The Config Search tab (Config Management tab –> Config Search) enables searching for configuration files by text content and other device parameters. Search listings enable the viewing and editing of configuration files and creating templates from configuration files.

Hundreds of configuration files exist across the data center or the enterprise. The Config Search allows you to search across all of them for a characteristic phrase or string of characters, such as "bgp as", "arp timeout", or any other string that may appear in any configuration file. The Config Search will list only the configurations that match the search string.

You can carry out searches against Running configurations, Running and Saved configs, or across All Current and Archived configurations. You also can export search results to an external file.

Searches may take a significant time to complete. In such cases, Config Search practices partial loading, in which after starting the search, following the Building Device List procedural message, Config Search begins to list the first matches found during the process. The results list continues to incrementally update until the search completes.

To perform a search and its various functions, complete the following:

1. Under Saved Searches, click New Search.
2. In the Select Filters panel, click CTRL + click or SHIFT + click to choose the device group(s) in the Device Group list.
3. Specify the Results Per Config. See the following choices: 
   • First Occurrence: Searches and then displays only the first positive match.
   • All Occurrences: 6Searches and displays all positive matches in each configuration file.
4. Specify the Scope. See the following choices:
   • Current Running: Search through the current running configuration of the specified devices, as collected by NetMRI.
   • Current Running and Saved: This performs the search through all configuration files for the device that is currently stored in NetMRI. This search may take considerably longer.
   • All Current and Archived Changes: This confines the search to changes detected and archived by NetMRI.
5. In the Define Criteria panel, enter one or more search criteria: select a parameter, select an operator (Contains, Matches, Does Not Match, or RegEx), enter the matching string, and then click Add.

6. Below the search criteria list, specify how to apply the search criteria. If you chose Custom Logic Builder..., enter the logic for combining the search criteria in the field to the right [for example, 1 and (2 or 3)].

7. To control which columns appear in the results, click the Edit Result Fields button. The Edit Results Fields dialog appears.

   • Use the horizontal arrows to move the fields between the Available Fields and Selected Fields lists (fields in the Selected Fields list appear in the result). You can also double-click fields to move them between the lists.
   • Use the vertical arrows, First button and Last button to rearrange fields in the Selected Fields list (the top-to-bottom order in the Selected Fields list translates into left-to-right order in the results).
   • To preview the new column arrangement: Click Apply.
   • Click OK.
8. Click Run.

To save the search currently specified in the Select Filters panel and Define Criteria panel, do the following:

1. Click Save.
2. In the Save Search dialog, enter a name for the search, then click Save. The new Search instance appears in the Saved Searches panel. Clicking on a saved search opens the contents in the Select Filters and Define Criteria panels.

To modify a saved search:

1. In the Saved Searches list, click the search to modify.
2. In the Select Filters and Define Criteria panels, make the desired changes.
3. Click Save.

To run a saved search:

1. In the Saved Searches list, click the search to run.
2. Click Run.

Working with Search Results

After a search finishes, you will often see more than one search result for a given device, depending on whether you select Current Running and Saved or All Current and Archived Changes.
After executing a Search, click the IP address hotlink for any device to open its Device Viewer. Then, click Configuration Management –> Config Explorer. Then, click the Actions icon and choose View Configuration File for any config file that is present in the device.
To test a configuration file against a policy: click the IP address hotlink for any device to open its Device Viewer. Then, click Configuration Management –> Config Explorer. Then, click the Actions icon and choose Test Against Policy for any config file.
To set a configuration file baseline, do the following:

1. Select the checkbox for the config file in the search result list. Multiple config files may be displayed for any given device in the chosen Device Group, so make sure you select the correct file.
2. Click the Set Baseline icon. A warning message appears, noting that changing the baseline from the current location will override any previous baseline definitions.
3. Click Yes to designate the new baseline configuration.

Running Jobs Based on Search Results

The Config Search page also provides for running scripted jobs against configurations after a search result.
For a much deeper discussion of jobs and running them against devices, see Job Management and Automation Change Manager in the NetMRI Administrator's Guide or in online Help.
To run a job against one or more configuration files, do the following:

1. Click the check box for the file(s) where you want to run a job.
2. Click the Schedule Job button at the bottom of the page. The Job Wizard opens.
3. In the Fill out Job Details screen, type a Job Name.
4. To allow the job to run: Click the Approved option if your admin account supports it; otherwise the job will have be approved by the Admin user.
5. Type a Description of the job.
6. In the Scripts list, select a script. If required by the script, enter data and/or select options.
7. Click Next.
8. In the Select Device Groups or Devices screen, click the Add icon to select specific device groups and/or devices to which this job applies.
9. Click Next.
10. In the Schedule when Job should run screen, specify the schedule for the job.
11. Click Next.
12. In the Review and save screen, review the job specifications. If changes are needed, click the < Previous button to return to an earlier screen.
13. Click Save.

Track scheduled jobs in the Job History.

To execute a command on one or more configuration files, do the following:

1. Click the check box for the file(s) where you want to execute a command.
2. Click the Execute Command button. The Ad Hoc Command Batch script opens in a new window for command string input.
3. Enter the command(s).
4. Click OK.