Configuration Rules for network interfaces

Configuration Rules in Site24x7 help you automatically classify, organize, and manage network interfaces discovered across your routers, switches, firewalls, WLCs, and other network devices. These rules eliminate repetitive setup work by applying tags, thresholds, monitor groups, and automation templates based on interface attributes.

This document explains how Configuration Rules work for network interfaces and how you can create, apply, and manage them.

What are Configuration Rules?  

Configuration Rules allow you to define conditions that match specific network interfaces—such as interfaces with a particular name, type, IP, operational status, or admin state—and automatically apply configuration settings during discovery or subsequent updates.

Rules can be applied when:

• A new network device is onboarded.
• New interfaces are discovered under an existing device.
• Existing interfaces change attributes.
• Configuration Rules are run manually on selected devices.

Example use cases  

1. Add WAN interfaces to a monitor group 

Criteria:

• Interface Name contains WAN
• Interface Type is Ethernet

Action:

• Set Monitor Group to Network Devices 
• Append Tags to the monitor
  
  

2. Add tags to down/disabled backup links

Criteria:

• Interface Operational State is Down
• Interface Admin State is Down

Action:

• Append Tags to the monitor
  
  

Supported interface-level criteria  

When adding or editing a rule, choose Network Device as the Type and then specify Child Entities as Interface.
Interface-level matching supports the following attributes:

You can define one or more conditions using AND/OR logic to target the exact set of interfaces you want to configure.

Creating a Configuration Rule for interfaces  

1. Navigate to Admin > Inventory > Configuration Rules.
2. Click Add Rule.
3. Enter a Display Name and optional description.
4. Under Define Criteria:

• Set Type to Network Device.
• Add Child Entities. In the adjacent drop-down menu, select Interface.
• Configure additional interface-level criteria as needed.

5. Under Define Actions, choose what should be automatically applied:

• Tags
• Monitor groups

6. IT Automation templates can be executed for network interfaces if the monitor is also added under Network Configuration Management in Site24x7. Select a template from the Automation drop-down menu, choose when it should be executed using the next field, and click Add to apply it.
7. Click Save or Save and Run Rule.

Interface actions supported by Configuration Rules  

Configuration Rules can automatically apply:

All actions support Append or Replace behavior.

Running rules on existing interfaces   

You can apply rules to already discovered network devices:

1. Go to Admin > Configuration Rules.
2. Choose the rule and click Run Rule.
3. Select the devices/interfaces to evaluate.

Site24x7 processes all matching interfaces and updates configurations instantly.

Best practices  

• Use specific naming conventions (e.g., WAN, Uplink, Core) to simplify rule creation.
• Keep interface rules modular: Create separate rules for thresholds, grouping, and tagging.
• Test rules using Save and Run Rule before enabling for automatic application.
• Use Stop Executing Other Rules to enforce rule order when needed.

Related articles 

• More on network interfaces
• How do I exclude some interfaces from being monitored while adding a network?