Database Usage Notifications

The Database Usage Notifications page allows Organization Admins to configure forecasting notification rules for database usage thresholds. This offers Admins responsible for managing database usage an efficient, automated, means to track what's coming in at the organization level. It is particularly beneficial for organizations operating across a high number of databases.

Database usage notification rules can be defined based on one or more database(s) or individual database fields. Each rule can have one or more customizable currency or GB thresholds and may be set to monitor active, ECA, or suspended data based on peak billable size. When a threshold is hit, an email notification is sent to all Organization Admins.

Requirements

You must be an Organization Admin to create, edit, delete, and receive database usage notifications

How it works

All database usage notification rules are created and managed from the organization’s  Database Usage Notifications page.

To access this page, go to Organization Home > Database Sizes > Data Usage Notifications.

Rule options

When creating a rule, you must specify:

• Databases: The database(s) the rule applies to. You may select databases by name or choose to have Everlaw dynamically monitor them based on database field values.
• Unit Type: Whether the rule tracks GB or currency thresholds

  Note

  Everlaw does not track your organization’s billing rates. If you select currency as your unit type, you must enter your rates manually to calculate the estimated cost.

• Threshold(s):
  • The rule’s threshold value(s) (e.g. 30GB, 40GB)
  • Whether the threshold should trigger when the total value across all applicable databases exceeds the limit (sum of) or when any individual database (any of) exceeds it. The latter option is only relevant if the rule applies to multiple databases.

For detailed instructions on how to create a rule, go to Create a usage notification.

For examples of how the resulting emails will appear, go to Example emails.

Notification timing and frequency

The following conditions outline when and how often Everlaw checks your databases against usage notification rules and sends notifications: 

• Everlaw runs database usage notification checks approximately every 24 hours, starting at midnight US Eastern Time (5am UTC). These checks are run in a queue, so they may not be immediate.

• On the first of every monthly billing period, Everlaw sends a notification alerting you of each instance (database or database field value) for which a rule threshold has been met. If the rule monitors multiple databases and is configured to apply to “any of” the selected databases, you will receive a separate notification for each database that surpasses the threshold.

Example: Let’s say you set a rule’s thresholds to 80GB, 95GB, and 100GB. At the beginning of the billing month, usage associated with that individual rule is already at 98GB. In this case, you will be sent notifications at the beginning of the month stating that the 80GB and 95GB thresholds have been reached.

• If multiple thresholds have been set on a given rule, you will only be notified once per billing month for each threshold number set on a given rule. 

Example: Let’s say you set a rule’s thresholds to 30GB and 40GB. In month 2, usage associated with that individual rule hits 35GB, dips down to 29GB, and ultimately swings back up to 38GB. In this scenario, you will be notified the first time usage exceeds 30GB; however, the dip below that 30GB will not result in a new notification when 30GB is exceeded in that same month. Rather, the next notification would not be sent until the next threshold (40GB) is hit or a new billing month begins.

Create a usage notification rule

To create a database usage notification:

1. Go to Organization Home > Database Sizes > Data Usage Notifications.
   
2. Select + New notification rule.
   
   This opens a menu with two options.
3. Choose between:
   
   • Set by database, which allows you to select one or more databases
   • Set by database field, which allows you to use an existing database field’s values to monitor groups of databases
     
     This opens the New notification rule panel.
     

4. In the Rule name field, enter a name that will help you identify the rule moving forward.
5. Select your database or database fields:
   

   Note

   The form fields available to you in this step are dependent on your earlier selection of either Set by database or Set by database field.

   • [If you selected Set by database] In the Databases field, select one or more databases to check against the rule.
     
     OR
   • [If you selected Set by database field] In the Database field field, choose a single database field to check against the rule. Then select one or more of the associated values from the Field values field.
     

6. In the Rule unit field, choose whether you want to be notified when the threshold you define below hits a specific currency limit or size (GB) limit.
   If you chose Currency, choose your currency from the list provided or enter a custom currency value.
7. To determine at exactly what point to send a notification for the rule, set the rule’s THRESHOLD(s):
   1. In the Notify when field, choose between:
      • Sum of: This target is hit when the sum total of all selected databases or database field values exceeds your threshold value.
      • Any of: This target is hit when any one of the selected databases or database field values exceeds your threshold value.
        
   2. Enter your threshold value (GB / currency).
      
   3. [Optional] To set additional threshold(s), select the plus button.
      

      Note

      We recommend setting multiple thresholds as a way to stagger notifications and manage your own expectations so that you’re not surprised when a final threshold is hit (e.g. notify at 30GB, 40GB, 50GB).

8. In the Data to monitor field, select one or more of the following data types to count toward your threshold:
   
   • Active
   • ECA
   • Suspended
     
     If you chose currency as the rule unit, you must also enter your organization’s data rate for each selected data type.
     
9. Select Create.
   The panel closes and your new rule appears in the table on the Data Usage Notifications page.
   

Example emails

The examples below are representative of the emails you can expect to receive when a rule’s threshold is exceeded.

Example 1 (GB)

Example 2  (Currency)

Edit a rule

Editing a rule impacts the rule for all Admins.

To edit an existing rule:

1. Go to your organization’s Data Usage Notifications page.
2. In the table, select the edit button associated with the rule you want to edit.
   
   This opens the rule editing panel for that rule.

3. Modify the fields as needed. (For details about each field, refer to the above instructions on creating a notification.)
4. When ready, select Save.

Disable or re-enable a rule

Disabling or re-enabling a rule impacts the rule for all Admins.

To temporarily disable or re-enable an existing rule:

1. Go to your organization’s Data Usage Notifications page.
2. In the table, select the Enable column’s switch associated with the rule you want to disable or re-enable.
   

Delete a rule

Deleting a rule deletes the rule for all Admins.

To delete a rule:

1. Go to your organization’s Data Usage Notifications page.
2. In the table, select the delete button associated with the rule you want to delete.