Alerts and Notifications

Alerts1

To access the Alerting module of DCScope, you must select the Alerting tab or click on the clock icon in the top right corner.

Alerts1

The Alerting module allows you to set up "real time" alerts on various meters and to be alerts on various meters and be notified by email or via a snmp client.

You can also create alerts based on a daily DCScope analysis of resources analysis of specific resources such as allocation, consumption and machine consumption or virtual machine behaviour for example.

The overview is divided into 2 sections:

Real-time analysis Daily analysis on filters
Alerts1 Alerts1

These two sections give you information on the number of alerts in real time and/or on a daily basis according to the defined thresholds.

Critical Warning Run W/O Alert
Alerts1 Alerts1 Alerts1
Clicking on the red "critical" area will display the list of items that trigger the alert on the "critical" item only Clicking on the yellow "warning" area will display the list of elements that trigger the alert on the "warning" alone The green square corresponds to the number of machines that are not affected by an alert. Clicking on this square gives you the list of these elements.
Real-time analysis
Alerts1
By clicking on a specific date in the "HISTORY" curve, you obtain the list of elements that have triggered an alert for the selected day

Alerts

Creation of an alert

N.B. Only the "root" user is authorised to create alerts

Alerts2

To create an alert, in the "Alerting" section:

  1. Click on the "ALERT" tab.
  2. In this window click on the "CREATE ALERT" button.
  3. Enter a name for this alert.
  4. Select the type of alert.
  5. Select the counter and the different properties that will compose the alert.
  6. Select the element on which you wish to create an alert.

The list of alerts is available in the "Alert Management" window.

You can create two types of alerts:

  • Real time" alerts (Real time).
  • Filter alerts based on a daily analysis applied to the filter.

Real time alerts (Real time)

Name Description Threshold Repeatability Item concerned
CPU Usage Identify elements whose CPU activity has exceeded pre-defined thresholds for x minute(s) [0 ... 100] % [0 ... 59 ] min [VM - ESX]
CPU Ready % [VM - ESX Identify the elements whose wait time for a CPU instruction has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x minute(s) [0 ... 100] % [0 ... 59 ] min [VM - ESX]
CPU CoStop % [0 ... 100 Identify the elements whose orchestration time for a CPU instruction has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x minute(s) [0 ... 100] % [0 ... 59 ] min [VM - ESX]
RAM Usage % [0 ... 100 Identify the elements whose RAM activity has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x minute(s) [0 ... 100] % [0 ... 59 ] min [VM - ESX]
RAM Active Go Identify the elements whose RAM activity in GB has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x minute(s) [0 ... 64] GB [0 ... 59 ] min [VM - ESX]
RAM Consumed Go Identify the elements whose RAM consumption has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x minute(s) [0 ... 64 ] GB [0 ... 59 ] min [VM - ESX]
RAM Swapped Go Identify the elements whose RAM written to disk has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x minute(s) [0 ... 100] % [0 ... 59 ] min [VM - ESX]

Filter alerts

Name Description Threshold Repeatability Item concerned
Free vCPU resource [allocation] Identify items whose remaining vCPU resource has been below predefined thresholds for x days [ capacity ... 0] vCPU [1 ... ] day [FILTER - ESX*]
Free vRAM resource [allocation] Identify elements whose remaining vRAM resource has been below predefined thresholds for y days [ capacity... 0] GB [1 ... ] day [FILTER- ESX*]
Free vDISK resource [allocation] Identify elements whose remaining vDISK resource has been below predefined thresholds for x days [ capacity ... 0] GB [1 ... ] day [FILTER- DATASTORE*]
Saturation date in vCPU [allocation] Identify items whose date before reaching saturation in vCPU is below predefined thresholds [... 0] day n/a [FILTER- ESX*]
Saturation date in vRAM [allocation] Identify items whose date before reaching saturation in vRAM is below predefined thresholds [... 0] day n/a [FILTER- ESX*]
Saturation date in vDISK [allocation] Identify items whose date before reaching saturation in vDISK is below predefined thresholds [... 0] day n/a [FILTER- DATASTORE*]
VCPU Allocation (VCPU/CORE) [allocation] Identify the elements whose number of VCPUs allocated to VMs per logical core of an ESX server has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x days [0 ... 20] [1 ... ] day [FILTER- ESX*]
VRAM Allocation % [allocation] Identify the elements whose amount of RAM allocated to VMs for an ESX server has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x days [0 ... 400] % [1 ... ] day [FILTER- ESX*]
VDISK Allocation % [allocation] Identify elements whose amount of storage provisioned to VMs for a datastore has exceeded predefined thresholds for x days [0 ... 200] % [1 ... ] day [FILTER- DATASTORE*]
Cost Allocation [allocation] Identify the filter whose sum of VM costs has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x days [0 ... ] [1 ... ] day [FILTER- VM*]
VM Provisioning [allocation] Identify the elements whose number of VMs that can still be created is lower or equal to the predefined thresholds [... 0] day n/a [FILTER- ESX*]
CPU remaining in GHz [consumption] Identify the elements whose remaining CPU resource in GHz is below the predefined thresholds for x days [capacity... 0] GHz [1 ... ] day [FILTER- ESX*]
DISK remaining in Go [consumption] Identify the elements whose remaining DISK resource in GB is below the predefined thresholds for x days [capacity... 0] GB [1 ... ] day [FILTER- DATASTORE*]
RAM remaining in Go [consumption] Identify the elements whose remaining RAM resource in GB is lower than the predefined thresholds since x days [capacity... 0] GB [1 ... ] day [FILTER- ESX*]
Saturation date in CPU [consumption] Identify the elements whose date before reaching saturation in CPU is lower than the predefined thresholds [... 0] day n/a [FILTER- ESX*]
Saturation date in DISK [consumption] Identify items whose date before reaching saturation in DISK is below predefined thresholds [... 0] day n/a [FILTER- DATASTORE*]
Saturation date in RAM [consumption] Identify the elements whose date before reaching saturation in RAM is lower than the predefined thresholds [... 0] day n/a [FILTER- ESX*]
Snapshot date [consumption] Identify items whose last snapshot date for a VM exceeds predefined thresholds [0 ...180] day n/a [FILTER-VM*]
Snapshot number [consumption] Identify items whose snapshot number of a VM has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x days [2 ...100] snapshot [1 ... ] day [FILTER-VM*]
Snapshot size in GB [consumption] Identify the elements whose volume occupied by the VM snapshot(s) has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x days [0...capacity] [1 ... ] day [FILTER-VM*]
VM consumed cost Identify the filter whose sum of VM costs has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x days [0 ... ] [1 ... ] day [FILTER- VM*]
VM Remaining [consumption] Identify the elements whose number of VMs that can still be created is lower or equal to the predefined thresholds [... 0] day n/a [FILTER- ESX*]
BUSY Behavior [behavior] Identify the filter whose number of "busy" VMs has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x days [0 ... VM running] [1 ... ] day [FILTER - VM*]
TROUBLESHOOTING CRITICAL Behavior [behavior] Identify the filter whose number of VMs, having a critical compression in the troubleshooting section, has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x days [0 ... VM running] [1 ... ] day [FILTER - VM*]
IDLE Behavior [behavior] Identify the filter whose number of idle VMs has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x days [0 ... VM running] [1 ... ] day [FILTER - VM*]
ZOMBIE Behavior [behavior] Identify the elements whose volume occupied by the so-called "zombie" VMs has exceeded the predefined thresholds for x days [0...capacity] GB [1 ... ] day [FILTER]

*: list of the elements composing the filter that triggers the alert

Editing an alert

Editing

To edit an alert, in the "Alerting" section:

  1. Click on the "ALERT" tab.
  2. Select the alert to be modified.
  3. Click on the "EDIT" button.
  4. Modify the desired parameter(s).
  5. Then click on the "UPDATE" button.

Deleting

To delete an alert, in the "Alerting" section:

  1. Click on the "ALERT" tab.
  2. Select the alert to be deleted.
  3. Click on the "REMOVE" button.

NB: a deleted alert that was attached to a notification will result in the deletion of that notification.

Activation/deactivation

To activate/deactivate an alert, in the "Alerting" section

  1. Click on the "ALERT" tab.
  2. Select the alert to activate/deactivate.
  3. Click on the "ENABLE/DISABLE" button.

The deactivation of an alert allows to stop the alerts from being sent to the The deactivation of an alert allows to interrupt the alerting of the DCScope graphical interface as well as a snmp level. At any time you have the possibility to activate the alert in order to resume the alerting process.

  • The alert is activated. The alert process searches every minute for elements that trigger the alert.
  • The alert is deactivated. The search process ignores deactivated alerts

Notifications

Notifications allow you to be informed when one or more alerts have exceeded thresholds defined when the alert was created.

The processing of a notification can be sent by email. This option requires the smtp server (refer to the chapter on smtp server configuration).

A notification can also be viewed via a snmp client. You can associate several alerts of the same type to a notification. However, you cannot mix alerts of different types.

Creating a notification

Alerts2

To create a notification, in the "Alerting" section:

  1. Click on the "NOTIFICATION" tab.
  2. In the window click on the "CREATE NOTIFICATION" button.
  3. Enter a name for the notification.
  4. If you want to be notified by email, select "email". In this case, enter the address that should receive the notification (you can enter several addresses).
  5. The snmp type allows you to follow the notification via a snmp client.
  6. Select one or more alerts that will trigger the notification.
  7. If you want to be notified as soon as an alert is triggered then select "one of the alerts is active". If you want to be notified if all alerts respond at the same time, select "all alerts are active".
  8. Select one or more alerts of the same type to trigger the notification.
  9. By clicking on the "CREATE" button the notification is created.

Editing a notification

Editing

To edit a notification, in the "Alerting" section:

  1. Click on the "NOTIFICATION" tab.
  2. Select the notification to be modified.
  3. Modify the desired parameter(s).
  4. Then click on the "UPDATE" button.

Deleting

To delete an alert, in the "Alerting" section:

  1. Click on the "NOTIFICATION" tab.
  2. Select the notification to be modified.
  3. Then click on the "REMOVE" button.

Note: A deleted alert that was attached to a notification will deactivate that notification.

Activation/deactivation

To activate/deactivate a notification, in the "Alerting" section

  1. Click on the "NOTIFICATION" tab.
  2. Select the notification to be activated/deactivated.
  3. Click on the "ENABLE/DISABLE" button.

Deactivating a notification will stop sending emails and will deactivate the and deactivates the snmp object. At any time you can Activate the notification to resume the notification process.

  • Notification is enabled. The notification process determines every minute whether a notification should be triggered
  • Notification is disabled. The notification process ignores disabled notifications

Updating alerts and notifications

The update process runs every minute.

Configuration of a snmp client

OID Parameter Return Description
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.n [1-2] Object list returns the list of alerts or DSCcope notifications
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.x [1...100] Object returns a DSCcope alert
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.x.1 [1...100] Integer returns the identification number of the alert
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.x.2 [1...100] String len returns the unique identifier of the alert (uuid)
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.x.3 [1...100] String returns the name of the alert
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.x.4 [1...100] Integer returns the status of the alert [0 :ok - 1 :warning - 2 :critical - disable : 3]
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.x.5 [1...100] Integer returns the number of elements affected by the alert
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.x.6 [1...100] String returns the number of elements impacted by the alert
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.x.6.4 [1...100] String list returns the list of names of elements impacted by the alert
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.2.y [1...100] Object returns a DSCcope notification
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.2.y.1 [1...100] Integer returns the identification number of the notification
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.2.y.2 [1...100] String returns the unique identifier of the notification (uuid)
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.2.y.3 [1...100] String returns the name of the notification
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.2.y.4 [1...100] Integer returns the number of elements impacted by the notification
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.2.y.5 [1...100] Timeticks returns the time since the last update
.1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.2.y.6 [1...100] String returns the status of the notification [create - sent - disable]

Examples of snmp commands

snmpget commands

  1. get the id number of alert 1: 1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.1

-snmpget -v2c IP_VM_DCScope -c public 1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.1.1

-SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.54721.1.1.1 = INTEGER: 1

  1. get uuid of alert 1 : 1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.1.2

-snmpget -v2c IP_VM_DCScope -c public 1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.1.2

-SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.54721.1.1.2 = STRING: "5d68b700-5f2c-4faa-b85c-ef4ccb15788d"

  1. get the name of alert 1: 1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.3

-snmpget -v2c IP_VM_DCScope -c public 1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.1.3

-SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.54721.1.1.3 = STRING: "cpuintra_70_90"

  1. get the status of alert 1: 1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.1.4

-snmpget -v2c IP_VM_DCScope -c public 1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.1.4

-SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.54721.1.1.4 = INTEGER: 1

  1. get the number of element(s) impacted by alert 1: 1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.1.5

-snmpget -v2c IP_VM_DCScope -c public 1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.1.5

-SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.54721.1.1.5 = INTEGER: 2

Command snmpwalk

  1. get information from alert 1: 1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.1
  2. snmpwalk -v2c IP_VM_DCScope -c public 1.3.6.1.4.1.54721.1.1
  3. SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.54721.1.1.1 = INTEGER: 1
  4. SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.54721.1.1.2 = STRING: "5d68b700-5f2c-4faa-b85c-ef4ccb15788d"
  5. SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.54721.1.1.3 = STRING: "cpuintra_70_90"
  6. SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.54721.1.1.4 = INTEGER: 1
  7. SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.54721.1.1.5 = INTEGER: 2
  8. SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.54721.1.1.6 = STRING: "2 impacted element(s)"
  9. SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.54721.1.1.6.4.1.2.16.101.97.115.121.118.105.114.116.95.97.108.101.114.116.95.49.1 = STRING: "VM20"
  10. SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.54721.1.1.6.4.1.2.16.101.97.115.121.118.105.114.116.95.97.108.101.114.116.95.49.2 = STRING: "VM12"