The classifier allows to define a set of attributes for the device.
An attribute is called Class and can be used to organize devices differently from the group organization (typically based on IP range). Every class has a set of possible Values.
In the Classifier Tree you can define classes and their respective values.
E.g. Let's suppose we want to establish the class department so we can know to which department a device belongs to. We also want to establish the class floor to know on which floor of the building is placed the device. The corresponding classifier tree will be:
- Class: department
- Class-values: administration, marketing, sales.
- Class: floor
- Class-values: first, second.
Once a class is defined within its corresponding class-values, it can be used to classify a device. On the previous example, a device can be tagged with the value administration under the class department, at the same time can be tagged with the value first under the class floor. The attributes department and floor can be shown on the working area as a new column/attribute.
This page explains all the functionalities related to the classifier. For more information about how to Import the classification from a file read this section.
¶ Classes and Class Values
¶ Add class
Right-click on the Classifier Tree and select Add Class.
Enter the name of the new class (e.g. department).
The new class is shown on the Classifier Tree.
¶ Add a Class Value
Right-click on a class and select Add Value (shortcut CTRL + N).
Write the name of the value (e.g. administration).
Class values are shown under the corresponding class.
¶ Import classes
To import classes into the classifier, use the Import Classification from file option.
Each line of the CSV file should correspond to the name of a class.
On the Column number and device detail association to import select "1" on the Class Name column.
Click on OK to proceed.
The new columns will be shown under the Classifier.
It is also possible to import the class values for each class. For more information read this section.
¶ Rename/Delete a class
To rename/delete a class, right-click on the class.
¶ Import Class Values from file
Right-click on a class and select Import values from file.
It will open the Import CSV File window.
Indicate the Value Name column.
Click on OK to proceed.
Class values will be shown under the corresponding class.
It is also possible to import the devices belonging to an specific class values. For more information, read this section.
¶ Rename a class value
To rename a class value, right-click on the class value and select the corresponding action.
Write the new name of the class.
¶ Delete a class value
Right-click on the class value, select Delete.
Be aware, if the class value is currently used on a Scheduled Activity, Event Activity or Device Policy, after deleting the class value, the related functionality will not have any effect on the devices classified under that class value.
¶ Classify the devices
¶ From Contextual Menu
Select the devices to set the class value (can be a multiple device operation). Right-click to show the contextual menu and select Classification....
Select the class value you want to assign to the devices. It is possible to select only one class value for each class. In case you do not want to use a class, do not select any of its class-values.
Click on OK. Note on the working area the column corresponding to the class now has the selected value.
¶ Import Devices Association from File
Right click on the class value, select Import Device Associations from File.
Select the CSV file containing the list of devices that will be classified under that specific class value.
On the Column number and device detail association to import indicate "1" on the Device Detail column, on the Detail type select the attribute used to identify the devices (hostname, IP Address, MAC Address, Serial Number, ID).
¶ Reclassify devices
To reclassify all the devices belonging to one specific class value to another class value, you need to right-click on the source class value and select Reclassify (move) all Devices.
Now, select the class value where you want to move all the devices.
The devices will move under the new value.
¶ Showing the class in the working area
Go to Menu Tools -> General Options -> Devices Details. Pick the Select Details option and check the class you want to see in the working area.
Change the displayed order of the device-details columns, by clicking on the up/down arrow. For more information, read Options - Devices Details Tab.
Click on OK. The class column will be shown in the working area.
You can order the devices by the class column by clicking on the title column.
¶ Import Classification from File
Through this functionality it is possible to import a CSV file containing the whole classifier structure (Class, Values and devices) or part of the structure(only classes or class and values). Each line of the file should contain at least one column and a maximum of 3 columns under the format: Column1<sep>Column2<sep>Column3
Where:
- Column1, column2 and column3 can correspond to a class, class-value or device. The device can be identified through the hostname, IP address, MAC address, serial number or ID (by default, this attribute is not shown on the ThinMan console, you can modified this by selecting it through the Tools menu - General Options) of the device.
- <sep> is the separator character, it can be a tab, comma or semicolon character.
E.g. the file below contains the classes, values and devices belonging to each class-value.
Right-click on the Classifier Tree and select Import Classification from File. The Import CSV File window will open.
On this window, indicate the CSV importing options:
- Value delimiter: comma, semicolon, TAB.
- Text qualifier: Quatation mark("), Quote(').
- Skip first line (header): mark it when the first line of the file indicates the name of the columns.
Also, indicate the number of column containing the Class Name, Value Name and Device Detail.
If the file contains the Device Detail column, you will need to indicate the corrisponding field (Name, IP Address, MAC Address, Serial Number, ID).
Click on OK to proceed.
The Classifier tree shows the created classes with the corrisponding values and on each value you will see all the devices classified under that class-value.
¶ Use of Classification
Tracking Scheduled/Event Activities
When using an event activity, it is possible to track the result of this activity by Classifying the devices depending on activity result. Similarly, when using an scheduled activity, it is possible to track the result of this activity by Classifying the devices depending on activity result.
The classifier can be useful for many purposes:
- Inventory
- Scheduled/Event Activities
- Profile Manager
¶ Inventory
When exporting an inventory, you can define which device attributes you want to export, you can include the classes you have defined in the Classifier Tree.
On the above example, the Inventory file has been created exporting the ThinMan device attribute, including the new classes and their values.
¶ Event Activities
It is possible to associate an Event Activity to one or more class values. The activity (e.g. firmware update) will be executed when the event (e.g. startup) happens on the devices belonging to the associated class values. For more information, read Event Activity.
On the above example, it has been created an Event Activity to Update Agile on all the devices whose OperatingSystem class has the value Windows
¶ Profile Manager
A Device Policy can be associated to devices associated to one or more class values. For more information, read Devices Policy.
On the above example, the policy administration_policy has been associated to all the devices whose department class is administration.