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Version: NG-2.16

Alerts

Introduction​

vuSmartMaps™ powerful alerting capabilities empower you to stay informed, take swift action, and optimize your operational efficiency. vuSmartMaps comes pre-packaged with standard alerts for standard infrastructure components. You can change the thresholds and other logic as per your needs. Stay in control and respond effectively to events with vuSmartMaps Alerting.

Key Features of vuSmartMaps Alerts:

  • Real-time Visibility: Gain real-time insights into high-fidelity events using the Alert console and dashboards to stay informed instantly.
  • Rule-Based Alert Generation: Define specific rules to generate alerts that matter most to you, ensuring you receive relevant notifications.
  • Multiple Alert Channels: Receive alerts through various channels, such as the vuSmartMaps dashboard, Emails, WhatsApp, Slack, Microsoft Teams, SMS, Runbook Automation, and Auto Remediation.
  • Alert Rule Evaluation: The Alert Evaluation script offers an extensive Python programming interface for customizing alert behavior. You can use this interface for complex alerting scenarios and specific requirements.
  • Alarm and Non-Alarm Modes: Choose between alarm and non-alarm modes for alerts, allowing you to decide if you want to keep receiving updates (non-alarm mode) for the alert or just a new and clear alert.
  • Contextual Information: vuSmartMaps allows you to add business contextual information to your alerts. This contextual information is appended to your alert and is available in the alert details in all channels.

Overview​

Create an Alert Rule involves configuring 2 mandatory and 4 optional sections that enable you to tailor your alert rules according to your specific requirements.

Simple Alert Creation​

You can set up a Simple Alert by entering the Basic Details and configuring a single Data Model.

  1. Basic Details include a Summary and Description.
  2. Data Models to be alerted on let you choose a Data Model, specify the evaluation timeframe, and create conditions based on the selected Data Model's metrics and thresholds. You can add multiple Data Models in a single alert under different rules (R1. R2, etc).

Compound Alert Creation​

Include the previous steps from Simple Alert Creation, that is, Basic Information and Data Models and continue to configure Logic Conditions explained further.

  1. Logic Conditions You can use metric values to determine when to send notifications, change their content, and select recipients and channels, giving you control over when, what, and to whom alerts are sent.

Programmable Alert Creation​

Include the previous steps from Simple Alert Creation and Compound Alert Creation, that is, Basic Information, Data Models and Logic Conditions, and continue configuring the Evaluation Script and Alert Controls as explained further.

  1. Evaluation Script provides advanced control over how your alert rules behave. You can define a list of condition blocks, each with conditions and actions, along with comparison rules. These scripts determine when alerts are generated, who receives them, and what the notifications contain, with rules executed one by one until a match is found.
  2. Alert Controls help manage alert notification generation. You can schedule alert rule execution, enable or disable alarm mode to control notification timing, set up throttling for the non-alarm mode to prevent repetitive alerts, and configure when alerts should be active to avoid notifications during specific periods, such as weekends or non-business hours.

Common Configuration for all types of Alerts​

  1. Alert Channels allow you to manage how notifications are delivered. You can use email, WhatsApp, SMS, Runbook Automation, Slack, and Teams for communication. Configure recipients, groups, and message content to tailor alert content to your needs.

View Generated Alerts: This View Generated Alerts guides where to find notifications.

Alert Document: An Alert Document is a detailed record of an alert event, providing essential information.

note

Explore Behind the Scenes, and Common Use Cases to gain comprehensive insights into how vuSmartMaps manages alert notifications.

These sections deeply dive into the Alert Engine's workings and various applications.

FAQs​

I want to be alerted on my mobile through WhatsApp if CPU utilization for a server goes above 95%. How can I do that?

The minimum requirement is to configure a Data Model and a Notification Channel. Navigate to the Alerts section and create a new alert rule. Choose the Data Model and set the condition to trigger when CPU utilization exceeds 95%. Choose WhatsApp as the notification channel. Enter your mobile number or group for WhatsApp notifications. Save the alert rule and activate it.

Can I create an alert for when transaction volumes drop below 1,000 transactions per minute?

Yes, by using Simple Alert creation. Fill in the Basic Details, choose the transaction volume data model, set your evaluation timeframe, and configure the condition to trigger when transaction volumes fall below 1,000 transactions per minute.

What should I do if I receive an alert that seems inaccurate or unnecessary?

Start by reviewing the alert rule configuration to ensure conditions and thresholds are accurately set. Verify the data models used and adjust the alert conditions if necessary. If the issue persists, consult the support team for further assistance.

I'm encountering "permission denied" when accessing alerts. What should I do?

If you receive a permission denied message when accessing some particular module, contact your system administrator. They can review and adjust your permissions to ensure you have the necessary access.

Can alerts trigger automated actions, such as ticket creation?

Yes. You can integrate alerts with external systems (like Jira, ServiceNow) through webhooks or custom scripts to trigger ticket creation, escalations, or Slack messages automatically.

What is the difference between alarm and notification mode in alerts?

In alarm mode, state changes (triggered/cleared) are tracked and generate corresponding events. In notification mode, alerts fire continuously when conditions are met without tracking a state transition.