Objects

NetXMS represents all monitored infrastructure as objects organized in hierarchical trees. Understanding the object model helps you navigate the console efficiently and find the information you need.

Object Trees

Object trees work like a file system — objects are nested inside other objects, and you navigate by expanding and collapsing branches. There is no single tree containing everything: each tree has its own root object and is shown in its own perspective of the console, with its own object browser.

Infrastructure (rooted at Infrastructure Services): Your main workspace. Contains containers and nodes organized by your administrator into a logical structure (e.g., by location, function, or business unit). This is where you will spend most of your time.
Network (rooted at Entire Network): The IP topology view. Contains zones (when zoning is enabled) or subnets automatically created from discovered device addresses. Useful for finding devices by their network location.
Templates (rooted at Templates): Contains data collection and policy templates. Templates are an administrative concept — they define what to monitor on groups of similar devices.
Dashboards (rooted at Dashboards): Contains dashboards — visual displays combining graphs, maps, and status indicators.
Maps (rooted at Network Maps): Contains custom and automatic network maps.
Assets (rooted at Assets): Contains hardware asset objects that can be linked to monitored objects.
Business Services (rooted at Business Services): Contains business service definitions for SLA/availability tracking.

Object Types

NetXMS uses the following object classes to represent monitored infrastructure:

Object Class	Description	Valid Children
Entire Network	Root of IP topology tree. One per system. Contains zones when zoning is enabled, subnets otherwise.	Zone (when zoning is enabled), Subnet (when zoning is disabled)
Zone	Group of interconnected IP networks without overlapping addresses.	Subnet
Subnet	IP subnet, typically created automatically from discovered interface addresses.	Node
Service Root	Root of your infrastructure service tree (named "Infrastructure Services" after installation). One per system.	Access Point, Chassis, Circuit, Cloud Domain, Cluster, Collector, Condition, Container, Mobile Device, Node, Rack, Resource, Sensor, Subnet, Traffic Observer, Wireless Domain
Container	Organizational folder for grouping objects into a logical hierarchy (by location, function, or business unit).	Access Point, Chassis, Circuit, Cloud Domain, Cluster, Collector, Condition, Container, Mobile Device, Node, Rack, Resource, Sensor, Subnet, Traffic Observer, Wireless Domain
Collector	Similar to container, but with data collection capabilities.	Access Point, Chassis, Circuit, Cloud Domain, Cluster, Collector, Condition, Container, Mobile Device, Node, Rack, Resource, Sensor, Subnet, Traffic Observer, Wireless Domain
Node	Physical or virtual host — server, router, switch, firewall, workstation, VM, or appliance. Created manually or by network discovery.	Interface, Network Service, VPN Connector
Interface	Network interface on a managed device. Created automatically during configuration polls.	(none)
Cluster	Group of nodes working together. Aggregates monitoring data across cluster members.	Node
Circuit	Reference of multiple interfaces representing network services — multilink interfaces, site-to-site links, virtual circuits.	Interface
Rack	Physical rack. Same purpose as container, but allows visual representation of installed equipment.	Node, Chassis
Chassis	Blade server enclosure or similar equipment housing. Can be part of a rack.	Node
Condition	Represents a complex status check with an attached NXSL script. Evaluated periodically (default: every 60 seconds).	(none)
Sensor	Logical object with data collection capabilities. Data is collected indirectly (e.g., via MQTT), not through direct network communication.	(none)
Wireless Domain	Wireless network made up of one or more wireless controllers and managed access points.	Access Point, Node
Access Point	Thin wireless access point managed by a central controller. Created automatically.	(none)
Network Service	Network service running on a node (user-defined, SSH, POP3, SMTP, FTP, HTTP, HTTPS, or Telnet) that can be checked for availability.	(none)
VPN Connector	VPN tunnel endpoint for interfaceless tunnels (e.g., IPsec). Used to add VPN connections to the network topology.	(none)
Mobile Device	Monitored mobile device.	(none)
Cloud Domain	Cloud infrastructure domain. Discovers and monitors cloud resources through a cloud connector.	Resource
Resource	Cloud resource discovered within a cloud domain. Can be linked to a node object. Resources can be nested.	Resource
Traffic Observer	External traffic analysis system instance. Discovers and monitors its observation points.	Observation Point
Observation Point	Monitored interface (observation point) of a traffic observer.	(none)
Template Root	Root of the template tree.	Template, Template Group
Template Group	Grouping object for templates.	Template, Template Group
Template	Data collection and agent policy template. When applied to an object, the template’s configuration is inherited.	Access Point, Chassis, Circuit, Cloud Domain, Cluster, Collector, Mobile Device, Node, Observation Point, Resource, Sensor, Traffic Observer
Asset Root	Root of hardware asset management tree.	Asset, Asset Group
Asset Group	Grouping object for assets.	Asset, Asset Group
Asset	Hardware management asset. Can be linked to a node, access point, chassis, mobile device, rack, or sensor.	(none)
Network Map Root	Root of the network map tree.	Network Map, Network Map Group
Network Map Group	Grouping object for network maps.	Network Map, Network Map Group
Network Map	Visual network map.	(none)
Dashboard Root	Root of the dashboard tree.	Dashboard, Dashboard Group, Dashboard Template
Dashboard Group	Grouping object for dashboards.	Dashboard, Dashboard Group, Dashboard Template
Dashboard	Visual dashboard. Can contain other dashboards and dashboard groups.	Dashboard, Dashboard Group
Dashboard Template	Template from which dashboards for matching objects are created automatically.	(none)
Business Service Root	Root of the business service tree. One per system.	Business Service, Business Service Prototype
Business Service	Logical service for SLA/availability tracking. Can contain other business services.	Business Service, Business Service Prototype
Business Service Prototype	Prototype from which business service objects are automatically populated.	(none)

Object Class

Description

Valid Children

Entire Network

Root of IP topology tree. One per system. Contains zones when zoning is enabled, subnets otherwise.

Zone (when zoning is enabled), Subnet (when zoning is disabled)

Zone

Group of interconnected IP networks without overlapping addresses.

Subnet

IP subnet, typically created automatically from discovered interface addresses.

Node

Service Root

Root of your infrastructure service tree (named "Infrastructure Services" after installation). One per system.

Access Point, Chassis, Circuit, Cloud Domain, Cluster, Collector, Condition, Container, Mobile Device, Node, Rack, Resource, Sensor, Subnet, Traffic Observer, Wireless Domain

Container

Organizational folder for grouping objects into a logical hierarchy (by location, function, or business unit).

Access Point, Chassis, Circuit, Cloud Domain, Cluster, Collector, Condition, Container, Mobile Device, Node, Rack, Resource, Sensor, Subnet, Traffic Observer, Wireless Domain

Collector

Similar to container, but with data collection capabilities.

Access Point, Chassis, Circuit, Cloud Domain, Cluster, Collector, Condition, Container, Mobile Device, Node, Rack, Resource, Sensor, Subnet, Traffic Observer, Wireless Domain

Node

Physical or virtual host — server, router, switch, firewall, workstation, VM, or appliance. Created manually or by network discovery.

Interface, Network Service, VPN Connector

Interface

Network interface on a managed device. Created automatically during configuration polls.

(none)

Cluster

Group of nodes working together. Aggregates monitoring data across cluster members.

Node

Circuit

Reference of multiple interfaces representing network services — multilink interfaces, site-to-site links, virtual circuits.

Interface

Rack

Physical rack. Same purpose as container, but allows visual representation of installed equipment.

Node, Chassis

Chassis

Blade server enclosure or similar equipment housing. Can be part of a rack.

Node

Condition

Represents a complex status check with an attached NXSL script. Evaluated periodically (default: every 60 seconds).

(none)

Sensor

Logical object with data collection capabilities. Data is collected indirectly (e.g., via MQTT), not through direct network communication.

(none)

Wireless Domain

Wireless network made up of one or more wireless controllers and managed access points.

Access Point, Node

Access Point

Thin wireless access point managed by a central controller. Created automatically.

(none)

Network Service

Network service running on a node (user-defined, SSH, POP3, SMTP, FTP, HTTP, HTTPS, or Telnet) that can be checked for availability.

(none)

VPN Connector

VPN tunnel endpoint for interfaceless tunnels (e.g., IPsec). Used to add VPN connections to the network topology.

(none)

Mobile Device

Monitored mobile device.

(none)

Cloud Domain

Cloud infrastructure domain. Discovers and monitors cloud resources through a cloud connector.

Resource

Cloud resource discovered within a cloud domain. Can be linked to a node object. Resources can be nested.

Resource

Traffic Observer

External traffic analysis system instance. Discovers and monitors its observation points.

Observation Point

Monitored interface (observation point) of a traffic observer.

(none)

Template Root

Root of the template tree.

Template, Template Group

Template Group

Grouping object for templates.

Template, Template Group

Template

Data collection and agent policy template. When applied to an object, the template’s configuration is inherited.

Access Point, Chassis, Circuit, Cloud Domain, Cluster, Collector, Mobile Device, Node, Observation Point, Resource, Sensor, Traffic Observer

Asset Root

Root of hardware asset management tree.

Asset, Asset Group

Asset Group

Grouping object for assets.

Asset, Asset Group

Asset

Hardware management asset. Can be linked to a node, access point, chassis, mobile device, rack, or sensor.

(none)

Network Map Root

Root of the network map tree.

Network Map, Network Map Group

Network Map Group

Grouping object for network maps.

Network Map, Network Map Group

Network Map

Visual network map.

(none)

Dashboard Root

Root of the dashboard tree.

Dashboard, Dashboard Group, Dashboard Template

Dashboard Group

Grouping object for dashboards.

Dashboard, Dashboard Group, Dashboard Template

Dashboard

Visual dashboard. Can contain other dashboards and dashboard groups.

Dashboard, Dashboard Group

Dashboard Template

Template from which dashboards for matching objects are created automatically.

(none)

Business Service Root

Root of the business service tree. One per system.

Business Service, Business Service Prototype

Business Service

Logical service for SLA/availability tracking. Can contain other business services.

Business Service, Business Service Prototype

Business Service Prototype

Prototype from which business service objects are automatically populated.

(none)

Nodes

Nodes are the most important object type. A node represents any monitored device: a server, router, switch, firewall, workstation, virtual machine, or appliance.

Each node has:

An IP address (primary address used for monitoring)
A name (auto-discovered or manually set)
A status reflecting its current health
Interfaces — network interfaces discovered during configuration polls
DCIs — data collection items that define what metrics are collected
Capabilities — what protocols the node supports (agent, SNMP, SSH, etc.)

To view a node’s details, select it in the Object Browser. The working area shows the node’s overview, interfaces, collected values, and other information.

Interfaces

Interface objects represent network interfaces on a node. They are created automatically when NetXMS polls the device configuration.

Interface information includes:

Interface name (e.g., eth0, GigabitEthernet0/1)
Operational status (up/down)
Administrative status (unknown, up, down, or testing)
IP address and subnet mask
MAC address
Interface type and speed
Traffic statistics (if collected)

Interface status is color-coded: green for up, red for down, brown for administratively disabled.

Containers

Containers are organizational folders that group objects logically. Your administrator creates containers to build a hierarchy that makes sense for your organization.

Common container structures:

By location: "Data Center 1" > "Rack A" > individual nodes
By function: "Web Servers", "Database Servers", "Network Equipment"
By business unit: "Finance", "HR", "Engineering"

Containers display an aggregated status — the worst status among their children. If any node in a container is in Critical status, the container shows Critical too.

Subnets

Subnet objects represent IP subnets. They appear under the Entire Network root and are typically created automatically from interface addresses discovered during configuration polls.

Subnets provide an alternative way to find nodes — by their network location rather than their organizational grouping.

Clusters

A cluster object represents a group of nodes that work together. NetXMS can track cluster resources (virtual IP addresses, shared services) and aggregate monitoring data across cluster members.

Object Status

Every object has a status that reflects its current condition. Status is indicated by color throughout the console:

Status	Color	Meaning
Normal	Green	Operating correctly; all checks pass.
Warning	Cyan	Minor issue detected; a threshold has been crossed but the condition is not critical.
Minor	Yellow	Notable problem that should be investigated.
Major	Orange	Significant problem requiring prompt attention.
Critical	Red	Severe problem; the object or service may be down or seriously degraded.
Unknown	Dark blue	Status cannot be determined — the object may be unreachable or not yet polled.
Unmanaged	Light gray	Monitoring disabled by an administrator.
Disabled	Brown	Object is administratively disabled (applies to interface objects).
Testing	Pink	Object is in testing state (applies to interface objects).

Status

Color

Meaning

Normal

Green

Operating correctly; all checks pass.

Warning

Cyan

Minor issue detected; a threshold has been crossed but the condition is not critical.

Minor

Yellow

Notable problem that should be investigated.

Major

Orange

Significant problem requiring prompt attention.

Critical

Red

Severe problem; the object or service may be down or seriously degraded.

Unknown

Dark blue

Status cannot be determined — the object may be unreachable or not yet polled.

Unmanaged

Light gray

Monitoring disabled by an administrator.

Disabled

Brown

Object is administratively disabled (applies to interface objects).

Testing

Pink

Object is in testing state (applies to interface objects).

Status Propagation

Status propagates upward through the object tree. A container’s status reflects the worst status of any object within it.

This means you can see at a glance if anything in a branch of your infrastructure has a problem — the parent containers will show the elevated status even if the affected node is several levels deep.

Status Calculation

A node’s status is determined by:

Reachability — can NetXMS communicate with the device?
Threshold violations — have any DCI thresholds been crossed?
Interface status — are critical interfaces down?
Status from child objects — propagated from interfaces and dependent services

Viewing Object Properties

Right-click any object and select Properties to view its configuration. Key property pages:

General: Object name, alias, AI hint, category, and hidden flag. The primary host name is on the Communication page, and comments are on the Comments page.
Status Calculation: How the object’s status is calculated and propagated.
Access Control: Who can see and interact with this object (managed by administrators).
Location: Geographic location (latitude/longitude) if configured.
Custom Attributes: Administrator-defined key-value pairs attached to the object.

Finding Objects

Object Browser Filter

Use the filter field at the top of the object browser. By default, the filter matches object names and aliases; entering * or ? switches to glob pattern matching. Prefixes change what is searched:

> — part of an IP address
^ — exact IP address
# — object ID
/ — comment
@ — zone ID

Find Object

Use the Find Object view in the Tools perspective to search for objects across the whole system. Three matching modes are available: Normal, Pattern (with * and ? wildcards), and Regular expression.

Object Query

For advanced searching, administrators can configure object queries that find objects matching complex criteria. These are described in the Administrator Guide.

Working with Nodes

Common tasks when working with nodes:

Viewing collected data: Select the node and open the Data Collection tab to see all collected metrics, or the Performance tab for quick graphs.
Checking connectivity: The node’s status indicator shows reachability. For more detail, check the ICMP response time in the Data Collection tab.
Viewing interfaces: Open the node and look at its interface list. Interface status shows which network connections are up or down.
Viewing alarms: Select the node and open the Alarms tab to see all alarms related to this node.
Viewing software inventory: Select the node and open the Software Inventory tab to see installed packages (requires agent on the node).
Accessing tools: Right-click the node and select Tools for operator tools like ping, traceroute, or SSH terminal (if configured by your administrator).