Chapter 3, Alerts

Alert Configuration

 The SCO Doctor Alert Library includes two classes of alerts - simple and compound. Simple Alerts assess a single database value against a single specified condition. Compound Alerts are pre-configured to analyze multiple database values and be triggered whenever a set of anomalous conditions occur.

To modify, delete or create new simple alerts, the Alert List must first be displayed. This list is accessed via the Intelligence, Alerts menu option and includes all currently configured alerts. Simple alerts are created or modified via a dialogue box.

Compound alerts may be modified to a limited extent using the alert dialog box. The database, table and column fields may not be edited as the alert is pre-configured to access several database elements. However, compound alerts may be enabled and disabled and their threshold trigger value modified. For information on creating compound alerts, see the SCO Doctor Technical Reference.

For a listing of preconfigured alerts, see ``The Alert Library''.


Creating a Simple Alert

Alert Creating Dialog Box


To create a new simple alert, the Alert List must first be displayed.

  1. To display the list of alerts, select Intelligence, Alerts.

  2. To create a new alert, select Edit, Insert or press ENTER.

  3. Enter the required configuration in the appropriate input fields. The fields are described below.



Input fields

Relational Operators

Advanced Alert Formatting Options

 Each alert routine can control the actions initiated when an alert is triggered. These actions include running a remedial action program, issuing a SNMP trap or sending an email alert notice.

Advanced Options Dialog Box


 To display the advanced options for an alert:

  1. Select Intelligence, Alerts to display alert list.

  2. Use the arrow keys to select the alert you wish to modify.

  3. Select Edit, Modify or press ENTER.

  4. Select the More button on the last row of the dialog box.

  5. Enter the required configuration in the appropriate input fields.



Input fields

Alert Row Selection

Row Selection Dialog Box


 For alerts that access tables with many rows, such as the process table, often alert triggers are only necessary for specific rows. For example, you may wish to define an alert routine to trigger only if the root file system becomes over 80% full and to ignore all other file systems.

To specify which rows qualify for an alert:

  1. After displaying the modify dialog box for the alert you wish to modify select the Row_selection button on the last row of the dialog box.

  2. Enter the required columns or press F3 for a popup selection list.

  3. Select the relation.

  4. Enter the value for comparison.



Modifying an Alert - Simple or Compound

  1. Select Intelligence, Alerts.

  2. Use the arrow keys to select the alert you wish to modify.

  3. Select Edit, Modify or press ENTER.

  4. Enter the required changes in the appropriate input fields.

NOTE: It is not possible to modify the name of an alert. To do so, you must create a new alert with the desired name and then delete the alert with the old name.



Deleting an Alert

  1. Select Intelligence, Alerts.

  2. Use the arrow keys to select the alert you wish to delete.

  3. Select Edit, Delete.

NOTE: Once an alert has been deleted it is gone forever, and may only be restored by reinstalling SCO Doctor. It is recommended that you disable unwanted alerts rather than delete them.



Enabling or Disabling Alerts

Alert notices may be enabled or disabled on a per user basis. If the disabled option is selected for a given user, incoming alerts will be gathered in the alert notice queue until collected by another user for whom the option is enabled.

Preferences Dialog Box


  1. Select Config, Preferences.

  2. Select Enable or Disable as required.



Modifying the Alert Scanning Period

 The SCO Doctor interface checks the incoming alert queue for alert notices at regular intervals. If an alert notice arrives during this interval, it will not be directed to your screen until the nominated time period has elapsed.


Doctor Configuration Dialog Box


 To modify the Alert Scanning Period:

  1. Select Tools, Options.

  2. Enter the new interval period in seconds.

NOTE: Scanning for incoming alerts consumes a small but significant resource, so the interval should not be set too low. The default value of 30 seconds is ideal for most systems.



Alert Scheduling

Alerts may be restricted to trigger only during certain hours or on particular days of the week. This feature is useful if a system exhibits varying behavior at different times of the day. For example, a system that monitors manufacturing production during after-hours shifts yet is also used for office automation during the day, may need different alerts to be active during each period. This facility may be configured via the schedule field in the advanced options dialogue box. See ``Advanced Alert Formatting Options''.


Configuring SNMP Access

SCO Doctor's SNMP support allows you to use a network management console to browse SCO Doctor data and send SNMP alert traps to the management console. SNMP traps can be configured for each SCO Doctor alert as required.

NOTE: If you are using an SCO Release 3 system, make sure that you have the NET382E patch applied to update your SNMP modules. See ``Installing the SLS NET382E for SNMP support'' in the SCO Doctor Release and Installation Notes for more information.

If you are installing SNMP for the fist time, run mkdev snmp. This will add configuration information to the /etc/snmpd.conf and /etc/snmpd.comm files. In particular, your desired SNMP community name is added to snmpd.comm.

CAUTION: It is very important that the SNMP community name is present in /etc/snmpd.comm, whether or not you choose to run mkdev snmp.

To use SNMP browsing or traps, you must be running the SNMP daemon snmpd on your server. Use the following to see if snmpd is running:

If the SNMP daemon is not running, start it with the following command:

The SCO Doctor agent checks at startup to see if snmpd is running. If it is, the SCO Doctor SNMP proxy, agent snmpdr, will be started to pass the GET/SET requests from the network management console. If you manually started the snmpd daemon, you will need to restart the SCO Doctor agent with the following command:

The SCO Doctor installation adds the following line to the /etc/snmpd.peers file: This is all that is required on the SCO Doctor server.

At the network management console, you need to import one or both of the SCO Doctor MIB files:

See your management console documentation for how to import MIB files.


Configuring an Alert to issue an SNMP trap

SNMP traps can be triggered for each alert. The SNMP traps are configured via the alert modify dialog box.

  1. Display the list of alerts by selecting Intelligence, Alerts, then use the arrow keys to select the required alert routine and press ENTER.

  2. Select the More button at the bottom of the screen to bring up further alert routine options.

  3. In the Notify by SNMP field, enter a list of SNMP management stations to receive an SNMP trap. Items in the list must be separated by spaces.