Managing Attributes and Objects > Adding Attributes
   
Version 9.1.01
Adding Attributes
To get the most out of report scope, you can define attributes with discrete values. Attributes are characteristics of your hosts. You can add any number of attributes, and they can represent any characteristic. Ensure that you provide a descriptive name for the attribute and for the attribute values so that all users understand what information on which the Report Designer is going to filter. There is no character limitation for the attribute name or value. Table 10.1 lists example attributes.
 
Table 10.1 Example Attributes and Attribute Values
Attribute Name
Possible Values
Purpose
Application
SAP
Microsoft Windows Exchange
Data based on the type of software application running on the host.
0001234
0001235
For asset management purposes, perhaps you want to report on backup servers by asset tag.
Backup Server
BackupServer1
BackupServer2
You will certainly want to report on backup servers/clients based on the backup server that backs up the backup server/clients’ user data. Backup Server is the most common attribute, which is why the Portal creates a default group to represent this characteristic.
Business Unit
Marketing
Accounting
Backup servers/hosts often contain backups of data owned by users from specific business groups (for example, Marketing).
CPU
Opteron
UltraSPARC
If you need to know how your backups are performing on your backup servers with specific CPUs, simply run reports based on this attribute.
Geographical location
 
Americas
Asia
Geography is a popular way to scope report data. If you are responsible for hosts in a region, you can scope for your region.
It may make sense to simply set up host groups by geographical location or you can create this attribute to filter by location.
004
248
You can be very specific about the location of hosts that you have spread throughout the world.
Host/Server Type
Production Server
Test Server
This attribute can represent production vs. test machines. Data on production systems are critical to your business. Test data is important, too, but you might want to know how data is being produced on your production systems particularly.
System Administrator
Vadim
Charles
Emily
Hosts are managed by this person.
Operating System
Linux
Operating System
Mac
If you need to roll out patches for a particular operating system, you can quickly determine when the user data on those hosts will be backed up. Your values can be general or specific (for example, Solaris 10).
To add attributes
1. Select Admin > Advanced > Attributes
2. From the drop‑down list, select the domain to which you want to add the attribute. Typically, this domain selection is required only for Managed Services Providers.
When you add or delete attributes, you do so globally for your domain and all the host groups in that domain. Unless you are an MSP, you will never see multiple domains.
3. Select the Object Type from the drop-down list: Host, Array, Library, Drive, Switch, Application Database, MS Exchange Organization.
NOTE: Application attributes (Application Database and MS Exchange Organization) currently apply only to reports generated using the Report Template Designer.
4. Click Add on the Object Attributes Administration window.
5. Enter the name of the attribute in the Add Attributes dialog. The new attribute is displayed in the Attributes pane.
6. Enter a comma‑separated list of values for the attribute in the Attribute values field and click OK.