What does "Site to add the smart computer group to" do?

[mschroder]

Hi,

I am a bit puzzled by the behaviour of the "Site to add the smart computer group to" selection in the definition of a smart computer group. I have several smart groups that use EAs to determine membership. All the groups in question showed a much lower number of members than a corresponding mysql query. I have tried many things, but never got the correct list of members. Today I changed the "Site to add the smart computer group to'" from "Default" to "None" just to see whether that might have an impact, and now all these SCGs show the expected members. Does anybody understand why?

[duffcalifornia]

So, think of a site like a subdivision. If you have a default site set as A, you will only get machines that are listed to belong with site A. By setting the site to "none", you're including ALL subdivisions (sites). Basically, a designation of no site means all sites are taken into account.

[mschroder]

I think I got the concept of a site, what confuses me is the impact or consequence of the "Site to add the smart computer group to". Does it

1) add computers to a site;
2) make a smart group visible in a given site only, 3) apply the criteria only to computers in a give site (in that case I find there is plenty of room for improving the phrasing).

So you think 3) is the correct answer?

[yan1212]

A Smart Group that has been explicitly added to a Site will calculate/include devices that are already assigned to this Site only. By contrast, a Smart Group that is not assigned to a site (by leaving the option set to "none") will include clients from anywhere in the JSS, whether assigned to a Site or not.

This allows you to compartmentalise your environment into smaller, self-contained, instances as the same logic applies to most other relationships. For example, a user assigned to "Site A" can only see the corresponding Smart/Static Groups, configuration profiles, policies, clients, DEP instances, VPP accounts etc that exist in "Site A". While a user assigned to "Site B" would not be able to see any of the above unless given explicit access. Finally, a user that is assigned "Full Access" has visibility over the entire JSS and across sites.

I hope this helps!

[yan1212]

So, @mschroder your answers 2 and 3 are both correct.