A notification list determines what notifications a client of the Global Manager receives. A notification list includes a filter that the Global Manager uses to process notifications before sending the notifications to the client. In addition to a filter, you can also use a notification list to change the name of column headings in the Notification Log of the Global Console.

Note:

Changes to a notification list are not available to console users until they reattach to the Global Manager.

Clients that use notification lists include:

  • Global Consoles — The notification list is a property of the user profile. “Creating a user profile” on page 41 describes how to create user profiles.

  • Notification adapters — The notification list used by a notification adapter is specified in the NLSubscription section of the adapter’s configuration file. The VMware Smart Assurance Service Assurance Manager Notification Adapters User Guide provides additional details on notification adapters.

  • Adapter Platform — A Global Manager uses a notification list to receive notifications from the Adapter Platform. The notification list used by Global Manager is specified in the dxa-oi.conf file.

    Note:

    Changes to the notification list are made using the Global Console and not by directly editing the dxa-oi.conf file.

    Because a notification list controls what notifications a client receives, it affects more than the display of notifications in a Notification Log. A notification list also affects the display of maps in the Global Console. For example, if a notification list filters out all notifications for a router, the status of that router will appear normal, regardless of its actual condition.

    The filters specified as part of a notification list should not be confused with the filtering capabilities of the Global Console. The Global Manager performs the filtering defined in a notification list. The notifications that are filtered out by a notification list are not sent to a client. Filters in the Global Console can be used to further refine the filter of a notification list. The VMware Smart Assurance Service Assurance Manager Operator Guide describes filtering performed by the Global Console.

    You can create or modify a notification list using the Global Manager Administration Console or the sm_config utility. This section describes using the Global Manager Administration Console. Chapter 11, “Importing and Exporting Configurations,” describes how to use the sm_config utility.