Escalation question

[BanditBBS]

This directive is used to determine the interval at which notifications should be made while this escalation is valid. If you specify a value of 0 for the interval, Nagios will send the first notification when this escalation definition is valid, but will then prevent any more problem notifications from being sent out for the host. Notifications are sent out again until the host recovers.

HUH?

I really wish I could leave this blank and it would just use the interval already set for the host or service. Using my On-call handling method, everything is being done through escalations which means I either have to have hundreds or different escalations, or make everything for specific on call groups have the same notification intervals.

My question about the quoted documentation is this:
1.) Should the last sentence say "are not" instead of "are"
2.) "but will then prevent any more problem notifications from being sent out for the host" - Does that mean for everyone or just who is covered by that escalation?

My final question:
escalation 1 alerts Joe starting with notification 1 and 0 for last notification
escalation 2 alerts Sam starting with escalation 2 and 0 for last notification
escalation 3 alerts Mike starting with escalation 3 and 0 for last notification

When 2nd escalation becomes active and alerts Sam, the 1st one is still active and alerts Joe as well, right? or do I need to add Joe to escalation 2 and Joe and Sam to escalation 3?

[abrist]

1.) Should the last sentence say "are not" instead of "are"

It should say "are not" or "Notifications are sent out again once the host recovers."

2.) "but will then prevent any more problem notifications from being sent out for the host" - Does that mean for everyone or just who is covered by that escalation?

Only those contacts covered by the escalation that had the value "0" declared for "notification_interval".

When 2nd escalation becomes active and alerts Sam, the 1st one is still active and alerts Joe as well, right? or do I need to add Joe to escalation 2 and Joe and Sam to escalation 3?

They will continue to receive notifications as you have set "0 for last notification".

Setting this value to 0 means to keep using this escalation entry forever (no matter how many notifications go out).

That is, at least, until the host/service recovers.
http://nagios.sourceforge.net/docs/3_0/ ... escalation
http://nagios.sourceforge.net/docs/3_0/ ... escalation

[BanditBBS]

Thanks for clearing that up.

FYI, that typo in the instructions is in both Host and Service Escalations.

[abrist]

Good catch. I have already submitted a documentation bug report to tracker.nagios.org. Cheers.