Abstract: An alarm preprocessing logic system for use in a computer controlled digital switching exchange including a central computer, the alarm preprocessing logic system comprising defence modules each allotted to a respective portion of the exchange for detecting a plurality of types of alarm therein and including means for forwarding detected alarms via redundant alarm data transmission means (CAa, CAb, SLM1, SLM2, COL) to alarm processing logic including: means for confirming an alarm (PT2); means for attributing a category to received alarms depending on type of alarm and on the exchange unit which originated the alarm; and means for grouping alarms according to the category attributed thereto (PT1, MDI, MAP), and for classifying alarms in an order of priority; the alarm processing system further comprising data interchange logic connecting the alarm processing logic to the exchange central computer and arranged to ensure that alarms are sent to the central computer in their order of priority.