Alarm state

Alarms may be in an alarm state or acknowledged. They may be open or cleared.

Each alarm is a single record in the system database that changes among one of four states.

  • Alarm condition exists: the alarm state

    When an event triggers an alarm, it remains in effect until it is acknowledged.

  • Alarm acknowledged: the acknowledged state

    The alarm has been acknowledged by the recipient. Acknowledged alarms may be normal alarms.

  • Alarm status is normal: the normal state

    Alarm is a normal alarm that has been acknowledged: acknowledged normal alarm

  • Alarm status is force clear: the force clear state

    Alarm is cleared from the alarm console. The alarm state must be normal and acknowledged.

In addition to these states, an alarm may be open or cleared (closed). An alarm is considered open when it is not:

  • acknowledged and normal
  • acknowledged and an alert

Open alarms display in the alarm console. Cleared alarms do not display in the alarm console. The table shows the conditions that result in an alarm being open or cleared.

Alarm state Acknowledge State Open or cleared
Offnormal or Fault Unacknowledged Open
Offnormal or Fault Acknowledged Open
Normal Unacknowledged Open
Normal Acknowledged Cleared