Playbook for Complex Alerts Example – Database Connection Failures

Playbook Name: Database Connection Failure Investigation and Response
Date Created: November 7, 2024
Date Updated: November 7, 2024
Author: Kevin McCaffrey
Assigned Owner: [Team Member’s Name]

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Alert Details

• Alert Type: Database Connection Failure
• Trigger: Multiple failed connection attempts detected within a 5-minute window
• Monitoring Tool: Amazon CloudWatch / AWS RDS Monitoring
• Severity Level: Critical

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Objectives

• Identify and resolve the root cause of the database connection failure.
• Minimize downtime and restore database connectivity.
• Document findings and actions taken.

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Response Process

1. Acknowledge the Alert

• Action: Log into the incident management tool (e.g., AWS Systems Manager Incident Manager) and acknowledge the alert.
• Criteria for Success: Alert status changes to “Acknowledged,” and team members are informed of the incident.

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Step 2: Initial Investigation

2.1 Check Database Status

• Action: Verify if the database instance is available and running. Use the AWS Management Console or AWS CLI to check the status.
• Tools: AWS RDS Console, AWS CLI
• Decision Point:
  • If the database is down: Proceed to Step 3.
  • If the database is up: Continue to Step 2.2.

2.2 Review Recent Changes

• Action: Check for any recent deployments, configuration changes, or scheduled maintenance activities that could be affecting connectivity.
• Tools: Deployment logs, change management system
• Decision Point:
  • If changes were made: Roll back or apply a fix as appropriate. Then, skip to Step 6.
  • If no changes were made: Proceed to Step 2.3.

2.3 Inspect Connection Logs

• Action: Review database connection logs for patterns or specific error messages. Look for:
  • Connection timeout errors
  • Authentication issues
  • Network-related errors
• Tools: AWS RDS Logs, CloudWatch Logs
• Decision Point:
  • If specific errors are identified: Document them and proceed to Step 4.
  • If no clear errors are found: Proceed to Step 3.

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Step 3: Check Network and Security Settings

3.1 Verify Security Group and VPC Settings

• Action: Check the security group rules to ensure that the appropriate ports are open and that the database is accessible from the required sources.
• Tools: AWS VPC Console, AWS Security Groups
• Criteria for Success: Security settings are correctly configured.

3.2 Test Network Connectivity

• Action: Use tools like telnet, nc, or AWS Connectivity Tests to check if the application can reach the database endpoint.
• Tools: Network troubleshooting tools, AWS VPC Reachability Analyzer
• Decision Point:
  • If network issues are found: Resolve them (e.g., update security group rules or VPC configurations) and skip to Step 6.
  • If no network issues are found: Proceed to Step 4.

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Step 4: Investigate Database Load and Resource Utilization

4.1 Check for High Load or Resource Bottlenecks

• Action: Review metrics such as CPU utilization, memory usage, and disk I/O to see if resource exhaustion is causing the issue.
• Tools: AWS RDS Performance Insights, CloudWatch
• Decision Point:
  • If resource issues are detected: Scale the database instance or optimize queries as needed. Then, skip to Step 6.
  • If no resource issues are detected: Proceed to Step 5.

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Step 5: Deep Dive into Application Logs

5.1 Review Application Logs for Errors

• Action: Check the logs of the application(s) trying to connect to the database for any error messages or anomalies.
• Tools: Application logging system (e.g., CloudWatch Logs, ELK Stack)
• Decision Point:
  • If application issues are identified: Implement a fix or rollback the latest changes. Then, proceed to Step 6.
  • If no issues are found: Proceed to Escalation.

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Step 6: Validate and Restore

6.1 Validate Database Connectivity

• Action: Confirm that the database is accessible from the application and that there are no further errors.
• Criteria for Success: Database connectivity is restored, and no errors are being logged.

6.2 Monitor for Recurrence

• Action: Set up enhanced monitoring for the next 24 hours to ensure the issue does not reoccur.
• Tools: CloudWatch Alarms, AWS RDS Enhanced Monitoring

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Step 7: Documentation and Communication

7.1 Document Findings

• Action: Record the root cause, actions taken, and the resolution in the incident management system.
• Tools: AWS Systems Manager Incident Manager
• Criteria for Success: Incident report is completed and accessible to the team.

7.2 Notify Stakeholders

• Action: Inform relevant teams and stakeholders of the incident resolution and any follow-up actions.
• Communication Tools: Email, Slack, or AWS SNS

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Step 8: Escalation (if necessary)

• Escalate to: Database Administrator (DBA) or Infrastructure Team
• Criteria for Escalation: If the database connection cannot be restored within 30 minutes or if additional expertise is required.
• Contact Information: [DBA Contact Details]

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Supporting Tools and Resources

• AWS RDS Console
• AWS CLI
• Network Troubleshooting Tools
• AWS VPC Reachability Analyzer
• AWS Systems Manager Incident Manager

Review and Maintenance

• Review Frequency: Quarterly
• Owner Responsible for Updates: Playbook Author

End of Playbook