Learning How to Create Behavior Models - How to Define Property Groups and Properties - How to Create Property Groups and Properties -
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How to Create Property Groups and Properties

Throughout this tutorial, you will want to limit the activities of NerveCenter to a particular set of nodes. This will reduce the impact of the exercises on the network as well as make the information more manageable.

This scenario includes the following three activities:

1. Creating a New Property Group
2. Creating a New Property
3. Assigning a Property Group to a Set of Nodes

Creating a New Property Group

This first activity will step you through the process of creating a unique property group called CriticalDevices.

 
  To create a property group:

1. Open the NerveCenter Client and connect to the appropriate NerveCenter Server.
2. From the Admin menu, choose Property Group List.

   

   NerveCenter displays the Property Group List window.

   Property Group List Window

   

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   The Property Group List window contains summary information about all property groups and properties in the NerveCenter database for the active server. From this window you can open existing property groups or create new ones.

3. Scroll through the Property Group list until you see the property group called Mib-II.

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   Tip    Within the list box you can just begin typing the desired name until it displays. Most list boxes in NerveCenter contain this feature.

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4. Select Mib-II.

   The properties belonging to the Mib-II property group display to the right in the Property list.

   Rather than create an entire new set of properties for our new property group, we will use the properties already present.

5. In the New Property Group field, type the name of your new property group CriticalDevices.
6. Under the New Property Group field, select Copy.

   CriticalDevices now appears in the list of property groups and is highlighted. Notice also the Property list to the right contains a list of properties.

   The Copy button creates a new property group that contains the same properties as the selected group. In this case, NerveCenter created a new property group called CriticalDevices containing the same properties as the group Mib-II.

7. Select Save.

Now that you have created a new property group, it is time to create a new property that will enable NerveCenter to target just those devices that interest you.

Creating a New Property

This next activity will step you through the process of creating within the property group CriticalDevices a new property called myNodes.

 
  To create a new property:

1. In the Property Group list, select CriticalDevices.

   NerveCenter displays all the properties for this property group in the Property list.

   The Properties for CriticalDevices

   

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2. In the New Property text box, type in the name of your new property myNodes.
3. Select Add.

   The myNodes property now appears in the list of properties for the CriticalDevices property group.

4. Select Save.
5. Select Cancel to close the Property Group List window.

Now that you have created the unique property myNodes, it is time to assign that property to the correct devices. The next activity will step you through that process.

Assigning a Property Group to a Set of Nodes

This next activity will step you through the process of isolating the devices you will be monitoring throughout the rest of this book. You will achieve this by assigning the CriticalDevices property group to a particular set of nodes.

In our example network we would want to isolate the critical routers. For this tutorial, you will be isolating three of your department's managed workstations.

 
  To assign a property group to a set of nodes:

1. Identify at least three of your department's managed workstations that you know are running SNMP agents. Write their names on the following lines:

   

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If you have questions about which devices to use, see Before You Begin....

1. From the Admin menu, choose Node List.

   

   NerveCenter displays the Node List window.

   Node List Window

   

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   The Node List window lists all nodes in the NerveCenter database. This window provides the tools for identifying nodes of interest, changing their configuration, or opening a node's associated definition window.

2. Scroll through the node list until you see one of the devices you wish to monitor in these exercises. After highlighting that device, select Open.

   NerveCenter displays that device's Node Definition window.

   Node Definition Window

   

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The Node Definition window enables you to change the various elements of a managed device, such as its name, IP address, community string, deletion strategy, and property group.

1. In the Property Group list, select the CriticalDevices property group.
2. Select Save.
3. To close the window, select Cancel.
4. In the Node List window, hold down the Ctrl key and select the remainder of the devices you wish to monitor.

   Each node that is selected is highlighted. If you inadvertently select an unwanted node, select it again so that it is no longer highlighted.

5. Right-click one of the highlighted devices and select Property Group.

   The Property Group window displays.

   Property Group Window

   

   In the Property Group window, select the CriticalDevices property group.

6. Select Save.
7. In the Node List window, select Close.

You have just assigned the unique property group CriticalDevices to a particular set of nodes. This will allow you to isolate only relevant devices as you work through the rest of this book.

Now you are ready to begin using NerveCenter. The next scenario will illustrate how to use NerveCenter to proactively monitor your CriticalDevices nodes.