Configure Probe Thresholds for QA Groups

This topic includes the following sections:

• Add QA Group Threshold Configuration
• Edit QA Group Threshold Settings
• Delete QA Group Thresholds
• Delete QA Group Baseline Thresholds
• Import QA Group Thresholds
• Export QA Group Thresholds

NNM iSPI Performance for QA enables you to track the health and performance of the QA groups, which you have configured and discovered. You can configure thresholds for QA groups and create incidents whenever the performance value assigned to the QA groups breaches the threshold.

For configuring thresholds for probes, it is recommended to use the QA group–based threshold configuration than the site-based threshold configuration.

NNM iSPI Performance for QA performs the following actions, if a threshold is breached:

• Sets the QA Groups probes’ status to major.

• Creates an incident for the violated threshold.
• Retains the threshold state as Nominal, or sets the threshold state to High or Low depending on the count-based, or time-based threshold configuration.

You can monitor the QA Groups entities and generate an incident based on the count-based threshold configuration or time-based threshold configuration.

Threshold Configuration

Count-Based Threshold Configuration

You can generate an incident based on the count or number of consecutive times a metric violates the threshold value. You can define this count in the Threshold Configuration form.

Time-Based Threshold Configuration

Time-Based threshold configuration enables you to raise an alert when the threshold breached state persists for more than a specific time period. This is derived by specifying X as the duration of time in minutes when the metric is in a threshold breached state within Y number of minutes specified in the sliding window.

Example for Time-Based Threshold Configuration

Consider a scenario, where the polling interval is 5 minutes; High duration is 10 minutes; and High Duration Window is 60 minutes. In this scenario, an incident is generated whenever the High Duration exceeds 10 minutes within the 60 minute duration. NNM iSPI Performance for QA uses a sliding window wherein each time the High Duration (10 minutes) is reached, NNM iSPI Performance for QA drops the oldest polled value (first 5 minutes) and adds the most recent (between 60 to 65 minutes). This procedure continues and enables you to determine time-based threshold violation.

You can make utmost use of the Time-Based threshold violation by ensuring that the duration specified in the sliding window is greater than or equal to the polling interval.

Baseline Settings Configuration

Baseline Deviation Settings Configuration

Apart from the time-based and count-based threshold configuration, you can also do baseline monitoring based on the baseline deviation setting configuration in NNM iSPI Performance for QA. You can do baseline deviation setting configuration for the selected probe, service, and metric. An incident is generated and the baseline state transitions to Abnormal Range only if it meets all the criteria listed below:

• Exceeds the count or the number of standard deviation that is above the average value for the metric, or exceeds the count or the number of standard deviation that is below the average value for the metric. This count is specified in the Upper Baseline Limit Deviations or the Lower Baseline Limit Deviations in the baseline deviation settings configuration
• Exceeds the duration for which the upper or lower baseline deviation persists in the specified sliding window duration

recommends that you have the probes with same frequency in a QA group for the Baseline Threshold feature to work effectively.

Add QA Group Threshold Configuration

To add a new QA Group threshold:

1. Launch the Threshold Configuration form.

   1. Select Configuration workspace > Quality Assurance Configuration Console. The configuration console opens.
   2. In the Configuration workspace, select Threshold Configuration > Probes > Sites/QA Group. The Threshold Configuration form opens.
2. Click New in the Threshold Configuration form panel. The threshold configuration form opens.
3. Specify the following to configure the threshold:

Field Name	Description
Threshold Type	In the Threshold Type, select QA Groups Based.
Order	Specify a numeric value. NNM iSPI Performance for QA checks the configuration settings in the order you define (lowest number first).
QA Group	Lists the configured and discovered QA Probes that belong to the QA Group. You can select any one of the configured and discovered QA Groups, from the drop down list to configure the threshold.
Service	The type of the discovered QA probe. This field is mandatory. NNMi recognizes the following QA probe types: UDP Echo ICMP Echo UDP TCP Connect VoIP HTTP DNS

You can view the two tabs; Threshold Settings and Baseline Settings.

4. You can perform the following tasks when you click on the Threshold Settings tab:

Icons	Description
New	Creates QA Group thresholds.
Edit	Edits QA Group thresholds.
Delete	Deletes QA Group thresholds.
Refresh	Retrieves the last saved threshold configuration from the database and displays the data.
Delete All	Deletes all QA Group thresholds.

5. You can perform the following tasks when you click on the Baseline Settings tab:

Icons	Description
New	Creates QA Group baseline threshold settings.
Edit	Edits QA Group baseline threshold settings.
Delete	Deletes QA Group baseline threshold settings.
Refresh	Retrieves the last saved threshold configuration from the database and displays the data.
Delete All	Deletes all QA Group baseline threshold settings.

Add QA Group for QA Probe Threshold Setting

To add a new threshold:

1. Specify all the mandatory fields when adding QA groups threshold settings.

2. Click New in the Threshold Settings tab.

   The Add Threshold Settings form opens.

3. Specify the following to configure the threshold settings:
   

Field Name	Description
Type	Select the type of threshold violation. The valid types are Count-Based and Time-Based.
Metric	Select the metric.

4. After you select the metric to configure the threshold, the list of fields relevant to the selected metric appear.

The following fields appear if you selected the Type as Time-Based:


Field Name	Description
High Duration	Designate the minimum time within which the metric value must remain in the High range. For example if you specify this value to be 20 minutes for Packet Loss Percentage metric, NNMi considers the threshold to be violated if the Packet Loss Percentage is high for 20 minutes. You define the high threshold value in the High Value field. The High Duration should be equal to or greater than the associated Polling Interval setting, because that is how often NNMi provides a data point..
High Duration Window	Designate the window of time within which the High Duration criteria must be met. To enable this setting, the value must be: greater than 0 (zero) the same as or greater than the High Duration value The NNMi uses a sliding window. Each time the High Window Duration is reached, NNMi drops the oldest polling interval and adds the most recent. For example, if you specify this value to be 30 minutes for Packet Loss Percentage metric, NNMi considers the threshold to be violated if the Packet Loss Percentage is high for 20 out of 30 minutes.

The following fields appear if you have selected the Type as Time-Based and the metric as MOS: 

Low Duration

Designate the minimum time within which the metric value must remain in the Low range. For example if you specify this value to be 20 minutes for MOS metric, NNMi considers the threshold to be violated if the MOS is low for 20 minutes. You define the low threshold value in the Low Value field. The polling interval should be less than or equal to the Low Duration.

Low Duration Window

Designate the window of time within which the Low Duration criteria must be met. For example, if you specify this value to be 30 minutes for MOS metric, NNMi considers the threshold to be violated if the MOS is low for 20 out of 30 minutes. To enable this setting, the value must be: greater than 0 (zero) the same as or greater than the Low Duration value The NNMiuses a sliding window. Each time the High Window Duration is reached, NNMi drops the oldest polling interval and adds the most recent.

5. Select the following to generate an incident when the time-based threshold or count-based threshold value is violated:

   Field Name	Description
   Generate Incident	Select this option if you want NNM iSPI Performance for QA to generate an incident for count-based or time-based threshold violations. By default this option is selected.

6. Use any one of the following options to complete the task:

   Icons	Description
   Close	Closes the Add Threshold Configuration form without saving the threshold information you have entered.
   Save and Close	Saves the threshold information and closes the Threshold Configuration form

7. Click Refresh to view the changes.
8. Click Save or Save and Close in the Threshold Configuration form.

Make sure that you click Save or Save and Close in the Threshold Configuration form.

Create QA Group Baseline Threshold Settings

To add a new baseline setting configuration:

1. Specify all the mandatory fields when adding QA group threshold settings.

2. Click New in the Baseline Settings tab.
   The Add Baseline Settings form opens.

3. Specify the following to configure the baseline deviation settings:

   Field Name	Description
   Metric	Select the metric.

4. After you select the metric, the list of fields relevant to the selected metric appear.
   

5. Use any one of the following options to complete the task:
   

Icons	Description
Close	Closes the Add Baseline Settings form without saving the baseline setting information you have entered.
Save and Close	Saves the baseline setting information and closes the Add Baseline Settings form

6. Click Save and Close in the Add Baseline Settings form to save the baseline setting information.

7. Click Save or Save and Close in the Threshold Configuration form.

Make sure you click Save or Save and Close in the Threshold Configuration form.

Edit QA Group Threshold Settings

To edit the QA Group threshold settings:

1. Launch the Threshold Configuration form.

   1. Select Configuration workspace > Quality Assurance Configuration Console. The configuration console opens.
   2. In the Configuration workspace, select Threshold Configuration > Probes > Sites/QA Group. The Threshold Configuration form opens.
2. Select the threshold configuration settings to modify, and click Edit in the Threshold Configuration form panel. The edit threshold configuration form opens.

When you edit the QA Group threshold configuration settings, NNM iSPI Performance for QA enables you to edit only the metric values, and does not enables you to edit the following fields:

• Threshold type
• Order
• QA Group
• Service

If you want to edit the above mentioned fields, delete the existing configuration settings and configure a new threshold setting, based on your requirements.

3. Follow the steps for Editing an Existing Threshold to modify the metric values.

You can view the two tabs; Threshold Settings and Baseline Settings.

You can perform the following tasks when you click on the Threshold Settings tab:

Icons	Description
New	Creates QA Group threshold.
Edit	Edits QA Group threshold.
Delete	Deletes QA Group threshold.
Refresh	Retrieves the last saved threshold configuration from the database and displays the data.
Delete All	Deletes all QA Group thresholds

You can perform the following tasks when you click on the Baseline Settings tab:

Icons	Description
New	Creates QA Group baseline threshold setting
Edit	Edits QA Group baseline threshold settings
Delete	Deletes QA Group baseline threshold settings
Refresh	Retrieves the last saved threshold configuration from the database and displays the data
Delete All	Deletes all QA Group baseline threshold settings

Edit QA Group Threshold Setting

To edit an existing threshold setting:

1. Specify all the mandatory fields when editing QA group threshold settings.

2. Select the metric, and click Edit in the Threshold Settings tab.

   The Edit Threshold Settings form opens.

   You cannot edit the metric type and threshold type (Time-based or Count-based). If you want to edit the metric type or threshold type (Time-based or Count-based), delete the existing configuration settings and configure a new threshold settings, based on your requirements

3. You can specify the following values to edit the threshold:

Field Name
High Value
High Value Rearm
Low Value
Low Value Rearm

The following field appears, if you have selected the Type as Count-Based: Trigger Count


The following fields appear if you selected the Type as Time-Based:


Field Name	Description
High Duration	Designate the minimum time within which the metric value must remain in the High range. For example if you specify this value to be 20 minutes for Packet Loss Percentage metric, NNMi considers the threshold to be violated if the Packet Loss Percentage is high for 20 minutes. You define the high threshold value in the High Value field. The High Duration should be equal to or greater than the associated Polling Interval setting, because that is how often NNMi provides a data point..
High Duration Window	Designate the window of time within which the High Duration criteria must be met. To enable this setting, the value must be: greater than 0 (zero) the same as or greater than the High Duration value The NNMi uses a sliding window. Each time the High Window Duration is reached, NNMi drops the oldest polling interval and adds the most recent. For example, if you specify this value to be 30 minutes for Packet Loss Percentage metric, NNMi considers the threshold to be violated if the Packet Loss Percentage is high for 20 out of 30 minutes.

The following fields appear if you have selected the Type as Time-Based and the metric as MOS: 

Low Duration

Designate the minimum time within which the metric value must remain in the Low range. For example if you specify this value to be 20 minutes for MOS metric, NNMi considers the threshold to be violated if the MOS is low for 20 minutes. You define the low threshold value in the Low Value field. The polling interval should be less than or equal to the Low Duration.

Low Duration Window

Designate the window of time within which the Low Duration criteria must be met. For example, if you specify this value to be 30 minutes for MOS metric, NNMi considers the threshold to be violated if the MOS is low for 20 out of 30 minutes. To enable this setting, the value must be: greater than 0 (zero) the same as or greater than the Low Duration value The NNMiuses a sliding window. Each time the High Window Duration is reached, NNMi drops the oldest polling interval and adds the most recent.

4. Select the following to generate an incident when the time-based threshold or count-based threshold value is violated:
   

Field Name	Description
Generate Incident	Select this option if you want NNM iSPI Performance for QA to generate an incident for count-based or time-based threshold violations. By default this option is selected.

5. Use any one of the following options to complete the task:

   Icons	Description
   Close	Closes the Edit Threshold Configuration form without saving the threshold information you have entered.
   Save and Close	Saves the threshold information and closes the Threshold Configuration form

6. Click Refresh to view the changes.
7. Click Save or Save and Close in the Threshold Configuration form. Make sure you click Save or Save and Close in the Threshold Configuration form, to save the settings that you have edited.

Edit QA Group Baseline Threshold Settings

To edit the threshold for baseline settings:

1. Launch the Threshold Configuration form.

   1. Select Configuration workspace > Quality Assurance Configuration Console. The configuration console opens.
   2. In the Configuration workspace, select Threshold Configuration > Probes > Sites/QA Group. The Threshold Configuration form opens.
2. Select the configured threshold to modify, and Click Edit in the Baseline Settings tab.
   The Edit Baseline Settings form opens.

When you edit the QA Group baseline threshold configuration settings, NNM iSPI Performance for QA enables you to edit only the metric values, and does not enables you to edit the following fields:

• Threshold type
• Order
• QA Group
• Service

If you want to edit the above mentioned fields, delete the existing configuration settings and configure a new threshold setting, based on your requirements.

3. Follow the steps for editing QA group baseline threshold setting, to modify the metric values.

Edit QA Group Baseline Threshold Settings

To edit the threshold for baseline settings:

1. Specify all the mandatory fields in the Editing QA Group Baseline Threshold Settings.

2. Select the metric in the Baseline Settings tab, and Click Edit.
   The Edit Baseline Settings form opens.

   You cannot edit the metric type and threshold type (Time-based or Count-based). If you want to edit the metric type or threshold type (Time-based or Count-based), delete the existing configuration settings and configure a new threshold settings, based on your requirements.


Caution: You cannot edit the metric type and threshold type (Time based or Count based). If you want to edit the metric type or threshold type (Time based or Count based), delete the existing configuration settings and configure a new threshold settings, based on your requirements

3. You can specify the following to edit the baseline deviation settings:

Field Name
Upper Baseline Limit Enabled
Upper Baseline Limit Deviations - Above Average
Lower Baseline Limit Enabled
Lower Baseline Limit Deviations - Below Average
Duration
Window Duration

4. Use any one of the following options to complete the task:
   

Icons	Description
Close	Closes the Edit Baseline Settings form without saving the baseline setting information you have entered.
Save and Close	Saves the baseline setting information and closes the Edit Baseline Settings form

5. Click Save and Close in the Edit Baseline Settings form to save the baseline setting information.
6. Click Save or Save and Close in the Threshold Configuration form.

Make sure you click Save or Save and Close in the Threshold Configuration form, to save the settings that you have edited.

Delete QA Group Thresholds

To delete an existing QA Group for QA Probe threshold:

1. Launch the Threshold Configuration form.

   1. Select Configuration workspace > Quality Assurance Configuration Console. The configuration console opens.
   2. In the Configuration workspace, select Threshold Configuration > Probes > Sites/QA Group. The Threshold Configuration form opens.
2. Select one or more configured QA Group threshold settings in the Threshold Settings panel and click Delete.
   or
   Click Delete All to delete all thresholds.
3. Click Refresh in the Threshold Configuration panel to view the changes.

However, NNMi does not delete the incidents that are already generated for an existing threshold.

Delete QA Group Baseline Thresholds

To delete an existing QA Group for QA Probe baseline threshold:

1. Launch the Threshold Configuration form.

   1. Select Configuration workspace > Quality Assurance Configuration Console. The configuration console opens.
   2. In the Configuration workspace, select Threshold Configuration > Probes > Sites/QA Group. The Threshold Configuration form opens.
2. Select Baseline Settings tab.
3. Select one or more threshold settings in the Baseline Settings panel, and Click Delete.
   or
   Click Delete All to delete all thresholds.
   
4. Click Refresh in the Baseline panel to view the changes.

However, NNMi does not delete the incidents that are already generated for an existing threshold.

Import QA Group Thresholds

To import the existing QA Group for QA Probe thresholds configurations from an XML file:

1. Launch the Threshold Configuration form.

   1. Select Configuration workspace > Quality Assurance Configuration Console. The configuration console opens.
   2. In the Configuration workspace, select Threshold Configuration > Probes > Sites/QA Group. The Threshold Configuration form opens.
2. Click Import.

3. In the user prompt dialog, enter the file name from where you want to import the QA Groups for QA Probe thresholds configuration information.

   You must enter the file name with full path information; for example, C:\temp\threshold_conf.xml

4. Click OK in the user prompt dialog.

   If a threshold is already defined and displayed in the Threshold Configuration panel, the import utility does not import the configuration information for this threshold from the XML file.

You can also import the QA Groups for QA Probe thresholds configuration information using the following command line utility:

Linux: $NnmInstallDir/bin/nmsqathresholdconfigutil.ovpl –u <username> –p <password> –import –type qaprobe <filename>

Windows:%NnmInstallDir%\bin\nmsqathresholdconfigutil.ovpl –u <username> –p <password> –import –type qaprobe <filename>

If the threshold import fails, check the following log files:

Linux: $NnmDataDir/log/qa/qa.log

Windows:%NnmDataDir%\log\qa\qa.log

-u <username> -p <password> are optional parameters.

Export QA Group Thresholds

To export the existing QA Group for QA Probe threshold configurations to an XML file:

1. Launch the Threshold Configuration form.

   1. Select Configuration workspace > Quality Assurance Configuration Console. The configuration console opens.
   2. In the Configuration workspace, select Threshold Configuration > Probes > Sites/QA Group. The Threshold Configuration form opens.
2. Click Export.

3. Type the file name where you want to export the existing QA Groups for QA Probe threshold configurations in the user prompt dialog.

   You must type the file name with full path information; for example, C:\temp\threshold_conf.xml

   If you type the XML file name without entering the absolute path, by default the file gets saved in the following directory:

   Linux: $NnmDataDir/shared/qa/conf

   Windows : %NnmDataDir%\shared\qa\conf

4. Click OK in the user prompt dialog.

You can also export the existing QA Groups for QA Probe threshold configurations using the following command line utility:

Linux: $NnmInstallDir/bin/nmsqathresholdconfigutil.ovpl –u <username> –p <password> –export –type qaprobe <filename>

Windows:%NnmInstallDir%\bin\nmsqathresholdconfigutil.ovpl –u <username> –p <password> –export –type qaprobe <filename>

The threshold export utility does not export a threshold unless the threshold is associated with a QA Group.

If the threshold export fails, check the following log files:

Linux:$NnmDataDir/log/qa/qa.log

Windows:%NnmDataDir%\log\qa\qa.log

-u <username> -p <password> are optional parameters.