Defining server groups

A server group is a user-defined grouping of servers. As part of your planning process, decide whether and how you will group servers.

For example, you can group servers by processing center or by server type or both. You can even group all managed servers into one group to monitor all server activity in one monitor window. You can also put servers in multiple groups and groups within groups. Group servers in a way that makes sense for your environment based on criteria that is meaningful in your environment. For example, you might group servers according to user access to them, or to the rules, SLCs, or both that are applied to those servers.

Important: IBM® Sterling Control Center Monitor has default system server groups that contain all of the servers of a particular type, such as, Sterling Connect:Direct® for Microsoft Windows and Global Mailbox. The system server groups are strictly controlled by IBM Sterling Control Center Monitor. Anytime you add or delete a server of a particular type, it is automatically added to or deleted from the applicable system server group. You can change the names of system server groups; however, system server groups cannot have the same names as user-defined server groups. System server group names must be changed before you define objects that reference them.

When you are creating rules and SLCs that pertain to server events, specify the server or server group to which those rules and SLCs apply. You also have the option of specifying a data visibility group for rules and SLCs. If you go through the process of analyzing your monitoring needs before configuring IBM Sterling Control Center Monitor, you can define rules, SLCs that apply to a group of servers. This process is a more efficient means of defining rules and SLCs than defining separate rules, SLCs, or both for individual servers. This process helps reduce the number of objects you have to define and maintain.

For example, when you add a server to an existing server group, all the rules and SLCs defined for that server group are applied to the added server. If you do not implement server groups, you will have to set up rules and SLCs for that one server.

A wizard guides you through the process of configuring server groups. The server groups you configure are displayed in a tree view on the web console. To access the properties for a server group, and click Edit Server Group. To review and edit the properties of individual servers in the group, click a server in the group to access and modify its properties.