Free SMS For monitoring Notification?

Relentless81 · 10 Jan 2014 at 11:43

Hi,

Does anyone know of a free SMS provider that is reliable that I can use for monitoring system notifications.
All of the suggestions listed in the monitoring software seem to charge or am I asking for something that does not exist?

Google shows results but I don't know what's dodgy and what's not especially when putting in our mobile numbers.

Thanks

KIA · 10 Jan 2014 at 16:45

You'll have to cough up.

SMN · 10 Jan 2014 at 19:44

KIA said:
You'll have to cough up.

+1. We use AQL as our web SMS provider, but it'll cost you.

blueacid · 10 Jan 2014 at 22:21

Can you not use email? If you're sending to a smartphone that might do..? Or to save money a VoIP system configured to prank call you (but so long as you don't answer, no charge!)

gman1981 · 11 Jan 2014 at 09:23

We use http://www.textanywhere.net at work for SMS. Again costs ya tho

Relentless81 · 11 Jan 2014 at 12:33

Ok thanks for confirming

I'll look into the sites mentioned

We use email normally, this is for resilience

Caged · 11 Jan 2014 at 15:00

If you're sending to an email address that isn't hosted on the servers that you're monitoring and using external SMTP servers then it's going to be just as resilient as an SMS - if all of your outbound connectivity drops then you aren't going to get a text message out. Unless you look into GSM modems and your monitoring software supports that.

PistolPete · 11 Jan 2014 at 15:18

Caged beat me to it!!

We upgraded to a GSM modem and send messages out for all critical faults, SMTP infrastructure faults and main connectivity faults as we can never be sure email / web based SMS message will get through.

MissChief · 11 Jan 2014 at 15:18

What about twitter? Could it be set up to tweet when something happens?

SMN · 11 Jan 2014 at 16:43

MissChief said:
What about twitter? Could it be set up to tweet when something happens?

Still need outbound network connectivity. The fail safe, as mentioned, is a GSM Modem - which you use as the notification method for certain checks i.e. 'WAN connection' (to make it simple). If that drops, you'll get an SMS..

Hades · 11 Jan 2014 at 18:20

Some network routers have the option of 3g USB modem backup. Could this be used?

Caged · 11 Jan 2014 at 23:49

Yes, but you'd want some sort of control over what goes over it and your router would need to support triggering an alert when the WAN link went down.

Relentless81 · 12 Jan 2014 at 09:53

Caged said:
If you're sending to an email address that isn't hosted on the servers that you're monitoring and using external SMTP servers then it's going to be just as resilient as an SMS - if all of your outbound connectivity drops then you aren't going to get a text message out. Unless you look into GSM modems and your monitoring software supports that.

The fail over monitoring system is at a DR site, its this site that would use the SMS alert and would still have internet connectivity

We dont have external SMTP currently its another option to look into but it would be emailing a business email address which would be useless assuming the worse has happened, a private email address could be used and its something I want to look into but they want me to investigate SMS at this stage

MissChief said:
What about twitter? Could it be set up to tweet when something happens?

I've looked into it, the monitoring system can do it but via 3rd party software and it looks messy, SMS is the preferred option followed by the above mentioned email option

Caged · 12 Jan 2014 at 11:42

In that case I think AQL is your best bet. UK networks don't seem to offer the [mobile number]@[carrier sms gateway address] that lots of others around the world do.