Monitoring the health of the modems in the dialpool

 

The dialpool health test (V4.3 and later) is configured through the Auto-Response interface. A new test type, "Dialpool Health", is available, which gives the following options to test connectivity to managed console servers and/or dialpool modems:

• Test Managed Console Servers: if managed console servers (with dial access configured) should be regularly tested, as per the specified parameters.
• Threshold: the number of hours/days/weeks/months that a managed console server must not have been accessed for, before the health test will attempt to dial it.
• Max Modem Count: the maximum number of modems to use in parallel to test dial managed console servers. This can be used to ensure that some modems are always available for use.
• Test Dialpool Modems: if dialpool modems should be tested if they have not been used within the specified timeframe.
• Threshold: the number of hours/days/weeks/months that a modem must not have been used before it will be tested by the health check.

Once configured, the health can be used with the standard Auto Response actions e.g. it could send a notification email when a modem or console server fails to connect. 

When using an action for the dial health test Auto-Response, there are some extra custom variables that can be used:

• DIAL_DEVICE: the type of device that has failed, either 'modem' or 'node'.
• DIAL_NAME: the name of the device that has failed, or the modem number if a modem.
• DIAL_LASTTIME: The last time this device was successfully connected.
• DIAL_FAILURES: The number of repeated failures this device has had since last connect.

An example alert message could be:

$TIMESTAMP: Dial health test failed connection to $DIAL_DEVICE $DIAL_NAME. Last connected time was $DIAL_LASTTIME. Has failed $DIAL_FAILURES times.