SiteScope User's Guide

Database Alerts

The Database Alert allows you to export an alert with a description of the problem as a record to a SQL database. You can then use database tools to provide more advanced searching, sorting and reporting on your monitoring data.

Completing the Database Alert Form

Complete each section of the form as described below and then click the Add or Update button to record the changes.

On

The category of monitor status that activates this alert. You may choose either Error, Warning, or Ok.

Alert Subjects

Select the groups or monitors that will trigger this alert. You can select multiple groups and monitors by holding down the control key while making your selection. The choices include:

All Groups - Select All Groups if you want SiteScope to perform an action whenever any monitor on this installation returns the indicated status condition. For example, you would choose this option if you want SiteScope to page you whenever any monitor returns an error status.
[group name] - Select a specific group if you want SiteScope to perform an action whenever any monitor in the selected group returns the indicated status condition. For example, you would select the Network group if you wanted SiteScope to page you if any monitor in the Network group returned an error status.
[group name]: [monitor name] - Select a specific monitor if you want SiteScope to perform an action only if the selected monitor returns the indicated status condition. For example, you would choose this option if you wanted SiteScope to send you e-mail if one specific monitor returned a warning status.

Database Connection URL

Enter a URL to a Database Connection. The easiest way to create a database connection is to use an ODBC driver manager to create a named connection to a database. For example in Windows NT, first use the ODBC Data Sources manager in the Settings control panel to create a connection called test. Then, enter jdbc:odbc:test in this box as the connection URL.

SQL Statement

Enter the SQL statement used to add the alert to the database. Items enclosed in < and > are replaced with fields from the monitor which caused the alert. For example, entering

INSERT INTO SiteScopeAlert VALUES('<name>')

will add a record with the name of the monitor which caused the alert.

When

The number of times the alert conditions should be met before SiteScope executes the action you specified.

Always, after the condition has occurred at least N times - After the condition occurs at least N times, SiteScope executes the action every time the alert conditions are met. Type the minimum number of times the alert conditions must be met in the text box.
Once, after condition occurs exactly N times - SiteScope executes the action once, after the conditions are met for the Nth time. Type the number of times the alert conditions must be met in the text box.
Initial alert X and repeat every Y times afterwards - Executes the alert action after the condition occurs X consecutive times and then repeats the alert every consecutive Y occurences thereafter. For example,if X was set to 3, and Y was set to 4, then the action would be triggered on the 3rd, 7th, 11th, etc. occurrences of the condition. Choose this option by selecting the applicable radio button, entering the multiple (Y) and the minimum number of times (X) the alert conditions must be met in the text input boxes provided.
Note This feature was modified in SiteScope version 5.5. Alert parameters set for this option in prior versions are transposed to this new format when upgrading to version 5.5 and may result in a change in the originally intended behavior.
Once, after N errors in this group - SiteScope executes the action only after any monitor in the group has been in error exactly N consecutive times. Type the number of errors in the text box.
Once, when all monitors of group are in error - SiteScope executes the action the first time all monitors in the group are in error.

Advanced Options

The Advanced Options section presents a number of options for disabling the alert and define a filter for conditions should trigger the alert.

Disable Alerts

Enable Alert

This check box cancels any disable conditions and makes the alert active. Select this radio button to override any disable action on the alert.

Disable alert permanently

Select this radio button to prevent SiteScope from executing the alert action, even if the conditions are met. Note: This permanently disables the alert action until this radio button is cleared.

Disable alerts for the next time period

Select this radio button to immediately prevent SiteScope from executing the alert action for the time period entered, even if the conditions are met. The alerts are re-enabled when the time period expires. This is useful for temporarily turning off alerts immediately.

Disable on a one-time schedule from time1 to time2

Select this radio button to prevent SiteScope from executing the alert action for the time period indicated, even if the conditions are met. The alerts are disabled at the beginning of the time period and re-enabled after the time period expires. This is useful for temporarily turning off alerts during scheduled maintenance.

Name Match: This option lets you suppress the alert for all associated monitors except those with a specific text appearing as part of their name. Enter all or part of the monitor name string you want to use as a filter criteria. For example, entering the string URL: will limit this alert to monitors whose name contains the string "URL:". The match is case sensitive. You can enter a regular expression in this field to match a status string pattern
Status Match: This option lets you suppress the alert for all associated monitors except those returning a specific status text. Enter a string that you expect to appear in the status text for the monitor you want to trigger this alert. For example, if you type timeout in this box, an alert will only be triggered by a monitor associated with this alert which also has a status of "timeout." This match is case sensitive. You can enter a regular expression in this field to match a status string pattern
Monitor Type: This option allows you select a specific monitor type match for the alert. Select the monitor type within the set of monitors associated with this alert that should actually trigger the alert. Select Any Monitor to trigger the alert action for any monitor type associated with this alert.