How to Create Global Cloud Ping Check Alerts in Alerts v2

Overview

Alerts v2 introduces a more scalable and flexible way to manage cloud ping check alerts in Auvik. Instead of creating separate alert definitions for every individual cloud ping check, you can now create a single global alert that uses common naming conventions and tag-based logic to monitor multiple locations and gateways.

This approach significantly reduces alert sprawl, simplifies management, and improves consistency across distributed environments.

In this article, we’ll walk through how to configure a global cloud ping check alert using Alerts v2.

Why Use Global Cloud Ping Check Alerts?

In legacy alerting workflows, each cloud ping check typically required its own alert definition.

For example:

• Site A → Gateway A1
• Site A → Gateway A2
• Site B → Gateway B1
• Site B → Gateway B2

Each cloud ping check generated a separate alert definition.

As environments scaled, this created:

• Large numbers of duplicate alert configurations
• Increased maintenance overhead
• Inconsistent alert behavior
• Difficulty updating alert logic globally

Alerts 2.0 solves this problem by allowing you to:

• Create a single alert definition
• Apply it across multiple cloud ping checks
• Use tags and naming standards for targeting
• Simplify operational management

Example Architecture

A common implementation uses a shared global site with multiple remote sites and gateways.

Example:

• Global Site
  • Multi-Site A
    • Site A1 → Cloud Ping Check Gateway_A1
    • Site A2 → Cloud Ping Check Gateway_A2
  • Multi-Site B
    • Site B1 → Cloud Ping Check Gateway_B1
    • Site B2 → Cloud Ping Check Gateway_B2

Rather than maintaining four separate alerts, Alerts 2.0 allows you to create a single alert that applies across all cloud ping checks using shared logic.

Before You Begin

Ensure you have:

• Access to Alerts v2
• Existing cloud ping checks configured
• A consistent naming convention or tagging strategy
• Appropriate permissions to manage alerts

Recommended naming structure:

Step 1: Open Alerts Management

1. Navigate to Manage Alerts in Auvik.
2. Select the Alerts v2 experience.
3. Click Add Alert.

This opens the Create New Alert wizard.

Step 2: Define the Alert Details

In the Define Alert Details section:

Configure Basic Information

Enter:

• Alert Name
• Alert Description
• Category or classification

Example:

Step 3: Define Scope Conditions

Under Apply alerts to the following organizations and Apply to entities:

1. Select the organizations or sites you want included.
2. Configure entity filters.
3. Use naming conventions or tags to target cloud ping checks.

Example condition:

You can also use:

• Contains
• Starts with
• Tag-based filters
• Group filters

This allows a single alert definition to dynamically apply to all matching cloud ping checks.

Monitoring Multiple Internet Connections at One Site

Sites with multiple WAN connections—such as primary and backup ISPs, SD-WAN paths, or load-balanced circuits—should have monitoring configured for each connection.

Adding an Internet connection to the Internet Connections widget provides bandwidth and interface monitoring. For end-to-end Internet availability and latency monitoring, configure a separate cloud ping check for the public-facing IP address or endpoint associated with each connection.

Verify each connection is monitored

Before creating or updating the alert:

1. Confirm that each WAN-facing interface is discovered and monitored.
2. Confirm that each Internet connection has the correct public IP address or public endpoint.
3. Confirm that a cloud ping check exists for each path that should be monitored.
4. Review the cloud ping check history to verify that each check is collecting data.
5. Confirm that the checks have clear, consistent names or tags.

For example:

• Cloud Ping - Primary ISP
• Cloud Ping - Backup ISP
• Cloud Ping - SD-WAN Path A

Include all connections in the Alerts v2 definition

When configuring the alert:

1. Set Apply Conditions to Services.
2. Select all intended cloud ping checks.
3. Use an exact service name, naming pattern, tag, or group filter to include the required checks.
4. Confirm that the alert scope includes both the primary and backup connections.
5. Save the alert and verify that each intended service appears within the applied scope.

Alerts v2 can use one alert definition across multiple cloud ping checks. This helps avoid maintaining separate alert definitions for every WAN connection.

Review legacy alert coverage

Legacy alert definitions may have been created for only one Internet connection or cloud ping check. Review existing legacy alerts to confirm which services they monitor.

If an Alerts v2 definition replaces equivalent legacy coverage:

1. Confirm that the Alerts v2 definition includes every intended cloud ping check.
2. Verify that the alert is enabled and notifications are working.
3. Disable the equivalent legacy alert only after the Alerts v2 alert has been validated.

Keeping equivalent legacy and Alerts v2 alerts active with the same notification channel can generate duplicate notifications.

Configure failover-friendly alert behavior

Review the alert settings for expected failover behavior:

• Use an appropriate Alert Delay so brief path changes do not create unnecessary notifications.
• Set clear conditions with enough separation from the trigger threshold to prevent repeated trigger-and-clear cycles.
• Use thresholds that reflect the expected behavior of primary and backup links.
• Review any alert suppression rules that apply to the affected services.
• Do not assume Smart Alert Suppression will suppress cloud-ping alerts; it is primarily intended for downstream device-offline alerts based on discovered network topology.

Validate during approved maintenance

Failover testing can interrupt production connectivity and should not be performed by an end user without authorization.

During an approved maintenance window:

1. Confirm that both cloud ping checks are enabled and included in the alert definition.
2. Fail over from the primary connection to the backup connection, or otherwise test the approved failure scenario.
3. Confirm that the alert identifies the connection whose cloud ping check failed.
4. Confirm that the healthy connection does not generate a corresponding failure alert.
5. Restore the primary connection.
6. Confirm that the alert clears after the configured clear condition is met.
7. Review the results for duplicate or flapping notifications.

If a failover test cannot be performed safely, validate the notification path with a non-disruptive test alert and review recent cloud ping history instead.

Step 4: Configure Alert Severity

Choose the severity levels appropriate for your operational workflow.

Available severities include:

• Emergency
• Critical
• Warning
• Informational

For cloud connectivity monitoring, most teams use:

• Critical for complete outages
• Warning for intermittent packet loss or degraded performance

Step 5: Define the Alert Rule

In the Define Alert Rule section:

1. Add the condition that determines when the alert should trigger.
2. Configure thresholds or matching logic.
3. Specify trigger timing.

Example logic:

Optional enhancements:

• Consecutive failures
• Time-based suppression
• Dependency-aware logic
• Multi-condition evaluation

This reduces false positives while ensuring important outages are detected quickly.

Step 6: Configure Alert Delay and Notification Settings

To avoid noisy alerts:

1. Configure an initial delay.
2. Set evaluation intervals.
3. Define notification behavior.

Common recommendation:

These settings help prevent transient connectivity issues from generating unnecessary alerts.

Step 7: Configure Clear Conditions

In the Define Global Clear Condition section:

Specify how the alert should automatically resolve.

Example:

• Recovery duration
• Stability windows
• Clear-message formatting

This ensures alerts close automatically once connectivity is restored.

Step 8: Save and Activate the Alert

After reviewing the configuration:

1. Click Create and Close.
2. Verify the alert appears in the alerts list.
3. Confirm it applies to all intended cloud ping checks.

Once active, the alert automatically evaluates all matching entities.

Benefits of This Approach

Using global cloud ping check alerts provides several operational advantages.

Reduced Alert Sprawl

Instead of maintaining one alert per site or gateway, a single alert can manage all matching entities.

Easier Maintenance

Updates only need to be made once.

Improved Consistency

All cloud ping checks follow the same monitoring standards and thresholds.

Better Scalability

As new sites and gateways are added, alerts automatically apply when naming or tagging conventions match.

Best Practices

Standardize Naming Conventions

Consistent naming is critical for scalable filtering.

Recommended format:

Tags simplify grouping and future automation.

Examples:

• cloud-ping
• branch-office
• critical-site

Avoid Overly Broad Rules

Ensure alert scope is specific enough to avoid unintended matches.

Use Delays to Reduce Noise

Short outages and packet loss bursts can generate unnecessary alerts if no delay is configured.

Troubleshooting Tips

Alert Not Triggering

Check:

• Entity filter logic
• Tag assignments
• Naming consistency
• Severity configuration

Too Many Alerts

Review:

• Delay settings
• Consecutive occurrence thresholds
• Matching conditions

Alert Not Clearing

Verify:

• Clear condition logic
• Recovery thresholds
• Entity state updates

Final Thoughts

Alerts v2 makes it significantly easier to manage cloud ping monitoring at scale.

By combining:

• Shared alert definitions
• Tag-based filtering
• Naming conventions
• Centralized management

You can reduce operational complexity while improving visibility across distributed environments.

For organizations managing many sites or gateways, global cloud ping check alerts provide a much more scalable and maintainable monitoring strategy.

Related articles

• How to Alert on Packet Loss on Cloud Ping Checks
• How do I manage Internet connections?
• How do I monitor my internet connection status?
• Using Alerts v2