Configuring device types

All configuration tasks for device types begin with the Devices dialog. To open this dialog, locate the System Configuration tasks on the Action pane's Configuration panel and click Manage devices.

NOTE: The term "communication options" means the same as "message queue configuration options."

NOTE: If there will be devices that auto-register as they are brought online, the definition of a device type in the Questra IDM Application Suite's database (particularly the manufacturer, product, model, and version) and the corresponding definition on a device's Service Agent must match, else the auto-registration will fail.

Open the Devices dialog and click Add

above the Device Type list to open the New Device Type dialog. In the Profile section, define the device type's profile. In the Communication Options section, define the device type's communication options (actually, its message queue configuration). These options will apply to all devices of this device type. (See also the Best Practice following the table in New Device Type dialog.) To save the new device type, click Add. After a few moments, the Devices dialog is refreshed to show the new device type.

Many devices are made up of distinct components (processors, motors, cooling units, etc.) that each can have their own defined properties. If you have set up components as their own device types, you can then associate those components with another device type. (See the Best Practice below to determine if you even need to set up these associations manually.)

Best Practice for associating components with a device type

If devices will auto-register as they are brought online, you need to set up component device types, but you do not need to associate them with their parent device types. The system will automatically make the associations when the devices auto-register. If devices will not auto-register, you need to manually associate component device types with parent device types, using the instructions that follow.

To manually associate components with a device type, first select the device type on the Devices dialog and click Edit

above the Device Type list to open the Device Type dialog. Switch to the Components tab and click Add

to open the Components dialog, which lists all existing device types. Select the device type you want to associate as a component of the selected device type; click Associate. The Components tab is refreshed to show the newly associated component.

To remove the association of a component with the device type, select it on the Components tab and click Delete

. In response to the confirmation message that opens, click Yes.

NOTE: If your role is System Administrator, you are first asked if you want to logically delete or purge the item. Respond appropriately. (For more information, see Purging system entities.)

Each device type has a (potentially) unique set of properties that apply to all devices of that type. Some properties are data elements that can be collected from devices, which are then used to assess operational status ("Monitoring") or usage information ("Usage"). Other properties are used to control the behavior of devices ("Control"), generally for diagnostic purposes. Still other properties are used to support Questra TotalAccess; to define those properties, see Adding Questra TotalAccess properties to a device type.

Best Practice for device configuration

Decide up front which properties will be used for monitoring and usage and which for diagnostics. Once data has been collected by the system for any of these functions, removing the association of a property to the function is not possible until that data is removed via the normal Enterprise Cleanup process due to internal data-integrity constraints. (For more information on the Enterprise Cleanup process, see Database Administration - An Overview and Managing analytics jobs.)

To define the properties of a device type, first select the device type on the Devices dialog and click Edit

above the Device Type list to open the Device Type dialog. Switch to the Properties tab and click Add

to open the Property dialog. Complete the fields. To save the new property, click Add. After a few moments, the Properties tab is refreshed to show the new property.

To remove a property from the device type, select it on the Properties tab and click Delete

On the Device Type dialog, you can view the defined configurations that were defined and associated with a device type with the CMDB Editor. (For information on defining configurations, see the topics in the Configuration Management Database book.)

To view a device type's defined configurations, first select the device type on the Devices dialog and click Edit

above the Device Type list to open the Device Type dialog. Switch to the Configurations tab, where the associated device types are listed.

NOTE: If you want to add or remove associations of a defined configuration to or from the device type, you must do so with the CMDB Editor.

You can define rules at the device type level that will apply to all devices of that type.

To define rules for a device type, first select the device type on the Devices dialog and click Edit

above the Device Type list to open the Device Type dialog. Switch to the Rules tab and click Add

to open the Rule dialog. Complete the fields. To save the rule, click Add. If you enabled the new rule to be scheduled, a message opens to remind you to create the schedule; click Close to close the message. After a few moments, the Rules tab is refreshed to show the new rule. If needed, be sure to create a schedule for the new rule.

To remove a rule from the device type, select it on the Rules tab and click Delete

. In response to the confirmation message that opens, click Yes.

Many devices allow for the remote execution of commands, primarily for diagnostic purposes.

To define commands for a device type, first select the device type on the Devices dialog and click Edit

above the Device Type list to open the Device Type dialog. Switch to the Commands tab and click Add

to open the Command dialog. Complete the fields. To save the new command, click Add.

Having added the new command, you now need to add its input parameter(s) and output parameter(s). Select the command on the Commands list and then Add

in the Input Parameters or Output Parameters section, depending on the type of parameter you want to add to open the Command Parameter dialog. Complete the fields. To save the parameter, click Add. After a few moments, the Commands tab refreshes to show the new parameter.

To remove a command (and its parameters) from the device type, select it on the Commands tab and click Delete

. In response to the confirmation message that opens, click Yes.

A web service is a component of a web-based system that provides a service or function over the Internet. Questra IDM Application Suite comprises a set of web services with which devices may need to interface. For example, there are separate web services that perform monitoring and scheduling.

NOTE: In general, the Questra IDM Application Suite manages the web services associated with devices automatically. In some cases, such as devices that are not connected to the Enterprise server, you may want to manually associate available services with a device type or individual device.

To define web service interfaces for a device type, first select the device type on the Devices dialog and click Edit

above the Device Type list to open the Device Type dialog. Switch to the Available Services tab and click Add

to open the Add Web Service Interface dialog. Complete the fields. To save the new interface definition, click Add.

To remove a web service interface from the device type, select it on the Available Services tab and click Delete

. In response to the confirmation message that opens, click Yes.

When editing a device type, you can change its general information, that is, its profile and communication (message queue configuration) options. You can also edit the associations or definitions of its components, properties, Questra TotalAccess connections, rules, commands, and web services.

Open the Devices dialog and select on the Device Type list (at the left) the device type you want to edit. Click Edit

above the list to open the Device Type dialog, which opens at its General tab.

If you have an image of the kind of device represented by a device type, you can upload that image to the Questra IDM Application Suite and have it appear in the Device detail view presented to users. (See the Best Practice below for advice on image format and size.)

Open the Devices dialog and select on the Device Type list (at the left) the device type you want to edit. Click Edit

above the list to open the Device Type dialog, which opens at its General tab. Click Upload to open the Upload From Your Computer dialog. Complete this dialog as needed. When ready, click Upload.

Best Practice for device type images

Valid file formats for the device type image are SWF (Flash) and non-interlaced JPG. The preferred format is SWF. The region dedicated to the device type image is 120 x 120 pixels. You should scale your device type pictures to avoid the download time for an unnecessarily large picture file.

After setting up the complete definition a device type, you might want to copy it as a basis for setting up a similar device type. You can do so easily by saving a copy of a device type. (This is sometimes referred to as "cloning" a device type.)

To save a copy of a device type, open the Devices dialog and select on the Device Type list (at the left) the device type you want to copy. Click Edit

above the list to open the Device Type dialog, which opens at its General tab.

Minimally, change the device type's name entered in the Device Type field and click Save As Copy. A copy of the device type is saved under the new name. You can now edit the new device type as needed. When finished editing, click Save.

Best Practice for deleting device types

Deleting a device type that is still associated with devices will make it difficult for users to drill down to those devices via the Device Type panel of the Navigation pane. You should delete a device type only after the last device deployed in the field of that type is retired.

To delete a device type, open the Devices dialog. On the Device Type list (at the left), select the device type and click Delete

above that list. In response to the confirmation message that opens, click Yes.

NOTE: If your role is System Administrator, you are first asked if you want to logically delete or purge the item. Respond appropriately. (For more information, see Purging system entities.)