Frequent email notifications received for alerts in VCF Operations for Networks (vRNI)

Products

• VCF Operations for Networks

Issue/Introduction

Users running VCF Operations for Networks (vRNI) may experience an excessive volume of email notifications during flapping or high-frequency event conditions. Because vRNI dynamically generates an alert email for every discrete event state change, flapping conditions generate a distinct open and close event for each occurrence, leading to email flooding.

Environment

VCF Operations for Networks

Cause

VCF Operations for Networks triggers alert notifications dynamically based on real-time event evaluation and evaluates system events in real-time and sends an email notification per individual event by design. There is no global rate-limiting or frequency throttling configuration available in the application to consolidate live individual alert emails. Toggling conditions produce distinct open and close events, resulting in high email volume during flapping scenarios.

Resolution

By design, there is no global rate-limiting or frequency throttling configuration available in VCF Operations for Networks (vRNI) to consolidate live individual alert emails. However, the following methods can be applied to reduce incoming email volume:

• Enable Email Daily Digest: Aggregates raised system alerts into a single daily email notification sent at a pre-scheduled time.

• Disable Email Notifications for Specific Alerts: For high-frequency or flapping alert definitions, disable email notifications directly within the alert settings to stop unnecessary email generation while keeping active monitoring intact.

• Apply Bulk Edits: Enforce Email Daily Digest settings or disable notifications across multiple selected alert definitions at once.

Steps to configure Email Daily Digest or bulk edit alert definitions:

1. Log into the VMware Aria Operations for Networks web user interface.

2. Navigate to Plan & Act > Events > Event Definitions (or Settings > Alerts & Notifications).

3. Select the specific alert definition(s) generating excessive emails, or use the bulk selection checkbox to select multiple alerts.

4. Click Bulk Edit.

5. In the configuration window, locate Email Daily Digest and set it to Enable.

6. Set the preferred pre-scheduled daily delivery time for the aggregated email digest.

7. (Optional) Toggle the email notification setting to Disable for non-critical or flapping alert definitions.

8. Save the changes.

Additional Information

For step-by-step instructions on bulk editing event definitions and enabling daily digests, refer to the Aria Operations for Networks Configuration Guide.