Abstract: A method and apparatus for alerting personnel in response to an alarm from an automated system. The monitoring system detects an alarm. Upon detection of the alarm, the monitoring system searches a list. The list includes contact numbers, wherein each contact number has a corresponding contact person, delay time, and a contact day and time for when each contact number should be used. A current day and time is matched with a contact day and time from the list. Upon a successful match, a contact person corresponding to the matched contact day and time is notified using a contact number corresponding to the matched contact day and time. If after a delay time corresponding to the matched contact day and time the alarm is not reset, a next contact number from the list having a contact day and time matching the current day and time is used to notify a contact person corresponding to the next contact day and time. A next contact number is selected and used from the list until the alarm is reset.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for alerting personnel in response to an alarm from an automated system. The monitoring system detects an alarm. Upon detection of the alarm, the monitoring system searches a list. The list includes contact numbers, wherein each contact number has a corresponding contact person, delay time, and a contact day and time for when each contact number should be used. A current day and time is matched with a contact day and time from the list. Upon a successful match, a contact person corresponding to the matched contact day and time is notified using a contact number corresponding to the matched contact day and time. If after a delay time corresponding to the matched contact day and time the alarm is not reset, a next contact number from the list having a contact day and time matching the current day and time is used to notify a contact person corresponding to the next contact day and time. A next contact number is selected and used from the list until the alarm is reset.

Abstract: A redundant (multiple) bus system for interconnecting a plurality of data source and destination entities and arranged to direct data communications over an alternative bus in the event that a prior call to a destination over a first bus was unsuccessful. Each source entity maintains a table designating a separate logical path over each bus to each destination entity, marking each path designation in accordance with the success or failure of calls directed through the path. The bus selection for delivering a communication to any destination is determined in accordance with designation markings for the paths to the destination and independent of designation markings for paths to other destinations whereby a bus may be selected for a delivery to one destination even though prior deliveries over the bus to other destinations have failed.

Abstract: A geographically distributed multiprocessor system is implemented by locating groups of processors at nodes which are interconnected by way of a transport network and which are connected by way of local lines to customer terminals and hosts. Each processor supports a plurality of processes which communicate with other processes in the same processor by way of internal links and with other processes in other processors by way of combinations of internal links and external communication links. Interface processes exchange data between the internal and external links. A process can initiate a call to any other process and define the communication parameters for exchanging data information by selecting the appropriate internal link and supplying the code defining the communication parameters to the selected internal link.