ELM Enterprise Manager is chalk full of shortcuts that can simplify and speed up the process of configuring various settings for your monitoring and notification needs. One of the most convenient but often overlooked or forgotten features is the ability to drag-and-drop certain items and objects within the console to assign them to new areas. You could always open an object or item and modify it’s properties to change where it is assigned or add it to another area, but for simple little changes even this can result in more steps than necessary. This month we wanted to remind you of a handful of these time saving shortcuts and why a few that seem like they should work but don’t.

Drag Filters to Include/Exclude in Views

A quick way to assign Event Filters to an Event View is to open the All Event Filters folder so they display in the right pane of the console. Then expand your Event View in the left pane so that the Include Filters and Exclude folders are visible. Come back over and click-hold and drag the Filter you want, right to left onto either of the Filters folders, and it will automatically be assigned.

Drag and Drop Shortcuts 1

Drag Event Views to ELM Editor To Create Instant Reports

Once you have fine tuned an Event View to display exactly what you want, you can drag-and-drop it into ELM Editor to instantly create a report! First we’ll highlight the ELM Editor container so contents appear in right pane. Then scroll up, find the Event View we want to turn into a report, click-hold and drag Event View from left to right. A new report will appear with the same name as the Event View (which you’ll most likely want to change). The properties and layout of this new report can then be modified to your liking! Trying the opposite – ELM Editor reports cannot be dragged-and-dropped into Event Views to create a new View due to the more complicated SQL queries used in reports and the ability to have multiple report sections.

Drag and Drop Shortcuts 2

Assign Agents to Categories

You can quickly assign Agents to Categories by clicking and dragging them from one Category to another or from the All Agents category to another. You can assign any Agent to any Category (ie. a Windows Server to General — Network Devices) so make sure you are in the right spot before you release the mouse button!

Drag and Drop Shortcuts 3

No Multi-Select of Agents to Drag-and-Drop into Categories

Multi-select does not work with drag-and-drop of multiple agents to categories.

Drag and Drop Shortcuts 4

Monitor Items to Individual Agents

You can drag-and-drop Monitor Items directly to an Agent’s Monitor Items to assign them there quickly. However, if you try to drop a Monitor Item on an Agent which has a license assigned that does not support that Monitor Item, it will not work. In the example below, SalesLab111 has an Event License (more basic) and SalesLab222 has a System License (full blown). System licenses support the Inventory Collector where an Event License does not. Click here for a feature comparison chart for all ELM licenses.

Drag and Drop Shortcuts 5

Monitors to Agent Category > Monitor Items

Similar to the sample above, you can drag-and-drop a Monitor Item onto an Agent Category’s Monitor Items.

Drag and Drop Shortcuts 6

What about mixed licenses and supporting that Monitor Item?

In a situation like this where there may be multiple machines with multiple license types in a single Category, if any of the Agents do not have the appropriate license to support the Monitor Item you are assigning to that Category they will individually fail silently, where other Agents with licensing that do support it will be assigned as intended.

Drag and Drop Shortcuts 7

Notification methods to Event Views

Already have a Notification Method setup you want to use on other Event Views? Simply bring it up in the right pane, and drag-and-drop it onto the Notification Methods folder under the Event View you want in the left pane. Done!

Drag and Drop Shortcuts 8

There you have it – lots of quick and easy shortcuts for configuring or reconfiguring different areas of ELM.

We hope that you found this article on Drag-and-Drop shortcuts informative and useful and wish you continued success with your ELM deployment!