Note: If you need help choosing or configuring external devices, which are controlled through modem and serial templates, see the Operations Sentinel Administration and Configuration Guide. This Help document assumes you already have installed and configured your external devices.
Each template describes the generic parts of one or more actions, such as the type of action and what happens when the action is initiated by the alert policy. There are three types of templates:
Command templates, which execute commands or scripts on the Operations Sentinel server. For example, a command or script can send an email message or access a remote system.
Modem templates, which control devices that are accessible through a modem, such as pagers.
Serial templates, which control serial devices that can control switches for lights, bells, and power.
You can define any number of templates in an alert policy. For example, you could define six modem templates with each template dialing a different pager. You could also define different serial templates, one controlling lights, another controlling a buzzer, and another controlling power.
Because a template is generic you can use the same template in multiple actions. The information supplied by the template together with the specific information supplied by an action that uses it describes the complete action to be executed.
When naming templates, it is recommended that each one has a descriptive name that is unique for all alert policies. This allows you to copy and reuse the same template in multiple alert policies.
Once you decide what types of templates you need, the next step is to add the templates and define their properties.