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How many dependencies must I set up?

I've read quite a few posts and blogs on groups and dependencies, and I still have one question regarding basic design.

Lets say I have a simple topology such as:

NPM--> RouterA--> SwitchA--> SwitchB--> SwitchC--> and so on and so on...

Is it enough for me to define Router A or a WAN interface on Router A as the parent of a group containing the three switches (and beyond), or must I configure multiple nested P-C relationships in order to be able to conduct root cause analysis correctly?

In other words, do I really need to create:

NPM--> RouterA (P1)-->SwitchA (C1)

SwitchA (P2)--> SwitchB (C2)

SwitchB (P3)--> SwitchC (C3)

  • Hi patriot--

    Have you seen this thread on dependencies? Click the first two links to get even more information.

    Let me know if this helped you.

    M

  • Well, not sure what links you are referring to, but I may have already read them. :)

  • Assuming you want to receive as much relevant data as possible and avoid as much irrelevant data as possible, you will want to create your dependencies at each level that they exist.  In your example, you would want to have:
    NPM--> RouterA (P1)-->SwitchA (C1)
    SwitchA (P2)--> SwitchB (C2)
    SwitchB (P3)--> SwitchC (C3)
     
    You have correctly identified that dependencies are directional/conditional based on where the SolarWinds Polling Engine is located.
     
    In a large network with some redundancies, multiple levels of routing/switching, etc., the use of groups is also a huge value in describing these dependencies.  I would not recommend lumping multiple hops of devices into the same group, unless you don't ultimately care (a.k.a. don't manage) the lumped together devices--which would likely bring into question why they are even being managed by your SolarWinds deployment if the data or lack of data accuracy doesn't matter.
    Below is a more complicated example of a network that shows how the use of dependencies might look for the attached diagram:
     
    Device Name
    Group Membership(s)
    Child of Group
    Child of Device
    Parent of Group
    Parent of Device
    Type of roll-up
    WAN RTR #2
    WAN RTRs Group
    Core Switches Group
     
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    WAN RTR #1
    WAN RTRs Group
    Core Switches Group
     
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    Core Switch - B
    Core Switches Group
    Child of HQ Switch Y Group
     
    HQ Switch - Y
    Child of Core Switch - B Group
     
    Mixed Mode
    Core Switch - A
    Core Switches Group
    Child of HQ Switch Y Group
     
    HQ Switch - Y
    Child of Core Switch - A Group
     
    Mixed Mode
    WAN - B
    Child of Core Switch - B Group
     
    Core Switch - B
    Child of WAN - B Group
     
    Mixed Mode
    WAN - A
    Child of Core Switch - A Group
     
    Core Switch - A
    Child of WAN - A Group
     
    Mixed Mode
    Site Rtr #10
    Child of WAN - B Group
     
    WAN - B
    Child of Site Rtr #10
     
    Mixed Mode
    Site Rtr #20
    Child of WAN - B Group
     
    WAN - B
    Child of Site Rtr #20
     
    Mixed Mode
    Site Rtr #50
    Child of WAN - A Group
     
    WAN - A
    Child of Site Rtr #50
     
    Mixed Mode
    Site Rtr #60
    Child of WAN - A Group
     
    WAN - A
    Child of Site Rtr #60
     
    Mixed Mode
    HQ Switch - Y
     
     
     
    Child of HQ Switch - Y
     
     
    HQ Switch - Z
     
    Core Switches Group
     
    Child of HQ Switch - Z
     
     
    Site Switch - 10a
    Child of Site Rtr #10 Group
     
    Site Rtr #10
    Child of Site Switch - 10a
     
    Mixed Mode
    Site Switch - 20a
    Child of Site Rtr #20 Group
     
    Site Rtr #20
    Child of Site Switch - 20a
     
    Mixed Mode
    Site Switch - 50a
    Child of Site Rtr #50 Group
     
    Site Rrt #50
    Child of Site Switch - 50a
     
    Mixed Mode
    Site Switch - 60a
    Child of Site Rtr #60 Group
     
    Site Rrt #60
    Child of Site Switch - 60a
     
    Mixed Mode
    Bld Switch - Za
    Child of HQ Switch - Z Group
     
    HQ Switch - Z
    Child of Bld Switch - Za
     
    Mixed Mode
    Bld Switch - Zb
    Child of HQ Switch - Z Group
     
    HQ Switch - Z
    Child of Bld Switch - Zb
     
    Mixed Mode
    Bld Switch - Ya
    Child of HQ Switch - Y Group
     
    HQ Switch - Y
    Child of Bld Switch - Ya
     
    Mixed Mode
    Bld Switch - Yb
    Child of HQ Switch - Y Group
     
    HQ Switch - Y
    Child of Bld Switch - Yb
     
    Mixed Mode
    SolarWinds Server
     
     
     
     
     
     
    S1
    Child of HQ Switch - Y Group
     
    HQ Switch - Y
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    S2
    Child of HQ Switch - Z Group
     
    HQ Switch - Z
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    S3
    Child of Site Switch - 60a Group
     
    Site Switch - 60a
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    S4
    Child of Site Switch - 60a Group
     
    Site Switch - 60a
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    S5
    Child of Site Switch - 50a Group
     
    Site Switch - 50a
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    S6
    Child of Bld Switch Yb Group
     
    Bld Switch Yb
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    S7
    Child of Bld Switch Ya Group
     
    Bld Switch Ya
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    S8
    Child of Bld Switch Zb Group
     
    Bld Switch Zb
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    S9
    Child of Bld Switch Zb Group
     
    Bld Switch Zb
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    S10
    Child of Bld Switch Za Group
     
    Bld Switch Za
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    S11
    Child of Site Switch - 20a Group
     
    Site Switch - 20a
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    S12
    Child of Site Switch - 10a Group
     
    Site Switch - 10a
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    VH1
    Child of Bld Switch Yb Group
     
    Bld Switch Yb
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    VH2
    Child of Bld Switch Ya Group
     
    Bld Switch Ya
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    VH3
    Child of Bld Switch Ya Group
     
    Bld Switch Ya
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    VH4
    Child of HQ Switch - Z Group
     
    HQ Switch - Z
     
     
    Mixed Mode
    VH5
    Child of Bld Switch Za Group
     
    Bld Switch Za
     
     
    Mixed Mode