Next Topic

Previous Topic

Book Contents

Naming Policy

The Naming Policy page defines the IP address criteria used to automatically re-assign machines to a different machine group. Each machine group can be assigned multiple naming policies.

Naming policies can also force the renaming of a machine ID, if the machine ID name doesn't match the computer name, reducing confusion when administering managed machines.

Assigning machines to machine groups by IP addresses has the following benefits:

  • Typically an organization represents a single customer enterprise and group IDs and subgroups represent locations within that enterprise. When an employee transfers to a new location, the managed machine can be automatically re-assigned to the appropriate machine group or sub-group for that location as soon as the managed machine's agent checks in from the new location's network.
  • Using managed variables, managed machines can run procedures that access locally available resources based on the group ID or subgroup ID. Using Naming Policy this benefit can be applied automatically by IP address even to a highly mobile workforce that travels between different enterprise locations.
  • Maintaining multiple agent install packages in Agent > Deploy Agents, one for each organization, can be time consuming. Instead some server providers use a single agent package for the unnamed organization and perform all installs using this package. System > Naming Policy can reassign new agents to the correct organization.group ID automatically—the first time the agents check in—based on each managed machine’s IP or connection gateway. Agent > Copy Settings may be used afterwards, to manually copy specific kinds of agent settings by machine ID template to the type of machine revealed by the initial audit.

Connection Gateway

Optionally check the Connection Gateway checkbox and enter the connection gateway IP address. The connection gateway is typically the WAN address of the managed machine. This rule can be applied independently to a group ID. The managed machine must have this IP address as its connection gateway to be automatically assigned to the group ID.

IP Range

Optionally check the IP Range checkbox and enter an IP address range, such as 192.168.1.2192.168.1.254. This rule can be applied independently to a group ID. The IP address of the managed machine must fall within this range to be automatically assigned to the group ID.

Force machine ID to always be computer name

Optionally check the Force machine ID to always be computer name checkbox to force each machine ID name to match its corresponding computer name. This rule can be applied independently to a group ID.

Note: Machines are renamed to the new group ID at their next full check-in. The quick check-in cycle does not trigger a rename. To rename a group of machines quickly using Naming Policy, schedule the Force Check-in sample agent procedure located in Agent Procedures > Schedule / Create.

Update

Click Update to apply the naming policy to the selected machine group. The system immediately begins enforcing the group ID’s new rule as machines check into the KServer.

Add

Click Add to add a new naming policy to existing naming policies for a selected machine group.

Note: Each machine group can be assigned multiple naming policies. Use this capability to automatically assign machines with different IP address ranges to the same machine group.

Clear

Click Clear to remove the naming policy from a machine group. The system immediately stops applying the rule for the machine group.

Machine Group

This column lists the machine groups defined for the system. Select the radio button beside a Machine Group before updating, adding or clearing a naming policy.

Connection Gateway

Displays the connection gateway assigned to the machine group.

IP Range

Displays the IP ranges assigned to the the machine groups.

Force Machine ID

Displays a check mark if Force machine ID to always be computer name is enabled for a machine group.