# Custom Alarm Rules in OpManager

[OpManager's custom alarm rules](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/alarm-correlation-rule.html?help-alarm-correlation-rule) helps you pre-define multiple criteria bound together by conditional filters and raise alerts for the same. This helps you with noise reduction amidst alarms and events. Instead of applying multiple monitors for multiple devices of different priorities, you can configure a custom alarm rule and associate it to your desired devices.

To configure a custom alarm rule:

- Go to **Settings -> Configuration -> Alarm Rules -> Custom Alarm Rules**
- Click on the **"Add Rule"** option in the top-right corner of the table. Now follow the below four steps to proceed with the configuration.

[Step I. Configuring scope for the custom alarm rule](#step-i-configuring-scope-for-the-custom-alarm-rule)  
[Step II. Selecting the criteria for the custom alarm rule](#step-ii-selecting-the-criteria-for-the-custom-alarm-rule)  
[Step III. Specifying the time window for the custom alarm rule](#step-iii-specifying-the-time-window-for-the-custom-alarm-rule)  
[Step IV. Configuring the alarm trigger for the custom alarm rule](#step-iv-configuring-alarm-trigger-for-the-custom-alarm-rule)

## Step I. Configuring scope for the custom alarm rule

1. In the custom alarm rule page, enter the name and description of the custom alarm rule.
2. If you are using **OpManager Enterprise Edition**, use the **Probe** drop-down at the top of the page to select the probe this rule must apply to. Select **"All Probes"** to apply the rule across all probes in your setup.
3. Select the module type.
   - If you had selected **Devices** as the module type, use the drop-down box below to filter out the devices to which you need the custom alarm rule to be applied. You can filter out the devices based on their device category and the groups to which they belong.
   - If you had selected **Interfaces** as the module type, use the drop-down box below to filter out the interfaces to which you need the custom alarm rule to be applied. You can filter out the interfaces based on their device category and the groups to which they belong.
   - If you had selected **Groups** as the module type, you can use the below drop-down to filter out the group. The following group types are supported: **Device Groups**, **Interface Groups**, **Group of Groups**, and **Application Groups**.
4. Select the **Alarm Mode** to define how alarms are raised when the criteria is met:
   - **Consolidated Alarm** - Raises a single alarm for the entire scope. Available for all module types.
   - **Alarm per Entity** - Raises a separate alarm for each entity that satisfies the criteria. Available for Devices, Interfaces, and Groups.
   - **Alarm per Entity's Member** - Raises a separate alarm for each member within the selected group. Available only when the **Groups** module type is selected.
5. Once the filter has been set, click on the **"Apply Filter"** option.
6. Now, select the respective devices or interfaces or group and click on **"Next"**.

![Configuring custom alarm rule in OpManager](https://www.manageengine.com/sites/meweb/images/network-monitoring/images/custom-alarm-rule-1.png)

## Step II. Selecting the criteria for the custom alarm rule

Now, under this page, select the criteria based on which the custom alarm rule must be triggered.

1. Choose the respective monitor, condition, and value. Now that a criterion has been added, you can also configure multiple criteria for the same custom alarm rule. Click on the **"Add"** button to add another criterion.
2. You can also configure logical conditions for these criteria (**AND** or **OR**). You can edit it under the **"Criteria Condition"** field, or by simply clicking on the logical condition below each criterion.
3. Once done, click on **"Next"**.

For example, consider that your organization relies heavily on remote VPN connections established through WAN miniport interfaces for employees to remotely access corporate resources. You might need to monitor all aspects of your interfaces such as their status, traffic utilization, and transmit and receive discards (Tx and Rx discards).

Instead of adding interfaces individually, you can configure the required monitors in a single custom alarm rule.

![Configuring custom alarm rule in OpManager](https://www.manageengine.com/sites/meweb/images/network-monitoring/images/custom-alarm-rule-2.png)

## Step III. Specifying the time window for the custom alarm rule

Now, under the respective fields, enter the following information:

1. **Run this criteria every**: Select the time interval at which the criteria must be run.
2. **Consecutive times**: Optionally, specify how many consecutive times the criteria must be satisfied before the alarm is triggered.
3. **Time window**: You can either choose to apply this custom alarm rule 24/7, or apply it only during the selected business hour rule. Click on the **"Add Rule"** option if you need to add a new business hour rule.
4. Click on **"Next"**.

![Configuring custom alarm rule in OpManager](https://www.manageengine.com/sites/meweb/images/network-monitoring/images/custom-alarm-rule-3.png)

## Step IV. Configuring alarm trigger for the custom alarm rule

Now, configure the trigger actions to be performed.

### 1. Trigger Alarm

- **Severity**: Choose the severity with which the custom alarm rule must be triggered.
- **Message**: Customize the message that will be displayed when the alarm is triggered. Use the **Insert Variable** option to include dynamic values in the alarm message. The following variables are available:
  - **Rule Variables** - Always available:
    - **Rule Name** - The configured custom alarm rule name.
    - **Impacted Elements** - Display names of entities that satisfied the configured criteria.
    - **Impacted Count** - Count of entities that satisfied the configured criteria.
    - **Current Values** - Current values of the entities that breached the configured criteria.
    - **Criteria Values (Detailed)** - A detailed summary of the violated alarm, including entity display name, configured threshold value, and the actual current value. *(e.g., cEdge-Branch1 - Availability State: Configured != On Hold, Current = Parent Down)*
  - **Device/Interface Properties & Custom Fields** - Available only when an entity context exists: i.e., when *Alarm per Entity* or *Alarm per Entity's Member* mode is selected, or when *Consolidated Alarm* mode is used with a propagate device configured.
- **Propagate this alarm to this device**: Select the device to which the alarm must be associated. However, this option is not mandatory.
- **Workflow**: Select the workflow that must be initiated when the alarm is triggered. Using workflow, you can automate preliminary fault remediation measures. You can streamline your troubleshooting efforts and automate monotonous tasks by configuring workflows.

### 2. Rearm Alarm

You can choose to clear the alert when the trigger criteria is no longer satisfied. You can also configure the required rearm message and configure notifications and workflows to be executed during the rearm.

### 3. Associate Notification Profile

You can associate a notification profile to this custom alarm rule by selecting the respective notification profile from the drop-down box provided under this section.

Kindly note that you can associate a maximum of two notification profiles for each custom alarm rule.

Now, click on **"Save"**.

![Configuring custom alarm rule in OpManager](https://www.manageengine.com/sites/meweb/images/network-monitoring/images/custom-alarm-rule-4.png)

The custom alarm rule has now been configured successfully. You can also edit, copy, or delete the custom alarm rules from **Settings -> Configuration -> Alarm Rules -> Custom Alarm Rules**.

Know more about [fault management](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/network-fault-management.html?help-alarm-correlation-rule) in OpManager.