# Configuring filter pools

If you have been using the Remote System Explorer for some time, your workspace might contain too many filters to navigate easily. Or, you might just want to keep groups of filters separate if, for example, you need to represent two distinct server environments in the Remote System Explorer, regardless of how many filters you have. In either case, you can group filters into filter pools.

All filters live in filter pools, but these remain hidden unless you choose to manage them explicitly. If you do not manage them yourself the Remote System Explorer manages them for you and all of your filters appear together in all connections. When you create filter pools, however, any filter you create within that filter pool is only present in connections that reference that filter pool, and will not appear in any other connections. (See the related links for more information about filter pools.)

To illustrate the use of filter pools,

1. Click the menu button on the toolbar for the Remote Systems view, and select Show Filter Pools.
2. Expand the Local system and the Local Files subsystem, and you can now see your filters listed under Connection name Filter Pool.
3. Right-click Local Files and select New > Filter Pool.
4. Enter a pool name and click Finish. (You do not need to change your profile selection.) Your new filter pool displays underneath your connection.
5. Right-click your new filter pool and select New > Filter.
6. Complete the wizards as you normally would (see related tasks). When you are finished, you can see your new filters displayed in your new filter pool.

If you decide not to see the filter pools anymore, click the menu button on the toolbar for the Remote Systems view, and select Show Filter Pools again to deselect the check mark.

Note: at time this filter pool names cannot contain three consecutive underscore characters.

Related concepts
Remote System Explorer filters, filter pools, and filter pool references