This article explains how to configure your Alertus Mass Messaging Service to deliver emergency alerts to your Skykit digital signage displays.
This integration requires an existing, operational Alertus Server with the necessary subscriptions to send emergency alerts.
Before operating the Alertus integration with Skykit in a production environment, you must review the emergency alerts terms within your Skykit Master Services Agreement. Please contact support@skykit.com for a link to the relevant terms.
Understanding Skykit Tenants
Skykit uses a “tenant” structure to help customers organize their content and devices. A tenant is a grouping of devices that provides a way of managing content and access to Skykit products.
Alerts sent through this integration are delivered to all displays within a tenant simultaneously. For example, a school district might have three tenants: High School, Middle School, and Athletic Department. Each tenant must either have its own dedicated Alert Service or share an existing one, but all displays within a single tenant must receive alerts from the same Alert Service.
Setup Steps with Skykit
Before configuring your Alertus Server, you must first work with the Skykit team to enable the integration.
- Contact support@skykit.com and provide a list of the tenants you want to enable for Alertus emergency alerts.
- Provide a username and password that you would like to use for delivering alerts securely to your Skykit displays. Skykit will register these credentials securely.
- Skykit will provide you with a Tenant Code for each enabled tenant. Keep these codes handy for the next section.
Configuration Steps
Complete the following steps for each Alert Service–tenant combination. You will need administrator access to your Alertus Server to complete these steps.
Create an Alert Service
- In your Alertus Server management console, identify an existing CAP HTTP Post type Alert Service to use, or add a new one.
- Under the Alert Service General section, enter the following:
- Service Type: CAP HTTP Post
- Name: A descriptive name, such as "Skykit – High School"
- Description: Optional description for your reference
- Under the Alert Service Settings section, enter the following:
- CAP URL: https://devices.skykit.app/api/v1/alertusEvent
- Username: The username you provided to Skykit
- Password: The password you provided to Skykit
- Debug: No
- Event Override: Leave blank
- Headline Override: Leave blank
- Codes: The Tenant Code Skykit provided for this tenant
- Send CAP Cancel: Yes
- CAP Override XML: Leave blank
- Disable SSL Host Check: No
- Timeout Milliseconds: Leave blank
- Click Add or Add and Add Another to save the Alert Service.
This setting ensures that your displays automatically return to their normal scheduled content when an alert is cancelled or expires. If this is set to No, your displays may remain in alert state after the emergency has passed.
Repeat these steps for each Alert Service–tenant combination.
Testing Alerts
Before relying on this integration in a real emergency, it is essential to test that everything is working correctly.
- Send a test alert from your Alertus Server using one of the configured CAP HTTP Post Alert Services.
- Confirm that all displays in the corresponding Skykit tenant show the alert content.
- Cancel the test alert.
- Confirm that displays return to their normal scheduled content.
- Repeat for each Alert Service–tenant combination.
We strongly recommend testing the CAP HTTP Post type Alert Services related to your Skykit tenants as part of your standard Alertus testing procedures on a regular basis.
Alert Templates
Alert templates are the visual layout and content displayed on your screens during an alert. These are currently managed by Skykit.
If you would like to use custom templates for your alerts that match your organization's branding or include specific safety instructions, please provide the template HTML code or file to support@skykit.com with your request.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Possible Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Alerts are not appearing on displays | The Codes field is missing or incorrect |
Check the Codes field in your Alert Service and verify it matches the Tenant Code provided by Skykit, including the tenant= prefix |
| Alerts are not appearing on displays | Incorrect username or password | Confirm the credentials in your Alert Service match what you provided to Skykit |
| Alerts are not appearing on displays | Skykit-side setup not complete | Contact support@skykit.com to confirm the integration has been enabled for your tenants |
| Displays are not returning to normal content after an alert | Send CAP Cancel is set to No |
Edit the Alert Service and change Send CAP Cancel to Yes |
| Alerts are appearing on the wrong displays | Incorrect Tenant Code in the Codes field |
Update the Codes field to the correct Tenant Code for the intended group of displays |
| Connection errors or timeouts | Network firewall blocking the connection | Contact your IT team to ensure outbound HTTPS traffic to devices.skykit.app (port 443) is permitted from your Alertus Server |
If you encounter any issues or have any questions, please reach out to support@skykit.com.