SMS Alerts: Elektra Musterhausen AG, part 3

Network, Switchgears, powerplants, transformer plants, control centers, special services, ... the technical infrastructure of Elektra Musterhausen AG is a very complex entity.

Foto: U.S. Air Force photo by Edward Aspera Jr. - United States Air Force/Lizenz: CC0 1.0 Universal

Countless components, which ensure the smooth operations, have to be controlled countinuosly. In case of a malfunction, action must be taken immediately.

A monitoring software is used, which, following an elaborate set of rules, continuously tests all integrated components. Abnormalities are reported for the early detection and staff is alerted and mobilized when needed at fault situtations.

Since the system-wide integration of a SMS-AddIn - developed by Elektra's software supplier - into the energy company's software, standardized text messages are sent and received directly from the system in all departments. Mainly for staff coordination, for general information, memos, and of course also in direct contact with customers. (See Case Study: Part 2 - software integration). The SMS-AddIn is considered as a great success in the company.

At the Executive Board meeting of Elektra Musterhausen AG, Head of the Network Beda Hungerer talks about his SMS worries. In case of malfunction employee must be notified, which causes problems again and again with the previous alarming. Xavier Keller, Head of Energy agrees: repeatedly employees are not informed or informed with delay. One could not always rely on the information about the delivery status of the alarms - so Xavier Keller was told by IT department.

Because of the positive experiences with the SMS-AddIn and with the ASPSMS System, the IT epartment at Elektra Musterhausen AG was commissioned to consider connecting the ASPSMS System to the monitoring software for the alarm notifications.

This task turned out to be much easier than thought first. The ASPSMS system can be flexibly controlled with simple, robust scripts. The accurate delivery status messages allow e.g. the escalation of an alarm if an SMS was not immediately delivered.

Today, the SMS-alarms from the monitoring software of Elektra Musterhausen AG are sent through the ASPSMS System. In case of an alarm, everything runs smoothly and fast. Id in addition, the SMS alerts are reliable and cost-effective.