Changing Spok Mobile Configuration Settings

Navigating to the Mobile Configuration Settings

To save changes made in the Edit Mobile Configuration page, click Save. The Save button does not apply changes to the server. In order for changes to be applied to the server, you must click Apply.

1. Navigate to the Spok Enterprise Administration interface.

2. In the Spok Enterprise Administration interface, select the Administration > System Configuration > Mobile menu option to navigate to the Edit Mobile Configuration page.
   

System Settings

• Select the Prohibit Non-Secure Messaging option to prevent Spok Mobile from sending messages to non-secure devices. A "non-secure device" does not have the Spok Mobile application, but can still receive messages from within the Spok Mobile. For example: when this option is enabled and a user searches for a contact that uses a non-secure device, the contact will appear in the search results, but will appear dimmed to indicate that the contact is using a non-secure device and cannot be contacted.

• Select the Prohibit Box Attachments option to prevent Spok Mobile users from attaching files from a Box drive. Box is an application that allows users to store, manage, and share files securely in cloud storage. Spok Mobile can access and attach files that are stored in Box drives, but Box functionality is not required and can be prohibited.

• Select the Show Text In Notification option to allow Spok Mobile message text to display on a device’s lock screen. When you enable this option, text associated with a Spok Mobile message will display on a device's lock screen when the device receives the message. When the option is disabled, no message content will display in notifications.

  Displaying message text on a device’s lock screen may violate patient health information (PHI) regulations for some organizations.

Server Settings

• The Hosted Server Name field displays the name of the hosted server which is currently being used.

  WARNING: Do not change this field unless directed to do so by a Spok employee.

• The Mobile Server Name field contains the externally and internally available name of the server that the Spok Mobile devices use to download Spok Mobile messages. In configurations that are load-balanced, this value is the DNS name of the load balancer.

  NOTE: When this field and/or the Web Server Name field is updated, you must restart IIS in order for the two servers to recognize each other. The Web Server Name field is located on the Edit Settings screen, and can be accessed by selecting the Administration > System Configuration > Settings menu option.
  If the Spok Mobile Server uses a different URL to allow devices to download messages, then you can enter the fully qualified domain name. If you do this, use the server name and domain name used on the public internet to access the server, or message delivery will fail. Note that the network address translation is allowed to map the server and domain name to the internal server running Spok Mobile.

• The Port field contains number of the standard port that is used for communication between Spok Mobile enabled devices and the Spok Mobile Server. Note that in most cases, the default port number of 8090 (8091) should not be altered unless specifically required. When you enable HTTPS, this field changes to 8091

• Select the HTTPS option if you would like to use secure communication between the Spok Mobile devices and the Spok Mobile Server.
  • Enabled: When the HTTPS option is enabled, the Spok Mobile devices can connect to the Spok Mobile Server over an HTTPS connection. If you enable this option, you must install an SSL certificate that is applied to IIS. When you enable this option, a warning dialog will appear, notifying you that if the option is enabled, the configuration does not apply to Cisco devices or configurations. In addition, the SSL Port field and the Certificate Name field will display when this option is chosen.
  • Disabled: When the HTTPS option is disabled, the Spok Mobile devices cannot connect to the Spok Mobile Server over an HTTPS connection. 
    NOTE: If this option is enabled and HTTPS is being used, you must perform an additional configuration step before the system will function. For detailed information on how to perform the additional required configuration steps for HTTPS, refer to Configuring HTTPS Support.

• The SSL Port field contains the port number of the standard port that is used for encrypted communication between Spok Mobile enabled devices and the Spok Mobile Server. In most cases, the default value in this field (8091) should not be altered. Note that the HTTPS option must be chosen for this option to display. For detailed information on the use of SSL certificates with Spok Mobile, see Configuring SSL Certificates.

• The Certificate Name drop-down menu allows you to select the SSL certificate for the server that you are using, from a list of all available installed certificates. Note that the HTTPS option must be chosen for this option to display.

• The gateway list table allows you to add gateways as needed. You can use the gateway list table to set up the connection between the Spok Mobile server and the host system.

Adding Gateways

Editing Gateways

Removing Gateways

Database

The Database section allows you to establish a connection to the database server.

1. In the Server Name field, enter the fully-qualified domain name or IP address of the database server.
   For AlwaysOn configurations, this is the domain name of the AlwaysOn Listener.
   In addition, enter the SQL Server instance name at the end of the server name. For example:
   • With an Instance: <SERVER NAME>\<INSTANCE NAME>
   • Without an Instance: <SERVER NAME>

2. Leave the Username field at its default value. This field specifies the username which will be used to connect to the database.

3. In the Password field, enter the password which will be used to connect to the database.

4. After filling in the fields, click the Test link on the far right to attempt to connect to the database.
   • If the information that you entered is correct, the Successful connection to database message will appear.
   • If the information that you entered is incorrect, the Cannot connect to the database message will appear.

High Availability

1. Select from the following options:

2. If you have selected Mirroring, the Failover Partner field will be editable. Enter the database hostname or IP address used for SQL mirroring.

Spok Notification Framework

The Spok Notification Framework is used by customer sites that have non-GCM devices such as Zebras. Configuring this area opens up the needed connections for Rabbit MQ, which is used by the Spok Notification Framework. 

Before you begin, make sure that the Spok Notification Framework has any certificates which are required in order to use TLS. For more information, see Converting the PFX Certificate to PEM Certificates for the Spok Notification Framework.

1. Select the Enabled option if the customer will be using the Spok Notification Framework.
2. In the Server Field, enter the IP address of the server that runs RabbitMQ. For a high availability environment, enter the IP address of the Spok Mobile load balancer. For a non-high availability environment, enter the IP address of the Spok Mobile server.
3. In the Port field, the secure port 8883 is populated by default. 
4. Click Test to make sure connections are working. You will not be able to save changes if this test does not pass.

Messenger

The Messenger section is no longer used. Do not enable this option.

Adapter

For instructions related to the Adapter section, see Configuring Device Preferences and Spok Mobile Adapter (If Applicable).

Message Duration Tracker

The Message Duration Tracker will automatically restart the Spok Mobile service if messages take too long to process.  To enable the Message Duration Tracker, select the Enabled box. A warning message and two fields will appear.

• Maximum Message Delay (seconds) defines how long a message will be processed before the service considers it "delayed."
• Maximum Number of Delayed Messages defines how many delayed messages will be allowed before the service restarts.

When you enable the Message Duration Tracker, the service will begin counting how many messages take longer than the "Maximum Message Delay" to process. When this count rises above the "Maximum Number of Delayed Messages," the service will automatically restart. For example, if you set "Maximum Message Delay" to 1 second and "Maximum Number of Delayed Messages" to 15, the service will count how many messages take 1 second or more to process. When it counts 15 messages that take this long to process, the service will restart.

To check the current status of the Message Duration Tracker, open the SMWinService log for the following entries:

• HandleNewMessage(): Delayed messages count: This entry shows how many message have been counted as delayed so far, or since the last service restart.
• HandleNewMessage(): Restarting Spok Mobile services due to the count of delayed messages... This message is printed when the Spok Mobile Server restarts because too many messages have been delayed.

To determine an appropriate value for "Maximum Message Delay" based on your particular system performance, follow these steps:

1. Open your Web.config file and change level value from INFO to DEBUG. Save the file.
2. Open Amcom.MobileConnect.CoreMessaging.Service.exe and change level value from INFO to DEBUG. Save the file.
3. Restart Spok Mobile Services to put these changes into effect.
4. Open the SM_CoreService log and search for "Duration of Message with Id" to view message processing durations (in milliseconds). Note the typical range of processing durations, as well as any extreme values. Use this information to determine an appropriate value for Maximum Message Delay.
5. In both Web.config and Amcom.MobileConnect.CoreMessaging.Service.exe, set level value back to INFO.
6. Restart Spok Mobile Services to put these changes into effect.

Save and Apply your Changes

1. When you have made your changes, click Save in the upper-right corner of the screen to save your changes.

2. Click the Apply button to apply the changes. This will restart Spok Mobile services.