Where Does Alertmanager Store Config and State?
Alertmanager reads alertmanager.yml for routing plus templates, and persists notification log and silences in its --storage.path data directory between restarts.
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Alertmanager splits durable state from config. The YAML file defines routing trees, receivers, templates, and inhibit rules. The storage directory keeps the notification log and silences that survive restarts.
Reloads preserve state by design, applying new routing while remembering what already fired. That separation means config mistakes cost alerts while state loss costs duplicate pages. Back up both halves on any schedule that matters.
Where Alertmanager stores this, by platform
/etc/alertmanager/alertmanager.yml
Routing config plus templates user managed. Storage path set by flag holds nflog and silences. Back up both for full restores.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reload Alertmanager config?
Send SIGHUP or POST to the reload endpoint after editing alertmanager.yml to apply without dropping state. Config errors log loudly while old config keeps running. Validate with amtool check-config first.
How do I back up Alertmanager state?
Back up the storage.path directory holding nflog and silences alongside alertmanager.yml and templates. Restoring both preserves suppression history. Cluster peers resync from survivors when one member loses state.
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