Step by Step guide to correctly create alerts via New Relic API

curl -X GET 'https://api.newrelic.com/v2/applications.json'   -H 'Api-Key: NRAK-3T8WTXSP4KJSLMG74WHR5I3SSY9'   -H 'Content-Type: application/json'

  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100   799    0   799    0     0    809      0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:--   811{"applications":[{"id":1508171253,"name":"devopsschool","language":"java","health_status":"red","reporting":false,"settings":{"app_apdex_threshold":0.5,"end_user_apdex_threshold":7.0,"enable_real_user_monitoring":true,"use_server_side_config":false},"links":{"application_instances":[],"servers":[],"application_hosts":[]}}],"links":{"application.servers":"/v2/servers?ids={server_ids}","application.server":"/v2/servers/{server_id}","application.application_hosts":"/v2/application/{application_id}/hosts?ids={host_ids}","application.application_host":"/v2/application/{application_id}/hosts/{host_id}","application.application_instances":"/v2/application/{application_id}/instances?ids={instance_ids}","application.application_instance":"/v2/application/{application_id}/instances/{instance_id}"}}
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Here’s a step-by-step guide to correctly create alerts via New Relic API, with proper handling of:

• type
• condition_scope
• entities
• metric

This will help you avoid common errors like using the wrong entity type or unsupported metrics.

✅ STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO NEW RELIC ALERT API SETUP

🔹 STEP 1: Decide the Alert Use Case

What are you monitoring?

🔹 STEP 2: Find the Correct Entity (ID or GUID)

🔸 For APM App: Use numeric App ID

curl -X GET 'https://api.newrelic.com/v2/applications.json' \
  -H 'Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY'
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Use id from the output in entities: [YOUR_APP_ID].

🔸 For Infrastructure (Host): Use hostname or tag via where_clause

🔹 STEP 3: Choose the Right type, condition_scope, and metric

✅ APM (Application Metrics)

curl -X POST 'https://api.newrelic.com/v2/alerts_conditions/policies/<policy_id>.json' \
  -H 'Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "condition": {
      "type": "apm_app_metric",
      "name": "Error Rate Alert",
      "enabled": true,
      "condition_scope": "application",
      "entities": [1508171253],
      "metric": "error_percentage",
      "terms": [
        {
          "duration": "5",
          "operator": "above",
          "priority": "critical",
          "threshold": "5",
          "time_function": "all"
        }
      ]
    }
  }'
Code language: PHP (php)

✅ Allowed APM Metrics:

• apdex
• error_percentage
• response_time_web
• response_time_background
• throughput_web
• throughput_background

✅ Infrastructure Host Metrics

curl -X POST 'https://api.newrelic.com/v2/alerts_conditions.json' \
  -H 'Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "condition": {
      "type": "infra_metric",
      "name": "High CPU Usage on Host",
      "enabled": true,
      "policy_id": 6269799,
      "event_type": "SystemSample",
      "select_value": "cpuPercent",
      "comparison": "above",
      "critical_threshold": {
        "value": 80,
        "duration_minutes": 5,
        "time_function": "all"
      },
      "where_clause": "hostname = '\''ip-10-0-0-1'\''"
    }
  }'
Code language: PHP (php)

✅ Common Infra Metrics (event_type: SystemSample)

• cpuPercent
• memoryUsedBytes
• diskUsedPercent
• loadAverageOneMinute

✅ Synthetics Monitor Example

curl -X POST 'https://api.newrelic.com/v2/alerts_synthetics_conditions/policies/<policy_id>.json' \
  -H 'Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "synthetics_condition": {
      "name": "Ping Failure",
      "monitor_id": "your-monitor-id",
      "enabled": true,
      "runbook_url": "",
      "terms": [
        {
          "duration": "5",
          "operator": "above",
          "priority": "critical",
          "threshold": "0",
          "time_function": "all"
        }
      ]
    }
  }'
Code language: PHP (php)

🔹 STEP 4: Test the Entity Type (Optional)

If unsure whether an entity is valid for APM alert:

{
  actor {
    entity(guid: "GUID_HERE") {
      name
      domain
      type
      guid
    }
  }
}
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Use via: https://api.newrelic.com/graphiql

📘 Summary Reference Table

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