Dbvisit StandbyMP can notify user of any failures which occur during synchronization. This page summarizes the notifications concept and steps needed to fully enable notifications.

1 1. Notifications Concept
- 1.1 1.1 Notifications List
2 2. Configuring Mail and Slack Notifications
3 3. Enabling Observer Notifications
4 4. Enabling Dbvctl Notifications

1. Notifications Concept

Dbvisit StandbyMP supports following notification methods:

Mail Notifications (via SMTP client)
Slack Notifications (via Slack webhook)

It is possible to use both of them or select only single notification method. There is no difference in monitored events between Mail and Slack notifications

1.1 Notifications List

Following table shows list of all possible notification events. Some events are DB platform specific:

Number	Event / Metric	Description	Valid for Database Platform	Origin

Number	Event / Metric	Description	Valid for Database Platform	Origin
1	Primary or standby server down	Dbvagentmanager running on Primary or standby server is unreachable	All	observer
2	Primary or standby database are in unexpected state	Includes situations when database is in unexpected state (MOUNT for primary for example). Standby database state READ ONLY is not considered as unexpected state.	All	observer
3	Primary or standby database are down	Includes situations when database is down	All	observer
4	Observer Heartbeat	Sends status for Dbvisit Synchronization once per day	All	observer
5	Time gap between primary and standby exceeds threshold	Threshold is specified in seconds	Postgresql and SQL Server only	observer
6	Error during archivelog shipping or archivelog apply	This includes situations when standby server is unreachable, archivelog can’t be applied due to various reasons, transfer failed because network etc …	Oracle only (on how to enable see last chapter on this page)	dbvctl
7	Number of unapplied archivelogs or untransferred archivelogs	Sent in case when number of unapplied archivelogs or untransferred archivelogs crosses defined threshold. Threshold is defined by whole numbers	Oracle only (on how to enable see last chapter on this page)	dbvctl
8	Dbvctl Heartbeat	same as “#4 Heartbeat mail”, but can be sent multiple times per day. Indepenent on #4	Oracle only (on how to enable see last chapter on this page)	dbvctl
9	AMM Threshold notification	Sent in case threshold is breached during AMM processing. See: Post Tasks - Archivelogs (AMM) for details	Oracle only (on how to enable see last chapter on this page)	dbvctl
10	Log gap report	Sends Log gap report summary whenever Log gap report action is run.	Oracle only (on how to enable see last chapter on this page)	dbvctl

2. Configuring Mail and Slack Notifications

To enable mail and / or slack notifications, user has to perform following steps:

Configure & test SMTP server settings (if user wants to be notified by email)
Setup Mail Recipients List (if user wants to be notified by email)
Setup Slack Webhook address (if user wants to be notified by Slack)

2.1 Configure & Test SMTP server settings

You can skip this section if you won’t be using Mail notifications.

Before configuring your SMTP server settings, make sure that dbvcontrol host is whitelisted (allowed to relay) in your SMTP server. Otherwise your SMTP server might refuse to send mails. Check with your SMTP Administrators if you’re not sure.

To configure SMTP server which Dbvisit will use, select “Email Settings” from the ACTIONS pane (you can use any configuration in the dashboard):

On following screen you will be able to configure your SMTP server settings:

Despite you have selected configuration and you see it in the header (1) these SMTP setting will be valid for all configurations and all database platforms

Picture Number	Setting	Description

Picture Number	Setting	Description
2	SMTP host	Your SMTP server IP or hostname
3	Encryption Type	Choose encryption which your SMTP Server uses: No Encryption, StartTLS, TLS/SSL.
4	Username	This field is visible and valid only when using Encryption. Username for SMTP server
5	From Email	Sender email address visible in notification emails
6	SMTP Port	Port where your SMTP Server Listens. Typically 25 for unencrypted communication and 587 for StartTLS
7	Use Self-Signed Certificates	This field is visible and valid only when using Encryption. Enabled by Default
8	Password	This field is visible only when using Encryption. Password for SMTP server
9	HELO Domain	Specify only if your SMTP server does not allow “HELO/EHLO localhost.localdomain” (typically set to prevent SPAM). If specified, the communication will start with “EHLO <domain you specify>”
10	Save Settings

Once Email settings are saved, you can add notifications recipients emails (1,2,3) and you can also edit the SMTP settings you entered at any time (4):

While SMTP Server Settings are global, this mail recipient address will be specific for the configuration you selected.

Once email address is added you, must verify that the settings are correct by sending a test mail by clicking on Test button:

The result must complete successfully:

You can click on “Click to view details” if the result is failure, for example:

You will be able to see exact communication with SMTP server and you can consult your SMTP server admins with the result.

2.2 Setup Mail Recipients List

You can skip this section if you won’t be using Mail notifications.

Once you have setup SMTP Server and received test mail correctly, you can start to setup recipients list for your database configuration. It is possible to view or change the configuration of recipients by viewing the “Email Settings” in the ACTIONS pane:

Confirm that SMTP Server settings are provided (1) and review your current recipients list (2):

If the recipient list is empty you’re able to easily copy recipiens from existing configurations:

Once you confirm your recipients, proceed to enabling the Mail notifications for the specific database configuration.

2.3 Setup Slack Webhook address

You can skip this section if you won’t be using Slack notifications.

Slack webhook can be setup and viewed in your slack account and is related to slack channel. The notifications messages will be then posted in that Slack channel (the Slack channel will be the recipient). Setting up slack webhooks is similar to mail recipients, choose “Slack Settings” from ACTIONS pane:

You can add new webhooks (1,2) and once added, you can test if the notification will appear in the slack channel (3)

3. Enabling Observer Notifications

These steps allow user to enable only observer origin notifications as listed in table 1.1 Notifications List and are for all database platforms

Once you have setup SMTP Server, mail recipients list and / or slack webhooks, you can start to enable Observer notifications for specific Database configurations. You need to select Observer / Auto Failover from ACTIONS pane:

You need to enable following options:

Enable observer (1). Observer must be enabled, otherwise no notifications will be sent.
Select notifications only or automatic failover (2). For more information about Automatic Failover see Observer / Automatic Failover
Specify number of failed checks and interval between checks (3).
For Postgresql and SQL Server only you can enable to check time gap (4)
Enable/Disable Mail notifications (5)
Enable/Disable Slack notifications (6)
Enable Heartbeat Mail Message and set time on which it should be delivered (7,8)
Save Settings (9)

4. Enabling Dbvctl Notifications

These steps allow user to enable only dbvctl origin notifications as listed in table 1.1 Notifications List and are for Oracle Database platform only

Dbvctl origin notifications are an addition on top of observer notifications. They are not standalone and same as Observer origin notifications, they are enabled for each DDC separately.

To enable dbvctl notifications, following prerequisites must be met:

If user wants to be notified by email: SMTP settings are configured and Mail Recipient list is configured for DDC configuration you want to setup dbvctl notifications for
If user wants to be notified by slack: Slack webhooks list is configured for DDC configuration you want to setup dbvctl notifications for
In Observer Settings, Observer must be enabled in DDC configuration you want to setup dbvctl notifications for
In Observer Settings, Send Mail Notifications and / or Slack notifications must be enabled in DDC configuration you want to setup dbvctl notifications for

Example:

Once all prerequisites are met, you can enable dbvctl notifications. This is done by editing DDC file variables which can be done through the dbvcontrol GUI or directly on the filesystem. For more details on how to modify DDC variables see:

Modifying DDC File

Here is the list of parameters you need to modify compare to each event metric as described in 1.1 Notifications List

All below parameters are by default present in DDC file so you need to modify existing values. The only Exception is EMAIL_LOG_GAP_REPORT which you have to add as new variable if you want to change its default value.

Event / Metric	Description	DDC Parameters

Event / Metric	Description	DDC Parameters
Globally Enable Dbvctl Notifications	You will need to set these two DDC variables = “Y” in order to enable dbvctl notifications	`SEND_MAIL_FLAG = Y SEND_MAIL_FLAG_DR = Y` these variables are set to N (disabled) by default
Error during archivelog shipping or archivelog apply	This includes situations when standby server is unreachable, archivelog can’t be applied due to various reasons, transfer failed because network etc …	`SUCCESSMAIL = N SUCCESSMAIL_DR = N` By default, both variables are set to Y meaning notification will be sent for each archivelog transfer and apply. Set to N to be notified only for errors.
Number of unapplied archivelogs or untransferred archivelogs	Sent in case when number of unapplied archivelogs or untransferred archivelogs crosses defined threshold. Threshold is defined by whole numbers	`ARCHIVE_LOG_GAP_THRESHOLD = 5 TRANSFER_LOG_GAP_THRESHOLD = 5` By default set to 0 (disabled). If set to non-zero values, dbvctl transfer process which runs on primary will send notification whenever the number of untransferred and unapplied archlogs gets beyond this threshold
Dbvctl Heartbeat	Same purpose as observer heartbeat, but can be sent multiple times per day.	`SEND_HEARTBEAT = Y SEND_HEARTBEAT_DR = Y SEND_HEARTBEAT_TIME24 = 0700:1800` By default heartbeat is disabled. Se to Y to enable separetely for primary and standby side. You can specify multiple times for heartbeat separated by colon.
AMM Threshold notification	Sent in case threshold is breached during AMM processing. See: Post Tasks - Archivelogs (AMM) for details. You must setup AMM correctly and wholly to recieve these notifications. It is not possible to enable only the notifications	`THRESHOLD_ARCHSOURCE = 85 THRESHOLD_ARCHDEST = 85`
Log Gap Report	Sends Log gap report summary whenever Log gap reportaction is run. Enabled by default.	`EMAIL_LOG_GAP_REPORT = Y`

To see full details for these DDC variables, see: DDC File Reference

Notifications Configuration