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Custom Views

Hello,

I am making this post to try get a better understanding IF custom views should really be a must.

Now, I see the default views NPM gives us and I most say I am pleased with what I see, I have no trouble identifying the components I see.

However, our IT Manger wants custom views. He keeps saying that he should be able to see what he wants without the need to navigate to a certain Node.

But what I think the problem is, is that you can have duplicate information, meaning, what I see in the custom view, pretty much will be what I see in the default view of any given node.

My question is, do you guys use Custom Views, if so, for what purpose, maybe I am overlooking something here and I'd welcome any suggestions.

--Raul

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mharvey

I've used custom views for several reasons. First is creating summary views for management. This would give management their own summary dashboard that gives them an overview of what they want to see, and the option to drill down to see specific items on nodes. They may not need every resource, so a top level node details view that gives them the information they care about (such as utilization, memory, maybe applications) can be seen without other resources they find as tedious. Another is NOC views. These views are created with only resource a NOC team needs, one I created only had triggered alerts, a map, an event summary, without any of the lists that other teams wanted. While yes, there will be some duplicate information on custom views, you can also choose the specific resources and assign these views to their account without impacting the views that other teams want to have that may have more resources that are prevalent to them.

Regards,

Matthew Harvey

Loop1 Systems

zzz

I have made custom views and atlases for use as Display accounts (to be put on a flat screen for the help to view general stats at a distance). For managers/teams of specific regions so that they only see what sites they are concerned with. For myself to test things without disrupting others and as the best solution to some problems (ex: NTA doesn't have an organizer/tree for sources such as with Nodes so only could have views with site limitations to make the lists managable)

Planning to do one later on to make a "internal site information" page/account with various site info/resources rather than any monitoring stats (I've already put most of the info on SW as custom properties to help with alerts/organization/etc. and already sort of use it as such anyway)

And this isn't even touching the changes to the default views I've done (which though a good start, often contains too much or not enough info)

Of course, unless you are good at making them dynamic, it makes managing all the different views when you change/add something a real pain.

superfly

I use custom views for different sections. Our helpdesk has one that gives them a quick overview of the whole network. I've also create pages for particular sites that only see the devices that are relevant for their site. So they only see their devices and data such as netflow etc. Then I've created pages for users that need to look at certain interfaces for capacity reasons, so they see those interfaces and reports that go along with them.

Custom views are very handy. You can give the user just what they want to see in an easy laid out page.

FormerMember

I use them a lot. They usually get created by someone asking "Can I get a dashboard of...?" Examples.

Internet summary - shows metrics on both of our links and their routers

WAN Summary - Every link, one view.

Weather - self explanatory.

Availability all locations

Main Call Centers - Shows the routers, performance metrics, and netflow/CBQoS, for the links

WAN Collaboration - Netflow to try and show how much.

Netflow quick views for the WAN link. Top transmit.receive,conversations, and the SNPM link utilization.

Alarm console for the NOC - only shows them what we want them to place a call or page for.

bsciencefiction.tv

Custom views are a major help to us. We have several views to allow our various groups to see only information they need to see. We do the same with reporting.

We have a NOC view, a Network Control View, a Server Monitoring View, a FireWall view and a Management View.

rulob

This is basically what my boss wants. Display accounts and put it on a big flat screen. Think that will all the input I've received now I have a good idea as to what I can put on this new Views.

Thank to all who shared with me.

--Raul

jspanitz

We are just starting to use custom views as it seems to be the (only) way to limit what people can see when they don't need or shouldn't have access to everything. They do seem a bit cumbersome to setup and maintain though.

zzz

Custom views are not the only way to place limitations on accounts, or even really a secure way. Though custom views might hide certain nodes from view, it does not prevent accounts from actually accessing or editing those nodes through a different link (ie links generated by reports) or just typing the correct html.

If you wish to limit what nodes they can see/access, you can add to account limitations from their account page (probably best way is to build seperate groups per account type or even individual accounts).

Groups can have dynamic queries that are far more flexible than the options given by default and allow automatic additions of new nodes that fit the rule, though might get cumbersome to sort/maintain if you have too many of them.

cahunt

My custom views are either for a different machine/monitor.

- one view for my desk

- one view for the monitors on the wall (NOC Type)

Other views may be built off my default or some summary view that is stripped down and restricted to a certain group or Area(by custom property) for another department, that highlights just their nodes.

Desktop gets access layer (no core/distribution/appliances/ B/E, etc.)

Rx gets their handful of servers with a custom alert - But they also have some Access Layer to assist when their servers have issues.

Telehealth, or A/V team that focus on the TV system, A/V support for classrooms/conference rooms/auditoriums, etc. They only get Their Nodes.

and so on.. and so on, and Scooby Dooby Doo on