Slack Notifications (Legacy)

Slack Notifications: Real-Time Network Configuration Alerts for rConfig V8

Slack Notifications enable rConfig V8 to send real-time alerts and updates directly to your Slack channels. This integration keeps your team informed of important network events, configuration changes, and system activities without requiring constant monitoring of the rConfig interface.

When to Use This Page

Use this page if you already run the .env Slack integration, or you’re on a version older than V8.4.1. It covers configuration changes and SNMP traps that match a filter with a Send Alert action.

Move to a Slack webhook

In Slack, go to Apps → Incoming Webhooks → Add to Slack, pick the channel, and copy the URL (https://hooks.slack.com/services/…).
In rConfig, go to Settings → Notifications and click Add Slack webhook in the Slack and Microsoft Teams section.
Paste the URL, tick Configuration Changed and SNMP Trap Received (or any other events you want), and click Send test.
Once the test arrives, switch the legacy integration off: set SLACK_ENABLED=false in .env and run php artisan rconfig:clear-all. Otherwise each event posts twice.

The Webhooks page covers event and severity filters, delivery logs and re-sends.

Supported Notification Types

rConfig V8 sends these notification types to Slack:

Notification Type	Description	Availability
Configuration Changes	Alerts when device configurations are modified	rConfig V8+
SNMP Traps	Alerts when a received trap matches a filter with a Send Alert action (SNMP Trap UI Administration)	rConfig V8+
Health Checks	Alerts when system health checks start failing, and again when they recover	V8.4.1+

Prerequisites

Before configuring Slack notifications, ensure you have:

Active Slack workspace with administrative access
Ability to create and install Slack apps
Channel(s) designated for rConfig notifications
Administrator access to rConfig V8

Create Slack App

Step 1: Create New Slack App

Navigate to Slack API Apps
Click Create New App
Select From scratch
Enter app name (e.g., “rConfig Notifications”)
Select your workspace
Click Create App

Step 2: Configure OAuth Permissions

Navigate to OAuth & Permissions in the left sidebar
Scroll to Scopes section
Under Bot Token Scopes, add the following scopes:
- chat:write - Post messages to channels
- chat:write.public - Post messages to public channels without joining

Step 3: Install App to Workspace

Scroll to OAuth Tokens for Your Workspace section
Click Install to Workspace
Review and authorize the requested permissions
After installation, copy the Bot User OAuth Token (starts with xoxb-)

Configure rConfig V8

Step 1: Edit Environment Configuration

Open the rConfig .env file:

vim /var/www/html/rconfig8/current/.env

Step 2: Add Slack Configuration

Add or update the following lines:

# Slack Integration
SLACK_ENABLED=true
SLACK_BOT_USER_OAUTH_TOKEN=xoxb-your-bot-token-here
SLACK_BOT_USER_DEFAULT_CHANNEL=general

Configuration Parameters:

SLACK_ENABLED: Set to true to enable Slack notifications
SLACK_BOT_USER_OAUTH_TOKEN: Bot User OAuth Token from Slack app
SLACK_BOT_USER_DEFAULT_CHANNEL: Default channel name for notifications (without #)

Step 3: Clear Application Cache

Save the file and clear the rConfig cache:

php /var/www/html/rconfig8/current/artisan rconfig:clear-all

Verify the Integration

Check Status in rConfig

Go to Settings → Notifications and scroll to Slack and Microsoft Teams (server configured), marked Legacy. The Slack Notifications panel shows whether Slack is enabled and has a Test Slack Notification button. Every notification goes to the single channel set in SLACK_BOT_USER_DEFAULT_CHANNEL.

Choose which events post

The table above the panels has a Slack switch for Configuration Changed and SNMP Trap Received, both on by default, and from V8.4.1 for Health Check Failed and Health Check Recovered, both off by default. The switches apply to the whole organisation and are locked until Slack is enabled in .env. Changing them needs permission to update settings.

Send a Test Message

Click Test Slack Notification to verify the integration is working correctly. The test posts directly to the configured channel, whether or not any events are switched on.

Expected test message in Slack:

✅ rConfig Slack Test Notification
Generated at Tue, Oct 14, 2025 10:23 AM

Slack test notification from rConfig

Source: https://rconfig.example.com

Notification Examples

Configuration Change Notification

🔔 rConfig Change Notification - core-router-01
Device ID: #123 | Tue, Oct 14, 2025 10:23 AM

🔧 Command: show running-config
🧾 Config Version: 42

📝 Changes Detected:
- ntp server 10.0.0.1
+ ntp server 10.0.0.2

👉 View Complete Configuration

SNMP Trap Notification

🚨 rConfig SNMP Trap Alert
Tue, Oct 14, 2025 11:45 AM

Source IP: 10.1.1.20
Filter: Link Down Alerts
Trap OID: 1.3.6.1.6.3.1.1.5.3
Action: <matched filter action>

SNMP trap alert: Source IP: 10.1.1.20 - Filter: Link Down Alerts - Oid: 1.3.6.1.6.3.1.1.5.3

Trap Payload
{ ...full trap data as JSON... }

Common Gotchas

Never include the # symbol in the channel name. SLACK_BOT_USER_DEFAULT_CHANNEL expects the bare name (general, not #general).
Slack rate-limits to about 1 message per second per channel. All rConfig Slack notifications share one channel (SLACK_BOT_USER_DEFAULT_CHANNEL), with no per-type routing to spread the load, so high-volume events can hit this limit.
The bot must be invited to private channels. Unlike public channels, chat:write.public doesn’t cover private ones, use /invite @rConfig in the channel first.
The cache must be cleared after every .env change. Run php artisan rconfig:clear-all after adding or updating the Slack variables, or the old (or missing) values keep being used.
A working test button does not mean events will post. Events only go out when their Slack switch is on in Settings → Notifications.

Troubleshooting

Test message not appearing in Slack

Check Slack app installation:

Verify app is installed in workspace
Confirm bot has required scopes (chat:write, chat:write.public)
Check bot token is valid and not revoked

Verify rConfig configuration:

# Check if Slack is enabled
grep SLACK_ENABLED /var/www/html/rconfig8/current/.env

# Verify token format (should start with xoxb-)
grep SLACK_BOT_USER_OAUTH_TOKEN /var/www/html/rconfig8/current/.env

Check rConfig logs:

tail -50 /var/www/html/rconfig8/current/storage/logs/laravel-$(date +%F).log | grep -i slack

Messages appear as “App” instead of custom name

Set custom bot name:

Go to Slack app settings
Navigate to Features > App Home
Edit Bot User section
Set display name (e.g., “rConfig Notifications”)
Save changes

Channel not found errors

Verify channel name:

Use channel name without # symbol
Ensure channel exists in workspace
Confirm bot has access to private channels (if applicable)

For private channels:

Invite bot to private channel: /invite @rConfig
Verify bot appears in channel member list

Invalid authentication errors

Check token validity:

Verify token has not been revoked in Slack app settings
Confirm workspace has not changed
Regenerate token if necessary:
1. Go to OAuth & Permissions
2. Click Revoke (if token exists)
3. Click Reinstall to Workspace
4. Copy new token
5. Update .env file

Notifications not sending for specific events

Verify event configuration:

Confirm the event is actually one of the two types Slack notifications cover (configuration changes, SNMP traps), other event types aren’t sent to Slack at all
Check the Slack Notifications panel in Settings → Notifications shows enabled
Confirm the event’s Slack switch is on in the table above that panel. When it’s off, the log shows Slack disabled for <event> by admin
For SNMP traps, confirm the trap matches a filter with a Send Alert action

Check event triggers:

# Review recent events in logs
tail -100 /var/www/html/rconfig8/current/storage/logs/laravel-$(date +%F).log | grep -i notification

Rate limiting issues

Symptoms:

Some notifications not delivered
Delayed notifications
Rate limit errors in logs

Resolution:

Slack limits: 1 message per second per channel
Consider batching notifications for high-volume events
All Slack notifications share one configured channel, there’s no per-type routing to spread load across channels

Security Considerations

Protect bot token: Never commit the bot token to version control or share it publicly. Store it securely in the .env file.

Restrict permissions: Grant only the minimum required scopes to the Slack bot.

Monitor token usage: Regularly review Slack app audit logs for suspicious activity.

Channel access control: Use private channels for sensitive notifications and carefully manage channel membership.

Best Practices

Pick one channel deliberately: All Slack notifications go to the single channel configured in SLACK_BOT_USER_DEFAULT_CHANNEL, there’s no per-notification-type channel routing, so choose a channel appropriate for both configuration-change and SNMP-trap volume.

Set notification schedules: Consider limiting non-critical notifications to business hours.

Test regularly: Periodically send test messages to ensure the integration remains functional.

Document the channel’s purpose: Tell team members which channel receives rConfig notifications and which event types are posted there.

Webhooks - The recommended way to post to Slack from V8.4.1
MS Teams Notifications - Configure MS Teams alerts
Scheduled Tasks - Configure automated operations