Alerts and Notifications

The following sections provide context-sensitive help information related to this feature.

Alerts

Use this dialog box to view, add, modify, disable and delete user alerts. You must have the appropriate permissions to work with alerts. For information on permissions, see Permissions and Permitted Actions by Feature: Alerts.

The following information is available:

Name

The name of the alert. This field can be modified without changing any configurations of the alert.
Alert Category

The category to which the alert belongs to.
Alert Type

The type of alert, based on the alert category.
Status

If the status check box is selected, the alert is enabled. If the status check box is cleared, the alert is disabled.
Creator

The name of the CommCell user who created the alert.
Organization

If an alert is created by a user assigned to an organization, the name of the organization is displayed.
Subscription Enabled

Indicated whether or not the Subscription based alert check box is selected. For information on the Subscription based alert check box, see Subscription based alert.

Add

Click to configure an alert from the Add Alert Wizard.

Edit

Click to edit an alert from the Modify Alert Wizard.

Delete

Click to delete an alert.

Refresh

Click to update the windowpane with the latest alert configurations.

Disable/Enable

Click to disable or enable an alert.

Alert Rule

Click this button to manage the alert rules, for example, view, add or edit.

Test

Click to send a test message to the recipients of the configured alert. (The Test button is a right-click option for an alert in the alerts windowpane.)

Alert Summary

Displays the options selected for an alert.

Summary

Displays selected options such as Alert Category, Alert Type, and Alert Criteria. It also displays selected configuration options such as Reporting Criteria, Notification Types, and the users and/or user groups who will receive the alert.
Monitored Nodes

Displays the specific entities associated with the alert.
- Show only selected
  
  This option filters the list of monitored nodes so that only selected nodes are displayed.

General Information

When adding or editing an alert, use this page to select the name and the category and type of the alert/threshold.

Display Name

A name defined by the user for the alert/threshold.

If the notification type for the alert is Save to, do not use special characters in the Display Name box because the name of the alert is used in the file path when the alert is saved to the disk. For Windows file naming conventions, go to the Windows Dev Center - Desktop website, Naming Files, Paths, and Namespaces - Naming Conventions.

Category

The category of alerts/threshold.

Type

The type of alert/threshold. Only the types of alerts/threshold that pertain to the selected alert/threshold category will be displayed.

Subscription based alert*

Select this option to display the selected alert in the Web Console. Alerts configured with this option are automatically associated to all clients in the CommCell as well as to their client owners. Users managing their data from the Web Console will be able to use the alert configured in this wizard.

*This option is available for Job Management - Data Protection and Job Management - Data Recovery alerts only.

Entities Selection

Use this page to select the entities associated with the alert. The entities selected are used as the criteria for the alert.

Some alert types cannot be associated with an entity and not all entities are available for all alert types. The available entities are:

CommCell computer
Client Group
Client
Agent
Backup Set
Instance
Subclient
MediaAgent
Library
Storage Policy
Storage Policy Copy
User Groups
Users

When an entity is selected, all entities nested under that entity are selected by default. You can exclude nested entities that should not be associated with the alert. If the Client Group entity is selected and a nested client group is excluded, then all clients and entities under that excluded client group are also excluded from the alert. Once an entity is excluded from an alert, it is always excluded even if it is included in another path.

If an entity is uninstalled or deconfigured after the entity is associated with a configured alert, this entity is subsequently removed from this tab.

Show only selected

This option filters the list of entities so that only selected entities are displayed.

Agent Type

This option is available for alert types that can be associated with agents. For information on the alert types that can be associated with agents, see Available Alert Criteria.

Filters the clients and client groups in the Association box based on the agents you select. For example, if you select DB2 in the Agent Type box, only clients and client groups with DB2 agents appear in the Association box.

Association

This option is available for alert types that can be associated with agents. For information on the alert types that can be associated with agents, see Available Alert Criteria.

The entities associated with the alert. You can filter the choices by selecting agents from the Agent Type box.

Threshold and Notification Criteria Selection

Use this page to select or modify the alert threshold and notification criteria.

Alert Criteria

Select the criteria that will initiate the alert. The available criteria depend on the type of alert selected on the General Information page of the wizard. For information on the alert criteria available for each alert type, see Available Alert Criteria.

Send Individual Notification for this alert

Enable this option to send an individual email notification, instead of multiple email notifications within a single alert notification, for the criteria selected. To use this option, you must choose Email from the Notification Type(s) Selection step.

Send Individual notification for each backed up Discovered Virtual machine

This option applies to data protection alerts for VSA backup jobs for virtual machines that were identified based on a discovery rule or were manually added and backed up at least one time. The discovered VMs must be added to the alert on the Entity Selection page of the alert wizard. Enable this option to receive VM-level and job-level details in the alert notification for each VM. For example, you receive the VM host name and the VM status for each VM. Without this option, you receive job-level details.

Notification Criteria

Note that the following options are not available for all alert types.

Notify only if Condition persists for n hr(s) n min(s)*

Select this option to send the notification after the configured alert criteria occur for the defined time. For example, if the Disk Space Low criterion is selected for a Configuration - CommCell alert, but you want to wait 30 minutes before sending the alert notification, enter 30 in the min(s) box.
Repeat notification every n hr(s) n min(s)*

Select this option to send the alert notification to its intended recipients more than one time. Specify in the hr(s) and min(s) boxes the frequency at which the alert must notify the recipients.
Notify when the condition clears*

Select this option to send the notification only when the alert condition clears.
Notify only when jobs qualify for extended retention

Applies To: Job Management - Data Protection alerts

Select this option when configuring a Job Management Data Protection alert. If selected, when a data protection job meets the thresholds of the configured alert criteria, users will only be notified of those jobs that are set for extended retention.
Notify only when job contains failed objects

Applies To: Job Management - Data Protection alerts

Select this option when configuring a Job Management Data Protection alert. If selected, when a data protection job meets the thresholds of the configured alert criteria, users will only be notified of those jobs that contain failed objects.
Notify only if job is DDB job

Applies To: Job Management - Data Protection alerts

Select this option when configuring a Job Management Data Protection alert. If selected, when a data protection job meets the thresholds of the configured alert criteria, users will be notified only if the job is deduplication database backup job.
Suppress notification for matching events for n hr(s) n min(s)

Applies To: Operation - Event Viewer Events alerts

Select this option to prevent duplicate notifications when the same event occurs more than one time within the defined time period. In the hr(s) and min(s) boxes, enter how long to wait before sending a notification for the same event. For example, if you enter two hours and 10 of the same events occur within 1 hour, you will receive one alert.
Match using event description

Applies To: Operation - Event Viewer Events alerts

This option is available if Suppress notification for matching events for n hr(s) n min(s) is used. Select this option to consider the event description when determining whether an event is the same or not.

Escalate Notification Criteria*

Select this option to configure an alert to escalate its notification criteria.

If the condition persists for n hr(s) n min(s)

Select this option to escalate the notification after the configured alert criteria occur for the defined time.
Repeat notification every n hr(s) n min(s)

Select this option to send the alert notification to its intended recipients more than one time. Specify in the hr(s) and min(s) boxes the frequency at which the alert must notify the recipients.
Notify when the condition clears

Select this option to send the notification only when the alert condition clears.

*This notification option is applicable when certain criteria are selected for the following types of alerts: Configuration - Clients, CommCell, MediaAgents and Users, Job Management - Data Protection, Media Management - Device Status, and Media Management - Library Management. For example, this option is available for the Disk Space Low criterion, but not for the Properties Modified criterion.

Advanced Criteria Options

Use this dialog box to refine the values you enter as the alert criteria or the log monitoring criteria.

Regular Expression

This option recognizes regular expressions in the values you enter as the alert criteria. For example, a pipe (|) is treated as an "or" operator.

Case Sensitive

This option applies case sensitivity to the values you enter as the alert criteria. For example, "Workflow [ABC] completed" and "Workflow [abc] completed" are treated as two different strings.

Match whole word

This option does not consider partial words when comparing the values you enter as the alert criteria to the CommCell events. For example, if you enter "Manager" as the program, "MediaManager" and "JobManager" will not match.

Inclusive

This option is available when you select between as the operator in the Create Criteria dialog box. This option includes the start and end values as part of the criterion. For example, you select between for a date field and enter Jan 1 as the start date and Jan 31 as the end date. Selecting Inclusive includes the January start and end dates as part of the criterion. Clearing Inclusive excludes the January start and end dates and only January 2 through January 30 are part of the criterion.

Notification Type(s) Selection

Use this page to select or modify the methods that will be used to send an alert to the intended recipients.

Choose Locale

Select the language in which the alert should be displayed.

Severity

Select the level of severity for the alert. Choose Auto Pick to automatically determine the level of severity for the alert based on the alert criteria, otherwise choose from Critical, Warning, or Information to set the level of severity.

E-Mail

Use this tab to select e-mail as the notification method for an alert. The email can be in HTML or TEXT format. You can use the Add Token option to customize the subject and body of the e-mail message.

SNMP

Use this tab to select SNMP as the notification method for an alert. When the alert is sent, it is trapped by the trap receiver software. You can use the Add Token option to customize the subject and body of the alert. Note that once an alert is sent as an SNMP Trap it cannot be resent.

Event Viewer

Use this tab to select the Windows System Event Viewer on the CommServe as the notification method for the alert. The alerts will be located in the Application log of the Windows System Event Viewer dialog box.

SCOM

Use this tab to select the SCOM Server as the notification method for an alert. The alerts will be displayed in the monitoring console of the SCOM Server. You can use the Add Token option to customize the subject and body of the alert.

Workflow

Use this tab to execute a workflow as the notification method when an alert is generated. From the Workflow to run list, pick a workflow. You can customize the value of the inputs defined in the selected workflow by selecting an alert token from the drop down list or by typing a value for an input. From the Run workflow on list, pick a workflow engine to run the workflow or pick Any to use the engine the workflow was last deployed on.

Run Command

Use this tab to select the Run Command as the notification method for an alert. The Run Command can be located on the CommServe or remote machines, but is executed only on the CommServe machine. The command can be configured with arguments; multiple arguments should be separated by spaces, which the system allows for this command. Use the Change option to change the account information to access the network share.

Save to

Use this tab to select the Save to as the notification method for an alert. The alert notification messages can be sent in the form of a text file to a designated directory either locally, on a network share, or to the Cloud Services website for use in the CommCell Alerts Report. To use a local drive or a network share, enter the path in the Location field.

RSS Feeds

Use this tab to select the RSS Feeds as the notification method for an alert. The alert notification messages can be sent in the form of an RSS feed, which can be automatically integrated with your Web Browser. Enter or select the URL in the Select/Enter the Feed Location field.

Console Alerts

Use this tab to select Console alerts as the notification method. Alert notifications can be sent in the form of an e-mail message to the CommCell Console. The notification message can be in HTML or TEXT format. You can use the Add Token option to customize the subject and body of the message.

Regular

The notification information sent for an alert, for example, Detected Criteria: <DETECTED CRITERIA> , MediaAgent Name: <MEDIAAGENT NAME> , Comments: <COMMENT>Status: <STATUS>.

Escalation

The notification information sent for an alert when it is escalated. The information in the escalation notification can be different than the information in the regular notification. The Escalation tab is available when the Escalate Notification Criteria check box is selected.

Select Action for Regular Notification

Use this dialog box to choose a report or a workflow to be the action available in the alert notification.

Select [Action] for notification

Select the check box to choose a report or a workflow to be the action available in the alert notification.

Report

The option to choose a report to be the action available in the alert notification.
- Report to run
  
  The report to run when a user clicks the action in the alert notification.
Workflow

The option to choose a workflow to be the action available in the alert notification.
- Workflow to run
  
  The workflow to run when a user clicks the action in the alert notification. You can customize the value of the inputs defined in the selected workflow by selecting an alert token from the drop down list or by typing a value for an input.
- Run workflow on
  
  The workflow engine to run the workflow. Pick Any to use the engine the workflow was last deployed on.

Token Criteria Selection

Use this page to create token-based alert criteria. The token-based criteria are in addition to the alert criteria you select on the Threshold and Notification Criteria Selection page.

Match choice of the following group

If multiple rule groups exist, you must define the relationship between the rule groups. To create an "AND" relationship, select all. To create an "OR" relationship, select any.

Rule Group

A rule group is made of one or more rules. Within the rule group, each rule has a token, a condition, and a value.

Match choice of the following rules

If multiple rules exist in a rule group, you must define the relationship between the rules. To create an "AND" relationship, select all. To create an "OR" relationship, select any.

Select a token

The token used in the rule. The type of alert and the type of notification determine the tokens that are available. For more information, see Tokens by Alert Type and Notification Type.

Select a condition

The condition used in the rule, for example, "equals."

value field

The value used in the rule. Values that support advanced criteria options have the ellipsis [...] button next to them. For information on advanced options, see Advanced Criteria Options.

minus - button

Click to remove a rule.

plus + button

Click to add a rule.

x button

Click to remove a rule group. This button appears when there are multiple rule groups.

Add Rule Group

Click to add a new rule group.

User(s) and User Group(s) Selection

Use this page to select the recipients of the alert notification email message and the escalation notification email message.

Regular > Notification Recipients

Use this tab to select the recipients of the alert notification email message.

To, Cc, and Bcc lists

From the lists, choose the CommCell users and CommCell user groups who will receive the alert notification. To enter external email addresses, type a semicolon (;) and then type the email address. Each email address must be separated by a semicolon.
Sender Name

The name that appears as the sender of the email message.
Sender Address

The email address that appears as the sender of the email message.

Escalation > Escalated Notification Recipients

Use this tab to select the recipients of the escalation notification email message.

To, Cc, and Bcc lists

From the lists, choose the CommCell users and CommCell user groups who will receive the alert notification. To enter external email addresses, type a semicolon (;) and then type the email address. Each email address must be separated by a semicolon.
Sender Name

The name that appears as the sender of the email message.
Sender Address

The email address that appears as the sender of the email message.

Security

User/User Groups

Displays the names of the users and user groups who have permissions on this alert. The users and user groups, the role, and the alert create the three-way security association.

Role

Displays the names of the roles that are associated with this alert. The users and user groups, the role, and the alert create the three-way security association.

Defined In

Lists the CommCell entity where the security association is defined.

Summary

Displays the options selected for an alert.

Summary

Displays selected options such as Alert Category, Alert Type, and Alert Criteria. It also displays selected configuration options such as Reporting Criteria, Notification Types, and the users and/or user groups who will receive the alert.
Monitored Nodes

Displays the specific entities associated with the alert.
- Show only selected
  
  This option filters the list of monitored nodes so that only selected nodes are displayed.

Alert

Use this tab to configure a new alert.

Refer to Alerts and Notifications for comprehensive information on setting up Alerts.

Configure Alert

Alert

The currently configured alert.
Add/Modify Alert

When clicked, opens the Alert Wizard to configure alerts for this operation.
Delete Alert

When clicked, deletes any existing alerts that are already configured.

Console Alerts

Use this window to view the details of all Console alerts configured in the CommCell.

...

Allows you to mark the alerts that are important as well as setting them as Read or Unread.
Client Name

The name of the client computer associated with the corresponding alert.
Job ID

The job ID of the CommCell activity that triggered the alert.
Alert Name

The name of the alert.
Alert Type

The type of alert, based on the alert category. For example, Operation - Event Viewer Events.
Alert Criteria

The threshold and notification criteria that triggered the alert.
Detected Time

The date and time at which the alert threshold and notification criteria was detected on the client.

Active Alert Detail Dialog

Use this dialog box to review the details of a Console alert.

This dialog box also allows you to:

mark the alert as important by clicking the pin at the bottom of the dialog box
delete the alert by clicking the 'X' at the bottom of the dialog box

Change User Account

Use this dialog box to provide the user credentials of a CommCell user.

Use This Account

Click to change the user account.

User Name

The user account that will be used to access the network path for Run Command and Save To notification types.

Password

Use the space to type the password for the User Account.

Confirm Password

Use the space to re-type the password for confirmation.

Add SNMP Host Configuration

Use this dialog box to add or modify computers to receive SNMP traps.

Host Name

Use this space to specify the host name or IP address of the trap destination computer.

Authentication Algorithm

Select the authentication algorithm used by the trap destination, such as HMAC MD5. The following authentication algorithms are supported:

HMAC MD5
HMAC SHA
HMAC128 SHA224
HMAC192 SHA256
HMAC256 SHA384
HMAC384 SHA512

User Name

Use this space to specify the user name of the trap destination.

Password

Use this space to specify the password for the user name provided above.

Confirm Password

Use this space to retype the password for confirmation.

Privacy Algorithm

Select the data encryption algorithm used for the privacy credentials for the trap destination. The values available for the privacy algorithm vary depending on the value chosen for the authentication algorithm. The following privacy algorithms are supported:

None
CBC DES
CFB128 AES128
CFB128 AES192
CFB128 AES256
CBC AES128
CBC AES192
CBC AES256

Privacy Password

Use this space to specify the privacy password for the user name provided above.

Privacy Confirm Password

Use this space to retype the privacy password for confirmation.

SNMPV3 Configuration

Use this dialog box to add and manage computers using the SNMP v3 protocol to receive SNMP Traps.

The properties for each computer are displayed in a table:

Host Name

Specifies the host name or IP address of the trap destination computer.
User Name

Specifies the user name of the trap destination.
Authentication Algorithm

Specifies the authentication algorithm used by the trap destination.
Privacy Algorithm

Specifies the data encryption algorithm used for the privacy credentials.