Credential Rule

What is a credential Rule?

Network Configuration Manager already has a feature know as Credential Profiles, where the user can set up a profile with all the required credential parameters for different protocols and then the credential profile can be associated with the devices and based on the protocol selected in device credentials, appropriate credentials will be applied to the device automatically.

Now with credential rules, the process of applying the credential profiles to the devices can be automated by creating a credential rule and providing either a particular device group(s) or a criteria to select devices based on multiple parameters. User will also need to provide the protocol and the credential profile that will be applied to the devices which fulfil the criteria for the particular credential rule.

Any new device that is added into Network Configuration Manager will go through all the credential rules available in the product at the time and if the device fulfills the criteria for a particular credential rule, the associated credential profile will be applied to the device.

If a device fulfills criteria for multiple rules, the rule with the lowest rule order will be selected.

How to add a credential Rule?

Follow the steps given below to add a credential rule:

• Go to Config Automation > Credentials > Credential Rules
• Click on the add icon on top right of the grid
• Enter a name for the new rule
• Add a description to the rule (Optional)
• Select the device selection type (Device group or Criteria)
• Select the device groups if device group is selected in the previous step
• If the Criteria option is selected then create a selection criteria for the device
• To create a criteria, the user needs to select a parameter, a condition and a value.
• Multiple criteria rows can be added by clicking the add button in front of the criteria row.
• A criteria pattern will be automatically created and the criteria will be applied accordingly
• While creating multiple criteria rows, the user has to select the join operator between two rows that can be AND or OR
• Once the device selection type is set, please select a credential profile and the protocol that needs to be applied from the credential profile, if a device
• fulfills the criteria for the rule
• Click on save

How to modify a credential Rule?

Go to Config Automation > Credentials > Credential Rules and find the credential rule that needs to be edited in the grid. Click on the particular row, which will open a new slide with all the parameters of that credential rules, pre-rendered. Make the required changes and click on Save to save the changes.

How to delete a credential Rule?

Go to Config Automation > Credentials > Credential Rules and click the delete icon under Actions header in the grid for the particular Credential Rule that needs to be deleted.

Note: Multiple deletion is not allowed for credential rules.

Credential Rule - Other Actions

How to associate devices to credential Rule?

A newly added device will automatically associated to a particular credential rule if it fulfills the device selection criteria of the rule. To associate an existing device please run the particular rule through the list of devices. A run through button is provided for each rule in the Credential Rules grid under the Actions header.

How to change priority of a credential Rule?

NCM gives priority to the rules with the lowest rule order first. To change the order of rules, please go to Config Automation > Credentials > Credential Rules and drag and drop the rows to change the order. Once the order is changed a save button will be shown on top of the grid to save the changes. Once the changes are saved, the rule order will be changed starting from number 1.

How to change enable or disable a credential Rule?

Please follow the steps given below to enable/disable a credential rule:

• Go to Config Automation > Credentials > Credential Rules
• Find the credential rule you want to enable/disable, in the grid on the Credential Rules page
• Click on the toggle status button under Actions header to change the status.