consensys / quorum

What is Alerting System?

Alerting systems are essential tools for monitoring and managing the health and performance of a distributed ledger technology (DLT) network like Quorum. They provide timely notifications about critical events or performance issues, enabling prompt action to prevent disruptions or mitigate problems.

Why is Alerting System Important?

An effective alerting system is crucial for the following reasons:

  • Early Detection and Prevention: Promptly alerts can identify potential issues before they escalate into major problems, allowing for proactive intervention.
  • Improved Network Resilience: By quickly responding to alerts, you can maintain the stability and uptime of your Quorum network.
  • Reduced Downtime: Faster issue identification and resolution contribute to minimizing network downtime.
  • Enhanced Security: Alerting systems can detect suspicious activities or security breaches, allowing for timely responses and mitigation strategies.
  • Efficient Operations: Alerts streamline troubleshooting and incident management, freeing up resources for other critical tasks.

Configuration

Quorum’s alerting system offers flexible configuration options to suit diverse monitoring needs. Here are some key settings:

  • Alert Triggers: Define specific events or conditions that should trigger alerts, such as:

    • Node Status Changes: Alerts for node startup, shutdown, or unexpected disconnections.
    • Transaction Rate Thresholds: Alerts when transaction rates exceed specified limits.
    • Block Production Delays: Alerts for delays in block creation or consensus reaching.
    • System Resource Utilization: Alerts for excessive CPU, memory, or disk usage.
    • Security Events: Alerts for unauthorized access attempts or suspicious activity.

  • Alert Destinations: Configure where alerts should be sent, including:

    • Email: Send alerts to designated email addresses.
    • SMS: Receive alerts via SMS messages.
    • Slack: Integrate with Slack for team communication and notifications.
    • PagerDuty: Utilize PagerDuty for on-call escalation and incident management.
    • Custom Webhooks: Trigger custom actions or integrations with other systems.

  • Alert Thresholds: Set thresholds for triggering alerts based on specific metrics. For instance, define the maximum transaction rate before an alert is generated or the acceptable delay in block production.

  • Alert Suppression: Configure mechanisms to suppress duplicate or unnecessary alerts, preventing alert fatigue.

  • Alert Escalation: Define escalation rules for critical alerts, ensuring timely notification to the appropriate personnel.

Example Alert Configurations

Here are some examples of alert configurations:

  • Node Down Alert: Configure an alert that triggers when a specific node in the Quorum network goes down. This alert could be sent to an email address or a Slack channel.
  • High Transaction Rate Alert: Set up an alert that fires when the transaction rate on the network exceeds a predefined threshold. This alert could be sent to PagerDuty for immediate attention.
  • Block Production Delay Alert: Configure an alert that triggers when the time between block creations surpasses a certain limit. This alert could be sent to a designated email address.

Further Resources