DiALERT checks a schedule and changes a PBX ring group accordingly. It was created for RPI Ambulance for use by their duty supervisors.
Setup of DiALERT is more in-depth than most other of TiEMS's offerings.
First, configure Docker to run DiALERT. We use Docker Compose, so our docker-compose.yml
looks something like:
version '3'
services:
dialert:
build: https://github.com/techinems/dialert.git#main
container_name: dialert
restart: always
volumes:
- /docker/dialert/sups.json:/usr/src/app/sups.json:ro
env_file: dialert/env.env
Note that this isn't complete as we host a bunch of other things on this server, but the above config should work for a standalone DiALERT instance.
Next, you need to set up the environment variables. This can be done right in the Docker Compose file or in an external file, like how we do it. You need the following, which are all included in .env.example
.
Variable | Example | Comments |
---|---|---|
FREEPBX_API_URL |
https://pbx.example.com/admin/api/api/ | |
FREEPBX_TOKEN_URL |
https://pbx.example.com/admin/api/api/token | |
FREEPBX_AUTH_URL |
https://pbx.example.com/admin/api/api/authorize | |
FREEPBX_GQL_URL |
https://pbx.example.com/admin/api/api/gql | |
FREEPBX_CLIENT_ID |
superlongclientidhere | Get from FreePBX API |
FREEPBX_CLIENT_SECRET |
superlongclientsecrethere | Get from FreePBX API |
FREEPBX_SCOPE |
gql:ringgroups gql:framework | These two scopes are required |
DS_RINGGROUP |
1101 | |
BACKUP_DS_RINGGROUP |
1102 | |
DS_CALLER_ID |
<6175551234> | Should be a DID you control in FreePBX/Asterisk |
NIGHT_CRON_STRING |
0 18 * * * | |
DAY_CRON_STRING |
0 6 * * * | |
DS_URL |
https://ambulanceschedule.example.com/dialert.php | |
DS_URL_TOKEN |
securescheduletokenhere | |
SUPERVISOR_INFO_FILE |
sups.json | This filepath is relative to the Docker container, not the host machine |
TZ |
America/New_York |
Most of the above variables need to be set with values configured on or obtained from other servers (e.g. FreePBX, the scheduling server, etc.). Unless you make modifications to this application, DS_URL
, in particular, must be configured to provide the user ID of a nighttime duty supervisor. Further, the application is currently written to query that URL with ?token=TOKENHERE
where TOKENHERE
is set in DS_URL_TOKEN
.
With all that set, you should be able to start the app using something like docker compose up -d dialert
. This may vary depending on your configuration.
DiALERT's name is quadruply clever:
- "di-" is a prefix meaning "two," "double," or similar. DiALERT runs twice per day, integrates two servers (the scheduling and the PBX servers), and manages two ring groups (the normal and backup lists).
- "Dial" stems from the use of telephone technology.
- "Alert" comes from the ring groups' usage: to alert supervisors that someone needs them.
- "ERT" is an abbreviation we use to mean "emergency response telephony."
I don't know—I thought of all that laying in bed one night. Do with it what you will.
DiALERT is provided under the MIT License.
For any question, comments, or concerns, email [email protected], create an issue, or open up a pull request.