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Zulip Datadog Integration

#datadog #zulip

Zulip Datadog Integration

This is to record my findings during the research for Zulip Datadog integration.

TL;DR is at the end

Slack Compatible Incoming Webhook

Might be used for custom format message on Slack too though I have not tested that

Also the formatting on Zulip is still limited and not to mention the translation of Slack message formatting to Zulip one

After testing this I go for native one instead

To integrate Datadog with Zulip, the webhook integration on Datadog should be used

And the payload can be sent to one of your Zulip organization's endpoint which is either:

  • Slack Compatible Incoming Webhook
  • Zulip Native API - Send Message Endpoint

References

URL
https://your_org.zulipchat.com/api/v1/external/slack_incoming?api_key=your_bot_api_key&stream=your_stream_name

Monitor Notification

The following one only tested for Monitor Notification

Not sure what else a webhook can be used for

Example Payload
Example JSON payload with similar format to DataDog Slack Integration one

Can be verified via https://app.slack.com/block-kit-builder

{
    "blocks": [
        {
            "type": "section",
            "text": {
                "type": "mrkdwn",
                "text": "<https://duck.com|Triggered: CPU load is very high on your.host.name -  - [non China]>"
            }
        },
        {
            "type": "section",
            "text": {
                "type": "mrkdwn",
                "text": "Check CPU usage just in case  @slack-datadog"
            }
        },
        {
            "type": "section",
            "text": {
                "type": "mrkdwn",
                "text": "system.cpu.user over host:your.host.name was > 70.0 on average during the last 5m."
            }
        },
        {
            "type": "section",
            "text": {
                "type": "mrkdwn",
                "text": "Metric value: 84.513"
            },
            "fields": [
                {
                    "type": "mrkdwn",
                    "text": "*Tags*\nhost:your.host.name"
                },
                {
                    "type": "mrkdwn",
                    "text": "*Notified*\n@slack-datadog"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "type": "image",
            "image_url": "http://placekitten.com/700/500",
            "alt_text": "Multiple cute kittens"
        }
    ]
}
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Actual Payload

{
    "blocks": [
        {
            "type": "header",
            "text": {
                "type": "mrkdwn",
                "text": "TEST MESSAGE ONLY"
            }
        },
        {
            "type": "section",
            "text": {
                "type": "mrkdwn",
                "text": "<$LINK|$EVENT_TITLE>"
            }
        },
        {
            "type": "section",
            "text": {
                "type": "mrkdwn",
                "text": "$EVENT_MSG"
            }
        },
        {
            "type": "section",
            "text": {
                "type": "mrkdwn",
                "text": "$ALERT_STATUS"
            }
        },
        {
            "type": "section",
            "text": {
                "type": "mrkdwn",
                "text": "Metric value: {{value}}"
            },
            "fields": [
                {
                    "type": "mrkdwn",
                    "text": "*Tags*\nhost:$HOSTNAME"
                },
                {
                    "type": "mrkdwn",
                    "text": "*Name of the metric*\n$ALERT_METRIC"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "type": "image",
            "image_url": "$SNAPSHOT",
            "alt_text": "$ALERT_METRIC: {{value}}"
        }
    ]
}
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Zulip Native API - Send Message Endpoint

Notice: due to an issue in Markdown image syntax implementation

it's impossible to put inline image in one message with presence of other content

(only shows and image in link format when one message contains only the link for an image)

URL
https://your_bot_email_address:your_bot_api_key@your_org.zulipchat.com/api/v1/messages

Monitor Notification

Example Payload

{
  "type": "stream",
  "to": "your_stream_name",
  "topic": "Castle",
  "content": "I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts."
}
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Message Topic

$ALERT_TITLE

Message Content 

[$EVENT_TITLE]($LINK)

$EVENT_MSG

**Alert Status**
$ALERT_STATUS

[$ALERT_METRIC Snapshot]($SNAPSHOT)"
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Actual Payload
This is webhook payload content be sent in encoded form

(Check Encode as form when creating Datadog Webhook, Zulip API requires it)

JSON disallows multiline strings so \n is used instead

{
  "type": "stream",
  "to": "your_stream_name",
  "topic": "$ALERT_TITLE",
  "content": "[$EVENT_TITLE]($LINK)\n\n$EVENT_MSG\n\n**Alert Status**\n$ALERT_STATUS\n\n$ALERT_METRIC Snapshot Image:\n$SNAPSHOT"
}
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References

TL;DR

It seems using Zulip Native API - Send Message Endpoint is better for Datadog integration

Though the current status of Zulip image handling is frustrating

The general formatting of messages also needs significant improvement to be "nice/comfortable to use"

I will keep on finding a better messaging solution with channel/stream first design

And maybe find another solution or fallbacks to Slack for service related notifications

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