Configuring Server Groups

Server groups provide a way for administrators to group servers for the purpose of deployment, engine updates, or configuration. Unless the administrator specifies otherwise, all servers added to Microsoft Forefront Protection Server Management Console (FPSMC) will be placed in the Default server group.

To manage server groups, click Server Group Management, located in the Administration section of the Navigation Area. The Server Group Management work pane appears. All server groups are shown in a hierarchy, with Root Group at the top. There is a single subgroup set up for you: Default. Unless you specify otherwise, all servers are automatically added to this group.

The work pane provides a way for administrators to perform the following tasks:

• Adding server groups

• Assigning servers to a group

• Removing servers from a group

• Renaming a server group

• Moving a server group

• Deleting a server group

The various processes are described in the following sections.

If you would like to watch a video that walks you through the process for configuring server groups, see Configuring FPSMC on TechNet Edge.

Adding Server Groups

Perform the following procedure to add a server group.

To add a server group

1. Click Server Group Management, located in the Administration section of the Navigation pane, to open the Server Group Management work pane.

2. Select the group that will contain the newly created group. By default, all groups are only added to the Root Group. To create a group within a group (a subgroup), select the desired group from the Server Groups pane.

3. Click Add Server Group. The Add Group work pane appears.

4. Enter the name of your new server group.

5. Click Add. The FPSMC will return you to the Server Group Management work pane and the new group will appear in the hierarchy.

After a new server group has been added, existing servers may be moved into the group using the Assign Servers to Group work pane. New servers may also be assigned to the group at the same time they are added to the FPSMC by selecting the server group from the Select Group list on the Add Servers work pane.

Assigning Servers to a Group

Once you have added servers and deployed agents to them, you can assign the servers to one or more previously created server groups.

To assign servers to a group

1. Click Server Group Management, located in the Administration section of the Navigation Area, to open the Server Group Management work pane.

2. Select the group you wish to add servers to by clicking the group in the Server Groups pane.

3. Click Assign Servers to Group to open the Assign Server pane.

4. Select the servers you wish to add to the group in the Server Selection pane and click Assign. You will be returned to the Server Group Management work pane and the servers will now appear in the specified group.

A server can be assigned to multiple groups. When you assign a server to an additional group, it is not moved from one group to another. The server becomes a member of both groups.

Removing Servers from a Group

You can remove servers from a group from the Server Management work pane. When a server is removed from a group, the server is not deleted from the FPSMC or removed from any other group it is a member of.

To remove servers from a group

1. Click Server Group Management, located in the Administration section of the Navigation Area, to open the Server Group Management work pane.

2. In the Server Groups pane, select the server you would like to remove and click Remove Server From Group.

   Note

   You can only remove one server from a group at a time.

3. In the Confirm Deletion pane, click Confirm to verify your request.

Renaming Server Groups

Once a server group has been created, it can be renamed.

To rename a server group

1. Click Server Group Management, located in the Administration section of the Navigation Area, to open the Server Group Management work pane.

2. In the Server Groups pane, select the group you wish to rename.

3. Click Rename Server Group.

4. Enter a new name for the group.

5. Click Rename. The FPSMC will return you to the Server Group Management work pane and the server group will appear with its new name.

Moving Server Groups

You can reorganize your groups to create a hierarchical structure with top-level groups and subgroups. The Move Group function allows you to move groups into or out of subgroups or move groups that may not have been categorized correctly when created.

To move a server group

1. Click Server Group Management, located in the Administration section of the Navigation Area, to open the Server Group Management work pane.

2. In the Server Groups pane, select the group you wish to move.

3. Click Move Server Group to open the Move Group pane.

4. In the Move Group pane, select the target folder under which you would like the group moved.

5. Click Move. The FPSMC will return you to the Server Group Management work pane and the server group will appear in the target folder.

Deleting Server Groups

You can delete server groups from the Server Group Management work pane. When a server group is deleted, its servers are not deleted from the FPSMC.

To delete a server group

1. Click Server Group Management to open the Server Group Management work pane.

2. Select the server group you wish to delete in the Server Groups pane.

3. Click Delete Server Group.

4. Click Confirm to verify that you wish to delete the server group. This action will also delete any subgroups that belong to the deleted group. The FPSMC will return you to the Server Group Management work pane and the deleted group will no longer appear in the Server Groups pane.