Notification Service

Overview

This document outlines the requirements for a Notification & Alerting Service. This service aims to provide a centralized solution for sending various types of notifications and alerts to both external users and internal systems.

2. Objective

To develop a versatile and scalable notification service that can handle a wide range of notification scenarios, including user communications and internal alerts, across multiple channels like email, Slack, and others.

3. Functional Requirements

3.1 Notification Configuration

• Channel Management: Ability to configure and manage various notification channels (e.g., email, Slack, SMS).

• Message Templates: Facility to create and manage message templates for different types of notifications.

3.2 User Notification

• User Targeting: Capability to send notifications to specific users or user groups.

• Personalization: Personalization options for user-directed messages.

• Delivery Tracking: Track the delivery status of notifications sent to users.

3.3 Internal Alerting

• Alert Configuration: Configure alerts for various internal events (e.g., system failures, reminders).

• Integration with Internal Systems: Ability to send alerts to internal communication platforms like Slack or via email.

3.4 Multi-channel Integration

• Extensible Integrations: Support for integrating with various communication platforms and services.

• API Integration: APIs to integrate the notification service with existing systems.

3.5 Generalized Message Schema

• Structured Format: Providing a schema for external systems to create messages.

• Schema Components: Including message type, content, target audience, channel preferences, and more.

3.6 Publisher Queue System

• Message Queue: Storing messages from various systems.

• Queue Management: Efficiently managing the message queuing process.

• Processing and Delivery: Handling message processing and delivery through configured channels.

4. Technical Requirements

4.1 Scalability and Performance

• High Throughput: Ability to handle a large volume of notifications efficiently.

• Scalability: Scalable architecture to accommodate growing numbers of users and notifications.

4.2 Reliability

• Failover Mechanisms: Implement failover mechanisms for high availability.

• Redundancy: Redundant systems to ensure continuous operation.

4.3 Documentation

• API Documentation: Comprehensive documentation for API integrations. Swagger/AsyncAPI

5. Use Cases

5.1 User Notifications

• Use Case: Sending promotional emails, transactional notifications, or alerts to users.

• Flow: Configure message template, select target user group, send notifications, track delivery.

5.2 Internal System Alerts

• Use Case: Sending alerts about system performance, failures, or reminders to internal teams.

• Flow: Configure alert criteria, integrate with internal systems like Slack or email, send alerts.

5.3 Multi-Channel Communication

• Use Case: Disseminating information across multiple platforms like email, SMS, and messaging apps.

• Flow: Create a unified message, configure channels, disseminate information simultaneously.

6. Conclusion

The Notification & Alerting Service, with its comprehensive set of features including a generalized message schema and publisher queue system, is designed to be a robust, scalable, and user-friendly solution for all notification and alerting needs across various channels. The service will streamline communication processes, ensuring reliability and compliance, while offering a versatile platform for diverse messaging requirements.