Not able to get alerts when kapacitor configured for remote influxdb node

Question

When I tried localhost in url setting inside influxdb setting of kapacitor.conf then I am able to get the alerts properly.

But when I tried to point url to some remote location in infludb configuratin section then I am not able to get any alert et all.

Can anybody help me there ?

Please find below the kapacitor.conf file:

# The hostname of this node.
# Must be resolvable by any configured InfluxDB hosts.
hostname = "localhost"
# Directory for storing a small amount of metadata about the server.
data_dir = "/var/lib/kapacitor"

[http]
  # HTTP API Server for Kapacitor
  # This server is always on,
  # it servers both as a write endpoint
  # and as the API endpoint for all other
  # Kapacitor calls.
  bind-address = ":9092"
  auth-enabled = false
  log-enabled = true
  write-tracing = false
  pprof-enabled = false
  https-enabled = false
  https-certificate = "/etc/ssl/kapacitor.pem"

[logging]
    # Destination for logs
    # Can be a path to a file or 'STDOUT', 'STDERR'.
    file = "/var/log/kapacitor/kapacitor.log"
    # Logging level can be one of:
    # DEBUG, INFO, WARN, ERROR, or OFF
    level = "INFO"

[replay]
  # Where to store replay files, aka recordings.
  dir = "/var/lib/kapacitor/replay"

[task]
  # Where to store the tasks database
  dir = "/var/lib/kapacitor/tasks"
  # How often to snapshot running task state.
  snapshot-interval = "60s"

[deadman]
  # Configure a deadman's switch
  # Globally configure deadman's switches on all stream tasks.
  # NOTE: for this to be of use you must also globally configure at least one alerting method.
  global = false
  # Threshold, if globally configured the alert will be triggered if the throughput in points/interval is <= threshold.
  threshold = 0.0
  # Interval, if globally configured the frequency at which to check the throughput.
  interval = "10s"
  # Id -- the alert Id, NODE_NAME will be replaced with the name of the node being monitored.
  id = "node 'NODE_NAME' in task '{{ .TaskName }}'"
  # The message of the alert. INTERVAL will be replaced by the interval.
  message = "{{ .ID }} is {{ if eq .Level \"OK\" }}alive{{ else }}dead{{ end }}: {{ index .Fields \"collected\" | printf \"%0.3f\" }} points/INTERVAL."


# Multiple InfluxDB configurations can be defined.
# Exactly one must be marked as the default.
# Each one will be given a name and can be referenced in batch queries and InfluxDBOut nodes.
[[influxdb]]
  # Connect to an InfluxDB cluster
  # Kapacitor can subscribe, query and write to this cluster.
  # Using InfluxDB is not required and can be disabled.
  enabled = true
  default = true
  name = "localhost"
  urls = ["http://remote_ip:8086"]
  #urls = ["http://localhost:8086"]
  username = ""
  password = ""
  timeout = 0
  # Absolute path to pem encoded CA file.
  # A CA can be provided without a key/cert pair
  #   ssl-ca = "/etc/kapacitor/ca.pem"
  # Absolutes paths to pem encoded key and cert files.
  #   ssl-cert = "/etc/kapacitor/cert.pem"
  #   ssl-key = "/etc/kapacitor/key.pem"

  # Do not verify the TLS/SSL certificate.
  # This is insecure.
  insecure-skip-verify = false

  # Subscriptions use the UDP network protocl.
  # The following options of for the created UDP listeners for each subscription.
  # Number of packets to buffer when reading packets off the socket.
  udp-buffer = 1000
  # The size in bytes of the OS read buffer for the UDP socket.
  # A value of 0 indicates use the OS default.
  udp-read-buffer = 0

  [influxdb.subscriptions]
    # Set of databases and retention policies to subscribe to.
    # If empty will subscribe to all, minus the list in
    # influxdb.excluded-subscriptions
    #
    # Format
    # db_name = <list of retention policies>
    #
    # Example:
    # my_database = [ "default", "longterm" ]
  [influxdb.excluded-subscriptions]
    # Set of databases and retention policies to exclude from the subscriptions.
    # If influxdb.subscriptions is empty it will subscribe to all
    # except databases listed here.
    #
    # Format
    # db_name = <list of retention policies>
    #
    # Example:
    # my_database = [ "default", "longterm" ]

[smtp]
  # Configure an SMTP email server
  # Will use TLS and authentication if possible
  # Only necessary for sending emails from alerts.
  enabled = false
  host = "localhost"
  port = 25
  username = ""
  password = ""
  # From address for outgoing mail
  from = ""
  # List of default To addresses.
  # to = ["[email protected]"]

  # Skip TLS certificate verify when connecting to SMTP server
  no-verify = false
  # Close idle connections after timeout
  idle-timeout = "30s"

  # If true the all alerts will be sent via Email
  # without explicity marking them in the TICKscript.
  global = false
  # Only applies if global is true.
  # Sets all alerts in state-changes-only mode,
  # meaning alerts will only be sent if the alert state changes.
  state-changes-only = false

[opsgenie]
    # Configure OpsGenie with your API key and default routing key.
    enabled = false
    # Your OpsGenie API Key.
    api-key = ""
    # Default OpsGenie teams, can be overridden per alert.
    # teams = ["team1", "team2"]
    # Default OpsGenie recipients, can be overridden per alert.
    # recipients = ["recipient1", "recipient2"]
    # The OpsGenie API URL should not need to be changed.
    url = "https://api.opsgenie.com/v1/json/alert"
    # The OpsGenie Recovery URL, you can change this
    # based on which behavior you want a recovery to
    # trigger (Add Notes, Close Alert, etc.)
    recovery_url = "https://api.opsgenie.com/v1/json/alert/note"
    # If true then all alerts will be sent to OpsGenie
    # without explicity marking them in the TICKscript.
    # The team and recipients can still be overridden.
    global = false

[victorops]
  # Configure VictorOps with your API key and default routing key.
  enabled = false
  # Your VictorOps API Key.
  api-key = ""
  # Default VictorOps routing key, can be overridden per alert.
  routing-key = ""
  # The VictorOps API URL should not need to be changed.
  url = "https://alert.victorops.com/integrations/generic/20131114/alert"
  # If true the all alerts will be sent to VictorOps
  # without explicity marking them in the TICKscript.
  # The routing key can still be overridden.
  global = false

[pagerduty]
  # Configure PagerDuty.
  enabled = false
  # Your PagerDuty Service Key.
  service-key = ""
  # The PagerDuty API URL should not need to be changed.
  url = "https://events.pagerduty.com/generic/2010-04-15/create_event.json"
  # If true the all alerts will be sent to PagerDuty
  # without explicity marking them in the TICKscript.
  global = false

[slack]
  # Configure Slack.
  enabled = false
  # The Slack webhook URL, can be obtained by addding
  # an Incoming Webhook integration.
  # Visit https://slack.com/services/new/incoming-webhook
  # to add new webhook for Kapacitor.
  #url = "test_hook"
  # Default channel for messages
  channel = "test-alerts"
  # If true the all alerts will be sent to Slack
  # without explicity marking them in the TICKscript.
  global = false
  # Only applies if global is true.
  # Sets all alerts in state-changes-only mode,
  # meaning alerts will only be sent if the alert state changes.
  state-changes-only = false

[hipchat]
  # Configure HipChat.
  enabled = false
  # The HipChat API URL. Replace subdomain with your
  # HipChat subdomain.
  url = "https://subdomain.hipchat.com/v2/room"
  # Visit https://www.hipchat.com/docs/apiv2
  # for information on obtaining your room id and
  # authentication token.
  # Default room for messages
  room = ""
  # Default authentication token
  token = ""
  # If true then all alerts will be sent to HipChat
  # without explicitly marking them in the TICKscript.
  global = false
  # Only applies if global is true.
  # Sets all alerts in state-changes-only mode,
  # meaning alerts will only be sent if the alert state changes.
  state-changes-only = false

[alerta]
  # Configure Alerta.
  enabled = false
  # The Alerta URL.
  url = ""
  # Default authentication token.
  token = ""
  # Default environment.
  environment = ""
  # Default origin.
  origin = "kapacitor"

[sensu]
  # Configure Sensu.
  enabled = false
  # The Sensu Client host:port address.
  addr = "sensu-client:3030"
  # Default JIT source.
  source = "Kapacitor"

[reporting]
  # Send anonymous usage statistics
  # every 12 hours to Enterprise.
  enabled = true
  url = "https://usage.influxdata.com"

[stats]
  # Emit internal statistics about Kapacitor.
  # To consume these stats create a stream task
  # that selects data from the configured database
  # and retention policy.
  #
  # Example:
  #  stream.from().database('_kapacitor').retentionPolicy('default')...
  #
  enabled = true
  stats-interval = "10s"
  database = "_kapacitor"
  retention-policy= "default"

[udf]
# Configuration for UDFs (User Defined Functions)
[udf.functions]
    # Example go UDF.
    # First compile example:
    #   go build -o avg_udf ./udf/agent/examples/moving_avg.go
    #
    # Use in TICKscript like:
    #   stream.goavg()
    #           .field('value')
    #           .size(10)
    #           .as('m_average')
    #
    # uncomment to enable
    #[udf.functions.goavg]
    #    prog = "./avg_udf"
    #    args = []
    #    timeout = "10s"

    # Example python UDF.
    # Use in TICKscript like:
    #   stream.pyavg()
    #           .field('value')
    #           .size(10)
    #           .as('m_average')
    #
    # uncomment to enable
    #[udf.functions.pyavg]
    #    prog = "/usr/bin/python2"
    #    args = ["-u", "./udf/agent/examples/moving_avg.py"]
    #    timeout = "10s"
    #   [udf.functions.pyavg.env]
    #       PYTHONPATH = "./udf/agent/py"

[talk]
  # Configure Talk.
  enabled = false
  # The Talk webhook URL.
  url = "https://jianliao.com/v2/services/webhook/uuid"
  # The default authorName.
  author_name = "Kapacitor"

##################################
# Input Methods, same as InfluxDB
#

[collectd]
  enabled = false
  bind-address = ":25826"
  database = "collectd"
  retention-policy = ""
  batch-size = 1000
  batch-pending = 5
  batch-timeout = "10s"
  typesdb = "/usr/share/collectd/types.db"

[opentsdb]
  enabled = false
  bind-address = ":4242"
  database = "opentsdb"
  retention-policy = ""
  consistency-level = "one"
  tls-enabled = false
  certificate = "/etc/ssl/influxdb.pem"
  batch-size = 1000
  batch-pending = 5
  batch-timeout = "1s"

Answer 1

My guess: Hostname must be resolvable by the InfluxDB instance. Change from localhost to the hostname/IP address of your kapacitor machine.