About Attributes Version 10.2.01P10

Note: Starting with Release Version 10, attributes are no longer specific to a single object type. Attributes now apply to all object types, such as hosts, arrays, and switches.

• See Managing Attributes.

• Attributes enable you to define a distinct data set based on a specific characteristic. Attributes represent logical relationships between objects and their relevant characteristics. This categorization mechanism aids reporting on clearly defined sets of data. Typically, you will create attributes to identify an additional data set for a report’s scope or to use in the Inventory view to categorize data. See Attribute Example.

• A default set of system attributes is included in the Portal software. See System Attributes.

• Not all attributes can be modified. For example, System Attribute details (domain, name, and description) cannot be modified, but the values assigned to them can be revised. The Domain can also restrict who can modify attributes. In the Portal, attributes that can be fully modified are displayed in bold.

• Attributes directly relate to report scope. Report scope refers to the data selections that you make to include and exclude in a report. You can set the scope using several characteristics, including host groups, hosts, arrays, and attributes.

• See also, Attribute Inheritance and Attribute-Naming Rules.

Attributes can be configured for objects to define a distinct data set, based on a particular characteristic. For example, you might set up a “maintenance_contract” attribute that you can associate with the hosts for which you have service coverage. With that set, you can generate a report to list all hosts with a maintenance contract by dragging the maintenance_contract attribute into the report scope.

Similarly, you might create an attribute to organize arrays by geographical location. In this case, for example, the report scope could include EMC Symmetrix and NetApp arrays and a Location attribute with a value set to London and another Location attribute with the value set to Edinburgh. In this example, four sets of data would be included in the report’s scope.

When you create an attribute, APTARE IT Analytics automatically makes that attribute available for all object types, simplifying administration.

Note: Report templates created with the Dynamic Template Designer have access to only Array, Host, Library, and Drive objects and attributes.

Both host groups and attributes provide mechanisms for organizing IT Analytics data to facilitate reporting and inventory browsing. Use the following list to determine the best approach for your Portal environment.

• Use attributes as the preferred organization mechanism because they span most object types and are not limited to hosts and host groups.

• Assign attribute values to a diverse set of objects (such as hosts, arrays, and switches) for easy Inventory access.

• Enable further filtering of host groups by assigning attributes to select hosts, such as backup clients.

• Enforce security controls, limiting a user’s access to a subset of the hosts in the database. A user has an assigned home host group, which identifies the hierarchy of hosts a user can access.

• Group hosts that naturally belong together and typically will be reported on as a group.

Bulk load utilities—that is, the scripts that import large sets of data into the IT Analytics database from comma-separated values (CSV) files—process attributes in the following manner:

If an attribute already exists for the attribute name that is being loaded, the utility uses the existing attribute and creates the corresponding attribute for the other object types. For example, if an array attribute named Criticality exists for an array, when the utility attempts to add an attribute with the same name, it will simply create the attribute for the remaining object types.

A default set of system attributes is included in the Portal. These attributes cannot be deleted, however, you must create the list of values (LOV) for your enterprise. See Editing or Renaming Attributes and Attribute Inheritance Overrides.

When you assign a list of values to an attribute, the values are available to all objects. Typically, a list of values will be suitable for all object types (hosts, arrays, etc.). There may be cases where you require a list of values for one type of object and a separate list of values for another type of object. For these cases, you would need to create a user-define attribute with a different name.

• Application - Enables grouping by Application for certain inventory configurations and report scope selectors, for all IT Analytics objects. User-defined values must be assigned to this attribute.

• Business_Unit - Enables grouping by Business Unit for certain inventory configurations and report scope selectors, for all IT Analytics objects. User-defined values must be assigned to this attribute.

• Data_Center - Enables grouping by Data Center for certain inventory configurations and report scope selectors, for all IT Analytics objects. User-defined values must be assigned to this attribute.

• Department - Enables grouping by Department for certain inventory configurations and report scope selectors, for all IT Analytics objects. User-defined values must be assigned to this attribute.

• Environment - Enables grouping by Environment for certain inventory configurations and report scope selectors, for all IT Analytics objects. User-defined values must be assigned to this attribute.

• Location - Enables grouping by Location for certain inventory configurations and report scope selectors, for all IT Analytics objects. User-defined values must be assigned to this attribute.

• Organization - Enables grouping by Organization for certain inventory configurations and report scope selectors, for all IT Analytics objects. User-defined values must be assigned to this attribute.

• Owner - Enables grouping by Owner for certain inventory configurations and report scope selectors, for all IT Analytics objects. User-defined values must be assigned to this attribute.

• Region - Enables grouping by Region for certain inventory configurations and report scope selectors, for all IT Analytics objects. User-defined values must be assigned to this attribute.