Actions

WhatsUp Gold actions are designed to perform a task as a device or monitor state change occurs. Alerting action tasks send various types of alerts to notify you of state changes. Functional action tasks can log the problem, launch an external application, perform a custom script, and other functions after device or monitor state changes.

To create an action:

  1. Go to the Index tab, then navigate to WhatsUpGold>Configuration and Settings>Alerts and Actions>Actions>Actions Library. The Actions Library appears.
  2. Click Create New to configure a new action type.
  3. Select an action type then click OK.
  4. Enter the appropriate information:
    • Name. Enter a unique name for the action.
    • Description (Optional) Enter additional information about the action.
  5. Enter or select the appropriate information for each of the action boxes.
  6. Click OK.

Assigning an action

As you configure an action, you choose the task it is to perform. Also, when you configure an action, you choose whether to assign it to a device or to an active or passive monitor. When assigned to an active monitor, actions fire according to the state changes it issues. For example, you can configure an Email Action to send an email alert when the active monitor for a Web server issues a down state change. When assigned to a device, actions fire according to the device's state.

There are two ways to assign an action:

  1. You can assign an action to a device using the Device Properties - Actions and Action Policy feature.
  2. You can assign an action to a monitor by using either the Device Properties - Active monitors or Device Properties - Passive monitors feature.

Action Policies

WhatsUp Gold action policies are designed to group or sequence multiple actions together for use on a device or monitor. The nature of an action policy makes it very easy to set up an escalation path, and to modify the escalation of actions later when needed.

To create an action policy:

  1. Go to the Index tab, then navigate to WhatsUpGold>Configuration and Settings>Alerts and Actions>Actions>Action Policies Library. The Action Policies Library appears.
  2. Click Create New. The New Action Policy dialog appears.
  3. Enter a Policy name.
  4. Click Add. The Action Builder wizard appears.
  5. Click Create a new section.
  6. Click Next.
  7. Continue to follow the directions in the wizard.
  8. Click Finish at the end of the wizard.
  9. Add as many actions as you need to complete the policy. You can move actions up and down in the list by clicking Up and Down above the action list.

    If you select Only execute first action and there are multiple actions associated with the same state change, WhatsUp Gold will start at the top of the list and fire the first associated action then stop as soon as the action successfully fires.

Assigning an action policy

As you configure an action policy, you can assign the action policy to a single device or monitor, or to multiple devices or monitors. If you make changes to actions in an action policy, the changes are applied to all of the devices and monitors that use that particular policy.

There are three ways to assign an action policy:

  1. You can assign an action policy to a device using the Device Properties - Actions and Action Policy feature.
  2. You can assign an action policy to a monitor by using either the Device Properties - Active monitors or Device Properties - Passive monitors feature.
  3. You can assign an action policy to multiple devices and monitors by using the Bulk Field Change - Action Policy feature.

Using an Implicit action policy

The Implicit action policy automatically assigns actions to all devices in your database. You cannot opt out of the Implicit action policy. If at any time during the normal operation of WhatsUp Gold you notice that actions are firing and you cannot find the action associated to the down device, remember to check the Implicit action policy. You can add, edit, or remove an action from the Implicit action policy by selecting the Implicit action policy from the Action Policies Library.

Note: The Implicit action policy only assigns actions to devices. You must create separate action policies for device monitors.

Assigning an action policy

As you configure an action policy, you can assign the action policy to a single device or monitor, or to multiple devices or monitors. If you make changes to actions in an action policy, the changes are applied to all of the devices and monitors that use that particular policy.

There are three ways to assign an action policy:

  1. You can assign an action policy to a device using the Device Properties - Actions and Action Policy feature.
  2. You can assign an action policy to a monitor by using either the Device Properties - Active monitors or Device Properties - Passive monitors feature.
  3. You can assign an action policy to multiple devices and monitors by using the Bulk Field Change - Action Policy feature.