Using device groups
In WhatsUp Gold, device groups help you to quickly find and diagnose problems. You can create as many device groups as you wish to organize your network in a way that is meaningful to you and your monitoring needs.
Device group types
Two types of device groups exist in WhatsUp Gold:
- Non-dynamic groups
- Dynamic groups
Non-dynamic groups are simply referred to as "device groups." Each time you perform a discovery scan, WhatsUp Gold creates a group containing the devices found in that scan. WhatsUp Gold names the group by combining the type of scan and the date and time the scan took place. For example, "SNMP Scan (2007-08-03 10:24:37)." Devices that are already in the database appear in the new group as shortcuts to the original device reference. The shortcut icon indicates that the device appears in multiple groups. You can configure a device either by clicking the original reference, or by clicking a shortcut to the device. Functionally, shortcuts serve the same purpose as the original device reference, and display the same device status.
SQL queries searching for devices based on user-specified criteria create dynamic groups. By default, all devices discovered on your network are placed into a dynamic group named All devices. Similarly, each time a router is discovered it is placed into a similar dynamic group named All routers.
Device group icons
Device groups use icons to display the current state of the group and to indicate the type of device group.
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All of the monitors on all devices in the group are up. |
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The device group contains at least one device that is considered down. |
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The device group is empty, or devices have not been polled due to a dependency on another device. |
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Indicates a dynamic group. |
Device group maps
The Map View is based on device group folders, and each device group has a separate map. If a device group folder contains a subfolder, or subgroup, you can double-click the folder in Map View to display the subfolder map.
Device group reports
Device groups are particularly important when you are viewing reports pertaining to a specific group, or group reports. Viewing group reports requires you to select a device group and a monitor to view data for that group. When you create groups, consider ways of easily distinguishing them from one another for this reason. An easy way to distinguish groups is using group names that are meaningful, such as "Atlanta Developers" and "Atlanta Tech Support." As a result, you can easily tell what each device group is when choosing a group on which to view Group Report information.
Device Group Access Rights
Similar to user rights are the WhatsUp Gold group access rights, which link permissions to device groups. For more information, see About group access rights.