How To Manage Containers

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How To Manage Containers

Manage > Containers

Introduction

This document will describe Containers and how to create, edit, and populate them. Custom Tools usage with a Container is also explained.

Managing Containers

In the Container view, you are able to sort and filter the list, as well as change the number of members shown per page.

If you have been granted adequate permissions, you will see an Edit button, which gives you the ability to edit the membership of the Container. Likewise, if you have permission to run Custom Tools on the Container, a Run Custom Tool dropdown box will be visible.

Because everything in System Frontier is role-based, you will only see the Edit button and Run Custom Tool if you have been granted permission. Additionally, within the Run Custom Tool dropdown list you will only see those custom tools that you have permission to run. Underneath, the Copy button allows you to copy the Container members to the clipboard and the CSV button will let you save the member list and fields to a .csv file.

Selecting a Hostname from this page will take you to a management page for that specific member.

Adding a Container

To create a Container, navigate to Manage > Containers and click on the Create link in the menu. This will open up the Container (Insert) page:

On the Container (Insert) page enter a Name and Description then click the Save button. The new Container is generated and can be edited as normal.

Modifying a Container

When you click on the Edit button, you will see the Container (Edit) page:

On the Edit page you will be able to modify the Container name, description, membership, and credential mapping.

Name

Use a meaningful name for the Container. You can name it based on the type of members within it, by an application for which the members are used, by site/location, or whatever may fit your needs.

Description

Be sure to accurately describe the Container to avoid confusion.

Membership

The Container membership can be derived from a dynamic SQL query (like a “where clause”), manual entry, or through an import.

Dynamic Membership uses the default SQL query. The benefit of using this method is that you don’t have to keep track of the membership. As nodes come and go, if they meet the query’s criteria and exist in the System Frontier database, they will automatically be populated into the Container or removed if they do not. Basically, you will enter into the field a WHERE clause similar to this:

*WHERE clause example for the Dynamic Membership field*

Here is the full list of fields which can be queried with the WHERE clause:

BusinessUnit
Company
CpuCores
CpuCount
CpuSpeed
Description
DistinguishedName
Domain
Environment
Hostname
IPv4Address
Ipv4SubnetMask
ManagementIPv4Address
Manufacturer
Memory
Model
ObjectGUID
ObjectID
OperatingSystem
SerialNumber
Status
Tag

Take a look at the Help section under Dynamic Membership for other usage examples.

Manual Membership uses a manual input form. Enter the criteria and click the Search button. If there are results, they will be shown. Simply select the items desired and click Add to add them as members of the Container.

*Selected nodes have been added to the Container*

You can also delete any members. Just select the member and click Delete.

*Deleting nodes that were added manually to a Container*

Import will allow you to enter a list of nodes to add to the Container. Enter a list of nodes and click Import to add them.

*Adding nodes to the Container via Import*. *After clicking the Import button, the results show that the nodes were imported successfully.*

Nodes must already exist in the System Frontier database in order to be imported into a Container

Root Container

Set the Root Container to limit the scope of computers that a Container will have as members. This is valuable when using the Role delegation feature of System Frontier.

Credential Mapping

The Credential Mapping field in a Container will automatically use the credentials indicated in the All Computers Container by default unless it is specified differently here. To change the credentials used, click the dropdown list and select whichever Credential is needed for this Container.

Deleting a Container

To delete a Container, click on the Delete link on the Container (Edit) page.

How to Run a Custom Tool on a Container

Open a Container and select the Custom Tool that you wish to run against the members of that Container. If you don’t know the exact name of the tool, you can begin typing letters and the list options will narrow based on your criteria. The tool selected will be run for all of that Container’s members and results shown.