When you configure multiple criteria for a tag, the logical operator (AND or OR) determines how ePO - On-prem evaluates your endpoints.
Comparison operator definitions
Use these operators to define how property values are matched.
Operator | Goal | Result |
|---|---|---|
Equals | Match exact value. | Identifies endpoints where the property exactly matches the input. |
Does not equal | Exclude exact value. | Identifies endpoints where the property does not match the input. |
Starts with | Match string beginning. | Identifies endpoints where the property begins with specified characters. |
Ends with | Match string end. | Identifies endpoints where the property ends with specified characters. |
Contains | Match partial string. | Identifies endpoints where the input exists anywhere in the property value. |
Value is blank | Identify missing data. | Identifies endpoints where the selected property has no value. |
Value is not blank | Identify populated data | Identifies endpoints where the selected property contains any value. |
Logical operator evaluation (AND vs. OR)
The following table describes the outcome of using logical operators for inclusion and exclusion tasks.
Task | Operator | Logic Result |
|---|---|---|
Include multiple values | OR | The tag is applied if the endpoint matches any of the specified criteria. |
Include all values | AND | The tag is applied only if the endpoint matches every specified criteria simultaneously. |
Exclude multiple values | AND | Required for exclusions. The endpoint must satisfy every "not equal" condition to be tagged. |
Exclude using OR | OR | Avoid. This configuration usually results in all endpoints being tagged. |
Logic evaluation example: Excluding multiple operating systems
This example demonstrates how the system evaluates a Linux endpoint when attempting to exclude multiple operating systems.
Configuration | Evaluation Steps | Final Outcome |
|---|---|---|
Incorrect (Using OR): OS Type Does not equal Linux OR OS Type Does not equal macOS |
| Tag Applied. Since one side is true, the endpoint is incorrectly tagged. |
Correct (Using AND): OS Type Does not equal Linux AND OS Type Does not equal macOS |
| Tag Not Applied. Evaluation stops because all AND conditions must be true. |
Common pattern-matching scenarios
Use this table to select the correct operator for advanced naming and subnet goals.
Goal | Operator | Example |
|---|---|---|
Identify specific subnets | Contains | IP Address contains 10.1 |
Enforce naming standards | Starts with / Ends with | Name starts with SRV AND Name ends with PROD |
Audit missing information | Value is blank | DNS Name is blank OR IP Address is blank |
For more detailed logic examples, see KB82771.