Cloud Stacking Slot Offline Alert

Zyxel_Claudia

With the NCC 18.20 update, Zyxel has introduced a Cloud Stacking Slot Offline Alert feature, enabling real-time monitoring and notifications for cloud-stacked switches. This alert system notifies administrators if any member of a cloud stack goes offline, allowing proactive management and quick troubleshooting to maintain network stability.

Overview of the Cloud Stacking Slot Offline Alert

The Cloud Stacking Slot Offline Alert is designed to keep administrators informed when a switch within a cloud stack becomes unreachable or loses connectivity. Notifications are sent via email or in-app push notifications, ensuring that admins receive timely updates.

Key Features:

1. Real-Time Alerts: Immediate notification when a stacking member goes offline.
2. Email and Push Notification Options: Alerts can be sent via email or as in-app notifications, allowing admins to choose their preferred method.
3. Event-Based Alerts: Alerts are sent only when a stacking member’s status changes, avoiding unnecessary repetitive notifications.

How to Enable and Configure the Cloud Stacking Slot Offline Alert

1. Access Alert Settings:
   • In NCC, navigate to Site-Wide > Configure > Alert Settings.
2. Enable Stacking member goes offline alerts:
   • Under the Switch section, locate the alert option for Stacking Member Offline.
   • By default, alerts are set to In-App Push Notification. Select Email if you prefer email alerts or keep both options enabled.
3. MSP-Wide Alert Settings (Optional):
   • For administrators managing multiple sites, the offline alert setting is also available in the MSP-Wide Alert Template.
   • This allows consistent alert settings across all managed sites.

Receiving Offline Alerts

When a cloud-stacked switch goes offline, the following sequence occurs:

1. Initial Offline Alert:
   • If a switch in Slot 1, for example, goes offline, NCC sends an alert via the selected method (email or in-app notification).
   • The alert includes the MAC address and slot information for easy identification of the affected switch.
2. Subsequent Alerts:
   • If another stacking member, such as Slot 2, goes offline while Slot 1 is still offline, a separate alert is sent for Slot 2.
   • However, if a slot remains offline for an extended period, additional alerts are not sent for that specific slot until it comes back online.
3. Alert Reset Mechanism:
   • When all offline switches within the stack have reconnected and returned to normal status, NCC resets the offline alert counter.
   • If a slot goes offline again after this reset, NCC will send a new alert.

Summary

The Cloud Stacking Slot Offline Alert in NCC 18.20 enhances monitoring and management of Zyxel cloud-stacked switches by notifying administrators of any connectivity issues within the stack. Configurable through both email and in-app notifications, this feature provides a reliable solution for maintaining network stability across cloud-managed environments.