Groups vs. entities

abdon · 2010-09-13 01:45:13

I have been reading but I'm still having a hard time understanding groups vs. entities, and when you would use one or the other. Could somebody please explain why the following is the way it is?

1. Users can be added to both groups and entities, but the ones added to an entity can be assigned a profile.
2. Groups can be moved under an entity.
3. Entities can be made hierarchical. Groups have something called child entities, but I can't see how to make it work.
4. Inventory items can be added to groups but not to entities (but as mentioned groups can be moved under an entity).
5. Rules and documents can be assigned to entities but not to groups.

Your input would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance.

abdon · 2010-09-16 01:07:38

I still trying to get a clear idea on how to use groups and entities. I'm trying to avoid programming myself into a corner if it can be helped.

When should I use one vs. the other? Or both? Could somebody provide some examples?

Thanks, take care.

- Abdon

FranciX · 2010-09-16 13:18:08

I hope somebody could do this. I also have problems to know how to use each one.

sean.tapscott · 2010-09-16 15:36:41

To me, and this is just guessing, entities are more like buildings. Entities tend to separate Technicians and computers from each other. They can also have different business rules. Typically, technicians local to an entity don't travel between entities. Now, if you have a "root" technician, you put him higher in your entity hierarchy so they can see all the child entities and can see and act on tickets beneath them.

Groups are the organizational units inside the entities, or you could say buildings. Sales and Support are two different groups, but probably don't require much separation besides being in different groups. Engineering is in a different building though, and requires vastly different permissions for the users, and that can be easily separated by entities but not by Groups. You might want your engineers to be able to see other people's tickets or maybe even have control over them like technicians would. Computers don't tend to exist or travel between buildings (entities), and you have to physically and virtually "transfer" them if you do want to transfer them to a different building (entity).

Also, separating the engineering group and building into a separate entity will allow you to have greater control over the business rules, and in the future, probably have greater control over plugins and their actions.

Another useful thing about entities is that you could separate helpdesks using them. Right now, I've been considering allowing the facilities maintenance guy access to the helpdesk so he can manage his servicing of equipment and organize himself better. BUT, I wouldn't want him to be able to see what we're doing, and I probably don't want to see what he's doing. I'd put him in a entity next to mine, and move mine down from the root entity. It would look like a big Arch, with IT being on one end and Facilities Maintenance on the other. I'd leave the users in the root entity, so we would both be able to tie issues to them, and send them followup on their reported issue.

Again, this is all only guessing and extending the spirit of the entity feature that I've seen so far. I'm sure there are some corrections to be made, and would hope the developers would take a little time to correct me. Besides that, I'm sure in .78 things will change slightly so this is probably already obsolete.

abdon · 2010-09-21 01:31:28

Outstanding. Thank you very much.

bunak · 2010-12-02 17:27:02

Thank for full answer.

sean.tapscott wrote:

Groups are the organizational units inside the entities, or you could say buildings.

Is it possible to create subgroup inside group?
For Example create Finance Department as group and Buhgalter unit as sub group inside Finance Department?

Last edited by bunak (2010-12-02 17:27:28)

sean.tapscott · 2010-12-02 17:41:59

In Active Directory, yes, but in GLPI 0.78.1, it seems not. What would you gain from having a subgroup? There's probably another way to achieve the functionality.

bunak · 2010-12-03 15:05:14

sean.tapscott wrote:

What would you gain from having a subgroup? There's probably another way to achieve the functionality.

I need to know what computer equipment is used in the Units of our organization. Units consist of offices and departments.
the first way that I tried do it - is by set Entites in computer equipment. But after reeding your post I try specify the units in groups. But they not have a tree.

sean.tapscott · 2010-12-03 16:08:20

Yeah, I think you'd have to do it with entities so that when you move the computers or devices between departments you can use the transfer function to simulate all the disconnecting of printers and such.

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#1 2010-09-13 01:45:13

Groups vs. entities

#2 2010-09-16 01:07:38

Re: Groups vs. entities

#3 2010-09-16 13:18:08

Re: Groups vs. entities

#4 2010-09-16 15:36:41

Re: Groups vs. entities

#5 2010-09-21 01:31:28

Re: Groups vs. entities

#6 2010-12-02 17:27:02

Re: Groups vs. entities

#7 2010-12-02 17:41:59

Re: Groups vs. entities

#8 2010-12-03 15:05:14

Re: Groups vs. entities

#9 2010-12-03 16:08:20

Re: Groups vs. entities

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