Cooldown Rules
Avoid alert bursts with intelligent delays between notifications.
When a service flaps (alternates between up and down), you can receive dozens of alerts in minutes. This is counterproductive: instead of informing, it overwhelms.
Cooldown rules define a minimum delay between two alerts for the same monitor. You're informed of the problem, but not spammed by every fluctuation.
How Cooldown Works
- First alert: As soon as the problem is detected and confirmed, the first alert is sent immediately.
- Cooldown period: During cooldown, subsequent alerts are suppressed (but logged).
- End of cooldown: After the delay, if the problem persists, a new alert can be sent.
Cooldown Benefits
- Anti-spam: No more inboxes flooded with hundreds of alerts for the same incident.
- Focus: Each received alert deserves attention. No noise to mentally filter.
- Savings: Fewer SMS sent during periods of instability.
Configuration
- Cooldown duration: Define the minimum delay between alerts: 5, 15, 30 minutes or more.
- Per channel: Configure different cooldowns per channel (short for email, long for SMS).
- Per criticality: P1 alerts can have a shorter cooldown than P3.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cooldown is recommended?
15 minutes is a good starting point. Adjust based on your services' stability.
Are suppressed alerts visible somewhere?
Yes, the monitor history shows all alerts, including those filtered by cooldown.
Does cooldown apply to the recovery alert?
No, the recovery alert is always sent to indicate the problem is resolved.
Can I disable cooldown for a monitor?
Yes, cooldown can be set to 0 to receive every alert (not recommended).
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