During normal operations, software or firmware may detect error conditions concerning specific Maintenance Objects (MOs). The system automatically attempts to fix or circumvent the problem. The alarms are classified depending on their effect on system operation:
Major alarms— Failures that cause critical degradation of service. These alarms require immediate attention.
Minor alarms— Failures that cause some degradation of service, but do not render a crucial portion of the system inoperable. A minor alarm typically affects a few trunks or stations or a single feature. Minor alarms require attention, but the consequences are not immediate.
Warning alarms— Failures that cause no significant degradation of service or failures in equipment. These failures are not reported to INADS or the attendant console.
On-Board — problems originate in the circuitry on the alarmed Media Module.
Off-Board — problems originate in a process or component that is external to the Media Module.
Alarms are communicated by entries in the alarm log and the turning on of LEDs located on the attendant console, on all circuit packs, on the server, on the Ethernet switch if there is one, and, optionally, on customer-designated voice terminals.
