Device Templates

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Overview

Device Templates provide a mapping between devices and Cacti host templates or Monarch host profiles.

The NeDi tool discovers devices that are identified by a number string, like a base MIB object identifier, and can be set up to be monitored with a Cacti template or with a Monarch template (host profile) using the Device Templates feature. The association lets another part of the system look at the table for Cacti or Monarch and automatically apply the template or profile, plus the details (IP Address, host name), and immediately start monitoring. It's a way to automate between the discovery process and the monitoring process where you don't have to go into the configuration for Cacti or Monarch and instead go direct from the Device Templates.

Device Templates is a set of tables that provide connecting reference for a certain automatic monitoring configuration feature called GWAutoConf. When GWAutoConf is employed, the couplets in this table show which monitoring template should be assigned for a particular device type.

Two operations will occur:

• First is the setup of these tables. Periodically a daemon process consults the NeDi database to learn the list of known device types presently in the IT space. Each type has a unique identifying string.  These strings are written in to the table. An Administrator will then pre-load specific Cacti or Monarch profiles to be used for the devices whose id strings are present  This is a lookup table: if device is a Web Server, it has the Web Server Monarch Profile associated in this table; if a Cisco 3650 switch, then the table reference says Cacti Router 35XX series Template.
• The second operation is the configuration of monitoring of discovered devices. A daemon polls the same NeDi database and the Cacti and Monarch databases, retrieving a list of devices that are not currently being monitored. It then matches the device strings with the pre-loaded table, extracting the appropriate template or profile name, and assigns it accordingly with the NeDi supplied IP address, name, SNMP string, and so forth.  Thereafter the now discovered devices are monitored.

Steps

Adding a device template

1. As an administrator, select GroundWork Administration > Device Management > Device Templates.
2. Select the + icon and the New Device Template dialog will be displayed. Enter the following:
   
   Table: Device Template fields

   Device Identification	Unique device identification.
   Cacti Template	Cacti template name.
   Monarch Template	Monarch template name.
   Description	(optional) Device template description.
   Timestamp	Automatic field upon template creation.

   
   Figure: Device templates
   
   

3. Click Save.