---
title: "Extending Network Device & Data Support"
canonical: "https://docs.infoblox.com/space/NAG7/21987504/Extending%20Network%20Device%20%26%20Data%20Support"
format: markdown
---
Vendor MIB files are widely available on the Internet as a free resource, from vendor support Web sites, provided with equipment documentation, or occasionally as part of a support contract. Combine the correct MIB file with a correctly written Device Support Bundle file (DSB) and custom network device types can be added to NetMRI for management and monitoring. This feature set is called Extensible Device Support (EDS). DSB files are written in the XML language. A full description of XML DSB files, the information they must contain, and how to write them, is provided in the *Infoblox* *Device* *Support* *Guide* under Additional Documentation.
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Operations with MIB Files
NetMRI enables importing of device vendor MIB files, editing of MIB files, and general management of all MIB files in the appliance. In many cases, MIB files are bundled within the DSB, but MIBs can also be obtained elsewhere and added to the appliance. When a DSB is added to the appliance that requires one of these MIBs, and it is not bundled with the DSB, NetMRI will automatically search for the MIB in its database.
All installed MIBs are listed in the MIB Manager page. To import a new MIB file, do the following:
1. Go to Settings icon **–>** **Setup** **–>** **MIB** **Management**.
2. At the top of the table, click **Import** to open the Import file requester.
3. Click **Browse** and navigate to the location where you have saved the MIB file.
4. Select the MIB file and click **Import**. The file is added to the MIB table.
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**Note:** System MIBs cannot be exported by the MIB manager. MIBs that have previously been installed by the operator may be exported.
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Reloading MIBs into the NetMRI system can take several minutes. If a MIB or DSB is imported or removed, the procedure requires several minutes to complete.
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Working With Device Support Bundles
A Device Support Bundle (DSB) is a small collection of files designed specifically to enable installed to discover, communicate with and manage new types and models of network devices that may not be included in the substantial universe of device support already offered by NetMRI. Features in the appliance enable editing, validation, and testing against managed devices for Device Support Bundles that you create. (Make sure to refer to the *Infoblox* *Device* *Support* *Guide* document under Additional Documentation for more information on DSB creation.)
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**Note:** The text-based DSB file containing the XML code for the bundle must be in native XML format. Use a text editor that directly supports saving in the .XML file format. A plain-text file. with the file extension .TXT, that contains XML code will not be visible to the import feature.
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To begin working with installed's Device Support Bundles feature set, go to Settings icon **–>** **Setup** **–>** **Device** **Support** **Bundles**.
The Device Support Bundles page appears, displaying a table of information for any existing device support bundles. The columns in this table indicate that a given DSB explicitly supports the given data elements (not all fields will necessarily be defined):
| | |
| --- | --- |
| **Actions** | Displays the Actions menu for the selected row in the DSB table. |
| **Name** | Name of the device vendor. |
| **Version** | Arbitrary version number for the bundle file. |
| **Author** | Author of the DSB file. |
| **Status** | Indicates the state of the DSB in the appliance. In most cases the value should read **Installed**. If you've created a new DSB in the DSB editor but have not yet installed it into the appliance (perhaps because you are in the process of editing it), this value will read **New**. If you have an installed DSB in the table, but you are in the process of modifying it, its status changes to **Modified**. Once this is done, you will need to re-install the DSB, or optionally discard the changes; in this case the status appears as **Revert**. |
| **Valid** **Ind** | Will read Yes or No depending on whether a validation test has been run against the DSB. |
| **Unit** **Tests** | Indicates whether any unit tests are part of the current DSB. |
| **Neighbor** **Ind** | Neighbor Object ID information, where applicable, for the DSB type. |
| **Inventory** **Ind** | Inventory Object ID information, where applicable, for the DSB type. |
| **Environmental** **Ind** | Environmental Object ID information, where applicable, for the DSB type. |
| **CPU** **Ind** | CPU ObjectID information for the DSB type. |
| **Memory** **Ind** | SNMP System memory ObjectID information, where applicable, for the DSB type. |
| **VLAN** **Ind** | SNMP VLAN ObjectID information, where applicable, for the DSB type. |
| **Forwarding** **Ind** | SNMP forwarding ObjectID information, where applicable, for the DSB type. |
| **Port** **Ind** | The communications port through which the device type in the bundle is reachable. |
| **Config** **Ind** | Config information, where applicable, for the device support bundle. |
No individual device support XML file is likely to have every definition, or have ObjectIDs (Oids) to represent them in the MIBs. When you load a DSB into the appliance, you may see a series of information messages indicating that some definitions are not present in the XML file. This does not indicate an error.
To create a new Device Support Bundle, do the following:
1. Go to Settings icon **–>** **Setup** **–>** **Device** **Support** **Bundle**.
2. At the top of the table, click **New** to create a new Device Support Bundle from the UI. A prompt appears, requesting entry of a name for the new bundle.
3. Enter the name and click OK or press Enter. The DSB Editor window appears. A new DSB is created out of a set of built-in templates. The DSB bundle XML file, in which you write your support file for the bundle, contains a series of XML tags that are documented in each of the development steps. Typically, a device support bundle also will include vendor MIB files, and CCS or Perl scripts to handle configuration file collection. Vendor MIB files may also be imported separately.
See the supplementary document *Infoblox* *Device* *Support* *Guide* in Additional Documentation in the online Help for much more detail on XML DSB tags and writing DSB files, and *[Job](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987590)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987590)*[Scripting](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987590)* for much more detail on Perl and CCS scripting.
To import a previously created Device Support Bundle, do the following:
1. Go to Settings icon **–>** **Setup** **–>** **Device** **Support** **Bundle**.
2. Click **Import** to open the Import file requester.
3. Click **Browse** and navigate to the location where you have saved the Zip file with the XML file and the directory containing the needed MIB files.
4. Select the Zip file and click **Import**.
5. An Import Status dialog box showing the import file output appears. The import may take several minutes to complete, and will display the results of each import function. Click **Close** when the process completes.
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Actions in Device Support Bundle Lists
Each table record in a Device Support Bundle list provides an **Action** icon. Clicking the icon displays a menu for operations working directly with Device Support Bundles in the GUI:
**Edit** – displays the DSB Editor window where you can directly edit the XML description and the CCS or Perl script associated with the bundle;
**Validate **– Validate the XML file associated with the DSB. A dialog opens and the process starts automatically (For more information, see *[Validating](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[ ](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[and](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[ ](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[Testing](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[ ](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[Imported](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[ ](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[Device](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[ ](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[Support](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[ ](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[Bundles](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*);
**Install** – Install a new DSB into the appliance (applies only to DSBs created in the DSB Editor);
**Test** – Test the DSB against a recognized and managed device in the network (For more information, see *[Validating](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[ ](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[and](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)* *[Testing](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[ ](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[Imported](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[ ](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[Device](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[ ](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[Support](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[ ](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*[Bundles](#ExtendingNetworkDevice&DataSupport-bookmark838)*);
**Revert **– While a DSB is being edited or modified, this menu option is enabled.
**Delete **– Remove the currently selected DSB row from the table;
**Export** – Export the selected DSB to the current management system as a Zip file.
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Editing Device Support Bundles
NetMRI's Device Support Bundles table provides a simple GUI-based DSB Editor for making on-the-fly changes to text files in the bundle. Clicking the Action icon in a table row and selecting Edit displays the editor, automatically showing the contents of the XML file for the bundle.
The XML is for the descriptor file containing all of the vital DSB descriptor tags for the device definition. It is not related to the MIB files that may or may not be bundled in the DSB.
MIB files are usually bundled inside the tarball/Zip file comprising a DSB, that is imported into NetMRI. These MIBs do not have to be included in the bundle, but they are managed using the MIB Management page in Settings icon **–****>** **Setup** **–>** **Device** **Support** **Bundles**. The DSB editor does not edit these files.
You can use the DSB Editor to edit the XML configuration description and the CCS or Perl scripts for the bundle.
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Supporting Custom Device Types
New device types can be created and are fully compatible with the DSB engine. In the DSB Editor (Settings icon **–> Setup –> Device Support Bundle**), you can begin by editing the XML file for the new Type:
``
``
``
``
``
``
``
``
`...`
The example is reduced for brevity. The XML changes are reflected in the Device Viewer:
Further changes require editing of Perl or CCS files, and possible inclusion of MIB files.
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Validating and Testing Imported Device Support Bundles
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**Note:** If a device of the desired type is not currently discovered by NetMRI, the Test option in Device Support Bundles is disabled.
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Users can test new or currently installed Device Support Bundles. Validation functions, which test the bundled files for syntax errors and for well-formed XML syntax, include the following:
- Validate a DSB XML file against a pre-defined W3C XML schema;
- Validate a CCS file against syntax errors;
- Validate a Perl file against syntax errors.
In a separate operation, NetMRI also tests the DSB against a live device. In the GUI, NetMRI allows users to select a Device Support Bundle, and choose a live device to test against (this device must be discovered and managed by NetMRI). The test includes SNMP and CLI sessions against the real device depending on how respective support is specified in the Device Support Bundle.
A Device Support Bundle must be installed into NetMRI before it can be validated and tested. When finished, the appliance reports the validation and testing results to the user. Should either operation fail, the corresponding status is set in the Device Support Bundles table for the DSB.
Examples in this section assume a bundle is already installed. To validate a Device Support Bundle, do the following:
1. Go to Settings icon **–>** **Setup** **–>** **Device** **Support** **Bundles**.
2. In the **Actions** column, click the Actions icon for the bundle you want to test.
3. From the drop-down menu, choose **Validate**.
Two validation tests are run: one against the XML, and one against the Perl or CCS script.
4. Click **Close** when finished.
To test a Device Support Bundle, do the following:
1. In the **Actions** column, click the Actions icon for the bundle you want to test.
2. From the drop-down menu, choose **Test**.
3. In the Test DSB dialog, select the device against which you want to test the DSB.
4. Click **Test** to begin.
5. Click **Close** when finished. The test results will appear in the Device Support Bundles table.
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Automating Device Support Request Data Collection
A wide variety of devices exist in enterprise networks. NetMRI offers the ability to create a complete and detailed Device Support Request package for network devices, or device OS versions, that are not directly supported by NetMRI.
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**Note:** You may use a standalone NetMRI appliance or an Operations Center (OC) system to perform Device Support Request data collection. If you are using an OC, discovery and data collection is automatically delegated to the correct appliance.
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You may have devices in your managed network that are part of NetMRI's list of officially supported devices. NetMRI provides a simplified tool for creating a comprehensive Device Support Request for dispatching to Infoblox to develop a full Device Support Bundle for unsupported devices.
To begin building a Device Support Request, the only absolutely required piece of information is the device's IP address.
For more detailed device support, NetMRI offers the ability to enter a series of command-line strings based on the operating system of the device in question, during creation of the new Device Support Request. The only requirement is that NetMRI must be able to reach the device on the network and be given a correct administrative login account to allow for successful command-line data entry.
This feature, called CLI Capture, leverages NetMRI's CLI command capturing, configuration collection, and built-in SSH client features to allow a detailed breakdown of the most obscure and unusual devices and their command systems. All you need is a successful SSH or Telnet connection, and the admin login tuples (including Enable passwords) required to establish a working command-line session. Knowledge of the command line for the device in question is also necessary.
If a device is reachable, the device support request process uses both SNMP and CLI data collection features in tandem.
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**Note:** In some cases, completing a Device Support Request will require the availability of vendor SNMP MIBs. If NetMRI cannot access the device by Ping (thereby knowing the IP address) or by SNMP, automated device data collection is not possible; you may still manually enter device support information.
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The information comprising an automated support bundle includes the following:
- Device IP Address
- Device Vendor and Device Model
- Operating System Version
- Device Type (as reported by NetMRI)
- Discovery Diagnostics
- CLI Session Logs
- Discovery Logs
- Vendor documents including vendor SNMP MIB files, administrator guides or other device-related information. These latter files must be in an accessible format such as an Acrobat .PDF file.
- Customer Contact Information
You can choose to edit out any sensitive login strings from the package that is sent to Infoblox for development purposes.
To execute the process of device support collection, do the following:
1. Go to Tools icon **–>****Device****–>****Device**** Support**** Request**.
2. Click **New** at the top of the table. Click **Next** to proceed to the first data input step.
3. Enter the IP address in the **Device**** IP** field, and press Enter on your keyboard. This value is required to initiate the gathering of device information.
After entering the IP address, the **Description** fields may update with previously discovered information from the device, including the **Vendor**** Name**, **Model**, **OS**** Version**, the **Device**** Type** and the configured **Capabilities** for the device.
If no data exists in NetMRI for the device, you will need to enter the values for the **Description** fields. Because you are building a Device Support Request, it is likely that you will need to do so.
Also make sure to choose the correct **Capabilities** for the device.
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**Note:** A device may support more than one Capability, or a given device may be known as a specific **Device** **Type** but be configured for a different **Capability**. Press the CTRL key and click to select multiple **Capabilities** for the given device.
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4. Define the **Access** values for the device, which determine the protocols to be used for CLI and SNMP access:
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If you do not select **Other**, you enter the device's CLI admin credentials in the terminal screen.
c.** Methods** **to** **Support** **Infoblox** **Testing**: Infoblox Support requires access to your device, using your chosen method, to verify the new device support information. Choose from the following:
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d.** Contact**** Info**: Enter customer contact information, preferred method of contact, and contact details.
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**Note:** The customer name will be included in the file name that is downloaded to the local machine or when it is uploaded to external servers through FTP and other methods.
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5. Click **Next**. If you are using SNMP, you will receive a message as follows:
`SNMP`` ``data`` ``for`` ``the`` ``device`` ``will`` ``be`` ``collected`` ``in`` ``background`` ``and`` ``this`` ``process`` ``may`` ``take`` ``time``.`
a. This message also indicates establishment of successful SNMP communication. CLI reachability is not tested. Click **OK** to proceed.
6. In Step 3 of the tool, CLI Capture, the page divides into two panes: a scrolling list of configuration tasks on the left that you perform for the device in question; and a terminal window on the right pane showing the SSH or Telnet interactive session to the device.
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The first task, **Configure** **Device** **to** **send** **Syslogs** **to** **NetMRI**, is automatically selected. For many devices, some descriptions may not be relevant.
Most, such as **Display** **Device's** **IPv4** **ARP** **information** or **Display** **Device's** **IPv4** **Route** **information**, are relatively straightforward. All commands are mandatory except for the ones that you explicitly skip by clicking **Not** **Applicable** and choosing from the following options:
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NetMRI collects the responses to each command as you enter them.
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You can return to any listed command function to correct an error.
7. Click **Next**. Doing so compiles the command sequences into an encrypted data file. (This does not apply if you are using only SNMP.) In Step 4 of the tool, the Document Attachments phase, you upload any documents that may be available for the device in question. Clicking the Add sign allows loading for the following:
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8. Click **Next**. The tool offers a chance to remove any sensitive account data (accounts and passwords, community strings) from the sent Support Request. Any credentials that you previously provided for the initial testing and device interaction can be removed in this step.
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9. Click **Next**. Step 6 of the tool provides a list of the items provided for the Device Support Request: **Device** **Information**, **Document** **Attachments**, **CLI** **Command** **Capture**, **Change** **Detection** **Syslog**, **Discovery** **Test** and **SNMP** **Data** **Capture**. Some items may show a status of Complete or Missing. Click on the Document Attachments or CLI Command Capture links to return to their respective tool pages.
If necessary, click the links in Step 6 to perform any of the following:
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10. Click **Next**. Step 7 of the tool requires definition of the means of Device Support request delivery to Infoblox:
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11. Click **Next** and click **Finish**. After a moment, the Device Support Request table reappears, displaying the status *Finalizing* *Request*. The Request entry will eventually refresh to show *Complete* status. If you choose **Automatic** **Secure** **Transfer** **to** **Infoblox** or **Email**, the bundle request file is sent to Infoblox Support. Otherwise, the Wizard saves the bundle request file to your hard drive.
You can click the Action icon for any Request entry, and choose **Edit** or **Delete**.
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Defining and Using Custom Fields
The **Custom** **Fields** page (Settings icon **–>** **General** **Settings** **–>** **Custom** **Fields**) enables you to define custom data fields for uncovering and recording any information about network devices, changes and jobs. For devices, custom fields are useful for recording important c> Macro (anchor)
ontextual data such as asset tag numbers and physical location — information that NetMRI does not gather on its own.
Administrators can add extensible data in the following contexts, with examples suggested for each:
- **Interfaces** — Creates Interface Custom Fields. Update and augment information on interfaces with usage codes, or allowing usage designation of interfaces for Tier 1 tracking;
- **Components** — Creates Components Custom Fields. Update information for components such as line cards with serial numbers that are collected by custom CLI interrogation or asset tag numbers;
- **Jobs** — Creates Job Custom Fields. Update job definitions with custom information, including trouble ticket values or simple 'notes';
- **Devices** — Creates Device Custom Fields. Custom data can apply to almost any phenomenon involving devices, such as provisional IPv6 values for devices whose kernels do not yet support IPv6; custom output messages, different identification fields, and other information. You may use device custom fields in device group definitions to help match discovered and managed devices against logically named device groups. For information on how do so, see *[Understanding](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark407)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark407)*[Device](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark407)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark407)*[Group](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark407)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark407)*[Membership](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark407)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark407)*[Criteria](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark407)* and its subsection *[Device](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark409)* *[Group](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark409)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark409)*[Criteria](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark409)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark409)*[and](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark409)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark409)*[Device](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark409)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark409)*[Custom](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark409)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark409)*[Fields](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987633/Devices+and+Interfaces#DevicesandInterfaces-bookmark409)*;
- **Changes** — Creates Change Custom Fields. Add new fields to help keep track of changes in the network.
The entire Custom Fields feature set enables association of NetMRI to other operational systems and operational data, for better integration into organizational processes for asset management and other purposes.
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**Note:** For jobs and changes, custom fields can be used to record information such as ticket numbers.
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Custom fields you define in this page can be populated with data in the following locations:
- For devices: **Device**** Viewer ****–> ****Device/Network ****Explorer** section **–>**** Custom**** Data**.
- As noted, you can edit the **Device**** Group**** Criteria** field for any device group to enable the use of custom fields as matching criteria in devices;
- For jobs: In the **Job ****Wizard** available via the **New** button; and the **Edit** button in **Configuration ****Management ****–> ****Job ****Management ****–> ****Scheduled ****Jobs**.
- For changes: In **Network**** Analysis**** –>**** Changes**.
- For Interfaces: **Interface**** Viewer**** –> ****Interface**** –> ****Custom**** Data**.
- For Components: **Device ****Viewer**** –>**** Device/Network**** Explorer ****–> ****Component ****Inventory**.
To create a custom data field, do the following:
1. In the upper left corner of the Settings icon **–>** **General** **Settings** **–>** **Custom** **Fields** page, open the **Type** menu and select a custom data type (**Changes,** **Devices,** **Interfaces,** **Jobs** or **Components**). For device group matching, for example, choose **Devices**.
2. Click **New**. The **Add** **custom** **field** **value** dialog appears.
3. Enter a new **Name** for the field.
4. Open the **Type** list and select a field type (**Date**, **Number** or **String**) appropriate for the kind of data to be recorded in the field.
5. To create more than one field, click **Save**. The new field is added to the table in the background. You can enter another custom field using steps 4 & 5.
6. When finished, click **Save** **&** **Close**.
To edit a custom data field, do the following:
1. In the upper left corner of the Settings icon **–>** **General** **Settings** **–>** **Custom** **Fields** page, open the **Type** menu and select a custom data type: **Changes**, **Devices**, **Interfaces**, **Jobs** or **Components**.
2. Click the **Edit** button for the field. The **Edit** **custom** **field** **definition** dialog appears.
3. Change the **Name** and/or **Type** as needed.
4. Click **Save** **&** **Close**.
To delete a custom data field, do the following:
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**Note:** Deleting a custom field deletes all data stored in that field. Deleted data cannot be restored. The related custom fields will also be deleted from the contexts in which they are used.
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1. In the upper left corner of the Settings icon **–>** **General** **Settings** **–>** **Custom** **Fields** page, open the **Type** menu and select a custom data type.
2. Click the **Delete** button for the field.
3. Confirm the deletion.
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Importing Custom Field Dat> Macro (anchor)
a
As a labor-saving move, and a way to enforce a design and data standard for all custom data fields you wish to define in the appliance, you can create one or more device custom data fields in any of the six categories (**Changes**, **Devices**, **Interfaces**, **JobNews**, **Jobs** or **Components**), or import bulk data to populate the fields for **Devices**, **Interfaces** or **Components** data types. Each record is comma-delimited. Place the data in a CSV file having the following syntax:
For Devices:
`,,, first_network,192.168.2.1,Numeric_ID,2`
For Interfaces:
`,,,, first_network,192.168.2.1,eth3,Identifier,inbound_marketing`
For Components:
`,,,, first_network,192.168.2.1,eth3,Identifier,inbound_marketing`
For all custom field entries, the **NetworkName** field is optional in single-network deployments and is required in multi-network environments. The value will be ignored by NetMRI if the data is imported into a single-network NetMRI instance.
Examples:
`first_network,192.168.1.2,lo,integer_custom_field,2 `
`second_network,192.168.1.3,eth0,string_custom_field,something_cool`
When imported into a single-network NetMRI instance, the first value in each of these records is ignored. The first value is mandatory for multiple-network NetMRI environments.
To import bulk custom data of any type, do the following:
1. In the upper left corner of the Settings icon **–>** **General** **Settings** **–>** **Custom** **Fields** page, open the **Type** menu and choose **Devices**, **Interfaces** or **Components** depending on the application. These are the only three Custom Field categories that support
2. Click **Import**. The **Import** **Custom** **Field** **Data** dialog opens.
3. Click **Browse**, then locate and select the bulk data CSV file.
4. Click **Import**.
5. Under **Network** **Analysis–>** **Changes**, view the table of recent changes to devices in the network.
6. Move the mouse over any column in the table, and click the down arrow at the right end of the column heading.
7. In the drop-down menu, hover over **Columns**.
8. In the **Columns** submenu, check the custom field column(s) you want to appear in the table. The table will update to display the new column of data.
Also see *[Viewing](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[Changes](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[in](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[the](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[Network](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)* for more information about the Changes page in NetMRI.
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Adding Custom Data Fields in Network Explorer Inventory Pages
NetMRI enables custom information to be applied to the Inventory pages for any category within **Network** **Explorer** **–****>** **Inventory** **–>** (**Devices**, **Interfaces**, **OSs** and **Models**.).
For example, under **Devices**, all four categories of table information—**Devices**, **Device** **Components**, **Connected** **End** **Hosts** and **Connected** **IP** **Phones** — can display custom data to provide further insight into the state and details of a given device, host or other inventory component.
Some custom fields, depending on the information provided by them, may or may not be applicable to specific tables of information.
To add custom fields into tables within Network Explorer's Inventory pages, do the following:
1. Under **Network** **Explorer** **–>** **Inventory**, select any of the four categories of information (**Devices**, **Interfaces**, **OSs** or **Models**.)
2. Choose any of the sub-categories of information and the corresponding table appears. For example, under Devices, choose **Device** **Components** (you are not limited to this choice).
3. Move the mouse over any column in the table, and click the down arrow at the right end of the column heading.
4. In the drop-down menu, hover over **Columns**.
5. In the **Columns** submenu, check the custom field column(s) you want to appear in the table. The table will update to display the new column of data.
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Adding Custom Data Fields in Job Management
Job Management accommodates custom data fields to provide extremely flexible ways of reporting data and presenting different types of information beyond job defaults.
To define and use custom data fields in jobs, do the following:
1. In the upper left corner of the Settings icon **–>****General****Settings****–>****Custom****Fields** page, open the **Type** menu and select the **Jobs** custom data type.
2. Click **New** at the bottom right of the Custom Fields page.
3. In the Add Custom Field dialog, select the **Type** (Date, Number or String) and enter the **Name** for the new data field. Save your work.
4. To create more than one field, click **Save**. The new field is added to the table in the background. You can then enter another new field.
5. When finished, click **Save****&****Close**.
Custom fields can be displayed in the Scheduled Jobs page of Job Management (**Configuration****Management****–>****Job****Management** tab **–>****Scheduled****Jobs** tab).
6. Move the mouse over any column in the table, and click the down arrow at the right end of the column heading.
7. In the drop-down menu, hover over **Columns**.
8. In the **Columns** submenu, check the custom field column(s) you want to appear in the table. The table will update to display the new column of data.
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Adding Custom Data Fields in Network Analysis
NetMRI tracks all configuration changes made to managed devices in the network. Custom fields are used to display new data types that are not present in the Change Summary dashboard.
To add custom fields onto the Changes page, do the following:
1. Under **Network****Analysis–>****Changes**, view the table of recent changes to devices in the network.
2. Move the mouse over any column in the table, and click the down arrow at the right end of the column heading.
3. In the drop-down menu, hover over **Columns**.
4. In the **Columns** submenu, check the custom field column(s) you want to appear in the table. The table will update to display the new column of data.
Also see *[Viewing](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[Changes](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[in](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[the](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)*[Network](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987621/Issues+Changes+and+Network+Analysis#Issues,ChangesandNetworkAnalysis-bookmark505)* for more information about the Changes page in NetMRI.
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Enabling Custom Data Field Editing for Non-Admin Users
You may enable non-Admin users with limited privileges to edit custom field data within device groups, jobs, interfaces, network components or change events for which they have responsibility.
This feature is useful, for example, when a non-Admin NetMRI user needs to add notes on a regular basis to device records in the groups that they administrate, or descriptive notes on interfaces they manage.
For purposes of this section, we assume previous definition of a non-Admin user account with the necessary Roles and device group assignments needed for the user. (For information, see *[Understanding](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987660/Creating+Admin+and+User+Accounts#CreatingAdminandUserAccounts-bookmark197)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987660/Creating+Admin+and+User+Accounts#CreatingAdminandUserAccounts-bookmark197)*[Users](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987660/Creating+Admin+and+User+Accounts#CreatingAdminandUserAccounts-bookmark197)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987660/Creating+Admin+and+User+Accounts#CreatingAdminandUserAccounts-bookmark197)*[and](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987660/Creating+Admin+and+User+Accounts#CreatingAdminandUserAccounts-bookmark197)*[ ](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987660/Creating+Admin+and+User+Accounts#CreatingAdminandUserAccounts-bookmark197)*[Roles](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/NAG7/pages/21987660/Creating+Admin+and+User+Accounts#CreatingAdminandUserAccounts-bookmark197)* and its sub-topics.)
To add custom field editing privileges to a non-Admin account, the admin user does the following:
1. (For Admin users) Ensure you have the needed non-Admin account in your user database.
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**Note:** Check assigned Roles for the user in the Settings icon –> User Admin –> Users page.
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2. Open the Role for the non-Admin user account from the Settings icon –> User Admin –> Roles page.
3. Begin editing the Role by clicking its Action gear icon and choosing Edit from the menu.
For example, a user 'jsmith' manages the Routing and Switching device groups, and possesses the Roles ConfigAdmin and Switch Port Administrator. For custom data editing, you add the Custom Data: Input Data privilege to one or more Roles for the non-Admin user.
4. Click the Privileges tab in the Edit Role dialog, and click Add.
5. Enable the checkbox for the Custom Data: Input Data privilege, and click OK.
6. Click Save & Close. NetMRI saves the new custom data privilege into the Role.The new Privilege automatically applies to any user accounts to which the Role is bound. (You will note that custom Roles can be defined in the Roles page.)
As an example, consider a case where an interface on a high-end distribution switch is dedicated to a particular department circuit, and you want the non-Admin user to add notes to its records. Do the following:
1. Have the non-Admin user log in to the NetMRI instance.
2. Open the Network Explorer –> Inventory –> Interfaces –> Interface Config and click an Interface identifier. The Interface Viewer appears for the chosen port.
3. Open the Interface –> Custom Data page.
4. At the bottom of the page, click New. (This indicates that the non-Admin user can work with this data set.) The Add Custom Field dialog appears.
5. From the Name: dropdown, choose the desired Custom Field to be added to the port information display.
6. In the Value field, enter the notes or other information for the custom field.
7. Click Save & Close.
The custom field is applied on a granular per-interface level. In the Device Viewer, you apply custom fields from the **Device/Network**** Explorer**** –> ****Custom**** Data** page.
If a non-Admin user does not find an active Add button at the bottom of a feature set's Custom Data page (for example, in the Interface Viewer, in the Device Viewer, or for a Job), two possible issues may apply:
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The Device Viewer's **Device/Network Explorer –> Custom Data** page is not enabled for non-Admin users unless the admin creates a** Custom Field** for the type **Devices**; and adds the **Custom Data: Input Data** privilege to the user's Role.
For **Jobs** and **Changes** types, custom fields could be used to record data such as trouble ticket numbers. Admin users may define new **Custom Fields** in the Settings icon **–> General Settings –> Custom Fields** page.
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Verifying Field Content In Device Viewer & Interface View> Macro (anchor)
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After any custom data fields have been created in the Settings icon **–>** **General** **Settings** **–>** **Custom** **Fields** page, you can verify them and begin using them in the appliance by doing the following:
1. In **Network** **Explorer**, click the IP address of a device. The Device Viewer opens.
2. Under **Device** **Viewer** **–>** **Device/Network** **Explorer–>** **Custom** **Data**, check the list of custom fields in the device context.
The Custom Data fields in this section will differ from those in other sections of the Device Viewer, such as Component Inventory. These fields are created under Settings icon **–>** **General** **Settings** **–>** **Custom** **Fields** –> and selecting the Devices type.
3. In the **Device** **Viewer** **–>** **Device/Network** **Explorer** **–>** **Component** **Inventory**, select a row in the Component Inventory table for the selected device.
4. Click the **Edit** **Custom** **Fields** button just above the Component Inventory table in the Device Viewer.
The Edit Custom Fields dialog appears, displaying the list of one or more custom fields (defined under **Settings**) for this data set. Remember, these fields are defined under the **Components** type in Settings icon **–>** **General** **Settings** **–>** **Custom** **Fields** and all fields you define in this category will appear in the Edit Custom Fields dialog box *only* *in* *this* *context*.
5. Enter the necessary values in the custom fields for the selected inventory row.
6. Click **Save** **&** **Close** to save changes and return to the Component Inventory. Or, click **Save** to select another custom field and enter another value.
7. Filter the table of inventory information by clicking **Filters** above the Component Inventory table, and select the desired fields/columns by which the table is filtered. Any custom fields you have created for this category will appear here.
To check Custom Data field configuration in the Interface Viewer and use custom fields therein, do the following:
1. Under **Device** **Viewer** **–>** **Interfaces–>** **Configuration**, click an entry in the Interface column. The Interface Viewer appears in a separate popup window.
2. Under **Interface–>** **Custom** **Data**, click **New**. The **Edit** **Custom** **Field** **Value** dialog appears.
3. Click the **Name** dropdown list. The custom data fields for the Interface context will appear in the dropdown.
4. Select the desired custom field and enter the correct value for the field.
5. Click **Save** **&** **Close** to save changes and return to the Interface Viewer. Or, click **Save** to select another custom field and enter another value.
To delete locally-used custom fields from the Interface Viewer, do the following:
Custom Fields information can be deleted locally in the Interface Viewer context without removing the Custom Fields configuration from the entire system.
Under **Interface** **Viewer** **–>** **Interface** **–>** **Custom** **Data**, click the Delete icon in the table for the field information you want to remove. Confirm the deletion. (You can add it back at any time, but any locally defined values are lost.)