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Actions

Actions module is responsible for sending notifications and performing different tasks.

Definition

Action definition is stored in table [dbo].[sqlwatch_config_action]

Action executable

Executable can either be a command action_exec or a report action_report_id but not both. The action_exec expects optional parameters {SUBJECT} and {BODY} which are defined by the template.

If action triggers a report, the content of the report will be embedded in the {BODY} and action associated with the given report called instead:

check -> action -> report -> action

This way we can also call stand alone reports that are not triggered by checks, for example daily or weekly Server overview report or even business reports.

Actions are executed by a PowerShell step in the SQL Server agent job and there are currently two types supported T-SQL and PowerShell which are invoked by either by Invoke-SqlCmd or Invoke-Expression

Templates

Actions support templates. For example, we may want a short description in the Pushover notification and more details in an email notification.

Templates are defined in [dbo].[sqlwatch_config_check_action_template]. Each status (OK, WARNING and CRITICAL) has its own subject and body templates which generate {SUBJECT} and {BODY} content required by the action_exec

To make it easier to build custom templates, a number of variables have been exposed for the end user:

For example, if we have a simple check that does not call a report, the following plain text template:

Check: {CHECK_NAME} ( CheckId: {CHECK_ID} )

Current status:  {CHECK_STATUS}
Current value: {CHECK_VALUE}

Previous value: {CHECK_LAST_VALUE}
Previous status: {CHECK_LAST_STATUS}
Previous change: {LAST_STATUS_CHANGE}

SQL instance: {SQL_INSTANCE}
Alert time: {CHECK_TIME}

Warning threshold: {THRESHOLD_WARNING}
Critical threshold: {THRESHOLD_CRITICAL}

--- Check Description:

{CHECK_DESCRIPTION}

--- Check Query:

{CHECK_QUERY}

---

Sent from SQLWATCH on host: {SQL_INSTANCE}
https://docs.sqlwatch.io

Will result in the following content:

In addition, actions that trigger reports have these variables exposed:

For example, if we have a check that calls Disk Utilisation Report, the following action template (note the HTML tags and the Report Content section):

<p>Check: {CHECK_NAME} ( CheckId: {CHECK_ID} )</p>

<p>Current status:  {CHECK_STATUS}
<br>Current value: {CHECK_VALUE}</p>

<p>Previous value: {CHECK_LAST_VALUE}
<br>Previous status: {CHECK_LAST_STATUS}
<br>Previous change: {LAST_STATUS_CHANGE}</p>

<p>SQL instance: {SQL_INSTANCE}
<br>Alert time: {CHECK_TIME}</p>

<p>Warning threshold: {THRESHOLD_WARNING}
<br>Critical threshold: {THRESHOLD_CRITICAL}</p>

<p>--- Check Description:</p>

<p>{CHECK_DESCRIPTION}</p>

<p>--- Check Query:</p>

<p><pre style="background:#E0E0E0;padding:5px;"><code>{CHECK_QUERY}</code></pre></p>

<p>--- Report Content:</p></p>

<p><b>{REPORT_TITLE}</b></p>
<p>{REPORT_DESCRIPTION}</p>
<p>{REPORT_CONTENT}</p>

<p>Sent from SQLWATCH on host: {SQL_INSTANCE}</p>
<p><a href="https://docs.sqlwatch.io">https://docs.sqlwatch.io</a> </p>

Will generate the following report:

Attributes

Each action's attributes are defined for each in the association table [dbo].[sqlwatch_config_check_action] and can differ for each combination of check and action

PreviousChecksNextReports

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