Stateless event alarms repeatedly trigger actions that are set to run only once

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Stateless event alarms, such as the default vCenter Server alarms Cannot connect to network and Cannot connect to storage, send emails repeatedly (once every five minutes), even when configured to send notifications only once.
• The email notifications may continue to be sent even after the event that triggered the alarm has lapsed.
• You cannot stop these notifications.

vcenter-alarms cannot-clear-alarm

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 4.0.x

Resolution

This issue is resolved in vCenter Server 4.0 Update 2. All actions for Stateless alarms, including actions that are configured to repeat, run only once. You can download vCenter Server 4.0 Update 2 from the vSphere Download Center.

For versions prior to vCenter Server 4.0 Update 2, all alarm actions must be set to repeat only once.

To set actions to be repeated only once:

1. Login to vCenter Server.
2. Select the vCenter at the top level (above Datacenter and Cluster).
3. Click the Alarms tab.
4. Right-click the alarm and choose View Settings.
5. Click the Actions tab.
6. Set the alarm to repeat only once.
   
   Notes:
7. • By default, stateless event alarms have a Status of Unset.
   • Changing the setting stops the alarm for this occasion only.

Note: For an alternative workaround you can disable and re-enable the alarm in vCenter Server, for further details see KB 1015642.