Chapter 8: Configure Agent Alerts

When an agent's status changes, GroupWise* Monitor can be configured to alert the administrator by launching an application, playing a sound, sending a GroupWise mail message or sending an SNMP trap.

A global rule can be implemented for all agents, or the alerts can be configured for an individual agent.

• Define Alert Actions
  
  
• Configure Global Alert Rules
  
  
• Configure Agent Alert Rules
  
  
• Disable and Enable the Alert Feature

Define Alert Actions

The Alert Actions feature acts as a library, storing different actions to be used with Alert Rules. Various actions can be defined to execute a program, play different sounds, send mail messages or send a trap. After defining a list of actions, you need to associate the actions with an Alert Rule.

To define an Alert Action,

1. From GroupWise Monitor, click Tools  Alerts  Define Actions to display the Define Alert Actions dialog box, which displays a list of the currently defined actions.
   
   
   
   
2. Click New to display the Define Alert Actions dialog box.
   
   
   
   
3. Fill in the fields.

   Name: Type a descriptive name for the action.

   Type: From the drop-down box, select the type of action you wish to execute. Each action has a different set of fields that will be displayed in the lower half of the dialog box.

   Launch Application
   This option allows you to specify an application GroupWise Monitor will launch when an agent's status changes.

   Path: Specify the path and executable you wish to execute. Use the folder icon to browse for the application.

   Parameters: GroupWise Monitor allows you to pass variable information from GroupWise Monitor to the application being executed. Use the Substitution strings listed at the bottom of the dialog box.

   Play Sound
   This option will execute a .WAV file on the GroupWise Monitor Station.

   

   Sound File: Specify the path and .WAV you wish to execute. Use the folder icon to browse for the file.

   Send SNMP Trap
   This action sends an SNMP trap to the local workstation. Hence, if ManageWise* is configured on the local workstation, it will automatically receive the trap.

   

   Click the Configure Trap Targets button to specify other trap targets that should also receive the trap. See Configure Trap Target List in Chapter 7: Configure GroupWise Monitor Option for more information.

   Send GroupWise Mail Message
   Use this option to have GroupWise Monitor send a GroupWise mail message to an administrator's mailbox. A valid domain path must be specified and the user must have write access to the \WPCSIN subdirectory of the specified domain. See Configure General Information in Chapter 7: Configure GroupWise Monitor Option for more information.

   

   To: Type the complete GroupWise user id including the user's domain and post office. Multiple users can be specified by separating each user id with a comma.

   Syntax: domain.postoffice.userid
   Example: utah.sales.jcrocker

   Subject: Type a description to be displayed on the subject line of the mail message.

   Message: Type any pertinent details for the administrator. GroupWise Monitor allows you to pass variable information from GroupWise Monitor to the application being executed. Use the Substitution strings listed in the dialog box.

   Priority: Select from the drop-down box the message priority.

Configure Global Alert Rules

Alarms triggered by a GroupWise agent are passed to ManageWise to be handled; however, GroupWise Monitor can notify administrators when certain GroupWise agent events take place such as an agent going down. The event can play a sound at the GroupWise Monitor station, launch a program, send a mail message, or send a trap to ManageWise.

Global alert rules will execute anytime any agent's status changes to a status where an alert action has been activated. To specify an alert action for a specific agent, see Configure Agent Alert Rules below in this chapter for more information.When multiple actions are listed for a status change, they are executed in the order they are listed.

1. From GroupWise Monitor, click Tools  Alerts  Global Rules to display the Global Alert Rules dialog box.
   
   
   
   
2. Click the status for which you wish to associate an action.

   When status changes to: Each time an agent's status changes to Down, Unknown, or OK, a different set of actions may be executed. Highlight the status to which you wish to add alerts.

   Then actions are: This field displays the actions to be executed when an agent's status changes to the highlighted status. When multiple actions are listed for a status change, they are executed in the order they are listed.

   Add: Click the Add button to associate additional actions to the highlighted status.

   Remove: With an action highlighted, click Remove to delete an action from the list.

   Up and Down: When multiple actions are chosen, use the Up and Down buttons to move a highlighted action's execution priority.

   Copy: With an action highlighted, click Copy to copy the action information to the clipboard.

   Paste: With the target action highlighted, click Paste to paste an action from the clipboard for the target action.

   Clear: Click the Clear button to remove all actions for all status levels from the list.

3. Click the status for which you wish to associate an action.
4. Click Add to display the Select Alert Action dialog box.
   
   
5. Click an alert action  click Select.

If no alert actions are displayed or you need to create one not listed, click the New button. See Define Alert Actions above in this chapter for more information.

Configure Agent Alert Rules

Alarms triggered by a GroupWise agent are passed to ManageWise to be handled; however, GroupWise Monitor can notify administrators when certain GroupWise agent events take place such as when an agent goes down. The event can play a sound at the GroupWise Monitor station, launch a program, send a mail message, or send a trap to ManageWise.

Agent alert rules execute anytime the agent's status changes to a status where an alert action has been activated for that status. To specify an alert action to take place for all agents, see Configure Global Alert Rules above in this chapter for more information. When multiple actions are listed for a status change, they are executed in the order they are listed.

To configure agent alert rules,

1. From GroupWise Monitor, highlight the agent for which you wish to define an alert.
2. Click Tools  Alerts  Agent Rules to display the Agent Alert Rules: <agent name> dialog box.
   
   

   When status changes to: Each time an agent's status changes to Down, Unknown, or OK, a different set of actions may be executed. Highlight the status to which you wish to add alerts.

   Then actions are: This field displays the actions to be executed when an agent's status changes to the highlighted status. When multiple actions are listed for a status change, they are executed in the order they are listed.

   Add: Click the Add button to associate additional actions to the highlighted status.

   Remove: With an action highlighted, click Remove to delete an action from the list.

   Up and Down: When multiple actions are chosen, use the Up and Down buttons to move a highlighted action's execution priority.

   Copy: With an action highlighted, click Copy to copy the action information to the clipboard.

   Paste: With the target action highlighted, click Paste to paste an action from the clipboard to the target action field.

   Clear: Click the Clear button to remove all actions for all status levels from the list.

3. Click the status for which you wish to associate an action.
   
   
4. Click Add to display the Select Alert Action dialog box.
   
   
   
   
5. Click an alert action  click Select.

If no alert actions are displayed or you need to create one not listed, click the New button. See Define Alert Actions above in this chapter for more information.

Disable and Enable the Alert Feature

When modifications to the GroupWise system are planned, it may be desirable to disable the Alert feature until the changes are completed. This will avoid unnecessary network and e-mail traffic. By default the Alert feature is enabled.

To disable or enable the Alert feature,

1. From GroupWise Monitor, click Tools  Alerts  Enable Alerts.
   
   
2. The checkmark next to Enable Alerts will disappear showing agent alerts are disabled.
   
   
3. To enable the Alert feature, repeat step one above. A checkmark should appear next to Enable Alerts.

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