What Are Escalation Policies?
Escalation policies define a chain of actions when an alert isn't acknowledged within a specified time. They ensure that critical issues never go unnoticed.
Creating a Policy
Step 1: Define Levels
Navigate to Settings → Escalation Policies → Create Policy.
Each level specifies:
- Who to notify (user or channel group)
- How to notify (which notification channels)
- Wait time before escalating to the next level
Example Policy
| Level | Action | Wait |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Notify on-call engineer via Slack | 5 min |
| 2 | Send SMS + call to on-call engineer | 10 min |
| 3 | Notify team lead via all channels | 15 min |
| 4 | Page engineering manager | 30 min |
Step 2: Assign to Monitors
Apply the policy to specific monitors or monitor groups. Different services can use different policies based on their criticality.
Step 3: Set Acknowledgment Rules
- Auto-resolve: Automatically close if the issue self-heals
- Require acknowledgment: Someone must explicitly acknowledge the alert
- Re-alert: Re-notify if the issue persists after acknowledgment
On-Call Schedules
Pair escalation policies with on-call schedules to route alerts to the right person based on the time of day and day of week.