Using Classes and Groups for Overrides

Article
05/13/2011

This topic describes the differences between classes and groups in Operations Manager 2007, and how workflows, such as rules and monitors, apply to each. The following sections define classes and groups, and provide examples for applying overrides with the available override options.

Classes

In Operations Manager, a class is a definition of an item that can be discovered and managed. A class can represent a computer, a database, a service, a disk, an application, or any other kind of object that requires monitoring. Monitors, rules, discoveries, and tasks can apply to a class. For example, Windows Server 2003 Logical Disk is a class that defines logical disks on a computer that is running the Windows Server 2003 operating system. A monitor that applies to the Windows Server 2003 Logical Disk class will be applied only to objects that meet that class definition.

Note

In the Operations console, the term target is used instead of class.

Classes are defined in the Operations Manager management pack libraries and in individual product management packs that you import. It is important to understand classes when you create a workflow, whether you are just creating a single monitor or authoring a management pack for an application. For a more in-depth explanation of applying workflows to classes, see Key Concepts (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=190398) in the Management Pack Authoring Guide.

Groups

In Operations Manager, a group is a logical set of objects that can be used to define the scope of overrides, views, user roles, and notifications. Some groups are provided in the Operations Manager installation, such as All Windows Computers group and Agent Managed Computer Group. You can create your own groups and add members to groups explicitly or dynamically.

Overrides

You have seen that classes are used to target workflows such as rules and monitors. A monitor or rule is applied to a specific class. To change the value for a parameter of a rule or monitor, you create an override. You have the following options for applying your override:

For all objects of class: Class

When you select this option for your override, the override settings apply to all objects in the class at which the rule or monitor is targeted.
For a group

When you select this option for your override, the override settings apply only to members of the group. The rule or monitor without the override settings continues to apply to all objects in the targeted class except for those objects that are also members of the group used for the override.
For a specific object of class: Class

When you select this option for your override, the override settings apply only to the specified object. The rule or monitor without the override settings continues to apply to all other objects in the targeted class.
For all objects of another class

When you select this option for your override, the override settings apply only to objects of a class other than the targeted class. The rule or monitor without the override settings continues to apply to all objects in the targeted class.

How to Apply Overrides

Here are some examples of when you would use the override options.

You want to change the priority of an alert

Select to override For all objects of class: Class.

You want to change the priority of an alert for computers that meet a specific criteria

Select to override For a group and create a group that dynamically adds members based on specific criteria.

You want to change the priority of an alert for a specific computer only

Select to override For a specific object of class: Class. You could also select For a group and create a group that has the specific computer added as an explicit member.

You want to change the priority of an alert that applies to all operating systems for a specific operating system

Select For all objects of another class and select the class that represents the operating system for which you want to have a different alert priority.

You want the rule or monitor to apply only to specific computers

In this common scenario, you must perform the following two tasks:

Select to override For all objects of class: Class, and change Enabled to False. This will disable the rule or monitor.

Important

Use an override to disable the rule or monitor instead of the Disable option, because an override can be saved to any unsealed management pack, whereas the Disable option is saved to the Default Management Pack. For more information about why you should not save settings to the Default Management Pack, see Default Management Pack (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=190441).
Select to override For a group, For a specific object of class: Class, or For all objects of another class, and change Enabled to True. This enables the rule or monitor for members of that group, the specified object, or the selected class only.