.
6. To create a group of email addresses, go to the Email Groups tab. From the top, click New to create a new group.
7. Set the Email Group's name in the Selected Group box.

8. Click the "+" symbol under the "To" section and enter the user(s) who should be notified if the specified Alarm Rule's condition is met. Multiple email addresses can be configured.
9. Click Save to save changes.

10. To link the Email Template with the Email Group, go to the Strategies tab.
11. From the top, click New to create a new Strategy. Set its name in the Selected  Strategy box, and its Dsecription.
12. Click the "+" icon next to Email Group.
13. From the Email Group drop-down menu, select the Email Group created in steps 6-9 above. 
14. From the Email Template drop-down menu, select the Email Template created in steps 3-5 above. Click Save to save changes.

15. Select the Alarms >> Active section.
16. If the Specified alarm is present, double-click it. (If it has not occurred, skip to step 19)

17. From the top menu, select Advanced >> Force Clear. This allows the alarm to be re-triggered with the newly configured email notification settings

18. Select the Alarm Rules >> Tags section.

19. Double-click the configured tag's Alarm Rule rule to edit it. 
20. Click the cog⚙ icon from the Conditions section.
21. Set the  Notification Strategy to the Strategy configured in steps 11-16. Select Update and click Save from the top left-hand corner to save the changes.

Re-trigger the alarm to verify the newly added email notification settings. 

22.  From SystemLink Web UI  main menu, select Utilities >> Tags
23. Double-click the specified tag (The tag for which the alarm email notification was configured).
24. Change it Value to one that will trigger the alarm and click Save.
25. Now navigate to Utilities >> Alarms.. The triggered alarm should be visible under the Alarms >> Active section.
26. After a few minutes, check the inbox of the email address set in step 10 to verify that the alarm email notification was delivered.