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5.4 Housekeeping/Maintaining
VisualGSM
5.4.1 What are the housekeeping procedure I need to carry
out for VisualGSM Enterprise over the longer term.
The “loglog” table in your VisualGSM database, and the
sms_server_log*.txt files are 2 items that will continue to
grow as more SMS are processed by VisualGSM Enterprise
everyday.
The “loglog” table contains messages processed,
time/date stamps, keywords activated, and simple error
records. You can clear “loglog” after ensuring there are
no “pending” messages. “pending” messages can be
identified as record with fields tried=0, succeed=0, and
probably after using the EXPORT button on Manager
Console to export its contents to a CSV text file.
sms_server_log*.txt, also displayed as rolling text in the
Event Viewer and real-time log, should be zipped and
stored in a safe location for future reference. Zipping text
files will generally reduce their size to ten percent of the
original. The sms_server_log.txt without the date/time
suffix should be left alone.
Maintenance should be done manually every 6 to 12
months for low usage volumes, and every month for very
high usage volumes. Restart the server and ensure it
works properly after maintenance.
5.4.2 I am always receive warning emails from VisualGSM
Enterprise.
You will receive occasionally warning emails from
VisualGSM Enterprise. Such emails are generated
whenever there is a GSM network problem. As such
network problems occur sporadically and for very short
periods of time for most cases, do not be surprised to find
that there is nothing wrong with your server after you
decide to investigate, less the error messages recorded in
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the log earlier on. If such emails are are frequent, you will
need to investigate the cause by studying the log
attached to the emails. Look out for CMS and CME errors
in the log. You can find a definition of the errors in the
“Message Failure Result Code Definition Guide” PDF.
Such errors will be frequent if the GSM network reception
is poor – can be caused by faulty antenna, the type of
building or enclosure, the location of the antenna, the
GSM network in that area for the SIM card use, and faulty
GSM/GPRS device.
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5.5 General Questions
5.5.1 What is an SMS message gateway?
In general, a gateway is a program that allows systems
using different data formats to connect to each other in
as transparent a way as possible.
In an SMS message gateway, one end of the gateway is
connected to a mobile telephone network, over which
SMS messages are sent. The other end of the gateway can
be connected to different systems or services. These most
commonly include mail systems and IP networks.
The main objective of the gateway is to send SMS
messages from clients that do not have the necessary
means, and to receive SMS messages to be processed or
resent by some other means within the IP network.
5.5.2 What is an SMS-to-IP gateway good for?
There are many applications that can use an SMS-to-IP
gateway. Basically, the objective is to extend to the GSM
network the functionality of client/server applications that
currently run on IP networks, and to facilitate the access
to various resources from mobile telephones that have the
ability to send and receive short messages.
Some of the applications commonly used with other
message gateways include banking services via GSM, SMS
chats, information services of various types (betting results,
traffic and weather reports, etc.), and information services
for computer equipment.
By using applications that work through the gateway,
VisualGSM Enterprise gives access to any service capable
of being based on a question-and-answer scheme by
implementing IMPs (Input Message Processors) that
analyze the message coming from a mobile telephone,
act according to the message, and respond via the
VisualGSM Enterprise client.
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5.5.3 What is a GSM/GPRS device?
A mobile telephone with GSM technology or GSM/GPRS
modem.
The future of the SMS service appears to be guaranteed
due to its widespread use. Even if the device used to
access the mobile network changes, mobile telephone
providers will probably make it a priority to maintain this
service, which is what VisualGSM Enterprise is based on.
5.5.4 How do I connect a telephone or modem to the
computer?
Each GSM/GPRS device can have one way to connect.
In any case, GSM/GPRS modems are connected to the
computer's serial port. Each mobile phone usually has a kit
to connect to the computer. Read the documentation for
your mobile phone or contact your service provider.
5.5.5 How do I add my own operator logos?
Operator logos are of the size 72 pixels in width by 14
pixels in height. Therefore, your logo must also satisfy this
criterion. It must also be in black and white. To add the
new logo, just click the logo tab in the Enterprise Manager
module and add the new picture file and give it a name.
All picture files must be in .GIF format as our converter only
recognizes this file format.
5.5.6 What is a flash SMS?
Flash SMS are text messages except that they appear on
the screens of your mobile phone immediately on your
screen when it arrives without the need to click on any
buttons to read it. This feature is supported by most mobile
phones. Flash SMS also has the option to appear as
blinking when it arrives.
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5.5.7 Do I need a dedicated Internet connection for my server
to continue running?
The answer is NO. You actually do not need any internet
connection at all to run your server except when you
need want to view your SMS application website. This is
because the server receives and sends SMS messages
through radio waves through the GSM/GPRS modem or
mobile phone.
5.5.8 How would I know whether or not my messages sent are
received by the recipient?
A delivery report will be requested each time you sent
either a Flash SMS or a normal text message. The delivery
report will inform you whether or not the message has left
the SMSC and has reached the recipient even if their
phones are turned off. Delivery reports are not requested
when you send logos and ring tones.
5.5.9 What if I am not around the server and one of the
recipients of my message sent an important SMS back to me?
It’s perfectly okay as the GSM/GPRS modems works just the
same way as any mobile phones and will store your SMS
message in the same fashion. In addition, all messages
either sent or received by the server will be logged for your
convenience and the log file can be exported into other
files such as excel. You can also assign incoming
messages to several configurable actions based on
keywords.
The difference is that GSM/GPRS modems are designed to
computer telephony integration and more suitable for SMS
applications as compared to generic mobile phones.
5.5.10 I am not a programmer, instead of keywords assigned
to external programs/web scripts, what else can I use to
respond to incoming messages.
You can also enter your own choice of text and phrases to
respond to the user based on defined keywords, through
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the keyword tab at the Enterprise Manager module. The
keyword type is INFO. This will not affect the performance
of the server in any way.
5.5.11 How secured is SMS?
GSM network is 40-bit encrypted. However, SMS stored at
SMSC are often in text file formats. Thus, the encryption is
not “end-to-end”.
5.5.12 Can I use a standard telephone line modem or Internet
connection with VisualGSM Enterprise?
No, VisualGSM Enterprise uses the GSM Mobile Originate
(MO) and Mobile Terminate (MT) protocols for sending and
receiving SMS messages, so it needs to communicate
directly with a GSM network via a GSM/GPRS "Modem" or
handset. Examples of suitable devices are provided on the
Hardware page of our web site.
The use of these protocols by VisualGSM Enterprise has the
following advantages:
-
Ability to receive SMS Messages on a PC as well as send
-
Access to advanced SMS facilities such as UDHI and DCS
fields for sending of "Smart" messages such as Ringing
Tones and Graphics, and control of Message Waiting
Indicators (MWI) for individual visual notifications of
Voicemail, Fax and Email
-
Fast message throughput, as there is no modem dialling
time.
5.5.13 How do I add my own ring tone to the Enterprise
Manager module?
Ring tone files are of the format called RTTTL, which is used
to display ring tones on the web. An RTTTL file would
contain the note, beat, tempo, style and duration of each
note. Just enter the RTTTL file format into the Enterprise
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Manager module and you are ready to go! The Enterprise
Manager module has a hidden programming that will
convert the parameters in the file into a SMS structure.
5.5.14 What is WAP Push?
WAP Push sent by VisualGSM Enterprise is a specially
encoded SMS message which contains all the necessary
information to download multimedia content onto your
phone: the downloading process is executed through a
WAP or GPRS connection. WAP Push can be used to send
Polyphonic Ring Tones, WAP links, Java midlets, and other
multimedia content.
