Exercise - Create an Activity Log alert

This guided project consists of the following exercises:

• Create an action group
• Create a Service Health alert
• Create an Activity Log alert

In this exercise, you create an Activity Log alert that fires when any resource is deleted in your resource group, then review both alert rules to confirm they're configured correctly. This gives your operations team real-time awareness of infrastructure changes.

This exercise includes the following tasks:

• Open the alert creation page
• Configure the alert condition
• Attach the action group and create
• Review alert rule details

Outcome: An Activity Log alert that notifies the team when any resource is deleted in the monitoring resource group.

Task 1: Open the alert creation page

Activity Log alerts monitor Azure management operations such as resource creation, modification, and deletion. Unlike metric alerts, they don't require a running resource to monitor, which makes them free and immediately useful.

1. In the portal search bar, search for Monitor and select Monitor.
2. In the left menu, select Alerts.
3. Select + Create and then select Alert rule.

Task 2: Configure the alert condition

Set up the alert to fire when a resource deletion event occurs in your resource group. This gives the operations team visibility into unexpected changes.

1. For Scope, select Select scope.
2. Filter by resource type Resource groups and select rg-gp-monitoring-alerts. Select Apply.
3. Select the Condition tab.
4. For Signal name, search for and select Delete resource group from the Activity Log signals.
5. Leave the default settings for the signal configuration.

Task 3: Attach the action group and create

Link the alert to your action group and finalize the rule. When a matching Activity Log event occurs, the email notification will fire automatically.

1. Select the Actions tab.
2. Select Select action groups and choose ag-gp-ops-email.
3. Select the Details tab.
4. For Resource group, select rg-gp-monitoring-alerts.
5. For Alert rule name, enter ar-gp-activity-delete.
6. For Severity, select Sev 2 - Warning.
7. Make sure Enable alert rule upon creation is checked.
8. Select Review + create and then select Create.
9. Return to Monitor > Alerts > Alert rules and confirm both alert rules appear in the list.

Task 4: Review alert rule details

Examine the alert rules you created to understand how Azure displays their configuration. In a real operations environment, you would regularly review alert rules to confirm they cover the right signals and notify the right teams.

1. In the alert rules list, select ar-gp-service-health to open its details.
2. Review the Condition section to confirm it monitors Service issue and Planned maintenance events.
3. Review the Actions section to confirm it uses the ag-gp-ops-email action group.
4. Select Back to return to the alert rules list.
5. Select ar-gp-activity-delete and review its condition and action group.
6. Note the Severity level (Sev 2 - Warning) and confirm the rule is Enabled.
7. Select Back to return to the alert rules list.