Devices and groups

Devices

A device is anything Retivo talks to: a switch, router, firewall, wireless controller or access point. Each device has a name, an address, a platform (which decides the commands Retivo uses) and optional settings of its own:

• SSH and SNMP credentials,
• whether to check it with ping, SNMP, LLDP and CDP,
• whether to back it up,
• check interval, compliance requirements and backup storage.

Anything a device does not set is taken from its groups.

Groups

Groups hold devices and hand settings down to them: credentials, the check interval, compliance requirements and where config versions are copied.

There are two kinds:

Static groups

You choose the members.

Rule-based groups

Membership follows a rule, for example "vendor is Fortinet". New devices that match join automatically.

Groups inside groups

A group can sit inside another group. A device in an inner group also counts as a device of every group above it, for filters, user access and credentials.

When several groups set the same thing, the innermost group that sets it wins, and the device's own setting wins over all groups.

System names

Retivo reads each device's own name (SNMP sysName, or the hostname over SSH). When it differs from the name in Retivo, the inventory shows it under the name. Use Use system names to rename devices in one go; see Add devices.

What's next

• Credentials
• Add devices