Address Group Configuration Object

Table of Contents

1. Overview
2. Core Methods
3. Address Group Model Attributes
4. Exceptions
5. Basic Configuration
6. Usage Examples
   • Creating Address Groups
   • Retrieving Address Groups
   • Updating Address Groups
   • Listing Address Groups
   • Filtering Responses
   • Controlling Pagination with max_limit
   • Deleting Address Groups
7. Managing Configuration Changes
   • Performing Commits
   • Monitoring Jobs
8. Error Handling
9. Best Practices
10. Full Script Examples
11. Related Models

Overview

The AddressGroup class provides functionality to manage address groups in Palo Alto Networks' Strata Cloud Manager. This class inherits from BaseObject and provides methods for creating, retrieving, updating, and deleting address groups that can be either static (explicit list of addresses) or dynamic (tag-based filters).

Core Methods

Method	Description	Parameters	Return Type
create()	Creates a new address group	data: Dict[str, Any]	AddressGroupResponseModel
get()	Retrieves a group by ID	object_id: str	AddressGroupResponseModel
update()	Updates an existing group	address_group: AddressGroupUpdateModel	AddressGroupResponseModel
delete()	Deletes a group	object_id: str	None
list()	Lists groups with filtering	folder: str, **filters	List[AddressGroupResponseModel]
fetch()	Gets group by name and container	name: str, folder: str	AddressGroupResponseModel

Address Group Model Attributes

Attribute	Type	Required	Description
name	str	Yes	Name of group (max 63 chars)
id	UUID	Yes*	Unique identifier (*response only)
static	List[str]	One Required	List of static addresses
dynamic	DynamicFilter	One Required	Tag-based filter for dynamic membership
description	str	No	Object description (max 1023 chars)
tag	List[str]	No	List of tags (max 64 chars each)
folder	str	Yes**	Folder location (**one container required)
snippet	str	Yes**	Snippet location (**one container required)
device	str	Yes**	Device location (**one container required)

Exceptions

Exception	HTTP Code	Description
InvalidObjectError	400	Invalid group data or format
MissingQueryParameterError	400	Missing required parameters
NameNotUniqueError	409	Group name already exists
ObjectNotPresentError	404	Group not found
ReferenceNotZeroError	409	Group still referenced by policies
AuthenticationError	401	Authentication failed
ServerError	500	Internal server error

Basic Configuration

The Address Group service can be accessed using either the unified client interface (recommended) or the traditional service instantiation.

Unified Client Interface (Recommended)

from scm.client import ScmClient
# Initialize clientclient = ScmClient(
client_id="your_client_id",
client_secret="your_client_secret",
tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)
# Access the AddressGroup service directly through the client# No need to create a separate AddressGroup instanceaddress_groups = client.address_group

Traditional Service Instantiation (Legacy)

from scm.client import Scm
from scm.config.objects import AddressGroup
# Initialize clientclient = Scm(
client_id="your_client_id",
client_secret="your_client_secret",
tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)
# Initialize AddressGroup object explicitlyaddress_groups = AddressGroup(client)

Note

While both approaches work, the unified client interface is recommended for new development as it provides a more streamlined developer experience and ensures proper token refresh handling across all services.

Usage Examples

Creating Address Groups

from scm.client import ScmClient
# Initialize clientclient = ScmClient(
client_id="your_client_id",
client_secret="your_client_secret",
tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)
# Static group configurationstatic_config = {
"name": "web_servers",
"static": ["web-server1", "web-server2"],
"description": "Web server group",
"folder": "Texas",
"tag": ["Production", "Web"]
}
# Create static group using the unified client interfacestatic_group = client.address_group.create(static_config)
# Dynamic group configurationdynamic_config = {
"name": "python_servers",
"dynamic": {
"filter": "'Python' and 'Production'"
},
"description": "Python production servers",
"folder": "Texas",
"tag": ["Automation"]
}
# Create dynamic group using the unified client interfacedynamic_group = client.address_group.create(dynamic_config)

Retrieving Address Groups

# Fetch by name and folder using the unified client interfacegroup = client.address_group.fetch(name="web_servers", folder="Texas")
print(f"Found group: {group.name}")
# Get by ID using the unified client interfacegroup_by_id = client.address_group.get(group.id)
print(f"Retrieved group: {group_by_id.name}")

Updating Address Groups

# Fetch existing group using the unified client interfaceexisting_group = client.address_group.fetch(name="web_servers", folder="Texas")
# Update static membersexisting_group.static = ["web-server1", "web-server2", "web-server3"]
existing_group.description = "Updated web server group"
existing_group.tag = ["Production", "Web", "Updated"]
# Perform update using the unified client interfaceupdated_group = client.address_group.update(existing_group)

Listing Address Groups

# List with direct filter parameters using the unified client interfacefiltered_groups = client.address_group.list(
folder='Texas',
types=['static'],
tags=['Production']
)
# Process resultsfor group in filtered_groups:
print(f"Name: {group.name}")
if group.static:
print(f"Members: {', '.join(group.static)}")
elif group.dynamic:
print(f"Filter: {group.dynamic.filter}")
# Define filter parameters as dictionarylist_params = {
"folder": "Texas",
"types": ["dynamic"],
"tags": ["Automation"]
}
# List with filters as kwargs using the unified client interfacefiltered_groups = client.address_group.list(**list_params)

Filtering Responses

The list() method supports additional parameters to refine your query results even further. Alongside basic filters (like types, values, and tags), you can leverage the exact_match, exclude_folders, exclude_snippets, and exclude_devices parameters to control which objects are included or excluded after the initial API response is fetched.

Parameters:

• exact_match (bool): When True, only objects defined exactly in the specified container (folder, snippet, or device) are returned. Inherited or propagated objects are filtered out.
• exclude_folders (List[str]): Provide a list of folder names that you do not want included in the results.
• exclude_snippets (List[str]): Provide a list of snippet values to exclude from the results.
• exclude_devices (List[str]): Provide a list of device values to exclude from the results.

Examples:

# Only return address groups defined exactly in 'Texas'exact_address_groups = client.address_group.list(
folder='Texas',
exact_match=True
)

for each in exact_address_groups:
print(f"Exact match: {each.name} in {each.folder}")
# Exclude all address groups from the 'All' folderno_all_address_groups = client.address_group.list(
folder='Texas',
exclude_folders=['All']
)

for each in no_all_address_groups:
assert each.folder != 'All'
print(f"Filtered out 'All': {each.name}")
# Exclude address groups that come from 'default' snippetno_default_snippet = client.address_group.list(
folder='Texas',
exclude_snippets=['default']
)

for addr in no_default_snippet:
assert addr.snippet != 'default'
print(f"Filtered out 'default' snippet: {addr.name}")
# Exclude address groups associated with 'DeviceA'no_deviceA = client.address_group.list(
folder='Texas',
exclude_devices=['DeviceA']
)

for each in no_deviceA:
assert each.device != 'DeviceA'
print(f"Filtered out 'DeviceA': {each.name}")
# Combine exact_match with multiple exclusionscombined_filters = client.address_group.list(
folder='Texas',
exact_match=True,
exclude_folders=['All'],
exclude_snippets=['default'],
exclude_devices=['DeviceA']
)

for each in combined_filters:
print(f"Combined filters result: {each.name} in {each.folder}")

Controlling Pagination with max_limit

The SDK supports pagination through the max_limit parameter, which defines how many objects are retrieved per API call. By default, max_limit is set to 2500. The API itself imposes a maximum allowed value of 5000. If you set max_limit higher than 5000, it will be capped to the API's maximum. The list() method will continue to iterate through all objects until all results have been retrieved. Adjusting max_limit can help manage retrieval performance and memory usage when working with large datasets.

Example:

from scm.client import ScmClient
from scm.config.objects import AddressGroup
# Initialize clientclient = ScmClient(
client_id="your_client_id",
client_secret="your_client_secret",
tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)
# Two options for setting max_limit:# Option 1: Use the unified client interface but create a custom AddressGroup instance with max_limitaddress_group_service = AddressGroup(client, max_limit=4321)
all_groups1 = address_group_service.list(folder='Texas')
# Option 2 (traditional approach): Create a dedicated AddressGroup instance# This will retrieve up to 4321 objects per API call, up to the API limit of 5000.all_groups2 = client.address_group.list(folder='Texas')
# Both options will auto-paginate through all available objects.# 'all_groups' contains all objects from 'Texas', fetched in chunks according to the max_limit.

Deleting Address Groups

# Delete by ID using the unified client interfacegroup_id = "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426655440000"
client.address_group.delete(group_id)

Managing Configuration Changes

Performing Commits

# Prepare commit parameterscommit_params = {
"folders": ["Texas"],
"description": "Updated address groups",
"sync": True,
"timeout": 300 # 5 minute timeout
}
# Commit the changes directly using the client# Note: Commits should always be performed on the client object directly, not on service objectsresult = client.commit(**commit_params)

print(f"Commit job ID: {result.job_id}")

Monitoring Jobs

# Get status of specific job directly from the clientjob_status = client.get_job_status(result.job_id)
print(f"Job status: {job_status.data[0].status_str}")
# List recent jobs directly from the clientrecent_jobs = client.list_jobs(limit=10)
for job in recent_jobs.data:
print(f"Job {job.id}: {job.type_str} - {job.status_str}")

Error Handling

from scm.client import ScmClient
from scm.exceptions import (
InvalidObjectError,
MissingQueryParameterError,
NameNotUniqueError,
ObjectNotPresentError,
ReferenceNotZeroError
)
# Initialize client using ScmClientclient = ScmClient(
client_id="your_client_id",
client_secret="your_client_secret",
tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)

try:
# Create group configuration
group_config = {
"name": "test_group",
"static": ["server1", "server2"],
"folder": "Texas",
"description": "Test server group",
"tag": ["Test"]
}

# Create the group using the unified client interface
new_group = client.address_group.create(group_config)

# Commit changes directly from the client
result = client.commit(
folders=["Texas"],
description="Added test group",
sync=True
)

# Check job status directly from the client
status = client.get_job_status(result.job_id)

except InvalidObjectError as e:
print(f"Invalid group data: {e.message}")
except NameNotUniqueError as e:
print(f"Group name already exists: {e.message}")
except ObjectNotPresentError as e:
print(f"Group not found: {e.message}")
except ReferenceNotZeroError as e:
print(f"Group still in use: {e.message}")
except MissingQueryParameterError as e:
print(f"Missing parameter: {e.message}")

Best Practices

1. Client Usage

   • Use the unified client interface (client.address_group) for streamlined code
   • Create a single client instance and reuse it across your application
   • Perform commit operations directly on the client object (client.commit())
   • For custom max_limit settings, create a dedicated service instance if needed

2. Group Type Management

   • Use static groups for explicit member lists
   • Use dynamic groups for tag-based filtering
   • Validate group type before creation
   • Consider member resolution time for dynamic groups

3. Container Management

   • Always specify exactly one container (folder, snippet, or device)
   • Use consistent container names across operations
   • Validate container existence before operations

4. Error Handling

   • Implement comprehensive error handling for all operations
   • Check job status after commits
   • Handle specific exceptions before generic ones
   • Log error details for troubleshooting

5. Performance

   • Use appropriate pagination for list operations
   • Cache frequently accessed groups
   • Implement proper retry mechanisms
   • Consider dynamic group evaluation impact

6. Security

   • Follow least privilege principle
   • Validate input data
   • Use secure connection settings
   • Implement proper authentication handling

Full Script Examples

Refer to the address_group.py example.

Related Models

• AddressGroupCreateModel
• AddressGroupUpdateModel
• AddressGroupResponseModel