FrameFlow lets you define dependencies to control whether or not checks will run based on the status of other checks. You can control dependencies in the Settings section of any event monitor. There, you can choose which event monitors you want to be dependent on each other and the match type that you need.

Dependencies Field

The two match types are "Match by Event Monitor and Device" and "Match by Event Monitor Only". This tutorial will show you how to use each of them in your IT monitoring configuration.

Matching by Event Monitor and Device

In our example, we're going to add a System Health Event Monitor. In the System Health monitor's Settings section, under Dependencies, we'll select a Ping Event Monitor from the event monitor chooser. Next, we'll select the option to "Match by Event Monitor and Device", which signifies a one-to-one correspondence between the two event monitors.

Match by Event Monitor and Device

Now, when a device connected to both monitors is checked, the Ping Event Monitor will check them first. If the Ping Event Monitor's check doesn't succeed, the device won't be checked by the System Health Event Monitor. This helps prevent duplicate notifications about the same underlying connection issue.

Usually, this option will be used in a situation where many high-level event monitors depend on a single lower-level event monitor, most often the Ping Event Monitor.

Match by Event Monitor Only

The "By Event Monitor Only" match type works between two event monitors, where all monitoring actions for Monitor A depend on the status of Monitor B's checks. If Monitor B is found to be in a non-success state, no checks will be performed by Monitor A. This match type can be used to create a dependency between many event monitors and one other event monitor.

Match by Event Monitor Only

Imagine a scenario where you're monitoring systems in another data center. If the networking switch that connects you to this data center goes down, it's evident that any monitoring on the other side of the switch cannot occur.

To avoid an influx of failed event monitor check notifications, you could add a Ping Event Monitor to watch the status of the switch for you. Using the "Match by Event Monitor Only" type, set up a dependency in which all higher-level event monitors for devices on the other side of the switch depend on the Ping Event Monitor watching your switch.

Device Dependencies

You can also set dependencies between devices in the Settings section of any network device. Dependencies for network devices also let you choose the trigger level from a dropdown menu. Alerts will not be generated for the chosen device if one or more of its dependencies are in a state that matches the dependency trigger level.

Device Dependency Field

For example, if you are monitoring systems that are behind a specific switch, you can set those devices to depend on the switch with a critical trigger level. Then, if there is a critical alert for the switch, the dependent devices will not be checked. They will continue to be checked if the switch is in a warning or error state.

This tutorial taught you how to use dependencies to control your FrameFlow checks. To learn more about controlling FrameFlow checks and alerts, check out our advanced notifications series on the blog! Make sure to keep an eye out for new tutorials coming to the Features page regularly.

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