Configuring Alarms and Alarm Definitions in Cisco Unified Serviceability

Table Of Contents

Configuring Alarms and Alarm Definitions in Cisco Unified Serviceability

Alarm Configuration Checklist

Configuring or Updating an Alarm for a Service

Viewing Alarm Definitions and Adding User-Defined Descriptions

About Alarm Catalog Descriptions

System Alarm Catalog Descriptions

Cisco Unified Presence Alarm Catalog Descriptions

Alarms for Cisco Unified Presence

Configuring Alarms and Alarm Definitions in Cisco Unified Serviceability

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May 19, 2009

•Alarm Configuration Checklist

•Configuring or Updating an Alarm for a Service

•Viewing Alarm Definitions and Adding User-Defined Descriptions

•About Alarm Catalog Descriptions

•Cisco Unified Presence Alarm Catalog Descriptions

Alarm Configuration Checklist

Table 2-1 provides an overview of the steps for configuring alarms.

Table 2-1 Alarm Configuration Checklist 

Configuration Steps		Related Procedures and Topics
Step 1	Select the server and service for which you want the alarm information.	Configuring or Updating an Alarm for a Service
Step 2	Select the destination of the alarm. •All services can go to the SDI (System Diagnostic Interface) log (but must be configured in Trace also). •All services can go to the SysLog Viewer. •To send syslog messages to the Remote Syslog Server, check the Remote Syslog destination and specify a host name.	Configuring or Updating an Alarm for a Service
Step 3	Select the alarm event level.	Configuring or Updating an Alarm for a Service
Step 4	If desired, add a definition to an alarm.	Viewing Alarm Definitions and Adding User-Defined Descriptions
Step 5	If you chose an SDI trace file as the alarm destination, collect traces and view the information with the trace and log central option in RTMT.	Collecting Trace Files, page 9-5
Step 6	If you chose local syslog as the alarm destination, view the alarm information in the SysLog Viewer in RTMT.	Viewing Log Files on the SysLog Viewer, page 7-19
Step 7	See the corresponding alarm definition for the description and recommended action.	Viewing Alarm Definitions and Adding User-Defined Descriptions

Configuring or Updating an Alarm for a Service

Cisco Unified Serviceability alarms provide information about runtime status and the state of the system. This information allows you to troubleshoot problems that are associated with your system, for example, to identify issues with the Disaster Recovery System.

You can configure the alarm interface to send alarm information to multiple locations, and each location can have its own alarm event level (from debug to emergency). You can direct alarms to the Syslog Viewer (local syslog), Syslog file (remote syslog), an SDI trace log file, or to all destinations.When a service issues an alarm, the alarm interface sends the alarm information to the locations that you configure (and that are specified in the routing list in the alarm definition) (for example, SDI trace). The system can either forward the alarm information, as is the case with SNMP traps, or the system can write the alarm information to its final destination (such as a log file).

You can configure alarms for services, such as Cisco Database Layer Monitor, on a particular node, or you configure alarms for a particular service on all nodes in the cluster.

To configure an alarm for a service, you select an alarm event level, such as Error, and the location(s), such as Syslog Viewer (local syslog), where you want the system to send the alarm information. Choosing an event level accomplishes the following tasks: helps you narrow the types of alarms that get collected and prevents the Syslog and trace files from becoming overloaded.

You view alarm information to determine whether problems exist. The method that you use to view the alarm information depends on the destination that you chose when you configured the alarm. You can view alarm information that is sent to the SDI trace log file by using the Trace and Log central option in RTMT or by using a text editor. You can view alarm information that is sent to local syslog by using the SysLog Viewer in RTMT.

Procedure

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Step 1 Select Alarm > Configuration.

Step 2 Select the server for which you want to configure the alarm from the Server list box.

Step 3 Click Go.

Step 4 Select the category of service, for example, Database and Admin Services, for which you want to configure the alarm from the Service Group list box.

Step 5 Click Go.

Step 6 Select the service for which you want to configure the alarm from the Service list box.

Step 7 Click Go.

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Note The list box displays all services (active and inactive).

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Step 8 Check the required alarm destination, as described in the table below.

Table 2-2 Alarm Destinations 

Name	Destination description
Enable Alarm for Local Syslogs	SysLog Viewer. The program logs Cisco Unified Presence errors in the Application Logs within SysLog Viewer and provides a description of the alarm and a recommended action. You can access the SysLog Viewer from the Serviceability Real-Time Monitoring Tool.
Enable Alarm for Remote Syslogs	Syslog file. Check to enable the Syslog messages to be stored on a Syslog server and to specify the Syslog server name. If this destination is enabled and no server name is specified, Cisco Unified Presence does not send the Syslog messages. Note If you want to send the alarms to CiscoWorks 2000, specify the CiscoWorks 2000 server name.
Enable Alarm for SDI Trace	The SDI trace library. Check this to log alarms in the SDI trace log file, and then check Trace On in the Trace Configuration window for the chosen service.

Step 9 Select the desired alarm event level from the Alarm Event Level list box.

The required alarm settings are described in Table 2-3.

Table 2-3 Alarm Event Levels 

Name	Description
Emergency	Designates system as unusable.
Alert	Indicates that immediate action is needed.
Critical	Cisco Unified Presence detects a critical condition.
Error	Signifies an error condition exists.
Warning	Indicates that a warning condition is detected.
Notice	Designates a normal but significant condition.
Informational	Designates information messages only.
Debug	Designates detailed event information that Cisco TAC engineers use for debugging.

Step 10 Check Apply to All Nodes to apply the current settings for selected services to all nodes in a cluster.

Step 11 Perform one of the following actions:

a. Click Save to save your configuration.

b. Click Set to Default to revert to the default settings.

c. Click Save.

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Troubleshooting Tips

•We recommend that you do not change SNMP Trap and Catalog configurations.

•See your online Operating System documentation for more information on how to use your standard registry editor.

Related Topics

•Configuring Trace Parameters, page 3-7

•How to Configure Trace Collection, page 9-5

Viewing Alarm Definitions and Adding User-Defined Descriptions

Alarm definitions describe alarm messages: what they mean and how to recover from them. You search the Alarm Definitions window for alarm information. When you click any service-specific alarm definition, a description of the alarm information (including any user-defined text that you have added) and a recommended action display.

You can search for definitions of all alarms that display in Cisco Unified Serviceability. To aid you with troubleshooting problems, the definitions, which exist in a corresponding catalog, include the alarm name, description, explanation, recommended action, severity, parameters, monitors, and so on.

When the system generates an alarm, it uses the alarm definition name in the alarm information, so you can identify the alarm. In the alarm definition, you can view the routing list, which specifies the locations where the system can send the alarm information. The routing list may include the following locations, which correlate to the locations that you can configure in the Alarm Configuration window:

•SDI —The system sends the alarm information to the SDI trace if you enable the alarm for this option and specify an appropriate event level in the Alarm Configuration window.

•Sys Log—The system sends the alarm information to the remote syslog server if you enable the alarm for this option, specify an appropriate event level in the Alarm Configuration window, and enter a server name or IP address for the remote syslog server.

•Event Log—The system sends the alarm information to the local syslog, which you can view in the SysLog Viewer in the Cisco Unified Presence Real-Time Monitoring Tool (RTMT), if you enable the alarm for this option and specify an appropriate event level in the Alarm Configuration window.

•Data Collector—System sends the alarm information to the real-time information system (RIS data collector) (for alert purposes only). You cannot configure this option in the Alarm Configuration window.

•SNMP Traps—System generates an SNMP trap. You cannot configure this option in the Alarm Configuration window.

The system sends an alarm if the configured alarm event level for the specific location in the Alarm Configuration window is equal to or lower than the severity that is listed in the alarm definition. For example, if the severity in the alarm definition equals WARNING_ALARM, and, in the Alarm Configuration window, you configure the alarm event level for the specific destination as Warning, Notice, Informational, or Debug, which are lower event levels, the system sends the alarm to the corresponding destination. If you configure the alarm event level as Emergency, Alert, Critical, or Error, the system does not send the alarm to the corresponding location.

For each Cisco Unified Serviceability alarm definition, you can include an additional explanation or recommendation. All administrators have access to the added information. You enter information into the User Defined Text pane that displays in the Alarm Details window. Standard horizontal and vertical scroll bars support scrolling. Cisco Unified Serviceability adds the information to the database.

Before You Begin

Review the description of alarm definition catalogs.

Procedure

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Step 1 Select Alarm > Definitions.

Step 2 Perform one or more of the following actions:

a. Select an alarm catalog from the Find Alarms where list box, for example, a System Alarm catalog or Cisco Unified Presence alarm catalog.

b. Select the specific catalog name from the Equals list box.

c. Enter the alarm name in the Enter Alarm Name field.

Step 3 Click Find.

Step 4 Perform one of the following actions if multiple pages of alarm definitions exist:

a. To select another page, click the appropriate navigation button at the bottom of the Alarm Message Definitions window.

b. To change the number of alarms that display in the window, select a different value from the Rows per Page list box.

Step 5 Click the alarm definition for which you want alarm details.

Step 6 Enter text in the User Defined Text box if you want to add information to the alarm.

Step 7 Click Save.

Step 8 Select Back to Find/List Alarms from the Related Links list box if you want to return to the Alarm Message Definitions window.

Step 9 Click Go.

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Related Topics

•System Alarm Catalog Descriptions

•Cisco Unified Presence Alarm Catalog Descriptions

About Alarm Catalog Descriptions

•System Alarm Catalog Descriptions

•Cisco Unified Presence Alarm Catalog Descriptions

System Alarm Catalog Descriptions

Table 2-4 contains the System Alarm Catalog alarm descriptions.

Table 2-4 System Catalogs 

Name	Description
ClusterManagerAlarmCatalog	All cluster manager alarm definitions that are related to the establishment of security associations between nodes in a cluster.
DBAlarmCatalog	All Cisco database (aupair) alarm definitions
DRFAlarmCatalog	All Disaster Recovery System alarm definitions
GenericAlarmCatalog	All generic alarm definitions that all applications share
JavaApplications	All Java Applications alarm definitions. Tip Cisco License Manager, which supports Cisco Unified Communications Manager, uses this catalog. Tip You cannot configure JavaApplications alarms by using the alarm configuration GUI. You generally configure these alarms to go to the Event Logs and to generate SNMP traps to integrate with CiscoWorks2000. Use the registry editor that is provided with your operating system to view or change alarm definitions and parameters.
LoginAlarmCatalog	All login-related alarm definitions
LpmTctCatalog	All log partition monitoring and trace collection alarm definitions
RTMTAlarmCatalog	All Cisco Unified Presence Real-Time Monitoring Tool alarm definitions
SystemAccessCatalog	All alarm definitions that are used for tracking whether SystemAccess provides all thread statistic counters together with all the process statistic counters.
ServiceManagerAlarmCatalog	All service manager alarm definitions that are related to the activation, deactivation, starting, restarting, and stopping of services.

Cisco Unified Presence Alarm Catalog Descriptions

Table 2-5 contains the Cisco Unified Presence Alarm Catalog description.

Table 2-5 Cisco Unified Presence Alarm Catalog 

Name	Description
Config Agent	All Config Agent alarms that notify the Cisco Unified Presence SIP Proxy of configuration changes in the Cisco Unified Presence IDS database.
Intercluster Sync Agent	All Intercluster Sync Agent alarms that enable DND propagation to Cisco Unified Communications Manager and synchronize end user information between Cisco Unified Presence clusters for intercluster SIP routing.
Presence Engine	All Presence Engine alarms that collect information regarding the availability status and communications capabilities of a user.
SIP Proxy	All SIP Proxy alarms that are related to routing, requestor identification, and transport interconnection.
Client Profile Agent	All Client Profile Agent alarms that provide a secure SOAP interface to and from external clients using HTTPS.
Sync Agent	All Sync Agent alarms that keep Cisco Unified Presence data in-sync with Cisco Unified Communications Manager data.

Alarms for Cisco Unified Presence

Alarm information, which includes an explanation and recommended action, also includes the application name, server name, and so on, to help you perform troubleshooting, even for problems that are not on your local Cisco Unified Presence.

Related Topics

For more information about the alarms specific to Cisco Unified Presence, see the System Error Messages for Cisco Unified Presence at this location:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6837/products_system_message_guides_list.html