Configuration

Using this section, a user can configure the following:

  • Monitors
  • Topology
  • Batch Jobs
  • Tier Group
  • Tier Assignment Rules
  • Agent Config
  • Configuration Settings
    • Dashboard Settings
    • Multi Node Configuration
    • Show Vector in Title
    • Graph Tree
  • Color Management
Note: Monitors, Topology, Batch Jobs, and Tier Group are covered in Monitors section.

Tier Assignment Rules

This feature is used to configure tier names based on rules (such as Pattern of Server Name, Server List, Server IP range). For configuring the Tier assignment rules, there is a label ‘Tier Assignment Rule’ in the left panel of the Product UI. After clicking on the link, the tier assignment rule window is displayed.

For configuring the Tier assignment rules, select the topology first. 

 

Based on the rule type, 

  • If you have configured List in the Rule Type, then all the servers are listed in the selected topology.

Details

  • Rule Name – It should be a text field where user can provide the description of tier.
  • Rule Type – It should be a drop-down field where user can select the type of rule. There are three types of rule-
    • Pattern – Pattern of server name provided by the user
    • List – List of server names listed from Server.conf file
    • IPRange – Range of server IP and subnet mask
  • Rule Definition – It is the definition of rule that depends on the Rule Type.
  • You can provide the custom Server name by selecting the ‘Add Custom Server Name’ checkbox.
  • If you have configured Pattern in the Rule Type, then you need to specify the pattern.

  • If you have configured the IPRange in the Rule type, provide the IP and subnet mask.

This feature resolves the manual configuration of the tier name in cmon.env or in agent argument while setting up a machine agent and application agent in the auto-registration process.

Details

  • TierName – It is a drop-down field where you can select tier name defined in Tier.conf file under selected topology name. You can also add a custom tier in text field after enabling checkbox ‘Add Custom Server Name’.

Note – Tier name should be unique. If you try to configure the already configured tier then a toaster notification should display ‘Tier name already exist’. At a time only one tier name should be configured from either predefined tier name drop-down field or custom add tier name text field.

  • Apply Always – This is used to enable/disable.
    • Enabled means Always apply rule.
    • Disabled means Apply rule if no tier name is sent by BCI.

Dashboard Settings

Dashboard settings is used to configure the following dashboard settings:

  • Logs
  • Percentile
  • Transaction Details
  • Favorite Settings
  • Graph Settings
  • Graph Tree Settings
  • DB Settings
  • Query Settings

To open the dashboard settings window, go to Configuration > Configuration Settings > Dashboard Settings.

Using the Dashboard Settings window, the user can configure the debug level via Logs tab, percentile settings for percentile graphs via Percentile tab, percentile settings for transactions via Transaction Details tab, favorite settings via Favorite Settings tab, graphs gradient settings via Graph Settings tab, and graph tree refresh settings via Graph Tree Settings tab.

Logs

This tab is used to configure the debug levels for logs. User can select the debug level from 0 to 4. This defines the information level to be stored at the trace level. The default level is 0, which contains the most basic information. Further levels (i.e. 1, 2, 3, and 4) contain more verbose information as the level increases.

To configure the debug level of server logs and dashboard server logs, select the debug level from the debug level section. For module level debug, first select the module name and then select the debug level for that module.

To save the configuration in config file, select the Save in Config File check box and click OK. This makes the settings permanent and applicable for every session. To apply the settings for the current session only, click the OK button (without selecting the Save in Config File check box). To cancel the settings, click the Cancel button. In the similar way, this operation can be performed for other tabs also, such as Percentile, Transaction details, Favorite settings, and so on.

Percentile

A percentile is the value of a variable below which a certain percent of observations fall. So the 20th percentile is the value (or score) below which 20 percent of the observations may be found. The pth percentile is a value so that roughly p% of the data is smaller and (100-p) % of the data is larger. Percentiles can be computed for ordinal, interval, or ratio data.

To configure the percentile view for a percentile graph, click the Percentile tab on the Configuration Settings window. The Percentile setting section is displayed.

The default percentile views are displayed. Select the percentile to view from the drop-down list. To select all percentile views, select the select All check box. To view default percentile, select the Select Default Percentiles button. To save the configuration setting in the Config file, select the Save In Config File check box. Apply the settings by clicking the OK button. To cancel the settings, click the Cancel button.

Example:

In case user selects 90, 85, 80, and 70 as percentile view and apply the settings.

The percentile graph is displayed with the selected percentile views.

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To view the percentile views, open a graph and change the graph type to percentile graph from the widget settings. Once the percentile graph is displayed, double-click on the graph to view the lower pane. The percentile views configured are displayed in the lower pane.

Transaction Details

User can also configure percentile views for transaction as configured for graphs in the above section. To configure percentile view for transactions, click the Transaction Details tab on the Configuration Settings window. The Transaction Details section is displayed.

Provide the following inputs:

  • To view the transaction details in Auto mode, select the Transaction Details in Auto Mode check box.
  • Select the Allow Percentile Data Creation for Transactions check box to enable the percentile data creation for transactions.
  • To view the default percentiles, click the Select Default Percentiles User can select the percentile to view from the drop-down list.
  • User can also select all percentiles to view by using the Select All check box.
  • User can also provide refresh time interval for transaction percentile and threshold for transaction details pagination in the respective input areas.
  • To save the configuration setting in the Config file, select the Save In Config File check box.
  • Apply the settings by clicking the OK button. To cancel the settings, click the Cancel button.

Example:

In case user selects 99, 95, 90, and 80 as percentile view for transactions and apply the settings.

The selected percentile views are displayed in the Transaction summary report.

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To view the Transaction summary report, go to View menu, click the Transactions menu item. Then, click the All Transactions link or a particular transaction link.

Favorite Settings

User can specify whether to apply the default time of favorite or the time specified in the current view. User can also specify whether to load favorite with compare settings. It also provides a feature to enable dynamic web dashboard. For these settings, user needs to click the Favorite Settings tab on the Configuration Settings window. The Favorite Settings section is displayed.

If user selects the Load Graph Time Settings From Favorite check box, the graph time settings are loaded from favorite. If user does not select this check box, no time of the favorite is saved and system considers the last saved value (default value). For example, if the current view of the favorite is last 1 hour and default view is last 4 hours. Then, on selecting this check box, the favorite current value i.e. last 1 hour is saved and on not selecting this check box, no value of the favorite is saved and system takes the last specified value (default value) i.e. last 4 hours on loading the favorite.

If user applies comparison and save it as favorite, then, on selecting the Load Favorite with Compare Setting check box, the favorite is loaded with compare settings.

Dynamic Web dashboard feature allows a user to view the most recent updates in the graphs. User can enable dynamic web dashboard by selecting the Enable Dynamic WebDashboard check box. On enabling this, the graphs are displayed based on the runtime changes.

User can also specify Refresh Interval For Dynamic WebDashboard in minutes.

To save this setting in configuration file, select the Save in Config File check box. Click OK to apply the settings.

Graph Settings

User can also specify whether to apply gradient color on chart types and up to how many decimals the value to be displayed on y-axis. For this, user needs to click the Graph Settings tab on the Configuration Settings window. The Graph Settings section is displayed.

Here, user can apply gradient color settings for the graphs, configure the decimal digits, and can enable/disable crosshair and gridline settings.

In the Advanced Settings section, the user can configure the following settings:

  • Shared Tooltip Threshold: To enable multiple tooltips for different graphs in a single widget.

  • Series Boost Threshold: To decrease the width of graphs when given threshold for number of graphs is crossed.

  • Graph Scaling: To enable the scaling on widgets so that the most lower value graphs become visible in front of higher value graphs.

  • Lower Panel Pagination and Threshold: To enable the pagination in lower panel of Dashboard and threshold of the pagination.

  • Scaling Threshold: To define the graphs on which scaling is applied. It allows to scale graph using different threshold value.

Example: If scaling threshold is 20 and consider max value of graph is 100 then all the graphs having values lesser than 100/20 are scaled with the Scaling factor Nx1. All the graphs having values greater than 100*20 are scaled with Scaling factor shown like Nx2 or Nx/3.

Scaling threshold value in Dashboard:

  • Inter-widget Delay Time (ms): Whenever a new sample is arrived on a production test, then graphs are updated one by one with the given delay.
  • Enable Monochromatic Color: To enable monochromatic colours in Advance settings.

Example: Applied gradient color on Donut chart.

To configure the decimal digits to be displayed with graphs, specify the value in the Show Decimal Digits text box.

Example: Crosshair and Gridlines

To enable crosshair and gridlines, select the respective options. On mouse hover, crosshair is displayed.

In the below figure, decimal digits (3), grid lines, and crosshair is displayed.

Scale

This feature is added to reduce the visualization and interpretation complexities arising from having a large as well as small graph values on the same widget. Scaling enables distinct display of very small values compared with very high values on the same widget. Two scaling modes are provided, logarithmic and auto.

To enable scaling for all widgets, go to Settings > Graph Settings, and enable Graph Scaling.

Once scaling is enabled,  icon is displayed over the widget.

Key Pointers

  • Scaling can be changed/applied from widget.
  • If scaling option is changed/applied from widget, then it is applicable on that widget only.
  • If scaling by specified metrics is selected, then on selection of metrics from lower pane or from widget, the scaling is changed.
  • From configuration UI, you can change default option of scaling.
  • Using the Scaling Threshold value, you can scale the graph as and when needed and can calculate the Scale Factor based on that.
  • The graphs, which are being scaled, are displayed with the dash and dotted line respectively.
  • The scale factor is being calculated and it could be seen in the lower panel as ‘X’ (Scaled up) and ‘/’ (Scaled down), based on the nature of the graphs.
  • The scale factors is displayed in whole numbers.
  • A specific range is maintained for the graphs where scaling is applied and maximum graphs will have the Scale Factor as 1.
  • For example: If the scaling threshold is 20 and the max value of the graph is 100 then all the graphs having values lesser than 100/20 are scaled with the Scaling factor Nx1. All the graphs having values greater than 100*20 are scaled with Scaling factors shown like Nx2 or Nx/3.

Let us take an Example:

In the graph panel, there is a graph with low values (CPU Utilization)and hence it is difficult to view the graph data with respect to the higher valued graphs.

To have a better view, user can apply scaling on the graphs. To do this, enable the scaling via Settings > Graph Settings, and enable Graph Scaling with scale factor. There are two modes of scaling – Auto and Logarithmic.

Auto

In this mode, scaling is applied to the graph having the highest value.

The scaling factor is calculated and displayed in the lower panel automatically. To find the actual value at any instance, mouse over to that instance. User can change the scaling base metric by clicking if from the lower panel. Scaling is re-calculated according to selected metric and redraw the chart.

Logarithmic

Here we can use logarithmic scaling to handle a large number of metrics or graphs.

In mathematics, the logarithm is the inverse operation to exponentiation, just as division is the inverse of multiplication and vice versa. That means the logarithm of a number is the exponent to which another fixed number, the base, must be raised to produce that number. In simple cases, the logarithm counts factors in multiplication. For example, the base 10 logarithm of 1000 is 3, like 10 to the power 3 is 1000 (1000 = 10 × 10 × 10 = 103); 10 is used as a factor three times.

Scaling Off

To disable scaling from the graphs, select Off from the scale menu. This laid the graphs in their original form.

Area Range Graph

Area Range graphs is a chart type, which is applicable based on the configured threshold. This is implemented to resolve the UI slowness due to a large number of graphs on the panel. The area-range graph plots the higher value and lower value samples from a set of graphs, which makes it lightweight and quick to update and render.

Disabled Area Range

Enabled Area Range

Graph Tree Settings

User can specify whether to refresh graph tree on the occurrence of run time changes. For this, user needs to click the Graph Tree Settings tab on the Configuration Settings window. The Graph Tree Settings section is displayed.

DB Settings

In this section, the user can configure the query timeout (in seconds).

Query Settings

It is used to integrate dashboard with NF UI for NFquery widget. You need to mention the unified Netforest machine URL (NF UI IP and Port).

Multi-Node Configuration

The user can configure Multi DC environment through UI and can start node server from there. The user can add, edit, delete, update, and configure multiple slaves and can change master DC. By using the Apply button, the user can start the node server.

The user can perform the following action on the Multi-Node Configuration window:

Add a Node

To add a node, the user needs to provide the following details and click the Add button:

  • Node Name: This is the name of the node. It must start with an alphabet. Maximum length is 32 characters.
  • Session Number: This is the number of the session. It is a numeric and maximum length allowed is 32.
  • IP Address: It is the IP address of the machine. It is a numeric field with allowed characters are 11.
  • Port: It is the port of the machine. It is a numeric field with allowed characters are 7.
  • Protocol: Select the protocol either HTTP / HTTPs from the drop-down list.
  • Master: If this is a master node, select the ‘Master’ check box.
  • Product Type: Select the product type, such as NetDiagnostics, NetStorm, NetVision, and so on from the list.

Delete a Node

The user can delete master and slave DC by clicking the Delete button. However, if user deletes the master DC information, then it must make at least one DC information from table as master before using the Apply button.

Edit a Node

The user can edit the DC information by clicking the Edit button and can update DC information as per the requirements.

Save the Node Details

On clicking the Save button, the DC details are saved in the records.

Apply the Configurations

On clicking the Apply button, the node-server starts running on the port as provided by the user.

Run Aggregator on Same Machine

With this option, if the user clicks the Apply button, the node server runs at the backend for the machine on which it is logged in. This option is displayed on selecting the Master check box.

Run Aggregator on Other Machine

When user clicks this option, there will be additional option to specify the machine on which we need to run node server.

Show Vector in Title

This feature is used to view graph with breadcrumb, such as last 1, 2…5. To view an example of this, first select a graph form the graph tree view. By default, graphs are displayed last 2 breadcrumb. For example – NSAppliance>Tomcat-Appliance.

Now, go to Configuration > Configuration Settings > Show Vector in Title, and select the level of Breadcrumb, such as Last 3.

Then, the selected graph is displayed with last 3 breadcrumb. For example – Cavisson>NSAppliance>Tomcat-Appliance.

Graph Tree

This feature is used to specify the position of the group in the graph tree. To use this feature, go to Configuration > Configuration Settings > Graph Tree. There are three options available there:

Group at Beginning

Upon selecting this option, group position is at the beginning in the graph tree. This is the default option selected.

Group at End

Upon selecting this option, group is positioned at the end. Below is an illustration:

Group at N Level

Upon selecting this option, user can specify at which level to position the group. For example, if user specify the group level as two.

The groups are positioned at level 2 in the graph tree. Below is an illustration:

Color Management

Color Management feature enables a user to have specific color of the graphs using the hierarchy structure of the graphs. Using this feature, the graphs assigned in a particular hierarchy are displayed with different colors. To use this functionality, follow the below mentioned steps:

  1. Go to Configuration menu and click the Color Management menu item. The Color Management window is displayed.

  1. Select the hierarchy levels. Here, user needs to define the color by hierarchy level. There are drop-downs based on the maximum number of hierarchical levels in the test. Each drop-down is having “Any” and meta data name of that level in whole Test. In case “Any” is selected at any level, then next drop-down displays all options available on that level otherwise it displays specific to previous selection.

3. Select whether to include graphs in color management. On selecting this, different graphs are displayed with different colors. For example, if user selects Any > Any > Instance in the hierarchy level then all graphs of same instance is displayed with same color. However, on selecting the Include Graphs option, different graphs of the same tier are displayed with different colors.

Example

Case 1: Hierarchy Level – Any > Any > Instance (without selecting include graph option)

In this case, Elapsed time and CPU graphs of same instance is displayed with same color.

Case 2: Hierarchy Level – Any > Any > Instance (with selecting include graph option)

In this case, all graphs of same instance are displayed with different colors.

Catalog Management

Catalogue management provides a common platform for the selection of graphs and storing them as a catalogue. Catalogue means the collection of items in a systematic manner. Here, collection of items is the collection of graphs. This catalogue is saved at a common place, so that it can be used with different modules of Web Dashboard, such as Favorites, Alert, Template, and Pattern Matching by just importing the catalogue as per requirements.

Key Features:

  • User is able to save any type of graph (Normal / Derived).
  • User is able to save any series type (Simple / Percentile / Slab Count).
  • User is able to select any chart type (Line / Bar / Pie / Area / Stacked Area / Stacked Bar).
  • User is able to add / delete a catalogue.

Accessing Catalogue Management UI

To access the catalog management UI, follow the below mentioned steps:

  1. Go to Configuration menu and click the Manage Catalogue

  1. This displays the Catalogue Management window. It contains two tabs – Manage Catalogue and Add / Edit Catalogue.

Manage Catalogue

This section contains a list of catalogues with details, such as catalogue name, graph type, description, created by, created on, and actions.

From the actions column, user can Edit or Delete a catalogue. Upon clicking the Edit icon, the created catalogue is displayed in edit mode where user can make changes and overwrite the catalogue settings.

Add / Edit Catalogue

To add a catalogue, go to the Add /Edit Catalogue section and provide the following details:

Catalogue Detail

It contains catalogue information, such as Catalogue Name and Catalogue Description:

Chart Detail

The Chart details includes the Selected Metric type provided by the user. By default, it is selected to be as Normal while adding a new Catalogue.

Metric Types:

  1. Normal
  2. Derived
Normal Metric Type

Derived Metric Type

Here, another option of Derived Metric Name under Select Graphs is displayed where user needs to provide the Derived Name of the added derived Graphs.

 

Select Graphs

It contains the area to select graphs. If graph type is Normal, then following window is displayed where user can select graphs in normal mode (without performing any mathematical operation unlike derived graphs).

If graph type is Derived, then user can apply some mathematical operations to get the Derived Graph as required.

If the selected group is vector based, there are two options as follows:

  1. All
  2. Specified

For “Specified”, a new window is displayed with following tabs:

  1. Specified Indices Selection
  2. Advanced Indices Selection

In case of “Specified” Indices selection:

In case of “Advanced” Indices selection, user needs to select the Tier, Server, and Instance:

Tabular View

This displays the graph data in tabular format. We select the normal or derived graph from the above graph area and then on clicking this button, that graph is added in the table. It contains following fields:

  1. Graph/Derived Name
  2. Metrics/Indices_Derived_Formula
  3. Metric Type
  4. Action

Table row also has the option to delete the graph, inside the Action.

In case of Normal graph type:

In case of Derived graph type: