How to Create a Computer Group in Essentials
Applies To: System Center Essentials 2010
Computer groups can be used in System Center Essentials 2010 to specify a subset of your managed computers, to which you can apply rules, apply monitors, deploy software, or use other Essentials management tools.
When you create a new computer group, it is displayed along with the default computer groups in the Computers and Monitoring views. It is also available when approving software and update deployments.
Note
After creating a new computer group, it might take several minutes for the group members to be displayed in the Computers pane. You might also need to right-click the new group and select Refresh.
To create a new computer group containing individually selected computers
In the Essentials console, click Computers.
In the Computers pane, click Create a Computer Group.
Select the Select computers from the list below check box.
In the Create New Computer Group dialog box, enter a meaningful name for the new computer group. The names are displayed alphabetically in other locations in Essentials.
Select or clear check boxes for the individual computers that you want to add to the new group in the Members of this computer group list. Use the drop-down arrows at the column headings to filter the list on Computer Name, Operating System Version, or Computer Model.
Click OK.
To create a computer group based on a managed computer group
In the Essentials console, click Computers.
In the Computers pane, click Create a Computer Group.
Under Criteria, select Use a managed computer group from the drop-down list box, and then under Managed computer groups, select a managed computer group from the drop-down list box.
In the Members of this computer group dialog box, select the computers.
Note
The new computer group is given the same as that of the selected managed computer group.
To create a computer group using dynamic membership
In the Essentials console, click Computers.
In the Computers Overview pane, click Create a Computer Group.
Type a name for the new computer group in the Computer group name text box.
Under Choose computers, select Specify Criteria from the drop-down list box.
Select one or more criteria from the list to define and apply to the group:
Manufacturer
Model
Operating system
Service pack
Organizational unit
The list of values in the criteria drop-down list boxes (for the operators Equals and Does not equal) is based on inventory information reported by computers that are already under management. Changes to certain inventory may take up to 24 hours to appear in the drop-down list boxes, depending on when the managed computer reports the updated information. When using Pattern matching criteria, the search is case sensitive.
The Organizational Unit information displayed in the list of available values is reported by agents and not obtained from Active Directory. When matching against an OU, members of Child OUs are not included. It is necessary to explicitly match each Child OU that should be included in the group definition.
If multiple Membership Criteria are selected, all selected criteria will need to be matched for a computer to be added as a member of the group. For example, if selections are made for operating system and service pack, then both criteria need to match for a computer to be a member of the group you are creating.
After defining your search criteria, click Create.
After the dynamic membership group is created, it may take up to 10 minutes for group members to be displayed in the Computers pane. You might also need to right-click the new group and select Refresh.
See Also
Tasks
How to Add or Remove Computers from a Computer Group in Essentials
How to View Computers, Devices, and Computer Groups in Essentials
How to Delete a Computer Group in Essentials