Customizing CA Network Flow Analysis › Define Templates for Interface Names and Descriptions › Create a Custom Interface Template

Create a Custom Interface Template

Create a custom interface template to change the way all interface names and descriptions appear in the NFA console. By creating an interface template instead of editing the current template, you can make it easy to experiment with different formats.

Follow these steps:

1. Display the Interface Templates page in the NFA console:
   1. Select Administration from the NFA console menu.

      The Administration page opens.

   2. Select System: Templates from the Administration page menu.

      The Interface Templates page opens.

2. Click Add.

   The Interface Templates page displays options for adding an interface template.

3. Specify the interface template settings:
   • Name: Name that appears in the template list.
   • Interface Name: Properties, text, or properties and text that comprise the name of each interface in the NFA console.
   • Interface Description: Properties, text, or properties and text that appear as the description of each interface in the NFA console.

   Use properties from the following list for both settings:

   • [DeviceAlias]: Device (router) name that is displayed in the NFA console
   • [DeviceName]: DNS name or IP address of the device (router)
   • [ifDescr]: Interface description, which is taken from the original ifDescr value in the SNMP ifEntry table unless the interface description has been customized. If the interface description has been customized on the Active Interfaces page, the customized value is used.
   • [ifAlias]: Interface alias
   • [ifName]: Name of the interface, which is taken from the original ifName value in the SNMP ifEntry table value unless the interface name has been customized. If the interface name has been customized on the Active Interfaces page, the customized value is used.
   • [portName]: Port name, which may be the port number
   • [ifIndex]: Unique numerical identifier for the interface as defined in the SNMP ifEntry table
   • [ifType]: Interface type as defined in the ifType field of the SNMP ifEntry table
4. Click Submit.

   The new template is created and is added to the template list. The extra options are removed from the Interface Templates page.

5. (Optional) Apply the template: Select the template from the list at the top of the Interface Templates page.

   The template is applied to the NFA console almost immediately. The CA Performance Center views that use the template reflect the changes at the next synchronization, which occurs automatically within 5 minutes.

6. (Optional) Review the results of changing the template. For example, review the new labels on Interface pages and on the Enterprise Overview page.