Get alerted when your website goes down

If you are using SolarWinds Observability to monitor your website entity's availability, you can configure an alert that is triggered when your website is down. Use the Website down alert from Alert Templates, or configure the alert from scratch using the state.nativeState attribute.

The website down alert uses the state.nativeState attribute to alert you once your website is in the down state. This alert can be sent to email configurations within SolarWinds Observability and other email addresses.

Create a website down alert for all monitored websites with the Template

1. Open Alert Settings and click the Templates tab.

2. Search for website templates.

3. Click the vertical ellipsis on the website down template, and then click Create Alert.

4. Review the Details page. Modify the alert name, description, severity, and enable alert setting. Optional: Enter a Runbook URL. Click Next.

5. Review the Alert Type page. Metric Condition is selected in the template by default. Click Next.

6. Review the settings on the Conditions page. The website down template is configured to alert you when the state.nativeState of any monitored website entity is down. You can keep this configuration, or refine the scope to trigger only for selected websites. Select a scope:

   1. Entity type: The Website entity type is selected by default.

   2. Scope by: All is selected by default.

   3. Click Next.

7. Add email notification(s):

   1. Click Add.

   2. Select Email from the Services drop-down.

   3. Select an existing email configuration, or click Add a New Configuration.

   4. Set the resend frequency in minutes or seconds.

   5. Repeat these steps for any additional emails you want to alert.

   6. Click Next.

8. Review the Create Alert Summary. Click Create to complete your website down alert.

Create a website down alert for specific website entities

1. Open the Active Alerts page (Alerts > Active Alerts) or the Alert Settings page (Alerts > Alert Settings).

2. In the upper-right corner, click Create Alert.

   The Create Alert wizard opens.

3. Complete the Details page:

   1. Enter a name to identify the alert and, optionally, enter a description of what the alert does.

   2. (Optional) To help users resolve issues quickly, enter a runbook URL. This URL opens a document (for example, a wiki page) that describes what actions should be taken when the alert is triggered. This link is included in the alert notification.

   3. Specify the alert severity.

   4. If you do not want the alert to be enabled immediately, click the slider to disable it. You can enable it later.

   5. Click Next to open the Conditions page.

4. Under Condition type, click Metric condition.

5. Under Alert on, select Entity.

6. Select a scope:

   1. Select the Website entity type from the Entity type drop-down.

   2. Select Selected Websites from the Scope by drop-down.

   3. Select the desired website from the Select Websites drop-down.

7. Under Condition 1, define a condition that triggers the alert when the entity is down:

   1. Select Attribute from the Condition 1 drop-down.

   2. Under Attribute, select state.nativeState.

   3. Under Operator, select equals to.

   4. Under Value, select Down.

   5. (Optional) Configure the time it takes for the condition to be met, and when to clear the alert in Other Settings.

   6. Click Next.

8. Add email notification(s):

   1. Click Add.

   2. Select Email from the Services drop-down.

   3. Select an existing email configuration, or click Add a New Configuration.

   4. Set the resend frequency in minutes or seconds.

   5. Repeat these steps for any additional emails you want to alert.

   6. Click Next.

9. Review the Create Alert Summary. Click Create to complete your website down alert.