Configure the keep-alive settings

Sometimes the link between the PMS and the DV2000/DV4 will stop functioning even though it appears to the VMS that the connection is still present.  This is particularly common when connecting via TCP/IP over the internet.  The TCP connection may be lost somewhere on the internet while still being present on the local network.  So to the local server (PMS or VMS) the link appears fine, but no communication is actually possible.

Even a serial link can get into a state where the server is still connected to the COM port just fine but no message traffic is able to be sent or received.

The DV2000/DV4 provides two features to help address this problem:   idle timeout and polling (keep-alive) messages.  In most cases, you will want to use both features (although polling is only possible if the PMS protocol supports it).

The polling feature works by sending a polling message (also called a keep-alive or heartbeat message) to the PMS whenever there has been no input or output for a specified interval.  If an ACK (or even a NAK) is received, then the sender knows that the link is still active.  However, the feature only works if the PMS protocol provides support for a polling message; otherwise, enabling this feature will have no effect.

Depending on the protocol, polling may or may not be used by default, simply because you selected that protocol.  These settings allow you to override that default behavior, either to enable or disable the feature and, if enabled, to specify the polling interval.

To configure the polling settings, follow these steps:

1.  Using Activity Monitor, stop the voice mail service.

2.  Run the System Configuration application and select Features | Hospitality.

3.  If prompted, select the PMS instance (as shown below).  This dialog is only displayed if you are licensed for more than one PMS instance.  Otherwise, skip to step 4.

4.  Select the PMS property page (in the tree view on the left).

5.  In the section Polling Override, check the Override polling defaults box to override the default behavior (or uncheck it to restore default behavior).

6.  Check the Enable polling (keep-alive) box to enable polling or uncheck it to disable polling.

7.  Use the box provided to specify the polling interval in seconds.  In most cases, 300 seconds (5 minutes) should be frequent enough.

8.  Click Apply to save the setting without closing the dialog.

9.  If you are finished configuring hospitality settings, click OK to save and close the dialog.

10.  Once you are finished with all configuration changes, close System Configuration.

11.  Using Activity Monitor, restart the voice mail service.