What is a Nodinite Time Interval?
Master time-based controls in Nodinite with Time Intervals—the foundation for intelligent alert recurrence, data access restrictions, and proactive monitoring strategies. This powerful feature eliminates alert fatigue while ensuring persistent issues receive the attention they deserve.
On this page, you will learn how to:
✅ Define reusable Time Intervals for multiple configurations and monitoring scenarios
✅ Configure intelligent alert recurrence per monitoring state (Error, Warning, OK, etc.)
✅ Restrict Log View data access for compliance, security, and performance
✅ Prevent alert fatigue with state-specific escalation strategies
✅ Build proactive monitoring workflows with flexible time-based automation
Info
A Time Interval is defined by two components: a Quantity (number) and a Unit (minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years). For example: "15 minutes", "1 hour", "7 days". You can reuse the same Time Interval across multiple Time Interval Configurations and Monitor Views for consistent policy enforcement.
Critical escalation") T1h(" 1 Hour
Standard reminder") T1d(" 1 Day
Long-term tracking") T1w(" 1 Week
Compliance window") T30d(" 30 Days
Historical access") T90d(" 90 Days
Audit retention") end subgraph TIC[" Time Interval Configurations"] style TIC fill:#fff3e0,stroke:#f57c00,stroke-width:2px TC1[" Config: Support Team
30 days access"] TC2[" Config: Auditors
90 days access"] TC3[" Config: Business Users
7 days access"] end subgraph LV[" Log Views - Data Access Control"] style LV fill:#e8f5e9,stroke:#388e3c,stroke-width:2px LV1[" Production Logs
Support Team access"] LV2[" Compliance Logs
Auditor access"] LV3[" Business Metrics
Business User access"] end subgraph MV[" Monitor Views - Alert Recurrence"] style MV fill:#f3e5f5,stroke:#7b1fa2,stroke-width:2px MV1[" Critical Systems
Error: 15 min
Warning: 1 hour"] MV2[" Standard Services
Error: 1 hour
OK: 1 day"] MV3[" Background Jobs
Error: 1 day
Warning: 1 week"] end %% Time Interval Configuration connections T30d --> TC1 T90d --> TC2 T1w --> TC3 %% Log View connections TC1 -.->|Restrict to| LV1 TC2 -.->|Restrict to| LV2 TC3 -.->|Restrict to| LV3 %% Monitor View alert recurrence connections T15m ==>|Error alerts| MV1 T1h ==>|Warning alerts| MV1 T1h ==>|Error alerts| MV2 T1d ==>|OK confirmation| MV2 T1d ==>|Error alerts| MV3 T1w ==>|Warning alerts| MV3 style T15m fill:#ffebee,stroke:#c62828,stroke-width:2px style T1h fill:#fff3e0,stroke:#ef6c00,stroke-width:2px style T1d fill:#e3f2fd,stroke:#1565c0,stroke-width:2px style T1w fill:#e8f5e9,stroke:#2e7d32,stroke-width:2px style T30d fill:#f5f5f5,stroke:#616161,stroke-width:2px style T90d fill:#f5f5f5,stroke:#424242,stroke-width:2px
Diagram: Time Intervals power two critical use cases—data access control (Log Views with Time Interval Configurations) and intelligent alert recurrence (Monitor Views with state-specific escalation). The same Time Interval can be reused across multiple configurations for consistency.
Alert Recurrence with Time Intervals
Time Intervals are the foundation of Nodinite's intelligent alert recurrence system. When you enable recurrence for an Alarm Plugin in a Monitor View, you configure how often alerts should be resent for each monitoring state—ensuring persistent problems receive attention without overwhelming your team.
Why Alert Recurrence Matters
Traditional monitoring tools flood teams with thousands of alerts for the same issue. Nodinite takes a smarter approach:
| Challenge | Traditional Approach | Nodinite Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Alert Fatigue | 100+ emails for same queue error | 1 initial alert + periodic reminders using Time Intervals |
| Missed Escalations | Critical issues buried in noise | State-specific intervals: Error = 15 min, Warning = 1 hour |
| Resolution Confirmation | No feedback when fixed | OK state alerts confirm resolution at configured intervals |
| Business Alignment | One-size-fits-all | Different intervals per Monitor View priority |
How Alert Recurrence Works
When you configure alert recurrence in a Monitor View:
- Select Monitoring States - Choose which states trigger recurring alerts (Error, Warning, OK, Unavailable, Connection Error)
- Assign Time Intervals - For each state, select a Time Interval defining how often alerts should be resent
- Automatic Escalation - Nodinite Monitoring Service automatically resends alerts at the configured intervals while the state persists
(Time Interval) MS->>AP: Resend alert (recurrence) AP->>Team: REMINDER: Payment Gateway Still Down Note over MS: Another 15 minutes
(Time Interval) MS->>AP: Resend alert (recurrence) AP->>Team: REMINDER: Payment Gateway Still Down Note over MV: Resource returns to OK MV->>MS: State change to OK MS->>AP: Trigger resolution alert AP->>Team: RESOLVED: Payment Gateway Online
Sequence diagram: Time Intervals control automatic alert recurrence for persistent issues, ensuring teams stay informed without alert fatigue.
Configuring Alert Recurrence Per State
Each monitoring state can have its own Time Interval, allowing you to prioritize urgent issues:
| State | Icon | Recommended Interval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Error | 15 minutes | Critical issues requiring immediate escalation | |
| Warning | 1 hour | Important issues that can wait for resolution | |
| OK | 4 hours or 1 day | Confirmation that issues are resolved | |
| Unavailable | 30 minutes | Monitoring agent connectivity issues | |
| Connection Error | 15 minutes | Critical connectivity failures |
Tip
Escalation Strategy Best Practices:
- Critical systems: Error = 15 min, Warning = 1 hour
- Standard services: Error = 1 hour, Warning = 4 hours
- Background jobs: Error = 1 day, Warning = 1 week
- Always confirm resolution: Configure OK state alerts to verify fixes
Real-World Alert Recurrence Example
Scenario: Production payment gateway monitoring
Configuration:
- Monitor View: "Payment Gateway - Production"
- Alarm Plugin: E-mail with options
- Recurrence enabled with Time Intervals:
| State | Time Interval | Business Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Error | 15 minutes | Revenue impact—immediate escalation required |
| Warning | 1 hour | Performance degradation—monitor before escalation |
| OK | 4 hours | Confirm stability after resolution |
What Happens:
- 10:00 AM - Payment gateway enters Error state (API timeout)
- Initial alert sent: "CRITICAL: Payment Gateway Down"
- 10:15 AM - Still in Error state
- Recurring alert sent: "REMINDER (15 min): Payment Gateway Still Down"
- 10:30 AM - Still in Error state
- Recurring alert sent: "REMINDER (30 min): Payment Gateway Still Down"
- 10:35 AM - Resource returns to OK state
- Resolution alert sent: "RESOLVED: Payment Gateway Online"
- 2:35 PM - Still in OK state (4 hours later)
- Confirmation alert sent: "CONFIRMED OK: Payment Gateway Stable for 4 Hours"
Result: Team receives 5 targeted alerts instead of 35+ alerts from traditional monitoring. No alert fatigue, clear escalation path, confirmation of resolution.
Per-Monitor View Configuration
Time Intervals for alert recurrence are configured per Monitor View, not globally. This allows different escalation strategies based on business criticality:
- Production systems: Aggressive recurrence (15 min Error, 1 hour Warning)
- Test environments: Relaxed recurrence (1 hour Error, 1 day Warning)
- Background batch jobs: Minimal recurrence (1 day Error, 1 week Warning)
Learn how to configure alert recurrence in Monitor Views →
The IsRecurring Flag in Alert Payloads
When Nodinite sends a recurring alert, it includes an IsRecurring flag in the alert payload (XML for email, JSON for webhooks). This allows you to customize alert content based on whether it's the first alert or a reminder:
Email Alarm Plugins (XML):
<AlarmObject>
<IsRecurring>true</IsRecurring>
<!-- Other alarm data -->
</AlarmObject>
Webhook Alarm Plugin (JSON):
{
"IsRecurring": true,
// Other alarm data
}
Use Case: In your Stylesheet or webhook handler, you can display different content:
- First alert (
IsRecurring = false): "NEW ISSUE: Payment Gateway Down - Investigate immediately" - Recurring alert (
IsRecurring = true): "RECURRING ISSUE (15 min): Payment Gateway Still Down - Escalate to senior engineer"
Learn how to use the IsRecurring flag in stylesheets →
Data Access Control with Time Intervals
Beyond alert recurrence, Time Intervals control how far back Users can search historical data in Log Views. This enforces compliance, security, and performance policies:
Why Restrict Data Access?
| Reason | Business Impact | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance | GDPR/HIPAA requires data retention limits | Restrict access to "Last 90 days" using Time Interval Configurations |
| Security | Sensitive data should not be accessible indefinitely | Limit user access to "Last 30 days" |
| Performance | Searching years of data degrades query performance | Enforce "Last 7 days" for business users |
| Role-based Access | Auditors need more history than operators | Support Team: 30 days, Auditors: 90 days, Business: 7 days |
How Data Access Control Works
- Create Time Intervals - Define access windows (7 days, 30 days, 90 days)
- Build Time Interval Configurations - Combine multiple Time Intervals for flexible policies
- Assign to Log Views - Restrict Log View data access using Time Interval Configurations
- Enforce Access - Users can only search within their assigned time windows
Learn more about Time Interval Configurations →
Reusability and Consistency
Time Intervals are designed for reuse across your entire Nodinite environment:
Single Definition, Multiple Uses
A Time Interval like "15 minutes" can be used in:
- Monitor View A: Error state recurrence for critical payment systems
- Monitor View B: Warning state recurrence for standard APIs
- Monitor View C: Connection Error recurrence for database monitoring
Centralized Management
Change a Time Interval's value in one place, and it updates everywhere it's used:
- Before: "15 minutes" used in 10 Monitor Views
- Change: Adjust to "10 minutes" for faster escalation
- After: All 10 Monitor Views automatically use "10 minutes"
Consistency Across Teams
Enforce organizational standards:
- Policy: "Critical systems must resend Error alerts every 15 minutes"
- Implementation: All critical Monitor Views use the same "15 minutes" Time Interval
- Compliance: Single source of truth ensures policy adherence
Time Interval Use Cases
1. Alert Recurrence for Critical Systems
Business Need: Payment gateway failures cost $10,000 per hour. Ensure immediate escalation.
Solution:
- Create Time Interval: "15 minutes"
- Monitor View: "Payment Gateway - Production"
- Recurrence: Error state = "15 minutes"
- Result: Team receives reminders every 15 minutes until resolved
2. Compliance-Driven Data Retention
Business Need: GDPR requires log data older than 90 days to be inaccessible.
Solution:
- Create Time Interval: "90 days"
- Time Interval Configuration: "GDPR Compliance" with 90-day limit
- Assign to all Log Views containing personal data
- Result: Users cannot search beyond 90 days, ensuring compliance
3. Role-Based Log Access
Business Need: Support team needs 30 days of history, auditors need 90 days, business users need 7 days.
Solution:
- Create Time Intervals: "7 days", "30 days", "90 days"
- Time Interval Configuration 1: "Support Team Access" (30 days)
- Time Interval Configuration 2: "Auditor Access" (90 days)
- Time Interval Configuration 3: "Business User Access" (7 days)
- Assign configurations based on user roles
- Result: Each team sees only the data they need
4. Escalation by System Priority
Business Need: Different systems have different SLAs and escalation requirements.
Solution:
| System | Priority | Error Interval | Warning Interval | OK Interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payment Gateway | Critical | 15 minutes | 1 hour | 4 hours |
| Customer Portal | High | 30 minutes | 2 hours | 1 day |
| Reporting Service | Medium | 1 hour | 4 hours | 1 day |
| Batch Jobs | Low | 1 day | 1 week | N/A |
Result: Alert frequency matches business impact, eliminating alert fatigue while ensuring critical issues get immediate attention.
Next Step
How to add or manage a Time Interval
What is a Time Interval Configuration
Configure alert recurrence in Monitor Views
Related Topics
Time Interval Management
Time Intervals Overview
Time Interval Configurations
Alert Configuration
Alarm Plugins - Configure email, webhook, and event log alerts
Monitor Views - Create monitoring dashboards with alert recurrence
E-mail with options - Advanced email alerts with recurrence
HTTP Webhook - Webhook alerts with recurrence
Data Access
Log Views - Historical log data search with time restrictions
Users - Role-based access control
Monitoring Strategy
Monitoring Service - Automatic alert distribution engine
Stylesheets - Customize alert content with IsRecurring flag
Alarm Plugin Object XML - Understanding alert payload structure