What is the primary purpose of severity levels in monitoring?

The primary purpose of severity levels in monitoring is to differentiate between various types of issues, such as availability and errors. Each severity level provides a way to categorize the impact of detected problems on the system's operations, which helps organizations prioritize their responses and resource allocation effectively.

By distinguishing between issues like availability (e.g., system outages or downtime) and errors (e.g., application bugs or failed transactions), severity levels allow teams to quickly assess the criticality of an incident. This structured approach ensures that the most significant and potentially disruptive problems are addressed first, enhancing overall system reliability and user experience.

Additionally, having a clear classification of issues aids in communication and coordination among teams, enabling faster resolution and minimizing downtime. It creates a common language for technical and non-technical stakeholders when discussing incidents and their impact on the business.