SQL Sentry General Conditions

Introduction

General Conditions are applicable to monitored Event Objects or associated Performance Counters. These are the most common conditions that configure actions within your environment. Not all General Conditions apply to all Event Object types. A condition must be supported by an object's underlying event provider for conditions and actions to be available in SQL Sentry. General Conditions have an assigned default severity and associated tags, and will affect your environment's Environmental Health Score (EHO).

Configuring Actions for General Conditions

Configure actions in response to General Conditions being met at these levels: shared groups (global), sites, target groups, targets, and instances.

To add a General Condition, complete the following steps:

1. Open the Navigator pane (View > Navigator), and then select the desired node where you want to configure an action.
 

2. Open the Conditions Pane (View > Conditions) and then select General Conditions from the dropdown menu.

3. Select Add in the Conditions pane to open the Actions Selector. Expand the applicable object and condition. Use the checkbox(es) to select which actions should be taken in response to this condition being met, and then select OK.

Common General Conditions

The following table contains a description of common General Conditions.

Conditions	Is Met When
Started	Occurs when an event instance begins.
Completed	Occurs when an event instance finishes running, regardless of success or failure status.
Success	Occurs when an event instance completes and returns a success status.
Failure	Occurs when an event instance completes and returns a failure status.
Output Content Match	This condition is met when specific content that you define exists in the output message text for an event instance. For more information, see the Output Content Match topic.
Runtime Threshold Min	Occurs when an event runs shorter than x% of its average runtime, or shorter than an explicit duration.
Runtime Threshold Max	Occurs when an event runs longer than x% of its average runtime, or longer than an explicit duration.
Performance Counter Threshold Min	Occurs when a minimum performance threshold has been set for a performance counter, and the counter's value falls beneath it.
Performance Counter Threshold Max	Occurs when a maximum performance threshold has been set for a performance counter, and the counter's value exceeds it.

General Conditions Comprehensive list

Use the following links to jump to a description of the various conditions. For each condition, find a column that lists related settings that affect the condition. Settings define criteria for when a condition is met, including runtime thresholds for events that are captured. Certain settings, known as Source Settings, define what events are collected by SQL Sentry. For more information about settings, see the Settings topic.

APS Distribution Queries

Conditions	Descriptions
Completed	APS Distribution query completed.
Duration Threshold Max	APS Distributed Queries exceeded the maximum duration threshold.
Duration Threshold Min	APS Distributed Queries exceeded the minimum duration threshold.
Failure	APS Distribution query failed.
Output Content Match	A match condition was found in the output content of an APS Distribution query.
Started	APS Distribution query started.
Step Failure	APS Distribution query step failed.
Success	APS Distribution query succeeded.

APS Health Alert

Conditions	Descriptions
Critical error	A critical error event occurred.
Non-critical error	A non-critical error occurred.
Output Content Match	A match condition was found in the output content of an APS Health Alert.

APS Loader Backup Run

Conditions	Descriptions
Completed	APS Loader Backup run completed.
Duration Threshold Max	APS Loader Backup Run exceeded the maximum duration threshold.
Duration Threshold Min	APS Loader Backup Run exceeded the minimum duration threshold.
Failure	APS Loader Backup run failed.
Output Content Match	A match condition was found in the output content of an APS Loader Backup run.
Started	APS Loader Backup run started.
Step Failure	APS Loader Backup run step failed
Success	APS Loader Backup run succeeded.

Azure SQL Data Warehouse Distributed Queries

Conditions	Descriptions
Completed	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Distributed query completed.
Duration Threshold Max	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Distributed Queries exceeded the maximum duration threshold.
Duration Threshold Min	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Distributed Queries exceeded the minimum duration threshold.
Failure	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Distributed query failed.
Output Content Match	A match condition was found in the output content of an Azure SQL Data Warehouse Distributed query.
Started	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Distributed query started
Step Failure	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Distributed query step failed.
Success	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Distributed query succeeded.

Azure SQL Data Warehouse Loader Backup Run

Conditions	Descriptions
Completed	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Loader Backup run completed.
Duration Threshold Max	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Loader Backup Run exceeded the maximum duration threshold.
Duration Threshold Min	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Loader Backup Run exceeded the minimum duration threshold.
Failure	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Loader Backup run failed.
Output Content Match	A match condition was found in the output content of an Azure SQL Data Warehouse Loader Backup run.
Started	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Loader Backup run started.
Step Failure	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Loader Backup run step failed.
Success	Azure SQL Data Warehouse Loader Backup run succeeded.

Blocking SQL

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Blocking SQL	A Block is detected, subject to the Minimum Block Duration set for the Blocking SQL Source. View the Block on the Event Calendar or the Performance Analysis Blocking SQL tab.	Blocking SQL Source: Minimum Block Duration
Blocking SQL: Duration Threshold Max	Block exceeded the maximum duration threshold.	Blocking SQL Source: Minimum Block Duration Blocking SQL: Maximum Duration Threshold
Blocking SQL: Output Content Match	A match condition is found in the output content of a Block.	Blocking SQL Source: Minimum Block Duration Condition Settings

Deadlocks

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Amazon RDS for SQL Server: Deadlock: Output Content Match	A match condition is found in the output content of an Amazon RDS for SQL deadlock.	Deadlocks Source: Collect Deadlock Events
Deadlock	A Deadlock was detected. View the Deadlock on the Event Calendar or the Performance Analysis Deadlocks tab.	Deadlocks Source: Collect Deadlock Events
Deadlock: Output Content Match	A match condition is found in the output content of a Block. Define which strings to search for in the event output to trigger this condition. For more information, see the Condition Settings topic.	Deadlocks Source: Collect Deadlock Events Condition Settings

Event Chain

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Completed	Event Chain execution completed.	N/A
Failure	Event Chain execution failed.	N/A
Runtime Threshold Max	Event Chain exceeded the maximum runtime threshold.	Event Chain: Maximum Runtime Threshold
Runtime Threshold Min	Event Chain didn't meet the minimum runtime threshold.	Event Chain: Minimum Runtime Threshold
Started	Event Chain execution started.	N/A
Success	Event Chain execution succeeded.	N/A

Event Chain Node

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Completed	Event Chain node execution completed.	N/A
Failure	Event Chain node execution failed.	N/A
Runtime Threshold Max	The runtime threshold maximum for an Event Chain node was exceeded.	Event Chain Node: Maximum Runtime Threshold
Runtime Threshold Min	Event Chain node didn't meet the minimum runtime threshold.	Event Chain Node: Minimum Runtime Threshold
Started	Event Chain node execution started.	N/A
Success	Event Chain node execution succeeded.	N/A

 Index

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Defragmentation Complete	Index Defragmentation completed.	Index Defragmentation
Defragmentation Failure	Index Defragmentation failed.	Index Defragmentation
Defragmentation Started	Index Defragmentation started.	Index Defragmentation

 Maintenance Plan

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Output Content Match	A match condition was found in the output content of a maintenance plan.	Condition Settings
Step Failure	Maintenance plan step failed.	N/A

Performance Counter

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Threshold Max	Performance Counter value exceeded the maximum threshold.	Performance Counter: Counter Thresholds Maximum
Threshold Min	Performance Counter didn't meet the minimum threshold	Performance Counter: Counter Thresholds Minimum

Reporting Services Report

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Completed	Reporting Services Report completed.	N/A
Failure	Reporting Services Report failed.	N/A
Runtime Threshold Max	Reporting Services Report exceeded the maximum runtime threshold.	Reporting Services Report: Maximum Runtime Threshold
Runtime Threshold Min	Reporting Services Report didn't meet the minimum runtime threshold.	Reporting Services Report: Minimum Runtime Threshold
Started	Reporting Services Report started.	N/A
Success	Reporting Services Report succeeded.	N/A

SQL Server Agent Alert

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Alert Fired	SQL Server Agent Alert was fired.	N/A
Output Content Match	A match condition is found in the output content of a SQL Server Agent Alert.	Condition Settings

 SQL Server Agent Job

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Block	SQL Server Agent Job is blocked or is blocking.	The minimum block duration required to trigger SQL Server Agent Job: Block condition can be changed in the Monitoring Service Setting. Monitoring Service > Settings > Event Monitor
Completed	SQL Server Agent Job completed.	N/A
Conflict	There's a job conflict, meaning two or more jobs were seen running concurrently.	N/A
Failure	SQL Server Agent Job failed.	N/A
Output Content Match	A match condition is found in the output content of a SQL Server Agent Job.	Condition Settings
Queued	SQL Server Agent Job is queued via SQL Sentry's queuing system.	SQL Server Agent Job: Queue Type
Retry	SQL Server Agent Job step was retried.	N/A
Run Missed	The scheduled run for a job was missed for some reason. This may be because SQL Server Agent was offline.	SQL Server Agent Jobs Source: Missed Run Threshold
Runtime Threshold Max	SQL Server Agent Job exceeded the maximum runtime threshold.	SQL Server Agent Job: Maximum Runtime Threshold
Runtime Threshold Min	SQL Server Agent Job didn't meet the minimum runtime threshold.	SQL Server Agent Job: Minimum Runtime Threshold
Started	SQL Server Agent Job started.	N/A
Step Failure	SQL Server Agent Job step failed.	N/A
Success	SQL Server Agent Job succeeded.	N/A

SQL Server Agent Log

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Error	An error event occurred in the SQL Server Agent Log.	N/A
Output Content Match	A match condition is found in the output content of a SQL Server Agent Log.	Condition Settings
Warning	A warning event occurred in the SQL Server Agent Log.	N/A

Top Commands

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Top Commands: Completed	An Analysis Services command (MDX or XMLA) completed.   Important:  It's highly recommended that a response ruleset be used with this condition to avoid excessive logging.	Top Commands Source: Collect MDX/DMX/XMLA Events Top Commands Source: Minimum Duration
Top Commands: Duration Threshold Max	The duration threshold maximum was exceeded for an Analysis Services command (MDX or XMLA).	Condition Settings
Top Commands: Error	An Analysis Services command (MDX or XMLA) completed with an error.	Top Commands Source: Collect MDX/DMX/XMLA Events Top Commands Source: Minimum Duration
Top Commands: Output Content Match	A match condition is found in a completed Analysis Services command (MDX or XMLA).	Top Commands Source: Collect MDX/DMX/XMLA Events Top Commands Source: Minimum Duration Condition Settings

Top SQL

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Amazon RDS for SQL Server: Top SQL: Duration Threshold Max	Top SQL event exceeded the maximum duration threshold.	Top SQL Source
Amazon RDS for SQL Server: Top SQL: Duration Threshold Min	Top SQL event exceeded the minimum duration threshold.	Top SQL Source
Amazon RDS for SQL Server: Top SQL: Output Content Match	A match condition is found in the output content of an Amazon RDS for SQL Top SQL.	Top SQL Source
Azure SQL DB: Top SQL: Duration Threshold Max	Top SQL event exceeded the maximum duration threshold.	Top SQL Source
Azure SQL DB: Top SQL: Duration Threshold Min	Top SQL event exceeded the minimum duration threshold.	Top SQL Source
Azure SQL DB: Top SQL: Output Content Match	A match condition is found in the output content of an Azure SQL DB Top SQL.	Top SQL Source
Top SQL: Completed	Top SQL event completed. Important:  It's highly recommended that a ruleset be used with this condition to avoid excessive logging.	Top SQL Source
Top SQL: Duration Threshold Max	Top SQL event exceeded the maximum runtime threshold.	Top SQL Source
Top SQL: Duration Threshold Min	Top SQL event exceeded the minimum runtime threshold.	Top SQL Source
Top SQL: Error	Top SQL event completed with an error.	Top SQL Source
Top SQL: Output Content Match	A match condition is found in the content of a completed Top SQL event.	Top SQL Source Condition Settings

Windows Computer 

Condition	Description	Related Setting
Virtual Machine: VM Moved	The Virtual Machine Moved.	Virtual Machine: VM Support

Windows Event Log

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Windows Event Log: Event	An event occurred in a Windows Event Log. Note:  Condition Settings can help to restrict which events you are alerted about	Windows Event Logs Source: History Filter

Windows Task

Conditions	Description	Related Setting
Completed	Windows Task completed.	N/A
Failure	Windows Task failed, as determined by the success Exit Code setting for the task.	N/A
Output Content Match	A match condition is found in the output content for a Windows Task.	Condition Settings
Runtime Threshold Max	Windows Task exceeded the maximum runtime threshold.	Windows Task: Maximum Runtime Threshold
Runtime Threshold Min	Windows Task didn't meet the minimum runtime threshold.	Windows Task: Minimum Runtime Threshold
Started	Windows Task started.	N/A
Success	Windows Task succeeded, as determined by the success Exit Code setting for the task.	N/A