1 - Network Visualization
The Discovery and Visualization functionality in Cisco Business Dashboard is designed to give the
user a good understanding of the structure of the network and the devices that are present. In
the target market for Cisco Business Dashboard, it is not uncommon for customers and their
partners to have a poor understanding of how a given network environment has evolved over time.
Demonstration Workflow
This demonstration focuses on the Network page in the Cisco Business Dashboard user interface.
This page allows you to see how the network in each site is constructed, as well as an overall
view of all sites in the network.
Network Overview
To view the overall network, do the following:
- Connect to Cisco Business Dashboard and log on with the credentials provided. Once logging
on, select Network in the navigation bar and ensure the Map view is selected. Note that you
can see all the individual networks displayed geographically using Google Maps (Baidu Maps
in China).
- Click on the List button and briefly note that that the same information may also be viewed
in a table.
- Return to the Map view and note that the icons indicate the number and severity of
outstanding notifications in that network.
- Click on an icon for a network. Note the network information panel and the high-level
information displayed about the network.
- [Optional] Type the first few letters of a device hostname or PID into the
search box to show how you can locate specific devices in the network. For example, type CBW
in the search box and click on one of the devices presented. Note that the icon for the
network containing a device is highlighted as you move the mouse over the device list.
Click on a device in the list and the network information panel is displayed.
Network Detail
To examine an individual network in more detail, do the following:
- Click on the Manage button in the network information panel to shift the focus to the
individual network level
- Select each of the display options of Topology and Floorplan. Note how each view suits
different tasks. For example, troubleshooting a connectivity problem may be better done
using the Topology view, while locating a device requiring hardware replacement may be
better done from the Floorplan view.
- Note that all the devices and the network topology are discovered automatically by the
dashboard
- Return to the Topology view and select Overlays. Note the different filter checkboxes.
Select the Link Utilization overlay and note how the topology is marked up with additional
information. If there is no traffic and all links are green, drag the warning slider to 0%
to demonstrate the change in link colour as a threshold is exceeded.
- Note the other overlay options. [Optional] Demonstrate each of the overlays
if time permits.
- Click on the icon for a device. Note the following:
- The Overview panel shows important details about the device, including the version
of any firmware update that is available
- Any currently outstanding notifications are displayed, along with the history of
events from the last 24 hours
- Context sensitive panels are also shown here – e.g. PoE, Internet connection info
for routers, and so on.
- Note the device More button. [Optional] Click on the button to display the
Device Detail view. Click through the tabs, noting that they are device-type specific. e.g.
The wireless tab only appears for wireless devices, port management only for switches, etc.
Close the Device Detail view.
2 - Network Operations
Operational Tasks include typical tasks that would be commonly performed across the network by
the administrator. These include upgrading firmware, backing up and restoring device
configurations and rebooting devices.
Demonstration Workflow
This demonstration shows how different operational tasks – referred to as Actions in the
dashboard – can be performed on individual devices, groups of devices, or the network as a
whole.
To demonstrate operational tasks, do the following:
- Connect to Cisco Business Dashboard and log on with the credentials provided.
- Navigate to Inventory and click on the table entry for one of the devices to display the
basic info panel if not already visible. Click the Actions tab.
- Note the list of actions available – firmware updates, config backup/restore, reboot
etc.
- In the Basic Info panel, note the View button. Note that the connection to the device GUI is
securely tunnelled through the manager and probe, and no VPN or firewall configuration is
required.
- [Optional] Click the checkboxes against multiple devices and note that
actions may be performed on all the selected devices at once.
- Navigate to Network, select the icon or table entry for the network, and then click the
Manage button to display the network topology diagram. Point out the Network Actions
dropdown at the top right of the screen and note that it allows you to execute actions for
the entire network.
3 - Network Monitoring
Monitoring tools in Cisco Business Dashboard are used for capacity planning and to troubleshoot
performance problems.
Demonstration Workflow
This demonstration shows the different monitoring tools available in Cisco Business Dashboard,
and how they may be customized to suit the requirements of a particular network.
To demonstrate the monitoring tools, do the following:
- Connect to Cisco Business Dashboard and log on with the credentials provided.
- Select Dashboard in the navigation menu. Note the following points:
- The dashboard is ‘lightly customisable’. You can mix and match widgets and choose
different layouts.
- A dashboard may have multiple copies of each widget
- The dashboard layout is per-user.
- [Optional] Explore some of the options on one or two widgets, including
changing the sample interval.
- Select Port Management. Note that it provides a front panel view of the switches in the
network.
- Click on a switch port. Note the information displayed, as well as the presence (or
absence) of context sensitive information such as PoE or EEE settings.
- Note that the panel allows port configuration changes to be made.
- [Optional] Use shift-click or alt-click to select multiple ports on
multiple switches and note that configuration can be applied across multiple ports
and devices simultaneously.
- [Optional] Click the Smartports button at the top of the page to display
the current Smartports roles for the switchports. If necessary, provide a brief explanation
of the Smartports feature.
- Select the Reports and note the different types of reports. The Summary, End of Life and
Maintenance reports all address the larger product lifecycle, while the wireless reports
look at the usage of the wireless network.
- Drill in to each of the wireless reports and note key characteristics
- The Wireless Network report focuses on the usage of the wireless environment, broken
down by network (SSID), access point, and RF band. It also includes a list of any
rogue access points that have been detected.
- The Wireless Client report lists all the clients seen on the network along with
usage information.
4 - Configuration
While Cisco Business Dashboard provides some configuration tools, it is not intended to replace
the device level administration interfaces. The configuration capabilities offered in Cisco
Business Dashboard address common configuration tasks that are typically repeated for many
devices in the network, with more unusual or less commonly used configuration options being
addressed by providing direct access to the administration GUI for the device.
Demonstration Workflow
This demonstration looks at the different types of configuration that can be performed using
Cisco Business Dashboard and how that configuration is applied to devices.
To demonstrate configuration functionality, do the following:
- Click on Network Configuration in the navigation bar and note that this area addresses
system level parameters that are typically required by all devices and are frequently
identical across the network, as well as allowing the configuration of virtual LANs (VLANs)
and wireless LANs or SSIDs. The system level settings include time & DNS settings and
admin user authentication.
- Click through the different groups to show the types of configuration that may be performed.
- Note that network devices are collected into device groups by the dashboard. By default, all
devices in an individual network are in the same group, but the user may create as many
groups as they require. Groups may be mixed technology and the dashboard will dynamically
determine whether a particular configuration profile is applicable to each device in the
group. Groups are typically set up based on organizational reasons – e.g. all devices on a
particular building or floor, or all devices used by a particular department.
- Note also that a single configuration profile can be associated with multiple groups, and
that each device is a member of only one group.
- Navigate to Network Configuration and select each of the Virtual LANs and Wireless LANs
pages.
- Note that existing configuration in the network will be discovered by the dashboard
and displayed here. The user may adopt this configuration by creating a matching
profile and assigning it to one or more device groups.
- Select Port Management and click on a switch port
- Note the configuration options available.
- [Optional] Use shift-click or alt-click to select multiple ports on
multiple switches and note that configuration can be applied across multiple ports
and devices simultaneously.
- [Optional] Click the Smartports button at the top of the page to
display that Smartports roles that are associated with each switch port. If
necessary, provide a brief explanation of the Smartports feature and note that the
role may be configured in the switch port information panel.
5 - Lifecycle Management
Lifecycle reports and software lifecycle management tools are used for longer term planning and
management of the network. They allow the older hardware and software to be managed out of the
network before it becomes unsupportable, as well as highlighting any gaps in support so they may
be address before support is needed.
Demonstration Workflow
This demonstration shows how Cisco Business Dashboard provides lifecycle information for the
devices in the network.
To demonstrate the lifecycle reporting functionality, do the following:
- Connect to Cisco Business Dashboard and log on with the credentials provided.
- Select Reports in the navigation and note the different types of reports. The Lifecycle, End
of Life and Maintenance reports all address the larger product lifecycle.
- [Optional] drill in to each of the lifecycle reports and note key
characteristics
- The Lifecycle report provides a rolled-up view of the overall lifecycle health of
the device. In particular, it shows the presence of available firmware updates, and
whether a device is approaching or has reached any end of life or maintenance
milestones.
- The End of Life report lists any devices with published End of Life bulletins. It
lists the dates of all the key milestones in the EoL process and provides details of
any recommended replacement product.
- The Maintenance report provides a view of the support status for the devices in the
network. It shows the dates of warranty and service contract expiry.
- Colour is used in all the lifecycle reports to highlight any areas of concern.
To demonstrate software lifecycle management, do the following:
- Select Inventory in the navigation to see a table of network devices. Click on one of the
device rows to display the basic info panel.
- Note that this screen displays the version of any software updates available for the device,
and that a notification is also generated when software updates are published. You may need
to check multiple devices to identify one with a software update available.
- Click the Actions tab.
- Note the firmware upgrade actions available – Upgrade firmware to
latest and Upgrade from local. Note that the upgrade to latest
option will download the latest firmware from cisco.com and apply it to the device,
while the local upgrade button allows you to load a specific firmware image on to
the device from your PC.
- Note that the Upgrade firmware to latest action may be applied to multiple devices
or the entire site if desired.
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