This is the component of an alarm corresponding to the worst status that the alarm has recently exhibited. For example, a transient fluctuation in a video signal may cause an alarm configured to detect a video signal freeze to turn red for a moment, and then return to green. iControl keeps track of the fluctuation by setting the latched component of the alarm to red, giving the operator a visual cue that this alarm may need to be watched more closely. A latch can be reset by an operator, causing iControl to set the latch status to green and then begin tracking status changes all over again.

The latched component of an alarm can be configured to track the alarm on either the server side (in which case the latch can be reset by any operator from any client workstation), or on the client side (in which case the client workstation “remembers” the latch status from a previous session, regardless of what has happened on the server in the interim).

Latches can be reset by an operator when an alarm’s current status is green. Resetting a server-side latch for an overall (virtual) alarm simultaneously resets the latches on all associated sub-alarms. Resetting a client-side latch for an overall (virtual) alarm has no effect on the latches of associated sub-alarms (these must be reset one by one).