Alerts API

Contents

• Alerts API

  • Creating Alerts

  • Composite Alerts

  • Searching Alerts

  • Obtain Information on a Single Alert

  • Updating Alerts

  • Deleting Alerts

  • Mute an Alert

  • Unmute an Alert

  • Check if an Alert is Muted

  • Mute Multiple Alerts

  • Unmute Multiple Alerts

  • Obtain Alert History

Creating Alerts

Create alert

POST /v2/alerts/

Path Parameters

Name	Type	Description
name*	String	A name that uniquely identifies this alert.
metric*	String	The graphite metric query to alert on.
alert_criteria*	String	The criteria for which the alert triggers.
additional_criteria	String	Any extra metrics that are to be included when evaluating the state of an alert, these are referred to as Composite Alerts. Note that any additional criteria must be referenced in the expression field and a maximum of 3 additional criteria is allowed. Example: {"f": {"type": "above", "above_value": 5, "metric": "additional.metric.to.alert.on"} where f is also referenced in the expression field. Defaults to {}.
expression	String	A conditional relationship between multiple metrics. It allows for the combining of multiple alert criteria. It’s represented in the format of a boolean expression where each individual alert criteria is denoted as a single letter. The letter a is reserved for the criteria defined in alert_criteria. Only required when additional alerting criteria are defined. Maximum number of 3 additional criteria allowed (4 including the default alert criteria). && takes higher precedence over || Examples: a && b, a || c. Defaults to a.
above_vale	String	The value above which the alert should trigger. Required for alert type above and outside_bounds.
below_value	String	The value below which the alert should trigger. Required for alert type below and outside_bounds.
time_period	String	The time period in minutes for which the threshold needs to be breached. Leave empty for an instantaneous evaluation. Required for alert type missing.
scheduled_mutes	String	List of scheduled mutes for this alert. Must be a list of scheduled mute IDs. Defaults to an empty list.
notification_channels	String	List of notification channels for this alert. This can be a combination of channel names and channel IDs. Defaults to Email me if none exists.
notification_type	String	The type of notification interval for this alert. Options are state_change (['state_change'] or 'state_change' is valid) or ['every', time_in_minutes]. This lets you control how often you want to be notified for an alert. Defaults to ['every', 60] if empty.
info	String	Alert message sent with notifications. Can contain an arbitrary string which may contain a description of the alert, steps to follow or references to documentation.
on_query_failure	String	Controls if a notification is delivered if the graphite function query fails. Only valid for Alerts that have graphite function in the metric field. Defaults to notify. Graphite function query can fail due to timeouts from matching too many metrics, being malformed or if it returns duplicate metrics due to aliasing.

201: Created HTTP/1.1 201 Content-Type: application/json { "id": "<alert_id>", "url": "/v2/alerts/<alert_id>" }

400: Bad Request Invalid format

409: Conflict Alert with the name already exists.

Curl example:

curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST -d \
'{"name": "alert1", "metric": "test.metric.1", "alert_criteria": {"type": "above", "above_value": 5, "time_period": 2}}' \
"https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/"

Creates an alert named alert1 for metric test.metric.1 that triggers if the value is above 5 for 2 minutes with the (default) Email me notification type.

Request format:

{
  "name": "string",
  "metric": "string",
  "alert_criteria":
    {
      "type": "above" | "below" | "outside_bounds" | "missing",
      "above_value": 123,
      "below_value": 123,
      "time_period": 123,
    },
  "additional_criteria":
    {
     "b":
       {
        "type": "above" | "below" | "outside_bounds" | "missing",
        "above_value": 123,
        "below_value": 123,
        "time_period": 123,
        "metric": "string"
       }
    },
  "expression": "a && b",
  "scheduled_mutes": ["scheduled_mute_id1", "scheduled_mute_id2", "scheduled_mute_id3"],
  "notification_channels": ["channel_id1", "channel_name1", "channel_id2"],
  "notification_type": "state_change" | ["state_change"] | ["every", 123],
  "info": "string",
  "on_query_failure": null | "ignore" | "notify"
}

Alert criteria examples:

Create an alert that triggers if the metric is missing for 10 minutes.

"alert_criteria": {
  "type": "missing",
  "time_period": 10
}

Create an alert that triggers if the metric is above 5.6 ever.

"alert_criteria": {
  "type": "above",
  "above_value": 5.6
}

Create an alert that triggers if the metric is below 2.1 or above 5.6 ever.

"alert_criteria": {
  "type": "outside_bounds",
  "above_value": 5.6,
  "below_value": 2.1
}

Create an alert that triggers if the metric is below 2.1 or above 5.6 for 10 minutes.

"alert_criteria": {
  "type": "outside_bounds",
  "above_value": 5.6,
  "below_value": 2.1,
  "time_period": 10
}

---

Composite Alerts

Composite alerts can evaluate multiple metrics/values, and are defined in the additional_criteria and expression parameters in the request format.

Create an alert when one metric is above 80 and another is below 20.

"metric": "my.first.metric",
"alert_criteria": {
  "type": "above",
  "above_value": 80
},
"additional_criteria": {
  "b": {
    "type": "below",
    "below_value": 20,
    "metric": "my.second.metric"
  }
},
"expression": "a && b",

Create an alert when one metric is below 50 or another is below 30.

"metric": "my.first.metric",
  "alert_criteria": {
    "type": "above",
    "above_value": 50
  },
  "additional_criteria": {
    "c": {
      "type": "below",
      "below_value": 30,
      "metric": "my.second.metric"
    }
  },
  "expression": "a || c"

Create an alert when one metric (A) is below 50 and another (B) is above 60 or if a third (C) is above 120. Note that performing an && on two monitors gets preference over || so this alert expression will be evaluated as (A && B) || C

"metric": "my.first.metric",
"alert_criteria": {
  "type": "below",
  "below_value": 50
},
"additional_criteria": {
  "b": {
    "type": "above",
    "above_value": 60,
    "metric": "my.second.metric"
  },
  "c": {
    "type": "above",
    "above_value": 120,
    "metric": "my.third.metric"
  }
},
"expression": "A && B || C"

NOTE: - Our Alerts UI doesn’t fully support composites so composite alerts can only be created and updated via the API. The alert overview page (when you click the eye button on an alert), will only display one metric for the alert instead of all the metrics associated. However the alert notifications are working and will display the graph of the last metric that breached the alert threshold. So for example, if the alert is a && b, and a breaches the threshold, then a few minutes later b breaches it’s threshold, the alert notification will show the metric graph for b.

---

Searching Alerts

Search alerts

GET /v2/alerts/

Returns a JSON object containing information on alerts matching the search query. Returns all the alerts if the parameter is left empty: /v2/alerts/?

Path Parameters

Name	Type	Description
name	String	Format: &name=<alert_name1>&name=<alert_name2>The alert name to search for. Can specify multiple alert names to search for more than 1. Performs an OR operation so a query such as &name=<alert_name1>&name=<alert_name2> will return info on both alert_name1 and alert_name2
id	String	Format: &id=<id1>&id=<alert_id2>The alert id to search for. Can specify multiple ids to search for more than 1. Performs an OR operation so a query such as &id=<alert_id1>&id=<alert_id2> will return info on both alert_id1 and alert_id2.
search	String	Format: &search=<search_string>A more generic search that will match any alert whose alert name, metric name or notification channel name contains the search string.
page	String	Format: &page=1The page number to query. Used if there are more alerts than can be displayed in a single request. (default: 1)
max	String	Format: &max=50The maximum number of alerts to display. Limit of 100. (default: 100)

200: OK HTTP/1.1 201 Content-Type: application/json { "alerts": [ { "name": "Name of the alert", "id": "unique id of the alert", "alert_criteria": { "type": "type of alert", "above_value": 123, "below_value": 123, "time_period": 123 } "notification_channels": ["<list of channel ids>"], "notification_type": ["state_change" ] | ["every", 123], "scheduled_mutes": ["<list of scheduled mute ids"], "currently_triggered_metrics": [] | ["List of metrics that triggered the alert."], "muted": True | False, "status": "alerting" | "healthy", "info": "alert info" | null, "on_query_failure": null | "notify" | "ignore" } ] "next_page": False | page number }

400: Bad Request Invalid form data

Curl example:

curl -X GET "https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/?"

Returns a list of all alerts

curl -X GET "https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/?&search=example

Returns a list of alerts that match the search pattern "example".

Specifying both alert_name and alert_id performs an OR operation and returns alert that match either criteria. Including a search string performs an AND operation with the other criteria.

---

Obtain Information on a Single Alert

Search for a single alert

GET /v2/alerts/<alert_id>/

Returns information on a single alert

200: OK HTTP/1.1 200 Content-Type: application/json { "name": "Name of the alert", "id": "unique id of the alert", "alert_criteria": { "type": "type of alert", "above_value": 123, "below_value": 123, "time_period": 123 }, "expression": "a", "notification_channels": ["<list of channel ids>"], "scheduled_mutes": ["<list of scheduled mute ids>"], "currently_triggered_metrics": [] | ["List of metrics that triggered the alert."], "notification_type": ["state_change" ] | ["every", 123], "muted": True | False, "status": "alerting" | "healthy", "info": "alert info" | null, "on_query_failure": null | "notify" | "ignore" }

404: Not Found Alert doesn’t exist

Curl example:

curl -X GET "https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/123-456-7890/"

Obtain information on the alert identified by the id 123-456-7890. The alert id can be found in the URL of the alert when viewed from within the Hosted Graphite Alerts UI. NOTE: a request must contain the forward slash character after the alert_id.

---

Updating Alerts

Update an alert

PUT /v2/alerts/<alert_id>/

Update attributes of an alert identified by the alert id

200: OK { "name": "string", "metric": "string", "info": "string", "alert_criteria": { "type": "above" | "below" | "outside_bounds" | "missing", "above_value": 123, "below_value": 123, "time_period": 123 }, "scheduled_mutes": ["scheduled_mute_id1", "scheduled_mute_id2", "scheduled_mute_id3"], "notification_channels": ["channel_id1", "channel_id2", "channel_id3"], "notification_type": "state_change" | ["state_change"] | ["every", X], }

400: Bad Request Invalid form data

404: Not Found Alert doesn’t exist.

Curl Example

curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X PUT -d \
'{"alert_criteria": {"time_period": 3, "type": "below", "below_value": 6}}' \
"https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/123-456-789/"

Modify the alert identified by the id 123-456-789 to alert if the metric values are below 6 for 3 minutes. Each field is optional, only the specified fields are updated, and requests must contain the forward slash character after the alert_id.

---

Deleting Alerts

Delete an alert

DELETE /v2/alerts/<alert_id>/

Delete an alert identified by the alert id.

200: OK

400: Bad Request Alert doesn't exist

Curl Example

curl -X DELETE "https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/123-456-789/"

Delete the alert identified by the id 123-456-789.

---

Mute an Alert

Mute an alert

POST /v2/alerts/<alert_id>/muted/

Mute alerts identified by the alert id.

Path Parameters

Name	Type	Description
duration*	String	Time to mute in minutes.

200: OK HTTP/1.1 200 Content-Type: application/json {"duration": 60}

400: Bad Request Invalid form data

404: Not Found Alert doesn't exist

Curl Example:

curl -X POST -d '{"duration":60}' \
"https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/123-456-789/muted/"

Mute the alert identified by the id 123-456-789 for 60 minutes.

---

Unmute an Alert

Unmute an alert

DELETE /v2/alerts/<alert_id>/muted/

Unmute an alert identified by the alert id.

200: OK

404: Not Found Alert doesn't exist

Curl Example:

curl -X DELETE "https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/123-456-789/muted/"

Unmute the alert identified by the id 123-456-789`.

---

Check if an Alert is Muted

List muted alert

GET /v2/alerts/<alert_id>/muted/

Get the mute status of an alert identified by the alert id.

200: OK HTTP/1.1 200 Content-Type: application/json { "id": "alert_id", "name": "alert_name", "muted": True | False, "duration": Remaining time in minutes, "scheduled_mutes": ["<list of scheduled mute ids>"] }

404: Not Found Alert doesn't exist

Curl Example:

curl -X GET "https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/123-456-789/muted/"

Obtain information on the mute status of the alert identified by the id 123-456-789. Also provides a list of the scheduled mutes currently attached to the alert.

---

Mute Multiple Alert

Mute multiple alerts

POST /v2/alerts/muted/

Path Parameters

Name	Type	Description
ids	String	List of alert ids to mute.
search	String	String to filter alerts. Every alert with an alert name, metric name, or notification channel name containing this string will be muted.
duration*	String	Time to mute in minutes.

200: OK HTTP/1.1 200 Content-Type: application/json {"ids": ["alert_id1", "alert_id2"], "duration": 60}

400: Bad Request Invalid request

404: Not Found Alert doesn't exist

Curl examples:

curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST -d '{"ids": ["123-456-789", "321-654-987"], "duration":60}' \
"https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/muted/"

Mute alerts 123-456-789 and 321-654-987 for 60 minutes.

curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST -d '{"search": "search_string", "duration":60}' \
"https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/muted/"

Mute alerts with alert name, metric name or notification channel name containing search_string for 60 minutes. If both ids and search are empty, then all alerts will be muted.

---

Unmute Multiple Alerts

Unmute multiple alerts

DELETE /v2/alerts/muted/

Path Parameters

Name	Type	Description
ids	String	List of alert ids to unmute.
search	String	String to filter alerts. Every alert with an alert name, metric name, or notification channel name containing this string will be unmuted.

200: OK HTTP/1.1 200 Content-Type: application/json {"ids": ["alert_id1", "alert_id2"]}

400: Bad Request Invalid request

404: Not Found Alert doesn't exist

Curl examples:

curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X DELETE -d '{"ids": ["123-456-789", "321-654-987"]}' \
"https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/muted/"

Unmute alerts 123-456-789 and 321-654-987.

curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X DELETE -d '{"search": "search_string"}' \
"https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/muted/"

Unmute alerts with alert name, metric name or notification channel name containing search_string. If both ids and search are empty, then all alerts will be unmuted.

---

Obtain Alert History

Obtain alert history

GET /v2/alerts/history/?

Path Parameters

Name	Type	Description
id	String	The alert id to search for. Can specify multiple ids to search for more than 1. Returns history of all alerts if emptyFormat: &alert_id=<alert_id1>&alert_id=<alert_id2>
days	String	The number of days to obtain history of.Format: &days=1 (default: 3)
status	String	The status that was recorded. Cant be either ‘alerting’ or ‘recovered’.
value	String	The value at which the alert triggered or recovered. Value will be null if the alert was a missing metric alert.
time	String	Unix timestamp at which the alert triggered or recovered.

200: OK HTTP/1.1 200 Content-Type: application/json { {"<alert_id_1>": [{ "status": "alerting" | "recovered", "value": null | 123, "time": "unix_timestamp", "metric": "The metric that triggered this." },], } {"<alert_id_2>": [{ "status": "alerting" | "healthy", "value": null | 123, "time": "unix_timestamp", "metric": "The metric that triggered this." },], } }

400: Bad Request Invalid query parameters

Curl example:

curl -X GET "https://[e-mail]/v2/alerts/history/?id=123-456-789

Obtain alert history of the alert identified by the id 123-456-789.