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Viewing and Changing Network Node Properties

After Alloy Discovery performs the Direct Network Scan (for details, see Direct Network Scan), Network Nodes appear with a set of general properties. These properties include audit credential settings (for details, see Audit Credentials [Credentials Name] window) and identifying information, such as obtained SNMP data, the type of the Network Node (computer, Chromebook, or network device), the computer's or Chromebook's operating system, and the device's type. You may want to specify an individual set of audit credentials for the Node.

There might be rare cases when a parameter of a Network Node is recognized incorrectly or remain unrecognized, it is when you can manually change the details about a single Network Node as needed. You can also select multiple nodes for applying the desired set of general properties simultaneously.

NOTE: Settings App allows the administrator to configure custom network device types using theGeneral > Network Device Types section. For details, see Configuring Network Device types.

To work with the properties of a single Network Node:

  1. In the grid, right-click a node you want to work with.

  2. Select Properties from the pop-up menu, the Node Properties [Node Name] window opens.

  3. Make the changes, if needed.

  4. Click OK.

To work with the properties of multiple nodes:

  1. In the grid, select multiple nodes you want to work with (for details, see Selecting multiple records).

  2. Right-click the selected nodes and choose Properties from the pop-up menu, the Properties of Multiple Nodes window opens.

  3. Make the changes, if needed.

  4. Click OK.

Node Properties window

The Node Properties [ Node Name ] window allows you to view and modify the Network Node properties. To access this window, right-click a Node in the grid and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.

NOTE: The modified credentials are used when you individually discover or audit a Node either when you audit a Site or an Audit Source that includes the Network Node during Direct Network Scan (for details, see Direct Network Scan).

This window contains the following tabs: General, SNMP Data, and ESX/ESXi Options (optional).

General tab

This tab shows general information about the Network Node and allows you to modify Network Node type and credentials:

Name - the Network Node name.

IPv4 Address - the IPv4 address of the Network Node.

IPv6 Address - the IPv6 address of the Network Node.

Discovered MAC - shows the discovered MAC address of the Network Node.

Creation Date - the date and time the Network Node record was created.

Discovered Date - shows the date and time when the operation (discovery or audit) was last processed with the Network Node.

Audit Date - shows the audit date and time of the Network Node.

NOTE: The IP Address, Name, Creation Date, Discovered Date and Audit Date fields contain read-only values that cannot be modified.

Network Node Type - the type of the node. In case a computer, Chromebook or network device is not recognized and defined as Unknown, you can choose its type manually from the Network Node Type drop-down list.

For computers:

OS Type - shows the type of operating system for the computer or virtual machine. For not audited computers, you can manually specify the type of operating system: such as Windows, Linux, or Mac OS.

NOTE: If you want Alloy Discovery to re-identify the computer's operating system during the discovery of new network nodes in a group, select Undefined in the Operating System list and start discovering. If either Windows, or Linux, or Mac is chosen, the identification of operating system will not be performed.

Hypervisor -for computers running virtualization platforms, shows and allows you to modify the hypervisor, such as MS Hyper-V Server, VMware ESX, Vmware ESXi, Xen Hypervisor, or Citrix XenServer.

NOTE: When you want Alloy Discovery to update a Hypervisor field, specify the hypervisor as Undefined and discover the Site or the Direct Network Scan Audit Source where that hypervisor belongs. If a hypervisor is already specified or the Hypervisor field stores the Not a Hypervisor value, the data will not be updated.

NOTE: To audit VMware ESX and VMwareESXi hypervisors, ESX/ESXi Options must also be configured correctly.

For Chromebooks:

OS Type - shows the type of operating system for the Chromebook. For not audited Chromebooks, you can manually specify the type of operating system: such as Chrome OS.

For network devices:

Network Device Type - the type of the network device, such as printer, router, switch, UPS, etc.If a network device is not recognized among different types of network devices, it is defined as Other so you can choose its type manually from the Network Device Type drop-down list.

NOTE: Custom types of network devices are configured by the Alloy Discovery administrator. For details, see Configuring Network Device types.

SNMP version - the version of the SNMP protocol used by Alloy Discovery to collect SNMP information from the network device. You can choose the SNMP version from the list (v1, v2c, v3) or keep the default Autodetect option. In the latter case, the detected SNMP version is displayed in parentheses. Depending on the SNMP version of the network device Alloy Discovery uses the corresponding SNMP audit credentials.

NOTE: To detect the SNMP version, Alloy Discovery tries to connect to a network device using the specified audit credentials for different SNMP versions, starting from Version 3 downward. If, for example, the SNMP v3 credentials are not correct or not specified, the SNMP v3 version cannot be detected, although the device may support it.

Use settings from the last successful Direct Network Scan - uses the settings from the Audit Source used during the last successful audit of the nodes.

Use the settings from this Audit Source - uses settings from the particular Audit Source. If you want to use credentials from another Audit Source, select that source from the drop-down list.

Use individual credentials (overwrite credentials from the Audit Source) - specifies individual sets of audit credentials for the node:

Windows, Linux and Mac, ESXi/vSphere/Citrix, Google, or SNMP - select an audit credential record from the drop-down list. For details, see Managing Audit Credentials.

    NOTE: To create a new set of credentials or modify an existing one, you can click the ellipsis button next to the Windows, Linux and Mac, ESXi/vSphere/Citrix, Google, or SNMP field and add a credential record or modify an existing one using the Select Audit Credentials window.

SNMP Data tab
No changes available

This tab shows information collected on the Network Node via SNMP:

SysDescr - the description of the node. The data is received from "1.3.6.1.2.1.1.1.0" OID (sysDescr).

SysObjectID - the vendor identifier from "SMI Network Management Private Enterprise Codes". The data is received from "1.3.6.1.2.1.1.2.0" OID (sysObjectID).

SysUpTime - the time elapsed since the last boot of the node. The data is received from "1.3.6.1.2.1.1.3.0" OID (sysUpTime).

SysContact - the contact information for the person managing the node. The data is received from "1.3.6.1.2.1.1.4.0" OID (sysContact).

SysName - the fully qualified domain name of the node. The data is received from "1.3.6.1.2.1.1.5.0" OID (sysName).

SysLocation - the physical location of the node. The data is received from "1.3.6.1.2.1.1.6.0" OID (sysLocation).

SysServices - the sum of layer numbers indicating the set of services that this node may potentially offer. The data is received from "1.3.6.1.2.1.1.7.0" OID (sysServices).

Vendor - the IANA-registered name of the vendor organization from "SMI Network Management Private Enterprise Codes". The data is retrieved from the enterprise value of sysObjectID ("1.3.6.1.4.1.X" OID).

Model (for printers only) - the data is received from "1.3.6.1.2.1.43.5.1.1.16.1" OID (prtGeneralPrinterName).

Serial Number (for printers only) - the data is received from "1.3.6.1.2.1.43.5.1.1.17.1" OID (prtGeneralSerialNumber).

ESX/ESXi Options tab
For VMware ESX/ESXi hypervisors only

On this tab, you can view and configure connection parameters to audit recognized computers running VMware ESX or VMware ESXi. Alloy Discovery establishes connection to VMware ESX/ESXi hypervisor using WS-Management over HTTP or HTTPS protocols.

NOTE: If you plan to audit computers running VMware ESX (but not ESXi) hypervisor with the SSH protocol enabled, these connection parameters are not applicable. In this case, Alloy Discovery establishes connection using the parameters configured for Linux machines (for details, see Managing Audit Credentials).

NOTE: If you plan to audit computers running VMware ESX/ESXi hypervisors, the computers hosting your Inventory Server instances must have Windows Remote Management (WinRM) 2.0 installed (for details, see Installation Guide: Alloy Discovery Audit Clients).

Transport - select one of the following options:

  • HTTP - establishes non-secure connection using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) protocol. The default port number is 80.

  • HTTPS - establishes secure connection using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) protocol. The default port number is 443.

  • Port - the port number for the chosen connection settings. If you want to specify a non-standard TCP port, enter its value.

  • Reject invalid certificates - prevents communication with the server via an HTTPS-encrypted channel when a certificate validation error occurs.

NOTE: To access VMware ESX or VMware ESXi hypervisors Alloy Discovery uses Linux credentials as follows. If the computer has individual audit credentials specified, Alloy Discovery uses these credentials. Otherwise, it applies Linux credentials from the computer's Audit Source. For details, see Managing Audit Credentials.

Related Information:

Managing Audit Credentials

Related Information for Administrators:

Configuring Network Device types