Resolution
Security Manager 4.X
fact
Security Manager 5.X
fact
Security Manager 3.X
fix
To associate computers into a common group when they do not share the same function or applications, in order to deploy custom rules to only those machines, involves creating a custom registry value on each member of the intended computer group.
WARNING: Editing the registry can be dangerous. Please follow the directions below. Misuse of the registry editor could corrupt your registry.
The following steps need to be performed to create a custom computer group based on a custom registry value:
- Using a registry editor, create a string value on one of the Agents that you'd like to belong to this custom computer group. For convenience, create this value at HKLM | Software | Mission Critical Software. Alternately, if a registry value already exists that you want to use, skip this step.
- From the MMC (The Development Console in SM 4.0 and later), expand the 'Rules' node.
- Right-click Computer Groups and select Create Computer Group.
- Select All Computers, click Next.
- Select All Types, click Next.
- From the 'Properties Formula' page, click Attribute.
- If a pre-defined computer group does not fit the requirements, click New.
- Select Registry Value.
- Browse to HKLM | Software | Mission Critical Software and select the string data value you created in Step 1. Alternately, navigate to the registry value you want to use instead.
NOTE: This value needs to be created on all the computers that you want included in this computer group.
- Click Next.
- Select Check registry value for existence.
- Type a name and description for this registry attribute.
- Select Finish.
Now, deploy the new computer group to your Agents by performing a managed computer scan. This allows the Agent Manager to evaluate the new computer group and assign members to it.
To verify if the computers you wanted to associate together, into a custom computer group, were evaluated correctly: When the scan has completed, go to MMC | Monitor | All Computer Groups, look for your new computer group by name and make sure it has registered the correct computers as members.
The final step of the process is to associate this custom computer group to a Processing Rule Group (PRG) to deploy pre-defined or custom rules to this group.