Auvik allows you to share one collector with multiple sites when the collector can reach each site’s networks and the sites do not have overlapping IP addressing. If the same subnet exists in more than one site, resolve the overlap or deploy additional collectors to scan those networks separately.
A shared collector is added to a multi-site. Although a collector can be added at the top-level company and shared, Auvik recommends using a multi-site to contain the sites that will use it. Assign the collector a static or reserved IP address.
- Download a new collector
- Approve the collector
- Share a collector
- Scope subnets and devices to the correct site
- Manage credentials across sites
- Reduce shared-collector alert noise
- Unshare a collector
- Reject the collector
- Delete a shared collector
New collector download
- From the side navigation, click Shared Auvik Collectors.
- Click Add Shared Auvik Collector.
- Choose the installation type:
- Install Collector on a Windows Device for a Windows service.
- Set up Collector as a virtual appliance on VMWare for an OVA deployment.
- Create a New Virtual Machine to run the collector on Linux.
- Set up collector using a Docker Image for a Docker deployment.
- Follow the installation instructions for the selected deployment type.
How to approve a shared collector
Before selecting the sites that will use the collector, approve it:
- From the side navigation, click Shared Auvik Collectors.
- Select the collector or collectors to approve.
- Click Approve.
- Confirm the approval.
How to share a collector with sites
- From the side navigation, click Shared Auvik Collectors.
- Select the collector you want to share.
- Click Edit.
- Select the sites that should use the collector.
- Click Save.
- Open the dashboard for each shared site and approve the collector if required.
- Decide which networks should be scanned for each site.
When a collector is shared with a newly created site, the collector may be approved automatically after it connects. The site will not automatically begin scanning subnets, however. Add the appropriate subnet or subnets for that site.
Scope subnets and devices to the correct site
Each site’s discovery and scanning configuration determines which devices are associated with that site. When using a shared collector:
- Open each site that uses the collector.
- Go to Discovery or the site’s network-scanning settings.
- Review the configured discovery subnets and network ranges.
- Confirm that each subnet is assigned only to the site responsible for monitoring it.
- Remove or correct overlapping or incorrectly assigned ranges.
- Save the changes.
- Allow the next discovery cycle to complete, or trigger rediscovery if available.
Correct subnet-to-site mapping ensures that devices appear in the intended site and use the credentials and alert policies associated with that site. If the same subnet is configured for multiple sites, devices may appear in the wrong inventory or be discovered under more than one site.
For more information, see Devices from One Site Appear in Another Site’s Inventory.
Manage credentials across sites
Decide whether credentials should be shared across sites or limited to a specific site:
- Add common credentials at the global level when they should be inherited by the sites and multi-sites below it.
- Add credentials at the site level when they apply only to devices in that site.
- Keep site-specific credentials scoped locally when administrative separation or different security requirements are important.
When a shared collector discovers a device, verify that the device is in the intended site before troubleshooting credentials. Incorrect subnet assignment can make a device appear to have the wrong credential scope even when the credentials themselves are correct.
For more information, see Best practices for managing credentials in Auvik.
Reduce shared-collector alert noise
A shared collector outage can affect several sites at once. Depending on the alert definition and configuration, each associated site may generate its own collector-disconnected alert or downstream device alerts. This can create duplicate notifications or tickets.
To reduce noise:
- In Alerts v2, use the Group Shared Collector Alerts option to notify once from the parent collector when supported by the alert definition.
- Consider centralizing collector-status notification at the parent multi-site.
- Limit or remove duplicate collector-status notification channels from child sites when only one notification is required.
- Use site-level alert suppression rules only when the parent-device selection accurately represents the site. Some alerts may trigger before suppression takes effect.
- Prefer site-dedicated collectors when administrative separation, fault isolation, or independent alerting is important.
Test shared-collector alert behavior before relying on it in a high-availability or highly segmented environment. For detailed instructions, see Reduce shared collector disconnected alert noise and Alert Suppression for Sites using Alerts v2.
Document which subnets, sites, credentials, notification channels, and alert policies belong to each shared collector. This makes future site additions, subnet changes, and collector outages easier to manage.
How to unshare a collector with sites
- From the side navigation, click Shared Auvik Collectors.
- Select the collector you want to change.
- Click Edit.
- Clear the sites that should no longer use the collector.
- Click Save.
An unshared collector appears as Disconnected when viewed from the affected site’s collector dashboard.
How to reject a shared collector
If you reject a collector, power it down afterward:
- From the side navigation, click Shared Auvik Collectors.
- Select the collector or collectors to reject.
- Click Reject.
- Confirm the rejection.
How to delete a shared collector
Deleting a shared collector removes it from the top-level dashboard. To delete the collector from a specific site, perform the deletion from that site.
Deleting a shared collector from the dashboard does not necessarily power down or uninstall the collector. A connected collector may reappear, and it must be shared again with the sites if you intend to continue using it.
Auvik recommends deleting only collectors that are disconnected and will not be reconnected.