Automated Assignment with active Filters

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About this Document

This article describes scenarios and best practices for automatically assigning computers to existing assignment groups to automate software deployments.

There are several options to automated assignments in Matrix42 UEM. This article covers the use of active filters in the Empirum Management Console (EMC). The automation of assignments using workflows in the UUX Console is described in this online article.

About Filter Actions (active filters)

Action Filters are filters in the EMC that perform pre-defined actions on computers that meet the filter criteria on a specified schedule.

Available Actions are:

Alarm - Sending an alarm via the Empirum Alarm Management
Software distribution via configuration/assignment groups - Assigns a software package to computers using the name of the filter for the group name. This is not recommended for most scenarios as it creates groups on the top level which should not be used for other purposes.
Assigning non-assigned computers to a configuration/assignment group - Assigns computers to predefined configuration or assignment groups. This is the recommended option as the groups can be located in any hierarchy and act exactly as all other groups.

The general documentation of the active filters can be reviewed in the online documentation.

Best Practices

The following information provides hints on a best practice use of the action filters.

For best flexibility use "Assigning non-assigned computers to an assignment group"
- The option "Assigning non-assigned computers to a configuration group" limits the assignment to not already otherwise assigned computers as computers can only be assigned once in configuration groups.
- The options "Software distribution via configuration/assignment groups" create groups on the top level which should not be used for other purposes based on the name of the filter.
Use a naming convention, Inventoy ID or the additional Information to build criteria which allows automated assignment.
Use the option "Only for new objects". This prevents creating heavy load on the Empirum server as only computers which newly fulfill the criteria of the filter will be considered. Not using the option will perform the whole activity for all computers which match the criteria and results in repeated and most likely unnecessary computer activations.
- Not using the option "Only for new objects" can make sense for enforcing policies based on a filter criteria as also computers which were manually removed from the assignment will be added again. This should better be tackled with setting group rights which prevents removing computers by mistake.
Use a reasonable schedule. When not using the option "Only for new objects" use at least a daily schedule. When using the option a hourly schedule is usually a good compromise between latency and performance.

Use Cases and Scenarios

Adding new computers to a base configuration

In this example the filter action will add newly added computers to an existing assignment group to immediately set variables and assign packages as a baseline. This can be easily enhanced by using filters which consider a naming schema, inventory ID or some ther criteria to sort the computer into the correct assignment groups.

Create Filter

Right Click Computers
Select Filter
- Add a Filter Name
- Add a description
- Under assigned select not assigned
- Select as Table Computer
- Select Parameters Computer Name
- Select as Criteria LIKE
- Select as Value %
- Select "Insert" to add the filter criteria
Press Ok to Save

You can also use other filters with naming rules for assignment to different groups. To split Windows and macOS as an example use OSType = Windows Workstation or Mac OS X Workstation.

Prepare a Assignment Group

Perform a right click on Assignment Groups
Select New Group
- Add a Name
- Add a Description
Click Finish
Add the base Software Packages like Empirum Inventory and an standard Agent Template to the Assignment Group
Optionally set Variables to the Assignment Group which should be inherited to the computers

Create Filter Actions

Perform a right click on your previously created filter
Select Filter Actions
Click + New
- Add a Name
- Add a Description
- Press Next
- Select Assign non-assigned computers to an assignment group
- Enable "Only for new objects"
Click Next
Select your previously created assignment group
Enable Activate
Click Next
Click Next
Select Recurring and define a hourly frequency
Click OK
Click Finish
Close with OK

New computers will be automatically added every hour to the selected assignment group every hour.

Adding computers models to a specific patch group

In this example the filter action will add computers of a certain computer model to an existing assignment group to assign packages which update the drivers of this model type.

Create Filter

Right Click Computers
Select Filter
- Add a Filter Name
- Add a description
- Select as Table WMI- Computersystem
- Select Parameters Model
- Select as Criteria =
- Select as Value Latitude E6440
- Select "Insert" to add the filter criteria
Press Ok to Save

Prepare a Assignment Group

Perform a right click on Assignment Groups
Select New Group
- Add a Name like Latitude E6440
- Add a Description
Click Finish
Add the base Software Packages like a driver or BIOS update package for Latitude E6440 to the Assignment Group
Optionally set Variables to the Assignment Group which should be inherited to the computers

Create Filter Actions

Perform a right click on your previously created filter
Select Filter Actions
Click + New
- Add a Name
- Add a Description
- Press Next
- Select Assign non-assigned computers to an assignment group
- Enable "Only for new objects"
  - Enable "Include all objects on first execution"
Click Next
Select your previously created assignment group Latitude E6440
Enable Activate
Click Next
Click Next
Select Recurring and define a hourly frequency
Click OK
Click Finish
Close with OK

Latitude E6440 computers are automatically added to the selected assignment group every hour. Initially all existing computers and then all newly added computers.