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HIP Profile Configuration Object

Table of Contents

  1. Overview
  2. Core Methods
  3. HIP Profile Model Attributes
  4. Exceptions
  5. Basic Configuration
  6. Usage Examples
  7. Managing Configuration Changes
  8. Error Handling
  9. Best Practices
  10. Full Script Examples
  11. Related Models

Overview

The HIPProfile class provides functionality to manage Host Information Profile (HIP) profiles in Palo Alto Networks' Strata Cloud Manager. This class inherits from BaseObject and provides methods for creating, retrieving, updating, and deleting HIP profiles. HIP profiles define security posture matching criteria that can be used in security policies to enforce endpoint compliance.

Core Methods

Method Description Parameters Return Type
create() Creates a new HIP profile data: Dict[str, Any] HIPProfileResponseModel
get() Retrieves a HIP profile by ID object_id: str HIPProfileResponseModel
update() Updates an existing HIP profile hip_profile: HIPProfileUpdateModel HIPProfileResponseModel
delete() Deletes a HIP profile object_id: str None
list() Lists HIP profiles with filtering folder: str, **filters List[HIPProfileResponseModel]
fetch() Gets HIP profile by name name: str, folder: str HIPProfileResponseModel

HIP Profile Model Attributes

Attribute Type Required Description
name str Yes Name of HIP profile (max 31 chars)
id UUID Yes* Unique identifier (*response only)
description str No Profile description (max 255 chars)
match str Yes Match expression for the profile
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 HIP profile data or format
MissingQueryParameterError 400 Missing required parameters
NameNotUniqueError 409 HIP profile name already exists
ObjectNotPresentError 404 HIP profile not found
ReferenceNotZeroError 409 HIP profile still referenced
AuthenticationError 401 Authentication failed
ServerError 500 Internal server error

Basic Configuration

from scm.client import ScmClient
# Initialize client using the unified client approachclient = ScmClient(
client_id="your_client_id",
client_secret="your_client_secret",
tsg_id="your_tsg_id",
hip_profile_max_limit=5000 # Optional: set custom max_limit
)
# Access the hip_profile module directly through the client# client.hip_profile is automatically initialized for you

You can also use the traditional approach if preferred:

from scm.client import Scm
from scm.config.objects import HIPProfile
# Initialize clientclient = Scm(
client_id="your_client_id",
client_secret="your_client_secret",
tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)
# Initialize HIPProfile with custom max_limithip_profiles = HIPProfile(client, max_limit=5000)

Usage Examples

Creating HIP Profiles

# Basic HIP profile with simple match expressionbasic_profile_config = {
"name": "windows-workstations",
"folder": "Shared",
"description": "Windows workstations with basic security requirements",
"match": '"is-win"' # Single HIP object reference
}
# Create basic HIP profilebasic_profile = client.hip_profile.create(basic_profile_config)
# HIP profile with complex match expression using AND/OR logiccomplex_profile_config = {
"name": "secure-workstations",
"folder": "Shared",
"description": "Secured workstations with enhanced security posture",
"match": '"is-win" and "is-firewall-enabled"' # Combined match expression
}
# Create complex HIP profilecomplex_profile = client.hip_profile.create(complex_profile_config)
# HIP profile with negative match expressionnegative_profile_config = {
"name": "non-windows-devices",
"folder": "Shared",
"description": "All devices except Windows workstations",
"match": 'not ("is-win")' # NOT operator in match expression
}
# Create negative match HIP profilenegative_profile = client.hip_profile.create(negative_profile_config)

Retrieving HIP Profiles

# Fetch by name and folderhip_profile = client.hip_profile.fetch(name="windows-workstations", folder="Shared")
print(f"Found HIP profile: {hip_profile.name}")
# Get by IDhip_by_id = client.hip_profile.get(hip_profile.id)
print(f"Retrieved HIP profile: {hip_by_id.name}")
print(f"Match expression: {hip_by_id.match}")

Updating HIP Profiles

# Fetch existing HIP profileexisting_profile = client.hip_profile.fetch(name="secure-workstations", folder="Shared")
# Create update model with modified match expressionfrom scm.models.objects import HIPProfileUpdateModel

update_model = HIPProfileUpdateModel(
id=existing_profile.id,
name=existing_profile.name,
description="Enhanced security requirements for workstations",
match='"is-win" and "is-firewall-enabled" and "is-disk-encrypted"'
)
# Perform updateupdated_profile = client.hip_profile.update(update_model)
print(f"Updated match expression: {updated_profile.match}")

Listing HIP Profiles

# List with direct filter parametersfiltered_profiles = client.hip_profile.list(
folder='Shared',
exact_match=True
)
# Process resultsfor profile in filtered_profiles:
print(f"Name: {profile.name}")
print(f"Match: {profile.match}")
# Define filter parameters as dictionarylist_params = {
"folder": "Shared",
"exclude_folders": ["Test", "Development"]
}
# List with filters as kwargsfiltered_profiles = client.hip_profile.list(**list_params)

Deleting HIP Profiles

# Delete by IDprofile_id = "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426655440000"
client.hip_profile.delete(profile_id)

Managing Configuration Changes

Performing Commits

# Prepare commit parameterscommit_params = {
"folders": ["Shared"],
"description": "Updated HIP profiles",
"sync": True,
"timeout": 300 # 5 minute timeout
}
# Commit the changesresult = client.commit(**commit_params)

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

Monitoring Jobs

# Get status of specific jobjob_status = client.get_job_status(result.job_id)
print(f"Job status: {job_status.data[0].status_str}")
# List recent jobsrecent_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 clientclient = ScmClient(
client_id="your_client_id",
client_secret="your_client_secret",
tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)

try:
# Create HIP profile configuration
hip_config = {
"name": "test-hip-profile",
"folder": "Shared",
"description": "Test HIP profile",
"match": '"is-win" or "is-mac"'
}

# Create the HIP profile using the unified client
new_profile = client.hip_profile.create(hip_config)

# Commit changes directly on the client
result = client.commit(
folders=["Shared"],
description="Added test HIP profile",
sync=True
)

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

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

Best Practices

  1. Client Usage

    • Use the unified ScmClient approach for simpler code
    • Access HIP profile operations via client.hip_profile property
    • Perform commit operations directly on the client
    • Monitor jobs directly on the client
    • Set appropriate max_limit parameters for large datasets using hip_profile_max_limit
  2. Match Expression Syntax

    • Use quoted object names in match expressions (e.g., "is-win")
    • Combine expressions with boolean operators (and, or, not)
    • Group complex expressions with parentheses
    • Verify HIP objects exist before referencing them
    • Keep expressions simple and maintainable
  3. Container Management

    • Always specify exactly one container (folder, snippet, or device)
    • Use consistent container names
    • Validate container existence
    • Group related HIP profiles
    • Consider inheritance patterns
  4. Performance

    • Set appropriate max_limit values
    • Use pagination for large lists
    • Cache frequently accessed profiles
    • Implement proper retry logic
    • Monitor API response times
  5. Security

    • Follow least privilege principle
    • Validate input data
    • Use secure connection settings
    • Implement proper authentication
    • Monitor security posture changes
  6. Error Handling

    • Implement comprehensive error handling
    • Check job status after commits
    • Log error details
    • Handle specific exceptions
    • Validate match expressions before creation

Full Script Examples

Refer to the hip_profile.py example.