Layer-2 Group Properties

How to get here

Use the Layer-2 Group Properties dialog to add and configure a new device group map for WhatsUp Gold.

Use the dialog boxes to configure the group map:

• Enter a Device Group Name for the new group/map.
• Use the dialog's three tabs to configure map settings:

Tip: Click on a tab name to view field information for that tab.

• Devices

  Select the Update Mode:

  • Dynamic. Select this option to apply the map filters to the topology map each time device information is changed.
  • Manual. Select this option to disable device filtering for maps. When the device filters are disabled, you can add devices to the map with the topology map right-click menu.

  Use the Devices on Map and Connected Devices boxes to design a filter for the devices you want to include on the map. Click Edit to open the Edit Devices Filter dialog and make device filter selections. For more information, see Configuring Device Filters.

  If you want to see layer-2 links for devices in the map, select the Show Layer-2 Links option.

  If you want to see association links for devices in the map, select the Show Association Links option.

• Layout

  To understand the layout modes, you must be familiar with the layout strategy used by the application's topology engine. For each map, the topology viewer automatically selects a root device, which becomes the starting point of the diagrams. The root device is selected based on finding the device on the diagram with the most network connections.

  Using the connectivity model, the topology viewer sets the root as the parent and then assigns all connected devices as children. This process continues until all devices on the topology map are given a parent/child relationship.

  With the parent/child relationships calculated, the topology viewer provides three layout modes for any topology map. These modes describe the manner in which each child node (or device) is given its position on the topology map. The layout modes are described as follows:

  • Radial. In the radial layout mode, connected child devices are given positions in a radial (or circular) pattern around their parent device. You can modify the layout results by changing the following layout attributes:
    • Level Spacing. This setting dictates the amount of space between the parent and child device. Increase this value to provide more spacing between the parent and children devices.
    • Node Angle. This setting dictates the amount of space between each child (or sibling) devices. Increase this value to fan out the children.

  Note: When increasing the node angle, if a large number of devices are shown connected to one parent, the radial layout may overlap (make a full circle). In this case you may need to decrease the node angle and increase the level spacing.

  • Hierarchy. In this mode, connected child devices are given positions in a hierarchical (or tree like) pattern in relationship to their parent. You can modify the layout results by changing the following layout attributes:

    Direction. This setting indicates the placement of the root device and the direction the children will be placed from the root device.

    • Down. The root device is placed at the top of the topology map, and children are placed respectively below the root device.
    • Up. The root device is placed at the bottom of the topology map, and children are placed respectively above the root.
    • Left. The root device is placed at the right of the topology map, and children are placed respectively to the left of the root.
    • Right. The root device is placed at the left of the topology map, and children are placed respectively to the right of the root.

    Alignment. This setting indicates the placement of the root (or parent) device in relationship to its children.

    • Center. The root/parent device is centered (either vertically/horizontally) with respect to its children.
    • Left. The root/parent device is located to the far left (either vertically/horizontally) with respect to its children.
    • Right. The root/parent device is located to the far right (either vertically/horizontally) with respect to its children.

    Level Spacing. This setting dictates the amount of space between the parent and child devices. Increase this value to provide more spacing between the parent and children devices.

    Node Spacing. This setting dictates the amount of space between each child (or sibling) devices. Increase this value to create more space between sibling devices.

  • Manual. In this mode, the automatic layout methods are turned off and you are given complete control over device placement on the topology map. The topology maps provide a drag-and-drop capability to simplify creating and arranging a custom topology map. The following is a list of drag-and-drop operations in manual layout mode.
    • Left Mouse Click. Selects a device on the topology map.
    • Shift + Left Mouse Click. Multi-selects devices on a topology map.

  Note: Shift + Left Mouse click functionality is only enabled on the WhatsUp Gold admin console.

  • Left Mouse Click + Mouse Move. Selects and drags a device to a new position on the topology map.
  • Alt + Left Mouse Click + Mouse Move. Selects and drags a device PLUS all of its children to a new position on the topology map.

  Note: Alt + Left Mouse Click + Mouse Move functionality is only enabled on the WhatsUp Gold admin console.

  • You can use the manual layout mode to add new devices to the topology map. The method to add a device is the same as adding a device in radial or hierarchical layout mode. After the devices are placed on the topology map, you can manually move devices on the map or select the radial or hierarchy layout settings to readjust the map.
• Monitor Settings

  Select the Monitor Settings you want to apply to the map. You can select to:

  • Enable Ping/SNMP Interface Active Monitors
  • Create Ping Latency and Availability Performance Monitors
  • Create Interface Utilization Performance Monitors
  • Enable Performance Monitors

Click OK to save changes.