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Alertus Desktop Notification

Pop-Up Emergency Alerts from UVa to Your Computer

What Alertus Desktop Notification Offers & Who Can Use It

The Alertus Desktop Notification software provides a way for public safety personnel to relay important emergency alert information to UVa faculty, staff, and students.

The alert information appears on an individual’s desktop or laptop computer as a pop-up window overlaying all other open windows on the computer. Typically, such information will come from the University Police Department or the UVa Office of Emergency Preparedness.

UVa’s Information Technology Services (ITS) maintains the central server running the Alertus Desktop Notification software and administers distribution of this free software, which members of the UVa community can install on their desktop or laptop computers.

How Alertus Desktop Notification Works

In order to receive emergency alert information using the Alertus Desktop Notification software:

  • Your computer must be on the UVa network, either physically or via VPN.
  • Your computer must be turned on and not in sleep mode.

If both these conditions are true, the alert message will pop up on your desktop or laptop and remain there until its time of expiration has passed or until you hit the green “Acknowledge” button. Depending on the situation, the time to expire might be a few minutes or it might be a few hours.

If, once you have installed this software, the Alertus icon on your computer appears red, this indicates the program is unable to connect to the Alertus server. The Alertus icon will be red whenever your computer is not on the UVa network—either physically or via VPN. When unable to connect to the Alertus server, your computer will not be able to receive emergency alerts.

Installation & Use of Alertus Desktop Notification Software

Installation Requirements

  • Network connectivity to the UVa Local Area Network, either physically or via VPN.
  • Operating system of Windows 7, Vista, or XP; or Mac OS X.
  • Access to a user account with administrative rights to install the application.
  • Approximately 7 Mbs of free hard disk space.

Installation Instructions

Macintosh Systems

  1. From Software Central, select your operating system and then click the link to download the AlertusDesktopAlert.dmg file.
  2. Double-click to install the AlertusDesktopAlert.dmg file.
  3. A folder should open containing the AlertusDesktopAlert.pkg file. Double-click the AlertusDesktopAlert.pkg to launch a Wizard that will guide you through the setup process.
    • It’s fine to delete the AlertusDesktopAlert.dmg installer file from your computer’s desktop after the program has been successfully installed.
  4. Verify Alertus Desktop is running by checking for the yellow Alertus icon in the Apple menu bar.
    • If you don’t see the yellow Alertus icon in the Apple menu bar, go to your Applications folder and double-click the Alertus application.

Windows Systems

  1. From Software Central, select your operating system and then click the link to download the AlertusDesktopAlert.EXE file.
  2. Double-click to install the AlertusDesktopAlert.EXE file. A Wizard will guide you through the setup process.
  3. Once the installer completes, ensure the “Launch Alertus Desktop Alert” checkbox is selected and click the Finish button.
    • It’s fine to delete the AlertusDesktopAlert.EXE installer file from your computer’s desktop after the program has been successfully installed.
  4. Verify Alertus Desktop is running by checking for the yellow Alertus icon in the system tray.
    • Note: If you are upgrading from an earlier version of the software, you might momentarily see two Alertus icons in the system tray. One of them should go away after about a minute.

Questions or Problems with Alertus Desktop Notification Software?

Contact the UVa Help Desk.

  Page Updated: Wednesday 2012-08-08 15:00:07 EDT

Standards & Policy

University of Virginia
Information Technology Services
2015 Ivy Road
P.O. Box 400324
Charlottesville, Virginia, 22904-4324 USA

UVa Help Desk: 434-924-HELP (434-924-4357) • 4help@virginia.edu

Page Updated: 2012-08-08; © 2013 by the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia.

The information contained on the University of Virginia’s Department of Information Technology Services (ITS) website is provided as a public service with the understanding that ITS makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of the information, including warrantees of title, non-infringement of copyright or patent rights of others. These pages are expected to represent the University of Virginia community and the State of Virginia in a professional manner in accordance with the University of Virginia’s Computing Policies.