Using Computer Groups

  • Article

Applies To: Opalis 6.3

Opalis Integration Server is designed to interact with all your data center systems. Computer groups enable you to target your policies against a set of similar computer systems instead of a single computer. By configuring the objects in your Policy to use a computer group you are given the flexibility to add computers dynamically by adding them to the computer group.

Computer groups can be created with Active Directory queries or Microsoft SMS collections. This enables you to manage the list of computers in a group outside of Opalis Integration Server. For example, if you have a computer group that is created from an Active Directory query that retrieves all the SQL Servers, when a SQL Server is added to your Active Directory system it will automatically be included in that group.

Managing Computer Groups

To use Computer Groups in your objects, you create a Computer Group and add computers to it. You can add computers using the name of the computer, an Active Directory query, or a Microsoft SMS collection.

You can organize your Computer Groups into folders. To create a new folder, expand the Computer Groups folder in the Connections pane and click the folder icon.

To add a Computer Group

  1. Click the Computer Groups folder or a sub-folder.

  2. Click the Create a new computer group icon, or right-click the folder, click New, then click Computer Group. The New Computer Group dialog appears.

  3. On the General tab, type a Name and Description of the computer group.

  4. Click the Contents tab. The list displays all the computer entries that make up this Computer Group.

  5. Click Add. The Entry Type dialog appears.

  6. Select the type of Computer Group entry you want to create.

    • If you selected Computer, type the name of the computer you are adding, or click the ellipsis (…) button next to the Computer field, and then select the applicable computer. Click OK to add the computer. Click Add and repeat this step to add more computers to the group.

    • If you selected Active Directory Query, click OK Type the name of the entry that will be listed on the Contents tab and click OK. Use the Find Computers dialog to create the Active Directory query. Click Find to see what computers match your query. Click OK to add the query to the Contents tab.

    • If you selected SMS Collection, type the name of the SMS Server where the SMS collection you want to use is located. Or click the ellipsis (…) button next to the Server field, and then select the applicable computer. Click OK. The Select an SMS Collection dialog appears. Select the collection that will be added to the Contents tab and click OK.

  7. To modify the settings of the entry select it and click Modify.

  8. To remove an entry select it and click Remove.

Using Computer Groups

Any object with a Computer field can accept a computer group. Other objects may be able to use in Computer Group in fields where you are defining a remote system or computer.

To use a computer group

  1. When configuring an object, right-click the Computer field.

  2. Select Insert and then select Computer Group. The Select Computer Group dialog appears.

  3. Browse to the Computer Group and click OK. A placeholder is inserted in the Computer field.

    When the object runs, it will be executed for each computer in the group.