Comparing alerts and alarms

There are a number of similarities between the alert system and the legacy alarm system, but the alert system offers significant benefits and is easier to use.

While the alarm system continues to be supported in StorageGRID 11.4, you should transition from the legacy alarm system to the new alert system. As you begin using alerts, refer to the following table to learn how to perform similar operations.

	Alerts (new system)	Alarms (legacy system)
How do I see which alerts or alarms are active?	Click the Current alerts link on the Dashboard. Click the alert on the Nodes > Overview page. Select Alerts > Current. Viewing current alerts	Click the Legacy alarms link on the Dashboard. Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Current Alarms. Viewing legacy alarms
What causes an alert or an alert to be triggered?	Alerts are triggered when a Prometheus expression in an alert rule returns a specific response or threshold value. Viewing alert rules	Alarms are triggered when a StorageGRID attribute reaches a threshold value. Alarm triggering logic (legacy system)
If an alert or alarm is triggered, how do I resolve the underlying problem?	The recommended actions for an alert are included in email notifications and are available from the Alerts pages in the Grid Manager. As required, additional information is provided in the StorageGRID documentation. Alerts reference	You can learn about an alarm by clicking the attribute name, or you can search for an alarm code in the StorageGRID documentation. Alarms reference (legacy system)
Where can I see a list of alerts or alarms have been resolved?	Click the Recently resolved alerts link on the Dashboard. Select Alerts > Resolved. Viewing resolved alerts	Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Historical Alarms. Reviewing historical alarms and alarm frequency (legacy system)
Where do I manage the settings?	Select Alerts. Then, use the options in the Alerts menu. Managing alerts	Select Support. Then, use the options in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu. Managing alarms (legacy system)
What user group permissions do I need?	Anyone who can sign in to the Grid Manager can view current and resolved alerts. You must have the Manage Alerts permission to manage silences, alert notifications, and alert rules. Administering StorageGRID	Anyone who can sign in to the Grid Manager can view legacy alarms. You must have the Acknowledge Alarms permission to acknowledge alarms. You must have both the Grid Topology Page Configuration and Other Grid Configuration permissions to manage global alarms and email notifications. Administering StorageGRID
How do I manage email notifications?	Select Alerts > Email Setup. Note: Because alarms and alerts are independent systems, the email setup used for alarm and AutoSupport notifications is not used for alert notifications. However, you can use the same mail server for all notifications. Managing alert notifications	Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Email Setup. Configuring notifications for alarms (legacy system)
How do I manage SNMP notifications?	Select Configuration. Then, in the Monitoring section of the menu, select SNMP Agent. Using SNMP monitoring	Select Configuration. Then, in the Monitoring section of the menu, select SNMP Agent. Using SNMP monitoring Note: SNMP notifications are not sent for every alarm or alarm severity. Alarms that generate SNMP notifications (legacy system)
How do I control who receives notifications?	Select Alerts > Email Setup. In the Recipients section, enter an email address for each email list or person who should receive an email when an alert occurs. Setting up email notifications for alerts	Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Email Setup. Creating a mailing list. Select Notifications. Select the mailing list. Creating mailing lists for alarm notifications (legacy system) Configuring email notifications for alarms (legacy system)
Which Admin Nodes send notifications?	A single Admin Node (the preferred sender). Administering StorageGRID	A single Admin Node (the preferred sender). Administering StorageGRID
How do I suppress some notifications?	Select Alerts > Silences. Select the alert rule you want to silence. Specify a duration for the silence. Select the severity of alert you want to silence. Select to apply the silence to the entire grid, a single site, or a single node. Note: If you have enabled the SNMP agent, silences also suppress SNMP traps and informs. Silencing alert notifications	Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Email Setup. Select Notifications. Select a mailing list, and select Suppress. Suppressing alarm notifications for a mailing list (legacy system)
How do I suppress all notifications?	Select Alerts > Silences. Then, select All rules. Note: If you have enabled the SNMP agent, silences also suppress SNMP traps and informs. Silencing alert notifications	Select Configuration > Display Options. Select the Notification Suppress All check box. Note: Suppressing email notifications system wide also suppresses event-triggered AutoSupport emails. Suppressing email notifications system wide
How do I customize the conditions and triggers?	Select Alerts > Rules. Select a default rule to edit, or select Create custom rule. Editing an alert rule Creating custom alert rules	Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Global Alarms. Create a Global Custom alarm to override a Default alarm or to monitor an attribute that does not have a Default alarm. Creating Global Custom alarms (legacy system)
How do I disable an individual alert or alarm?	Select Alerts > Rules. Select the rule, and click Edit rule. Unselect the Enabled check box. Disabling an alert rule	Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Global Alarms. Select the rule, and click the Edit icon. Unselect the Enabled check box. Disabling a Default alarm (legacy system) Disabling Global Custom alarms (legacy system)

Alerts (new system)

Alarms (legacy system)

How do I see which alerts or alarms are active?

Click the Current alerts link on the Dashboard.
Click the alert on the Nodes > Overview page.
Select Alerts > Current.

Viewing current alerts

Click the Legacy alarms link on the Dashboard.
Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Current Alarms.

Viewing legacy alarms

What causes an alert or an alert to be triggered?

Alerts are triggered when a Prometheus expression in an alert rule returns a specific response or threshold value.

Viewing alert rules

Alarms are triggered when a StorageGRID attribute reaches a threshold value.

Alarm triggering logic (legacy system)

If an alert or alarm is triggered, how do I resolve the underlying problem?

The recommended actions for an alert are included in email notifications and are available from the Alerts pages in the Grid Manager.

As required, additional information is provided in the StorageGRID documentation.

Alerts reference

You can learn about an alarm by clicking the attribute name, or you can search for an alarm code in the StorageGRID documentation.

Alarms reference (legacy system)

Where can I see a list of alerts or alarms have been resolved?

Click the Recently resolved alerts link on the Dashboard.
Select Alerts > Resolved.

Viewing resolved alerts

Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Historical Alarms.

Reviewing historical alarms and alarm frequency (legacy system)

Where do I manage the settings?

Select Alerts. Then, use the options in the Alerts menu.

Managing alerts

Select Support. Then, use the options in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu.

Managing alarms (legacy system)

What user group permissions do I need?

Anyone who can sign in to the Grid Manager can view current and resolved alerts.
You must have the Manage Alerts permission to manage silences, alert notifications, and alert rules.

Administering StorageGRID

Anyone who can sign in to the Grid Manager can view legacy alarms.
You must have the Acknowledge Alarms permission to acknowledge alarms.
You must have both the Grid Topology Page Configuration and Other Grid Configuration permissions to manage global alarms and email notifications.

Administering StorageGRID

How do I manage email notifications?

Select Alerts > Email Setup.

Note: Because alarms and alerts are independent systems, the email setup used for alarm and AutoSupport notifications is not used for alert notifications. However, you can use the same mail server for all notifications.

Managing alert notifications

Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Email Setup.

Configuring notifications for alarms (legacy system)

How do I manage SNMP notifications?

Select Configuration. Then, in the Monitoring section of the menu, select SNMP Agent.

Using SNMP monitoring

Select Configuration. Then, in the Monitoring section of the menu, select SNMP Agent.

Using SNMP monitoring

Note: SNMP notifications are not sent for every alarm or alarm severity.

Alarms that generate SNMP notifications (legacy system)

How do I control who receives notifications?

Select Alerts > Email Setup.
In the Recipients section, enter an email address for each email list or person who should receive an email when an alert occurs.

Setting up email notifications for alerts

Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Email Setup.
Creating a mailing list.
Select Notifications.
Select the mailing list.

Creating mailing lists for alarm notifications (legacy system)

Configuring email notifications for alarms (legacy system)

Which Admin Nodes send notifications?

A single Admin Node (the preferred sender).

Administering StorageGRID

A single Admin Node (the preferred sender).

Administering StorageGRID

How do I suppress some notifications?

Select Alerts > Silences.
Select the alert rule you want to silence.
Specify a duration for the silence.
Select the severity of alert you want to silence.
Select to apply the silence to the entire grid, a single site, or a single node.

Note: If you have enabled the SNMP agent, silences also suppress SNMP traps and informs.

Silencing alert notifications

Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Email Setup.
Select Notifications.
Select a mailing list, and select Suppress.

Suppressing alarm notifications for a mailing list (legacy system)

How do I suppress all notifications?

Select Alerts > Silences. Then, select All rules.

Note: If you have enabled the SNMP agent, silences also suppress SNMP traps and informs.

Silencing alert notifications

Select Configuration > Display Options.
Select the Notification Suppress All check box.

Note: Suppressing email notifications system wide also suppresses event-triggered AutoSupport emails.

Suppressing email notifications system wide

How do I customize the conditions and triggers?

Select Alerts > Rules.
Select a default rule to edit, or select Create custom rule.

Editing an alert rule

Creating custom alert rules

Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Global Alarms.
Create a Global Custom alarm to override a Default alarm or to monitor an attribute that does not have a Default alarm.

Creating Global Custom alarms (legacy system)

How do I disable an individual alert or alarm?

Select Alerts > Rules.
Select the rule, and click Edit rule.
Unselect the Enabled check box.

Disabling an alert rule

Select Support. Then, in the Alarms (legacy) section of the menu, select Global Alarms.
Select the rule, and click the Edit icon.
Unselect the Enabled check box.

Disabling a Default alarm (legacy system)

Disabling Global Custom alarms (legacy system)