• Display Name/Role Icon. Role label and customizable icon.
• Description. Optional description. Describe the purpose for the role.
• Source. Indicates if role is the same as the built-in role (Default), a variant of the built-in role (Modified), or entirely user defined (Custom).
• Weight. Consider this weight or rank of precedence when deciding the most suitable role choice between two or more role matches.
• Set as Network Device. Consider this a device that handles or directs network traffic and add the appropriate performance and interface monitors to it.

Rules tab of the Roles wizard provides building blocks used to build a table of device detection rules. For example, you can combine detection rules to build an expression that excludes and/or checks for specific management objects (SNMP, WMI), system characteristics, or host attribute values.

Tip: As a practical guide for choosing and combining device detection rules, you can browse default rule sets (rules shipped within WhatsUp Gold). You can find more detailed rule sets applied in default sub roles.

• Add Rule. Apply a rule from the drop down list (you can also choose a negative match of the rule with ).
• Edit Rule. Edit a selected detection rule.
• Copy. Copy a selected detection rule.
• Delete. Remove a selected detection rule.

  Important: Creating many role definitions with large rule set expressions can have an impact and slow discovery and refresh scan performance.

Examples

• Match UPS manufacturer strings such as "MGE UPS SYSTEMS" or "MGE Office Protection Systems."

  SNMP object '1.3.6.1.2.1.33.1.1.1' (upsIdentManufacturer) contains 'MGE'

• Match specific NETAPP device using the asset tag.

  SNMP object '1.3.6.1.4.1.789.1.25.2.1.6' (nodeAssetTag) contains '02040'

Select a generalized role class to apply (given the conditions of the Scan Rules expression is satisfied).

• Add. Add a monitor from the monitors library to this role definition.
• Delete. Remove a monitor from this list.

Your role inherits default characteristics from this class such as discovery attributes and default monitors you can modify later.

Select a generalized sub role to apply (given your Scan Rules).

• Add. Add a monitor from the monitors library to this role definition.
• Delete. Remove a monitor from this list.

When you define roles, you can configure your role definition to hold system and host attributes.

• Add. Add an attribute using discovery percent variable syntax.
• Edit. Edit an attribute.
• Delete. Remove an attribute from this role definition.
• Restore System Default. Reduce attribute list to the default based on the suggested role.

Note: Host and system attributes can be viewed from device properties and viewed, scheduled, and distributed as Attribute Reports.

Examples

• Device Location

  %Discovery.Device.Location

• Detected Operating System.

  %Discovery.Device.OS

Define a custom link and apply it to the discovered device. You can customize for each device using discovery percent variable syntax.

• Add. Add a custom link.
• Edit. Edit a selected custom link.
• Delete. Remove the link.

Note: Custom Links can be tabulated and distributed as Custom Link reports.

Examples

Add link for viewing web role or web service running on current device.

http://%Discovery.Device.Name.example.com:80

Add link to manage vCenter using vSphere web client.

https://%Discovery.Device.Name.example.com:9443/vsphere-client

Use the Monitors tab in the Roles and Sub roles Wizard (SETTINGS menu > Libraries > Roles and Sub roles Library) to configure the initial monitor list designated as part of network discovery.

Tip: Monitors associated with a device as part of network discovery are typically designated in a sub role definition for a device type. The monitors list for the Switch sub role (shown here) is a good example of this case.

Device Role Monitor Tab

Use the Monitors tab in the Roles and Sub roles Wizard to control:

• Monitors WhatsUp Gold designates for devices during discovery. (Designated monitors are activated later when you Add Monitoring.)
• Interface(s) WhatsUp Gold designates monitors for (using Filters and Application Rules).
• Interface(s) WhatsUp Gold defers monitors for (using Filters and Application Rules).

Device role monitor view controls include:

• Add. Add a monitor from the Monitors Library to this role definition.
• Delete. Remove a monitor from this list.
• Restore System Default. Reduce monitor list to the default based on the suggested role.
• Filter Library. Build rule sets to refine the range and scope of devices considered for a particular filter.

Designate Priority and Conditions

Use these controls to pre-determine key (critical) monitors, opt to use soft (check support first) or hard (always apply) monitor designation and to apply advanced or custom filtering.

• Critical. Monitors you designate as critical monitors denote the overall device is in a down state if the monitor is down.
• Application Rule. Designate a condition or check for support before applying the monitor to a given device.
• Filter. (Typically used for network interfaces) Select a filter mode: Operationally Up Interfaces or All Interfaces.

Note: For interface ports, Operationally Up means that the port is in a running state and not in a non-operational state (such Testing, Unknown, or Down).

Tip: You can create custom filters with the Filter Library.

Action Policies bundle Actions and Notifications. Actions and Notifications are typically triggered by a condition or threshold observed by a monitor. You can combine Action and Notification building blocks as a way to implement a policy that governs selected devices and device roles.

In WhatsUp Gold Action Policies typically trigger any of the following:

• Simple notifications (e-mail, SMS, log).
• Corrective measures (such as remote script execution payload, configuration rollback, reboot, and so on).
• Some combination of corrective measures and notifications.

Examples of site actions bundled to implement action policies might be:

• Notifying application management engineers when production devices transition state (for example from maintenance mode to up)
• Applying approved configuration to a device found out of compliance (a default password is detected, anomalous port opened or traffic detected)
• "Activating" (reconfigure and restart) a backup host device whenever a primary fails
• Restarting "non-responsive" critical services (an FTP or log server, for example)

Note: You can also create and apply powerful policies which enforce configuration record versioning and device configuration alignment using WhatsUp Gold WhatsConfigured policies.

Creating Action Policies

Begin by creating a list or matrix of critical state change events, appropriate actions, and the chain of responsible individuals for your site.

Example: Device Recovery Matrix

1. Create an Action type from the Actions Library.

   Example: Test Connectivity/Remote Execution

   1. Click the new button, then select PowerShell (for Linux/UNIX, select SSH).
   2. Add syntax for remote login to the device in the script text box.
2. Create the Action Policy.

   Example: Combine with Notification Schedule and Roll Test into Action Policy

   • Add a notification action you created according to your site's notification hierarchy.
   • Add the PowerShell action you created.

Use the Tasks tab in the Roles and Sub Roles Wizard (SETTINGS menu > Libraries > Roles and Sub Roles Library) to associate a Configuration Management Task (CM Task) with a Role or Sub Role. (Roles and Sub Roles are matched to a given device as part of network discovery.)

Tip: CM Tasks run Task Scripts or System Scripts as defined in the Task Library. CM Tasks can execute as part of a schedule, react to configured thresholds, incident, or change condition, and be associated with Alert Center Notification Policies. (Alert Center Notification Policies implement notification schedules that can escalate with length of time or severity of an incident).

Add Specific Tasks to This Role/Sub Role

You can add specific tasks to this Role/Sub Role using these 'in-wizard' controls.

• Add. Include an existing CM Task.
• Delete. Remove a CM Task.
• Create/Manage. Assemble a new CM Task.
• Application Rule. Designate a condition or check for support before applying the CM Task to a given device.

Warning: Setting bulk matching rules can potentially associate CM tasks with many, many devices. Please note that these devices will count against your available Configuration Management license device total. You can view your current total from the HELP > About dialog.

Apply/Ignore Options

Apply/Ignore options can override Configuration Management Task (CM Task) association when checked.

Typical use cases

For cases where identification of a device or category of device requires a configuration step based on your site policy (such as scheduling backup or periodic auditing of router configurations), you can call system tasks within WhatsUp Gold or custom task scripts that you create using a CM Task.

• Associate a discovered device (switch role, for example) with a configuration backup schedule.
• Associate a discovered device with a configuration audit or policy check.
• Associate roles or sub roles with custom Task Scripts and more...