VisualGSM Enterprise User Guide
Visualtron Software Corporation
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1
Getting Acquainted
Congratulations! You are now the owner of the powerful
and feature-rich VisualGSM Enterprise application server
that will give your business the cutting edge advantage.
1.1 About This Guide
This user guide will help you get better acquainted with
your VisualGSM Enterprise application server:
Chapters 1 through 5.
1.2 Who Should Read This Guide
VISUALtron has designed this manual to guide system
administrators and users through the entire registration and
configuration process. This manual assumes that user
doing the installation has some knowledge of the Microsoft
2000/2003/XP environment and will NOT focus on these
issues. This guide will touch on the configuring and running
operations of VisualGSM Enterprise application server.
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1.3 Overview of VisualGSM
Enterprise
VisualGSM Enterprise Version 4.6.x Mobile Application
Server uses one of the following types of database engine,
MySQL 3.23/4/5, MSSQL 7.0/2000/2005/2008 or Oracle
8i/9i/10g/11g to offer a robust, secured, and open-
platform powerhouse that can be easily integrated into
the user LAN environment.
VisualGSM Enterprise comes with a GUI console manager,
a Windows service, and an add-on web-based manager.
The server incorporates “Smart” load balancing for
multiple GSM modems and is capable of working behind
corporate firewalls by accessing external network/web
resources via LAN proxy servers.
In a multiple modem/network environment, by using
mobile prefixes, the server can automatically route
messages to the correct network. The prefixes can be
configured using the console manager. With the new
Mission Critical License, the server can also route messages
to SMSC based on the SMPP protocol (added in version
3.6.6).
Security is also enhanced in that it limits usage and web-
based admin access from pre-configured set of IP
addresses are among its features. Access to information
services offered by interactive SMS services can be
restricted to pre-defined phonebook groups. SMS services
for public access can be offered along with restricted
services (Mobile Security function – see 4.2.5.5) using the
public access toggle.
The server is also capable of handling large message
volumes and also a self-diagnosis and problem resolution
feature that allows the system to self-detect configuration
conflicts and hardware failure. A crash recovery feature
allows the system to persistently resend unsent messages,
once the server is restored after it fails due to external
factors like power failure.
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For volume message handling, the server allows
configuration of the number of times a message
transmission attempt is made until a successful handshake
with the SMSC.
Another configuration sets the number of milliseconds the
server will pause in between every one minute of
continuous broadcast. This configuration allows the server
to download received messages residing at the SMSC. It
avoids the situation whereby too many messages
accumulates at the SMSC, and overusing the buffer
allocated.
From version 3.6.6, outgoing messages can be prioritized in
terms of their importance, and important messages will be
delivered before normal messages. This allows urgent
messages to be dispatched while the server is busy
broadcasting to a large recipient group. From version
4.6.1, users can configure a sleep period (8pm to 9am by
default) during which VisualGSM Server will defer
processing of low priority messages.
The Critical Messaging version of VisualGSM Enterprise
allows delivery report or message status tracking for every
SMS sent. Alternative actions are taken depending on the
message status over pre-defined intervals of time.
This license also supports direct SMSC connectivity via
SMPP 3.3/3.4 RX/TX gateways, which allows message
delivery to multiple with a throughput of up to 500 SMS per
minute.
The Critical Messaging Server also features HA or High
Availability functions (from version 4.5.6), which includes an
independent watchdog service that monitors VisualGSM
service, and an option for administrators to enable real-
time failover to a backup VisualGSM service, using widely
available third-party port monitoring software.
The Mobile Internet version of VisualGSM Enterprise
provides comprehensive WAP Push support to deliver WAP
pages, multimedia content and Java applications to
mobile users.
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1.4 Documentation Conventions
This guide uses some notations and abbreviations that are
native to this guide.
VGSM means VisualGSM
CR means carriage return or the equivalent of an
“enter” button from the keyboard
LF means line feed or equivalent to the cursor
dropping to the next row at the bottom when it
reaches the end of current row
AT means “Attention!”
SMS means Short Message Service
MS means Mobile Station which is basically a mobile
phone
SME means Short Message Entity, which is an entity
that can send or receive Short Messages. The SME
may be located in a fixed network, and MS or an SC
SC means service center, which is responsible for the
relaying and store-forwarding of a short message
between an SME and MS
GSM modem refers to Wavecom WMOD2B or any
compatible GSM or GPRS modems.
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2
System Specific Requirements
To install VisualGSM Enterprise, you must have at least these
system requirements:
1. 128 MB of RAM. (512MB Recommended for intensive
usage/256MB Recommended for normal usage. Excludes
memory required by database engine).
2. 200 MB of hard disk space.
Please do note that the amount of disk space required for
installation is about 60MB. An optimal system requirement
would be for to have 1000MB of hard disk space in order to
accommodate the log files and the database with
allowance for future increment in usage.
Other system requirements would be:
1. Pentium III/IV hardware platform.
2. Windows 2000/2003 Professional/Server/Advanced Server,
XP or Vista.
3. Internet Information Server or Apache Web Server
(Required only if HTTP API is used).
4. GSM modem or mobile phone with the necessary data
cable and/or SMPP 3.3/3.4 RX/TX Connectivity.
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3
Installing and Registering
VisualGSM Enterprise
3.1 Installation
3.1.1 Introduction
Detailed installation instructions will be provided in the
Readme file and Quick Start Checklist of the installation
root folder. It is important to read them carefully before
proceeding with the installation, and in particular the
requirement for logging in to Windows as the Administrator
user before installing.
If you are using GSM/GPRS modems, take note of the
instructions on how to configure your modem. If you have
problems trying to connect to the modem, you can try to
connect using Windows Hyperterminal (see instructions in
the other PDF guide/you can also download this guide
from the website under Customer
Support/Documentation).
Note:- VisualGSM 4.6.x now comes with port and modem
baud rate auto-detect buttons, which you can find on the
Configuration dialog under Modem setup.
Should you intend to connect to an SMPP gateway, you
need to obtain an SMPP account and connection
parameters from your SMSC provider.
3.1.2 VisualGSM Installer and Database Setup Wizard.
From version 4.5.x, a single VisualGSM Installer is used for all
3 database types: Oracle, MySQL, and MSSQL. For MSSQL
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and MySQL installation options, the new VisualGSM Installer
will automatically install database drivers; create the 2
DSNs (Data Source Names) – VisualGSMAdmin (used by
VisualGSM Manager) and VisualGSMODBC (used by
VisualGSM Service).
Towards the end of the installation, VisualGSM installer will
run the Database Setup Wizard for MySQL and MSSQL
databases options (for Oracle, refer to Readme file on how
to setup manually) towards the end of the installation.
Note:- If you are performing a reinstall, please be careful
not to override your existing database. Not doing so will
risk data loss.
3.1.3 VisualGSM – Window Service and Auto-Upgrade
VisualGSM installer will install VisualGSMServer.exe as a
Windows service on the targeted machine, copy
application files, e.g. VisualGSMManager.exe, Broadcast
ASP web scripts, database drivers, and documentation.
After you have completed database setup with the
Database Setup Wizard, the installer will run VisualGSM
Enterprise Manager and then prompt you to do an
upgrade check over the Internet and download the latest
patch if there is one.
You may initiate a search for newer version by clicking on
Auto-Upgrade button on VisualGSM Enterprise Manager
Console. Auto-Upgrader will run the patch automatically
once it has downloaded. The upgrade process will only be
completed after VisualGSM Enterprise Manager has
restarted – at this point, a database upgrade prompt will
appear. Click Yes. If you have not yet configured
VisualGSM to connect to its database server, you will
receive an error message. To remedy, configure the
database settings, and then restart VisualGSM Manager.
VisualGSM Enterprise Manager will then re-detect any
discrepancy between database version and program
version.
Please also note that the download will not be initiated if
you have no support agreement with Visualtron Software,
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or your support agreement has expired. The evaluation
version for VisualGSM Enterprise can initiate the download
for up to 45 days from the date of installation. All newly
purchased VisualGSM Enterprise users are entitled to 1 year
free support and software updates.
Note:- If you are performing a reinstall, please ensure if you
have a valid maintenance subscription before
downloading the latest version.
3.1.4 Uninstall VisualGSM Enterprise
To uninstall, go to Windows Add/Remove Program, and
remove “VisualGSM Enterprise Server” or “SMS Gateway”
(applicable for version 3.6.5 and above).
3.2 Registration
3.2.1 Evaluation
All new installations of VisualGSM Servers come with 45-
days evaluation with full features. On expiry of the
evaluation, if you wish to continue using VisualGSM, you
would need to register your server online. If no direct
Internet access is available, you can copy the link
generated by the registration module to a PC with Internet
access, and continue with your registration.
To register, run VisualGSM Enterprise Manager (this shall be
explained further in Chapter 2) as shown below. There is a
short cut from the desktop to the Enterprise Manager.
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Figure 3.10 Registering using Enterprise Manager.
Go to Help/Registration, select Registration, you will see a
popout as shown below. Click on the button GET Key
Online. It will open the default browser and link to the
VisualGSM Enterprise online registration site. If you are not
able to access internet from that browser, please copy the
link to another PC with internet access.
After that, use the “activation code” sent to you after
purchase to proceed with online registration (If you did not
receive your “activation code”, please contact your
vendor).
On successful completion of the online registration
procedure, your software registration key will be sent to
you by email. If you have not received your email, check
your spam/junk mail folder. Software registration details will
be provided in the email. You need to run this registration
key on your server.
Figure 3.20 Registration screenshots.
