Monitoring with Central
The new HPE Aruba Networking Central application provides a modern, data-rich network management platform with AI-augmented operations for an efficient and comprehensive operator experience. This version of Central includes many user interface updates and improvements to increase the accessibility of endpoint and infrastructure performance data.
This chapter details the robust monitoring capabilities available within the new HPE Aruba Networking Central application. It includes an exploration of the Network Overview (NOC View), the Site Dashboard, and the various operational views such as Location and Floor Plan, and Topology. In addition, an overview of the Time Travel feature for historical analysis and the integrated Alert Management system provides information on gaining deep operational insight into network and security infrastructure managed with Central.
Table of contents
Network Overview
The Network Overview (NOC View) screen displays a summary of the state of the entire managed infrastructure. This is the first view the operator sees after switching into the new Central mode of operation.
Each card within the Network Overview presents a unique set of data related to the organization. Use the two-way arrow in the upper right corner to expand a card and view different data visualization depending on the card’s topic of the card. Click data elements on a card to access additional views of the selected object.
Sites Card
The Sites card lists the first 10 sites in an organization and provides summarized health state for each site. Clicking a site name opens the site dashboard for that location. Expanding the card shows a complete list of all sites in a table format.
Use the table menu in the upper right corner to customize the columns displayed in the table.
To view additional information from the table:
- Click a site name to open the site’s dashboard.
- Click any Site Health, Device Health, or Client Health bar to open a summary of health information for the site.
- Click the number of devices or clients beside the device or client score bar to open the Device or Client table for that site.
Alerts Card
The Alerts card lists the top five alerts across all sites within the organization. Click an alert name to display a summary view of the impacted sites.
Use the table menu to customize the view. Click a site name, status bar, or number to view additional information.
Device Health Card
The Device Health card displays the summarized health status for all devices in the organization according to device type. Expanding the card shows a table with detailed site, device type, and device health status information.
Click the site name to open the site dashboard. Click the number of devices shown for the site, health state, and device type to open a pre-sorted list of the devices in the selected state.
Device Inventory Card
The Device Inventory card displays a visualization of the device types deployed in the organization. Click the number above Devices inside the ring to open the Device table for the organization. Click the number below Require Site Assignment to open the Device table, filtered for unassigned devices.
Insights Card
The Insights card displays a summary of recommendations for performance optimization within the organization based on AI-driven insights gleaned from a very high-scale data lake of operational data sourced from networks managed with HPE Aruba Networking Central. Expand the card to show a global view of the insights currently available for the organization.
Insights are listed and summarized in the left column. Click an insight to display a site list on the right showing the sites this insight includes and the affected device count for each site. Click on a site name to open the insights page for that site and view the details of each recommendation.
Site Dashboard
The Site dashboard provides an overview of health and performance state for a site managed by new Central. It is the starting point for most monitoring or troubleshooting activities and provides summary status for all the site’s critical operational attributes.
On the left side of the site dashboard is the Solar System, a unique and efficient visualization of the summary state of the network, associated clients, application performance, security state, and related alerts. Each set of data is organized as a “planet” while the site itself is represented as the “Sun”.
Insights and Tools
Within the site or “Sun” of the solar system are the icons for insights and tools. Insights are represented by the head with a gear in the center and a badge showing the number of insights generated for that site. Click this icon to open a dashboard showing insights generated for the current site.
Tools are accessed by clicking the wrench and screwdriver icon. Available tools include ping, trace route, nslookup, ARP table dump, PoE and port bounce, cable test, and HTTP test. Test availability varies depending on device type. Test usage is discussed in greater detail in the troubleshooting section of this guide.
Planets
Click a planet within the Solar System to go to a dedicated dashboard presenting data related to that specific topic. Clicking any planet repositions that planet to the center of the Solar System, revealing additional section-specific planets.
The Network planet opens the Devices table, which displays a unified list of network devices assigned to the site.
The Clients planet opens the Clients table showing a unified client list of all clients associated to network devices assigned to the site.
The Applications planet opens the Applications listing all the applications accessed by clients connected to network devices in the site.
The Security planet currently in development will display data related to the current security state of the clients and devices in the site.
The Alerts planet opens the Alerts table listing all client- and device-related alerts for the site.
Each table accessed from the site dashboard planets can be customized. Use the table menu to change the table view. Populate and sort the table dynamically with the criteria selectors, filter tool, and search capabilities.
Time Travel
The Timeline widget rewinds the device and client performance data to go the dashboard view that appeared at the moment of a performance issue for targeted perspective and troubleshooting.
Adjust the range of the timeline using the period selector at the far right. Click a vertical, status bar within the timeline to jump to that time or to open a zoom window with greater resolution of the selection at a point in time. When a specific point in time is selected, the dashboard updates the display to the state of the infrastructure and clients at that time.
View Selector
Use the View Selector to switch among several operational views of the infrastructure.
- The dashboard view,
- The location and floor plan view,
- The topology view,
- The configuration view.
The site dashboard view was described in detail above. Brief descriptions of the other views follow.
Location and Floor Plan Manager
The Location view provides location details such as address and assigned devices. Additional features will be added to this view to provide a comprehensive summary of site state.
Using the Actions menu, this view enables uploading of floor plans or the site’s other visual depictions on which network equipment location can be placed. This is particularly useful for providing WiFi-based location services such as the location of a specific client within the site.
Accurate location services requires accurate placement of access points. Some access points can auto-locate and determine their own location within a site. Refer to the Floorplan Manager section of the new Central Online Help for complete details.
Create a Site Floor
Step 1 Login to HPE Aruba Networking Central and toggle into the new version.
Step 2 Select a site from the Network Overview site card.
Step 3 Click the Location button in the site View Selector.
Step 4 Click the Actions menu and select either Create Floor or Import Floors.
Step 5 Follow the workflow steps to complete the creation or import of new floors.
Topology View
The default Topology view presents the network in a unique, data-rich format called a “sunburst” topology. This visualization presents the network in concentric rings, with the core at the center and access layer at the outside. Devices paired using virtual switching extension (VSX) are shown grouped with a dotted line. Device health state is indicated by color.
Additional information can be visualized on the topology view. Use the layers menu at the lower right of the screen to access the optional layers such as device type and logical network configuration.
Configuration View
The Configuration view opens the configuration library at the site level. When working with new Central configuration profiles, it is important to recognize the working level of the hierarchy. Configuration view and the new Central configuration profiles will be detailed in future versions of this or related guides.
Site Cards
Additional cards displayed within the site dashboard provide important operational details regarding network and client performance.
Health Card
The Health card shows the summary health state of the site with an Alerts summary and a table showing number of devices and clients in the three operational states.
Events Card
The Events card shows the last five events logged for the current site. Expand the Events card for filterable access to the entire log. Use the table menu to specify the columns to display.
Alert Management
Alert Management is accessed under the app menu from the site dashboard. The configuration view enables changing settings on defaults or system alerts and creating custom alerts. Hover the mouse cursor over a row to access the edit, disable, and reset commands for existing alerts. Click the Create Alert button to create a new, custom alert.
Refer to Configuring Alerts in the online help for details on alert configuration parameters.