Configuring groups
A group is a collection of devices. Groups can be used to improve efficiency when performing network change management operations. After you define devices and (optionally) realms, you can define device groups in the database. Groups can be used to improve efficiency when performing the following network change management operations:
- Change policies: The policy is applied to devices in the group.
- Span actions: Submit an action (for example, snapshot) for all devices in a group.
- Rule sets: Audit a set of configuration standards for one or more device groups.
- Reports: Generate a report for all devices in a group.
- Vulnerability mitigation: From the Dashboard, monitor discrepancies and compliance violations by groups.
supports the following types of groups:
- Static group: Logical grouping of devices as specified by the user.
Auto group: Logical grouping of devices based on a device attribute defined as a dynamic field (for example, Location, Customer) or a device attribute that was manually assigned or automatically discovered by (for example, Vendor, Device Type, Category, OS Image Name, Model). Auto grouping means that manages the group members based on assigned values to fixed and dynamic fields. Auto groups can be used in policy conditions, span actions, compliance auditing and reports. manages the groups when devices or attributes are added, changed, or deleted from the system.
Auto grouping by fixed fields is defined under Admin > System Admin > System Parameters.Fixed Field
Examples
Vendor
Vendor.Cisco, Vendor.Extreme, Vendor.Foundry
Device Type
DeviceType.Cisco IOS Switch/Router, DeviceType.= BigIP
Device Category
Category.Router, Category.Firewall, Category.Other
Model
Model_Cisco.1720, Model_Dell.3348
OS Image Name
OS_Cisco.IOS 12.1(22)EA5, C2940-I6Q4L2-M
OS Major/Minor Release
Release_Cisco.IOS 12.3
In the following example, the administrator elected not to auto group by Device Type, Device Category, and OS Major or Minor Release.
When adding or editing a device dynamic field, you can set the field for auto grouping. For example, you may want to auto group devices by defined access control lists (ACL) in the running configuration. This allows engineers to identify which devices use the common ACL when updating the ACL.
- Combo group: Logical AND, OR, NOT of static groups and/or auto groups to define a resultant group. For example, all Cisco 1760 routers in Miami could be specified as the logical AND of two auto groups, Model_Cisco.1760 and Location.Miami. For more about this type of group, see Configuring-combo-groups.
You can access groups in your environment by navigating to Network > Spans > Groups.
Related topic
Managing-static-groups
Managing-combo-groups