Defining thresholds and alerts for storage objects

The vROps Manager maintains thresholds of normal behavior for each storage element.

About this task

The vROps Manager alerts the user, when a metric violates a threshold. The thresholds can be set to fit the needs of the user. Afterward, you can define an alert to be triggered, when the threshold is crossed, changing the color of the storage object in the Overview and Performance dashboards. In addition, you can use the storage object metrics as Key Performance Indicator (KPI).

Procedure

To set thresholds and define their alerts:

  1. Go to Content > Symptom Definitions > Metric/Property Symptom Definitions.
  2. In the right-hand pane of the Metric/Property Symptom Definitions dialog box, click on the '+' sign to add a new symptom definition.
    The Add Symptom Definition dialog box is displayed.
  3. In the Base Object Type drop-down list, select IBM Storage Adapter, and then choose a storage element and a metrics, which thresholds you intend to define.
  4. Double-click the metrics related to the selected storage resource, or drag it to the working area of the right-hand pane.
    The selected object and metrics attributes are displayed.
    Figure 1. Add Symptom Definition dialog box
    This screen capture shows the Add Symptom Definition dialog box.
  5. Enter the symptom definition name, criticality level, threshold triggering condition, wait cycle and cancel cycle values. Then click Save to add the symptom definition.
  6. Go to Content > Alert Definitions, click on the '+' sign to add a new alert definition.
    The Alert Definition Workspace dialog box is displayed.
  7. In the left-hand pane of the Alert Definition Workspace dialog box, enter alert name and description.
    Figure 2. Adding name and description for alert definition
    This screen capture shows adding name and description for alert definition.
  8. Click Base Object Type and in the drop-down list, select IBM Storage Adapter, and then choose a storage element and a metrics, to which you intend to create an alert.
    Figure 3. Selecting base object type for alert definition
    This screen capture shows selecting base object type for alert definition.
  9. Click Alert Impact and enter impact, criticality, alert type/subtype, wait cycle and cancel cycle values for the alert.
    Figure 4. Selecting impact for alert definition
    This screen capture shows selecting impact for alert definition.
  10. Click Add Symptom Definition, enter Self for the Defined On parameter, Metric/Property for the Symptom Definition Type parameter, locate the previously defined symptom in the Symptom list and add it to the alert definition by dragging it to the Symptoms area on the right-hand pane.
    Figure 5. Adding symptom for alert definition
    This screen capture shows adding symptom for alert definition.
  11. Click Save to save the changes.
    After the duration of wait cycle that you defined has elapsed, the storage object color on a dashboard changes, if the metrics threshold was crossed. Storage objects display different colors, according to the criticality of symptoms:
    • Info –
    • Warning –
    • Immediate –
    • Critical –
  12. Navigate to Administration > Policies.
  13. In the Policies pane, click the Policy Library tab, select the Default Policy entry and click the Edit button.
    The Edit Monitoring Policy dialog box is displayed.
    Figure 6. Editing default monitoring policy
    This screen capture shows editing default monitoring policy.
  14. In the Edit Monitoring Policy dialog box, leave the configuration steps 1 to 4 unchanged.
  15. In the left-hand pane of the Edit Monitoring Policy dialog box, select Collect Metrics and Properties.
    The list of attributes is displayed in the right-hand pane of the dialog box.
  16. In the list of attributes, filter by the object type to locate the storage object used for alert definitions, then select the metrics that you want to use as a Key Performance Indicator, set its KPI to Yes, and click Save to finish.
    Figure 7. Enabling KPI for a storage object metrics
    This screen capture shows enabling KPI for a storage object metrics.