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# Signals

This section of the documentation contains information about Signals and how to work with them.

A signal is a dynamic alarm that has a start time and an end time. It provides information about the exit of any parameter from the regular state and is mainly intended for deduplication of primary events. Since the signal has a beginning and an end of its existence, therefore it is impossible to reopen the signal after it is closed, it is necessary to open a new signal.

The signal has the following properties:

  • ID - system-wide signal identifier
  • Start time - signal creation time
  • End time - signal close time
  • Criticality (priority) - the level of importance of the signal (an immutable property of the signal).
  • Associated CIs - configuration items associated with the signal
  • Associated Primary Events - signal-related events from external sources (signal open, acknowledge, or close events)
  • Labels - special fields that expand the possibilities of signal classification and filtering
  • Custom tags - additional fields for signal categorization
  • Owner - the workgroup that owns the signal

Signal management - the creation of a signal, the connection of a signal with CI, the enrichment with labels and tags and the closing of signals - is carried out in automation scenarios.

Additionally, in the signal management interface, there is the possibility of manually controlling the signal:

  • Closing an open signal
  • Linking configuration items to a signal
  • Add or remove tags

# Signals control screen

To work with the Signals entity Signals tab has been implemented in the interface for working with maps of the Service model. Image

When switching to the Signals tab, the user has access to all signals that meet the filtering conditions and for which the user has rights. By default, signals are filtered within the selected SM map and signals associated with configuration items.

On the Signals tab, the loaded results for signals are presented in the form of a table, where signal properties are displayed as fields. The information in the table is automatically updated using WebSockets technology.

# Signal table

The signals loaded as a result of filtering are presented in the form of a table, where the signal properties are displayed as fields (columns).

Users have the ability to modify the composition and order of the columns in the table using the Personal settings form (gear icon in the top right corner).

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When you click on a signal in the table, a new tab will be opened at the bottom of the screen with detailed information about the signal.

The table shows the following signal properties:

# Signal criticality

Criticality is the main attribute of a signal that determines its importance. This attribute cannot be changed after the signal has been created.

The criticality model is represented by 6 degrees in different color differentiation:

  • 1 Fatal
  • 2 Critical
  • 3 Major
  • 4 Warning
  • 5 Info
  • 6 Unknown (set if the criticality attribute is not included in the interval from 1 to 5 when creating a signal)

# Signal status

  • Status is a required signal attribute
  • The status model consists of values Open and Closed
  • An open signal can be forced closed via the API or manually in the interface
  • A closed signal cannot be reopened

# Signal name

  • Name - required signal property
  • Is not unique
  • Assigned when the signal is created and remains unchanged

# Signal description

  • Name - optional signal property
  • Is not unique
  • Assigned when the signal is created and remains unchanged

# Date of creation

  • Creation date is set automatically when creating a signal

# Closing date

  • The closing date is set automatically when the signal closes

# Duration

  • Duration - the lifetime of the signal from the date of creation to the date of closing, if the signal is already closed or until the current time, if the signal is still open

# Workgroup signal owner

  • The owner of the signal is a required attribute assigned when creating the signal and remains unchanged.
  • Related CIs - optional signal attribute
  • An unlimited number of configuration items can be attached to a signal
  • Configuration items can be bound when the signal is created or throughout the lifetime of the signal
  • Configuration items can only be linked if the CI owner and the signal owner are the same Workgroup
  • Related Events - optional signal attribute
  • The signal table displays information about the number of linked events
  • You can view linked events in the signal card
  • An event can be attached both at the stage of creating a signal, and during the lifetime of this signal
  • Events can only be bound using the signals API
  • The associated event model consists of:
    • Event body
    • Event binding date
    • Event source (route node)
    • Event type (Opening, Confirming, Closing)
  • You can't unbind an event from a signal
  • Labels - optional signal attribute
  • Signal labels are set via Signals API methods
  • Tag management via user interface is not available
  • In the tabular representation of the signals, the labels are only informational in nature.
  • Tags - optional signal attribute
  • Tag - a system-wide object within the entire user space, available for specifying as a signal attribute
  • Tags associated with one signal must be unique

You can bind and untie an existing one, or create a new tag for a signal in the corresponding field of the signal table

# Filtering and searching for signals

On the signal management tab, a form for filtering signals by main attributes is available.

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  • Filtering by EC
  • Filtering by signal status
  • Filtering by signal severity
  • Filtering signals by last modified time
  • Filtering by signal duration
  • Filtering by signal owner
  • Filtering by tags
  • Displaying signals not associated with KE
  • Search for signals by name, description and signal ID

# Creation and Closing of Signals

The creation of signals is implemented using automation scripts and special function blocks that work with the Signals public API.

For example, the creation of a signal is carried out using the function CreateSignalExpanded:

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Warning!

Manual creation of signals is not provided by the concept of working with Signals.

The required parameters when creating a signal are:

  • Signal name (string)
  • SIgnal owner (string)

Optional parameters of the signal during creation can be:

  • Criticality (integer)
  • Description (string)
  • Tags (object)
  • Related CIs (array CI IDs)
  • CI Components (if a component is not specified, the signal will be linked to the common component - Common)
  • Tags (array of tag models)
  • Related events (array of event models)

To close an open signal, you need to use the signal filtering function FilterSignalExpanded to find the required signal and get its identifier. To directly close the signal, the corresponding function used is CloseSignal, to which a parameter is passed - the signal identifier.

A complete description of the existing functions for working with signals is available in the documentation section Automation - Functions

# Manual signal creation

To create a Signal manually, go to the Signals management screen and click the Create - Signal button in the upper right corner.

Fill in the creation form values:

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And press the Create Signal button.

After creating the Signal, select the required configuration item in the CI list. If the Signal was created without reference to the CI, set up the filter for displaying Signals without CI accordingly.

# Mass signals closing

Users can close multiple signals manually at once.

To close several signals at once, select the necessary signals and select Close (number of signals) in the context menu.

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# Detailed Signal Information

When you select a signal in the table, the bottom panel displays detailed information about the signal:

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The panel shows extended information about the signal:

  • Signal ID
  • Signal name
  • Signal description
  • Current status
  • Severity level
  • Duration
  • Related configuration items
    • Title
    • Current status
    • Health Information
  • Related Primary Events
    • Event type ( Opening , Confirmed , Closing )
    • Event time
    • Event content
  • Signal labels - in JSON format
  • Related activities
    • Rule
    • Action
    • Notification method
    • Notification text
  • Information about attachments (screenshots of failed automated test runs).
  • Links to external or internal resources
  • Signal tags
  • Information about the signal creator (automation scenario/user)

# Actions on Signal

In the detailed signal information panel, users have access to signal management functions:

  • Managing the linked CIs and components

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  • Closing the signal

Only an open signal can be closed. Once closed signal cannot be reopened.

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  • Ability to share the signal (copy the signal link)

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  • Adding links to the signal (e.g. in the "Knowledge Base").

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  • Managing tags for additional classification