Integrating the eG Manager with an HTTP-based SMS Gateway

In environments that either have an HTTP-based gateway in-house or subscribe to such a gateway (eg., Air2Web’s Content Gateway services), users have the option of configuring the eG manager to send SMS alerts to mobile phones via that gateway. The key advantages of this approach are:

  • The eG SMS manager need not be procured, installed, and configured
  • No modems would be required

The only requirements of this approach therefore are:

  • A valid subscription to an HTTP-based SMS gateway
  • An eG manager installation, with the license enabled for SMS Alerts

To integrate the eG manager with the gateway, do the following:

  1. Edit the eg_services.ini file in the <EG_INSTALL_DIR>\manager\config directory.

  2. You will find the following entry in the [sms_settings] section of the file:

    SMSHttpUrl=

    If the SMSHttpUrl parameter holds no value, it indicates that the eG manager does not integrate with an HTTP-based SMS gateway. To ensure that the eG manager automatically attempts to transmit SMS alerts via such a gateway, you need to ensure that this parameter is set to a valid URL.

    A sample SMSHttpUrl specification is provided below: 

    http://cosmos.air2web.co.in/failsafe/HttpPublishLink?pcode=DEMO15&acode=DEMO15&
    mnumber=&message=&pin=inv34

  3. The URL should include the IP/host name of the gateway service, and a parameter each for sending the mobile numbers (to which the SMS alerts are is to be sent) and the alert messages to the gateway service. For instance, in the sample specification above:

    • cosmos.air2web.co.in is the hostname of the gateway service;
    • mnumber is the parameter that will automatically take the mobile numbers configured in the user profile as its value;
    • message is the parameter that will automatically take the SMS alert contents defined in the eG admin interface as its value;

  4. These parameter names can differ with the gateway been used. Therefore, after configuring the SMSHttpUrl, you should also indicate which parameters in that URL are to be used for transmitting mobile numbers and alert information. For that, configure the following in the [SMS_SETTINGS] section:

    $ToNumber=

    $Message=

  5. Against $ToNumber, specify the name of the parameter that you have used in your URL specification for capturing and sending mobile numbers. Against $Message, specify the name of the parameter that you have used in your URL specification for capturing and communicating the alert messages. For example, in the case of the sample SMSHttpUrl specification above, your $ToNumber and $Message configuration should be as follows:

    $ToNumber=mnumber

    $Message=message

  6. Then, save the eg_services.ini file.
  7. Finally, restart the eG manager.

  8. Once this is done, then every time an SMS alert is to be sent to a user, the following occur automatically:

    • The eG manager reads the mobile number configured for that user from the user profile
    • This mobile number is then automatically inserted against the mnumber (or equivalent) parameter in the SMSHttpUrl specification.
    • Likewise, the eG manager also inserts the SMS alert contents defined in the eG admin interface against the message (or equivalent)  parameter in the SMSHttpUrl specification.
    • Once the entire URL is complete, the eG manager connects to the URL and sends the SMS alert.