SMS - Short Message Service

Short Message Service (SMS) is a communications protocol specially designed for sending text
messages between mobile telephone devices. It is used throughout the world.

The communications setup required for ClearSCADA to send SMS messages is similar to that for
TAP - Telocator Alphanumeric input Protocol.

However, SMS has some key differences:

 Advantages:
 Your system is not reliant on the network service provider permitting dial in access to
their network. This also means that your system is not affected if the network service
provider does provide dial in access but uses a protocol not supported by
ClearSCADA.
 Your system is not reliant on a conventional telephone line. Conventional telephone
lines may not be available if the server is in a remote location, or may be available
but extremely costly.
 Disadvantages:
 The volume of messages that you can send is low in comparison to TAP and UCP.
Both TAP and UCP allow you to send many more messages in a short space of time.
 SMS messages may be more costly to use as they invariably involve a greater cost
per message.
For successful communications using the Pager driver, you need to use a GSM modem that supports
the following protocol commands:
Для успешной связи с использованием драйвера пейджера необходимо использовать модем GSM, который
поддерживает следующие команды протокола

Command Purpose
This initial poll string consists of standard Hayes modem commands that turn
on verbose mode and turn off echo, auto-answer, and speaker. They also
check that the GSM modem is ready to send data.

ATM0V1E0H0S0=0 Эта исходная строка опроса состоит из стандартных команд модема Hayes, которые
включают подробный режим и отключают эхо, автоответ и динамик. Они также
проверяют, готов ли модем GSM к отправке данных.
 Command Purpose
Requests the modem to respond with its error support number. The error
AT+CMEE? support number indicates the level of error support that is provided by the
modem.

Where <n> = 0-2 (the angle brackets < > are not included).

Запрашивает модем ответить его номером поддержки ошибки. Номер

поддержки ошибок указывает уровень поддержки ошибок,
предоставляемый модемом.

This command sets the GSM modem to the highest available error-support
AT+CMEE=<n> mode (determined from the query).

Puts the modem into Text mode so that it can send text characters, as required
AT+CMGF=1
for sending SMS messages.

Identifies the mobile telephone to which the message is to be sent. The GSM
modem responds to this with a prompt for the body of the message. You then
AT+CMGS="<recip
enter the body of the message and the GSM modem sends the message to the
ient number>"
telephone number defined in this command. When the message has been sent,
the command is terminated by Ctrl-Z.

Checks that the modem is set to use the GSM 03.38 character set so that non-
AT+CSCS='GSM' Roman characters can be sent correctly. If the modem cannot be put into
GSM 03.38 mode, an error occurs.

AT+CNMI=3,2 Instructs the modem to route incoming messages to ClearSCADA for

processing.
Sets the DCS (Data Coding Scheme) for the modem. This is used for both
sending and processing messages.
AT+CSMP=17,167,
0,8
You can set the Data Coding Scheme on the SMS Service Form (see Define
the Data Coding Scheme for an SMS Service)

Sets the DCS (Data Coding Scheme) for the modem. This is used for both
sending and processing messages.
AT+CSMP=17,167,
0,0
You can set the Data Coding Scheme on the SMS Service Form (see Define
the Data Coding Scheme for an SMS Service)

Instructs the modem to include detailed header information when forwarding

AT+CSDH the messages to ClearSCADA. ClearSCADA needs the header information
for processing incoming messages, especially multi-page messages.

These commands are supported by many GSM modems and are the only commands supported by
the Pager driver.
For further information on this protocol, please refer to the Global System for Communications
(GSM) document: Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); Use of Data Terminal
Equipment - Data Circuit terminating; Equipment (DTE - DCE) interface for Short Message
Service (SMS) and Cell Broadcast Service (CBS) (GSM 07.05 version 5.5.0). This document can be
searched for, and downloaded from, this website: http://pda.etsi.org/pda/queryform.asp

Configure the Common Channel Properties for a Pager

Channel

Pager Channels have a Channel tab on their configuration Form. The Channel tab contains a
variety of properties, some of which are exclusive to a particular type of Pager Channel and some of
which are common to multiple types of Pager Channel.

The properties that are common to multiple types of Pager Channel include:
 In Service—Use to set the Pager Channel database item to active or inactive in the database
(see Placing an Item In Service in the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Configuration).
 Severity—Use to define the severity (importance) of alarms and events that are generated
and logged for the Pager Channel (see Defining Severities in the ClearSCADA Guide to
Core Configuration).
 Area of Interest—If the Area of Interest feature is enabled on your system, an Area of
Interest field is displayed on the Channel tab. Use the field to specify the Area of Interest
with which any Pager Channel alarms and events are associated (see Assign a Different Area
of Interest to an Item’s Alarms and Events in the ClearSCADA Guide to Core
Configuration).
For more information on the Area of Interest feature, see Restrict Alarm and Event Access to
Specific Areas of Interest in the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Configuration.
 Pager Service—Use to associate the Pager Channel with the Pager Service database item
that provides information about the protocol to be used with the Pager Channel.
Use the Pager Service field's browse button to display a Reference window that contains a
list of Pager Services. The list only contains those Pager Services that are compatible with
the type of Pager Channel you are configuring, for example, the reference window for an
SMS Pager Channel only shows the SMS Pager Services on your system. Choose the
required Pager Service from the list, then select the OK button to confirm your selection and
close the Reference window.
  Comms Retries—Use to define the number of times the Pager Driver will attempt to resend
data packets to which the 'receiving' communications equipment has failed to respond (see
Define the Number of Communications Retries for a Pager Channel).
 Line Speed—Use to define the slowest part of the connection that is represented by the
Pager Channel (see Define the Line Speed for a Pager Channel).
 Modem Command—Use to enter the Modem Command that is required to initialize your
modem. The default entry provides the minimum command required to allow ClearSCADA
to communicate with the modem. Depending on the type of modem being used, you may
need to apply additional commands. For more information, see Define the Modem
Command for a Pager Channel.
The Modem Command property is only available on PSTN and SMS Pager Channels.

Configure an SMS Pager Channel

To configure an SMS Pager Channel:
1. Display the Pager Channel Form. If the Pager Channel you want to configure does not
already exist in the database, you will need to Create a Pager Channel Database Item, then
display its Form.
2. Configure the Identification, User Methods, Alarm, and Redirection properties as
required. These properties are common to many types of database item (see Tabs on
Configuration Forms).
3. Configure the properties on the Connection tab (see Configure a Channel’s Connection
Properties in the ClearSCADA Guide to Drivers). The properties vary according to the
Connection Type you select (see Configure a Channel’s Connection Type in the
ClearSCADA Guide to Drivers).
4. Display the Channel tab.
 5. Configure those properties on the tab that are common to many Pager Channels (see
Configure the Common Channel Properties for a Pager Channel)
6. Configure the properties that are specific to SMS Pager Channels:
 Modem Command—Enter the Modem Command that is required to initialize your
modem. The default entry provides the minimum command required to allow
ClearSCADA to initialize the modem. Depending on the type of modem being used,
you may need to apply additional commands. For more information, see Define the
Modem Command for a Pager Channel.
 Message Send Timeout—Define the amount of time the Pager Driver allows for the
mobile telephone network to confirm that the message has been received (see Define
the Message Send Timeout for an SMS Pager Channel).
 Idle Poll Rate—Specify how frequently the driver should poll the modem to check
the modem's status. Enter the value as an integer number of seconds. For example,
120 seconds.
7. Save the configuration (see Saving Configuration Changes in the ClearSCADA Guide to
Core Configuration).

Create the Channels in the Database

When you have installed the Port Server software and setup the static port(s) as required, you need
to create channels in the database. The channels represent the connections between the
ClearSCADA servers and the remote computer or modem (depending on your system setup).
You need to configure channels that are appropriate to the types of serial devices that are connected
to the remote computer or communicate with ClearSCADA via a modem. For example, if you are
using the port server to allow ClearSCADA to communicate with a SCADAPack Modbus device
via a remote computer, you will need to configure SCADAPack Modbus PSTN or SCADAPack
Modbus Direct channels.
In this section, we explain how to create and configure the channels that are required for your port
server setup. However, for details on the channel settings that do not specifically relate to the port
server setup, you will need to refer to the documentation for the relevant driver. For example, if you
need information on the settings for a SCADAPack Modbus PSTN channel, you will need to refer
to the ClearSCADA Guide to the SCADAPack Modbus Driver.
You need to create and configure Channels for Dynamically Assigned Ports if:
 You are using the port server to provide ClearSCADA with exclusive access to a remote
computer's serial ports.
 You are using the port server to allow modem sharing.
You need to create and configure Channels for Statically Assigned Ports if:
 You are using the port server to provide ClearSCADA and other external applications access
to a remote computer's serial ports.
Channels for Dynamically Assigned Ports

To create a channel for a dynamically assigned port:

1. In ClearSCADA, create a new channel of the relevant type and driver. For example, if a
SCADAPack Modbus outstation has a direct connection to the remote computer's serial port,
then you need to create a new SCADAPack Modbus Direct Channel; if a PSTN
SCADAPack Modbus outstation is used then you need to create a SCADAPack Modbus
PSTN Channel.
 2. Name the channel appropriately, and configure its settings as described in the documentation
for the relevant driver. For example, if you are configuring a SCADAPack Modbus PSTN
channel, configure its settings as described in the ClearSCADA Guide to the SCADAPack
Modbus Driver.
3. When configuring the channel, you need to ensure that:
 The Connection Type is set to Remote Serial. This ensures that the port is assigned
dynamically.
 The Node Name is the same as the name of the computer on which you installed the port
server software. This can be the name of the ClearSCADA server or the name of the remote
computer, depending on the type of port server setup you are using.
 If the port server is being used for modem or port sharing, the Shared check box on the
Connection tab of the Channel Form must be ticked for every channel that uses the
modem/port.
NOTE: We suggest that all channels are configured to have a severity so that all communications
failures cause alarms to be generated.
4. Save the configuration.
Channels for Statically Assigned Ports

To create a channel for a statically assigned port:

1. In ClearSCADA, create a new channel of the relevant type and driver. For example, if the
remote computer connects to a SCADAPack Modbus outstation via PSTN, you need to
create a SCADAPack Modbus PSTN Channel.
2. Name the channel appropriately, and configure its settings as described in the documentation
for the relevant driver. For example, if you are configuring a SCADA Pack Modbus PSTN
channel, configure its settings as described in the ClearSCADA Guide to the SCADA Pack
Modbus Driver.
3. When configuring the channel, you need to ensure that:
 The Connection Type is set to TCP/IP.
 The Host Address is set to the name or IP address of the remote computer.
 The Port number is the TCP/IP port on the remote computer port to which the serial channel
is connected. The Port number must match the port number that you defined when you
configured the port (see Configure a Static Serial Port).
4. Save the configuration.
If the port server connections do not appear to function correctly, refer to:
 Troubleshooting Dynamically Assigned Ports
 Troubleshooting Statically Assigned Ports.

Configure a Static Serial Port

For remote serial communications via statically assigned ports (see Port Server on Remote
Computer for Remote Access to Serial Ports), you need to reserve a port for use rather than allow
the ports to be used on demand. To do this, you need to edit the registry settings on the remote
computer.
To configure a serial port:
 1. On the remote computer, run regedit. (For more information, refer to your Microsoft
Windows documentation).
2. Expand the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key to reveal its contents.
3. Expand the SOFTWARE key to reveal its contents.
4. Expand the Serck Controls key to reveal its contents.
5. Expand the SCX6 key to reveal its contents.
6. Expand the PortServer/Ports key to reveal its contents.
7. Right-click in the right-hand pane that contains the contents of the Ports key.
A context sensitive menu is displayed.

8. Select the New option.

A further menu is displayed.
9. Select the String Value option.
A new string value is added. It is selected automatically, ready for you to enter its name.
10. Enter the TCP/IP port number that is to be used for the statically assigned port. We
recommend that you use high numbers (over 10000) as these are less likely to already be in
use by other applications.
If you specify a port that is already in use, the ClearSCADA server will not be able to assign to the
required port (see Troubleshooting Statically Assigned Ports).
 11. Press the Enter key or select another part of the interface to confirm the name entry.
12. Right-click on the string value (the number string).
A context sensitive menu is displayed.
13. Select the Modify option.
The Edit String window is displayed.

14. In the Value Data field, enter the settings for the serial port that is to be used. The
settings must correspond with the settings of the equipment attached to the port (the required
settings should be provided in the documentation supplied by the equipment manufacturer).

Enter the settings (in comma separated value format):

 Port Name—The name of the serial port, for example, COM1.
 Baud Rate—The speed of data transfer via the port, for example, 9600.
 Number of Data Bits—The number of data bits used to transmit each byte of data. This is a
number between 4 and 8 (inclusive), for example, 8.
 Parity—The setting for the parity bit that can be used as a method of error checking. The
parity can be:
 N—For no parity
 E—Even parity.
 O—Odd parity.
 M—Mark parity.
 S—Space parity.
 Number of Stop Bits—Defines the number of bits that are placed after each character in the
transmitted data. This is either 1, 1.5, or 2.
 Flow Control—Defines when and how data is transmitted. The flow control can be:
 NONE—Flow control is not applied to the data.
 XON XOFF—The operating system controls the flow of data by sending XON and XOFF
signals to indicate whether the communications equipment can receive data.
 HARDWARE—The communications equipment uses Request to Send (RTS) and Clear to
Send (CTS) signals to control the flow of data (and the operating system prevents data
overruns).
 TOGGLE—Microsoft Windows controls the flow of data by sending a Request to Send
(RTS) signal to the receiver when the transmission buffer contains data.
NOTE: There is also an optional modem command suffix that can be used to activate modem
sharing or RAS on a port. This modem command follows the Flow Control and is preceded by a
semi-colon instead of a comma. For information on an appropriate modem command, please refer
to the documentation supplied with your modem hardware.
Example:
COM3,9600,7,E,2,NONE
The port name is COM3, the Baud Rate is 9600, the number of Data Bits is 7, the Parity is even, the
number of Stop Bits is 2, and Flow Control is not applied.
COM4,115200,8,N,1,HARDWARE;AT&F0E0V1S0=1
The port name is COM4, the Baud Rate is 115200, the number of Data Bits is 8, the Parity is Null,
the number of Stop Bits is 2, the Flow Control is HARDWARE, and the modem command is
AT&F0E0V1S0=1. The values are separated by commas except the Flow Control and Modem
command which are separated by a semi-colon.

15. Select the OK button.

The Edit String window is closed.
16. Repeat steps 7-15 inclusive for each additional serial port.
When you have configured the port(s), you need to Restart the Port Server Service.

Configure a Channel’s Connection Type

With a channel that can represent one of several types of communications, you need to specify the
required type using the Connection Type field. The field is displayed at the top of the relevant tab
on the channel’s configuration Form:

The actual Connection Type options vary, depending on the type of channel. They typically
comprise a combination of these options:
Serial
Select this option if the channel is to represent an RS-232 or RS-485 type connection between
ClearSCADA and your communications equipment.
If a channel has a Serial connection, you need to Configure a Channel’s Serial Connection
Properties.
Remote Serial
ClearSCADA includes an application called a ‘Port Server’ that can provide remote access to serial
ports, or allow modem or port sharing (see Set up a Port Server). In order to provide any of the
above, port server software has to be installed on the relevant ClearSCADA server or remote PC.
If you are using a port server to:
 Provide ClearSCADA with exclusive access to a remote computer’s serial ports
 Allow modem sharing (PSTN channels)
 Allow port sharing (Direct channels)
use a channel with a Remote Serial connection to communicate via the ClearSCADA server
or remote PC that is running the port server software. Use a Remote Serial connection for a
Dynamically Assigned Port setup.
If a channel has a Remote Serial connection, you need to Configure a Channel’s Remote
Serial Connection Properties.
TCP/IP
Use a channel with a TCP/IP connection to provide a point-to-point connection to a single
network-connected device, such as a network attached serial converter. You can use a TCP/IP
connection to:
 Provide a point-to-point TCP/IP connection to a protocol converter device, such as a
network-to-serial device, or a radio base station.
 Use ClearSCADA with a Static Port Server port (see Port Server on Remote Computer for
Remote Access to Serial Ports).
 Provide a point-to-point TCP/IP connection to another device, such as a relay-type device.
 Provide a one-to-one TCP/IP connection to a single outstation. You might use a TCP/IP
connection, for example, to connect ClearSCADA to an outstation which itself is a router to
other outstations.
If an advanced driver channel has a TCP/IP connection, you need to Configure a Channel’s
TCP/IP Connection Properties. (Channels that represent TCP/IP communications on simple
drivers typically have no other TCP/IP connection-specific properties.)
Network
Use an advanced driver channel with a Network connection to communicate with multiple
network-connected devices.
Network channels typically comprise a series of point-to-point connections (usually one per
outstation) that are independent of each other. ClearSCADA can scan the outstations either:
 Sequentially, for example, in the same way as a multidrop serial channel scans its
 outstations.
or
 Concurrently, where outstations can be scanned simultaneously (this is the default
configuration for the majority of advanced drivers, check the relevant driver
documentation).
If a channel has a Network connection, you need to Configure a Channel’s Network Connection
Properties.
Where several outstations have the same IP address, their network connections can be merged so
that they use a single connection.
Networking does not apply to PSTN outstations.
None
This option is only available for simple driver channels that support communication using either of
two ports. The option is available from the Channel Form’s Secondary Port tab. Select this option
if the secondary port is not used.
For any connection types that are not listed above, see the relevant driver guide.

Configure a Channel’s Remote Serial Connection

Properties
For a channel to represent a Remote Serial connection, set the channel’s Connection Type field (if
displayed) to ‘Remote Serial’. (The Connection Type field is only displayed for channels that
support a choice of connection types—see Configure a Channel’s Connection Type.)
Configure the required connection properties using the fields that are displayed on the rest of the
tab. Channels that represent Remote Serial connections have a combination of these fields:
Node Name
Use to specify the name of the port server host (the ClearSCADA server or remote machine that is
running the Port Server application software).
To specify the current main server, enter localhost.
To specify a remote machine, use the browse button adjacent to the field to display a Reference
browse window. Select the remote machine from the window.
Port
Enter the name of the port to which the channel is connected on the machine that is running the Port
Server application software. For example, COM1.
Shared—Select this check box for the Port Server software to:
 Allow multiple PSTN channels to share a single dial-up modem (see Port Server for Modem
Sharing).
 Allow multiple direct channels to share a single port (see Port Server for Port Sharing). Port
sharing is only supported by some drivers.
Clear the check box if the port is to be used by this channel only.
Baud Rate
Use to define the speed of data transfer to be used by the channel. This has to match the Baud Rate
that is supported by your communications equipment.
Specify a baud rate that corresponds with the baud rate of the communications equipment that is
connected to the selected port. Either use the combo box to select a baud rate from the supplied list,
or enter the required rate directly in the field. If the operating system, serial port drivers and
hardware cannot implement the specified baud rate, the operating system or serial port hardware
(UART) may automatically use the nearest supported baud rate to that specified.
Data Bits
Select the number of bits that is used to transmit and receive each byte of data. This has to match
the Data Bits configuration of your communications equipment (see Data Bits and Stop Bits).
Parity
Use to define how the Parity bit is set when Parity error checking is supported. This has to match
the Parity setting of your communications equipment (see Parity).
Stop Bits
Select the number of stop bits in each byte. The number of Stop Bits defines the number of bits that
are placed between each character in the transmitted and received data. This setting has to match the
Stop Bits configuration of your communications equipment (see Data Bits and Stop Bits).
Flow Control
Use to select the type of Flow Control that is supported by your communications equipment. Flow
Control is a feature that allows a 'receiving' device to temporarily stop the 'sending' device from
transmitting any more data (see Flow Control).
Pre-message RTS Delay
Applies to Manual Flow Control only. Use to define the amount of time (in milliseconds) that
ClearSCADA waits between instructing the operating system to assert the RTS signal and
transmitting the data (see Flow Control).
For further information on the settings required for your communications equipment, see the
manufacturer’s documentation.

Configure a Channel’s Serial Connection Properties

For a channel to represent a Serial connection, set the channel’s Connection Type field (if
displayed) to ‘Serial’. (The Connection Type field is only displayed for channels that support a
choice of connection types—see Configure a Channel’s Connection Type.)
Configure the required connection properties using the fields that are displayed on the rest of the
tab. Channels that represent Serial connections have a combination of these fields:
Port
Use to define the physical port to which the line represented by the channel is connected. For
example, COM1.
Select the browse button to display a Reference browse window and then select the required port
from the window.
If you are using an advanced driver channel to eavesdrop both Rx and Tx communications on a
system, you need to enter both ports in this field. Ensure that you specify the Rx port first, using the
format <Rx port>, <Tx port>. For example COM1,COM2 where COM1 is the receiving port, and
COM2 the transmitting port. For more information on eavesdropping, see Using Eavesdropping to
Test a New Server’s Configuration.
Baud Rate
Use to define the speed of data transfer to be used by the channel. This has to match the Baud Rate
that is supported by your communications equipment.
Specify a baud rate that corresponds with the baud rate of the communications equipment that is
connected to the selected port. Either use the combo box to select a baud rate from the supplied list,
or enter the required rate directly in the field. If the operating system, serial port drivers and
hardware cannot implement the specified baud rate, the operating system or serial port hardware
(UART) may automatically use the nearest supported baud rate to that specified.
Data Bits
Select the number of bits that is used to transmit and receive each byte of data. This has to match
the Data Bits configuration of your communications equipment (see Data Bits and Stop Bits).
Parity
Use to define how the Parity bit is set when Parity error checking is supported. This has to match
the Parity setting of your communications equipment (see Parity).
Stop Bits
Select the number of stop bits in each byte. The number of Stop Bits defines the number of bits that
are placed between each character in the transmitted and received data. This setting has to match the
Stop Bits configuration of your communications equipment (see Data Bits and Stop Bits).
Flow Control
Use to select the type of Flow Control that is supported by your communications equipment. Flow
Control is a feature that allows a 'receiving' device to temporarily stop the 'sending' device from
transmitting any more data (see Flow Control).
Pre-message RTS Delay
Applies to Manual Flow Control only. Use to define the amount of time (in milliseconds) that
ClearSCADA waits between instructing the operating system to assert the RTS signal and
transmitting the data (see Flow Control).
Abort Pre-message Delay if CTS Raised
Applies to Manual Flow Control only. Does not apply to channels on simple drivers. Use this field
to define whether ClearSCADA is to abort the Pre-message RTS Delay when the 'receiving'
communications equipment asserts the CTS signal (see Flow Control).
Post-message RTS Delay
Applies to Manual Flow Control only. Does not apply to channels on simple drivers. Use this field
to define the amount of time (in milliseconds) that ClearSCADA waits between sending the
message data and instructing the operating system to lower the RTS signal (see Flow Control).
For further information on the settings required for your communications equipment, see the
manufacturer’s documentation.

Configure a Channel’s TCP/IP Connection Properties

For a channel to represent a TCP/IP connection, set the channel’s Connection Type field (if
displayed) to ‘TCP/IP’. (The Connection Type field is only displayed for channels that support a
choice of connection types—see Configure a Channel’s Connection Type.)
For channels on advanced drivers, you need to configure the required connection properties using
the fields that are displayed on the rest of the tab. (TCP/IP channels on simple drivers typically have
no further fields on the Primary Port or Secondary Port tabs.)
Advanced driver channels that represent TCP/IP connections have a combination of these fields:
TCP/IP Type
Use the combo box to select the required type of connection used to communicate with the remote
device:
TCP
The connection uses Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), a connection-orientated transport
protocol.
UDP
The connection uses User Datagram Protocol (UDP), a connectionless transport protocol.
Host Address
Enter the IP address or Node name of the device with which the ClearSCADA server is to
communicate. Use the browse button to display a Reference browse window and select the required
host from the window.
Port
Enter the IP port of the device with which the ClearSCADA server is to communicate.
Use Fixed Local UDP Port
When you use the UDP protocol you can select this checkbox to use a fixed local UDP port.
Local UDP Port
When you select the Use Fixed Local UDP Port checkbox, use this field to enter the UDP port that
you want to set.
For any TCP/IP connection fields not listed above, see the relevant driver guide.
For further information on the settings required for your communications equipment, see the
manufacturer’s documentation.