You can use alert rules to specify how CloudMonitor checks monitoring data and when CloudMonitor sends alert notifications. After you configure alert rules for specific metrics, you can receive alert notifications immediately after exceptions occur and handle the exceptions at the earliest opportunity.

Background information

  • You can specify a mute period such as 24 hours for an alert rule. If the alert rule is not triggered as expected, CloudMonitor sends only one alert notification within the mute period. This prevents an excessive number of alert notifications from being sent in a short period of time.
  • By default, CloudMonitor automatically creates an alert contact group and adds your Alibaba Cloud account as an alert contact to the alert contact group.

Create an alert contact

An alert contact can be added to multiple alert contact groups.

  1. Log on to the CloudMonitor console.
  2. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Alerts > Alert Contacts.
  3. On the Alert Contacts tab, click Create Alert Contact.
  4. In the Set Alert Contact panel, enter the name, email address, and webhook URL of the alert contact. Make sure that the Language of Alert Notifications parameter is set to the default value Automatic.
    Note Automatic indicates that CloudMonitor automatically selects the language of alert notifications based on the language that you use to create your Alibaba Cloud account.
  5. Optional. Test the connectivity of the webhook URL.
    If you want to test the connectivity of the webhook URL, perform the following steps:
    1. Click Test next to the webhook URL.
      In the WebHook test panel, you can check and troubleshoot the connectivity of the webhook URL based on the returned status code and test result details.
      Note To obtain the details of the test result, configure the Template Type and Language parameters and click Test.
    2. Click Close.
  6. Verify the parameters and click OK.
  7. Optional. Activate the email address of the alert contact.
    By default, the email address of the alert contact is in the Pending Activation state. After the alert contact receives an email that contains the activation link, the alert contact must activate the email address within 24 hours. Otherwise, the alert contact cannot receive alert notifications. After the email address is activated, you can view the email address in the alert contact list.

Create an alert contact group

An alert contact group can contain one or more alert contacts.

  1. Log on to the CloudMonitor console.
  2. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Alerts > Alert Contacts.
  3. Click the Alert Contact Group tab.
  4. On the Alert Contact Group tab, click Create Alert Contact Group.
  5. In the Create Alert Contact Group panel, enter a name for the alert contact group and add alert contacts to the alert contact group.
  6. Click Confirm.

Add multiple alert contacts to an alert contact group at a time

  1. Log on to the CloudMonitor console.
  2. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Alerts > Alert Contacts.
  3. On the Alert Contacts tab, click the check boxes in front of the alert contacts.
  4. Click Add to Contact Group.
  5. In the Confirm dialog box, select the alert contact group.
  6. Click OK.

Create an alert rule

  1. Log on to the CloudMonitor console.
  2. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Alerts > Alert Rules.
  3. On the Alert Rules page, click Create Alert Rule.
  4. In the Create Alert Rule panel, configure the parameters. The following table describes the parameters.
    ParameterDescription
    ProductThe name of the Alibaba Cloud service that can be monitored by CloudMonitor. Example: RDS-DB.
    Resource RangeThe range of the resources to which the alert rule applies. Valid values:
    • All Resources: The alert rule applies to all resources of the specified cloud service.
    • Application Group: The alert rule applies to all resources in the specified application group of the specified cloud service.
    • Instances: The alert rule applies to the specified resources of the specified cloud service.
    Rule DescriptionThe content of the alert rule. The parameters in this section specify the conditions that trigger an alert. To configure the content of the alert rule, perform the following steps:
    1. Click Add Rule.
    2. In the Add Rule Description panel, specify the rule name, metric type, metrics, thresholds, and alert levels.
    3. Click OK.
    Note For information about how to specify complex alert conditions, see Alert rule expressions.
    Mute ForThe interval at which CloudMonitor sends alert notifications until the alert that is triggered based on the alert rule is cleared. Valid values: 5 Minutes, 15 Minutes, 30 Minutes, 60 Minutes, 3 Hours, 6 Hours, 12 Hours, and 24 Hours.

    If the threshold value is exceeded, CloudMonitor sends an alert notification. If the threshold value is exceeded again within the mute period, CloudMonitor does not resend an alert notification. If the alert is not cleared after the mute period ends, CloudMonitor resends an alert notification.

    For example, if the Mute For parameter is set to 12 Hours and the alert is not cleared, Cloud Monitor resends an alert notification after 12 hours.

    Effective PeriodThe period during which the alert rule is effective. CloudMonitor monitors the metrics and generates alerts only if the alert rule is effective.
    Alert Contact GroupThe alert contact group to which alert notifications are sent.

    The alert notifications of the application group are sent to the alert contacts that belong to the selected alert contact group. An alert contact group can contain one or more alert contacts.

    For information about how to create an alert contact and an alert contact group, see Create an alert contact or alert contact group.

    Alert Callback

    The URL that is used to receive the alert notifications sent from CloudMonitor by using HTTP POST requests. The URL must be accessible over the Internet. You can enter only an HTTP URL. For information about how to configure alert callbacks, see Use the alert callback feature to send notifications about threshold-triggered alerts.

    To test the connectivity of an alert callback URL, perform the following steps:
    1. Click Test next to the the callback URL.
      In the WebHook test panel, you can check and troubleshoot the connectivity of the alert callback URL based on the returned status code and test result details.
      Note To obtain the details of the test result, configure the Template Type and Language parameters and click Test.
    2. Click Close.
    Note You can click Advanced Settings to configure this parameter.
    Auto ScalingIf you turn on Auto Scaling and an alert is triggered, the specified scaling rule is enabled. In this case, you must configure the Region, ESS Group, and ESS Rule parameters.
    Note You can click Advanced Settings to configure this parameter.
    Log ServiceIf you turn on Log Service and an alert is triggered, the alert information is written to the specified Logstore in Log Service. In this case, you must configure the Region, ProjectName, and Logstore parameters.

    For information about how to create a project and a Logstore, see Getting Started.

    Note You can click Advanced Settings to configure this parameter.
    Message Service - topicIf you turn on Message Service - topic and an alert is triggered, the alert information is written to the specified topic in Message Service (MNS). In this case, you must configure the Region and topicName parameters.

    For information about how to create a topic, see Create a topic.

    Note You can click Advanced Settings to configure this parameter.
    Method to handle alerts when no monitoring data is foundThe method that is used to handle alerts when no monitoring data is found. Valid values:
    • Do not do anything (default value)
    • Send alert notifications
    • Treated as normal
    Note You can click Advanced Settings to configure this parameter.
    TagThe tags of the alert rule. A tag consists of a name and a value.
  5. Click OK.