Reporting with Central
The Reporting application in the new HPE Aruba Networking Central provides powerful tools to generate and automate network insights using a broad set of templates and customizable report options. Reports can be generated on demand or scheduled for delivery to key stakeholders, enabling routine performance, inventory, and operational review of network health.
This chapter demonstrates the end-to-end process of using Central’s reporting capabilities, including generating insights using pre-defined reports, such as a vital Client Inventory report for a specific site. This type of report is a critical tool for endpoint management, asset tracking, and security compliance. Furthermore, this chapter illustrates the advanced flexibility of creating custom reports to address unique operational and business intelligence needs, showcasing how to correlate diverse data points for comprehensive network reporting.
Table of contents
Access Reports
The Reports application is available from the persistent left navigation pane, accessible from any location within the Central UI. When opened, the interface presents options to create, manage, and view reports.
Step 1 Click the Menu stack, then click Manage in the Reports card.
The default landing page shows previously created reports with columns for Name, Type, Schedule, Last Run, and Status. Reports can be filtered, sorted, and searched using the options at the top of the page.
Create Reports
Overview of Report Creation
The report creation process in HPE Aruba Networking Central begins with selecting a report content, which can be Pre-defined or Custom, depending on reporting needs.
Pre-defined templates allow you to generate a single report from a selected category, such as Inventory. These templates come with commonly used Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) already included, offering a fast and streamlined setup. Pre-defined reports are organized into categories such as application, client, infrastructure, and network. For example, you can use the Client Health template to generate a Client Experience Report showing the top and bottom performing clients. Other common pre-defined reports include the Device Uptime Report to track infrastructure reliability and the Application Usage Report to gain visibility into top applications by client usage.
For greater flexibility, Custom templates enable you to build a report by combining KPIs from multiple categories. This provides precise control over the information included in the report, tailored to very specific requirements.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the individual data points or metrics that define the content of a report. Each report is a collection of KPIs relevant to its topic, such as client inventory, application usage, or infrastructure uptime. With pre-defined templates, all relevant KPIs are selected automatically, although you can deselect unneeded KPIs. Custom reports, on the other hand, require you to select each KPI manually. Examples of KPIs include Client Vendor and Model or OS Summary, Top Applications, Access Point Uptime, and Wired Client Experience Score.
When setting report preferences, define the scope of the data. This involves selecting specific sites, choosing relevant device types such as Access Points, Gateways, and Switches, and specifying connection types. You can apply additional filters for more granular data inclusion.
Report scheduling allows you to configure when a report runs, how often it updates, and who receives it. The Report Over Period defines the time range the report content covers, such as the Last Day, Last Week, Last Month, or a Custom Range. The Report Schedule determines how frequently the report is generated, with options like One-Time, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly. For recurring reports, you can specify the exact delivery day and time. In Report Details, you can enter a descriptive name for the report and list the email recipients who can receive the report via email in a chosen format of PDF, CSV, or both.
Refer to the Reports section in the online help for more details on report configuration parameters.
Create a Pre-Defined Report
Maintaining a precise understanding of all connected devices is fundamental for robust network security and operational efficiency. The Client Inventory report is more than a list; it is a vital asset for endpoint management teams, enabling them to track devices proactively, verify compliance with critical security policies, and swiftly identify unauthorized or rogue clients on the network. By automating this report to run weekly and deliver directly to key stakeholders, organizations can significantly improve asset tracking, reduce security risks, and enhance overall network governance without manual overhead.
To generate and automate a Client Inventory report:
Step 1 Initiate Report Creation: Navigate to the Reports application and click Create Reports.
Step 2 Select Template and Content: Choose the Pre-defined template type. Select the Client Inventory report, ensuring that all relevant KPIs are checked for comprehensive data.
Step 3 Define Scope: Specify the target Site where the client inventory will be gathered. Select the appropriate Device Type and Connection Type.
Step 4 Configure Schedule: Set the Report Over Period (e.g., Last Week) and the Report Schedule to Weekly.
Step 5 Specify Recipients and Format: Provide a descriptive Report Name and enter the email address for the network administrator under Email Recipients. Choose the desired output Format (PDF, CSV, or both).
Step 6 Finalize: Click Create to activate the report, or Preview Report Content for a review before saving.
Create Custom Reports
While pre-defined reports offer quick insights, complex network environments often demand a more granular and tailored view of operational data. A custom report provides the flexibility to combine Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) from disparate categories, enabling a holistic understanding that no single pre-defined template can deliver. For instance, to proactively identify potential issues impacting user experience, a network operations team might need to correlate Client Experience Scores with Access Point Uptime and Top Applications consumed. This integrated view allows for rapid identification of performance bottlenecks, root cause analysis, and optimized resource allocation, ensuring a superior and uninterrupted user experience across the network.
To generate a custom report for comprehensive operational insights:
Step 1 Initiate Report Creation: Navigate to the Reports application and click Create Reports.
Step 2 Select Template: Choose the Custom template type.
Step 3 Select and Combine KPIs: Manually select specific KPIs from various categories (e.g., Client Experience, Infrastructure, Application Usage) to build your unique data set and make the most of the power of custom reporting.
Step 4 Define Scope: Specify the target Sites and select the appropriate Device Type and Connection Type. Apply additional filters for further data refinement.
Step 5 Configure Schedule: Set the Report Over Period and the Report Schedule (e.g., Daily, Weekly, Monthly) based on the required frequency of insights.
Step 6 Specify Recipients and Format: Provide a descriptive Report Name and enter the email addresses for relevant stakeholders. Choose the desired output Format.
Step 7 Finalize: Click Create to activate the report, or Preview Report Content for a validation review.
View and Download Reports
After a report is generated, it appears on the Reports landing page. From there, view the latest output, review the history of previous runs, and access available download options.
Step 1 On the Reports landing page, click the report name to view generated reports. This page also allows you to manage report actions such as cloning, editing, or deleting a report by clicking the ellipsis (…) icon at the end of its row.
Step 2 To view the history of a specific report or to access a particular generated instance, click the report name. Then, from the history list, click the ellipsis (…) icon next to the desired run and select View.
The example below illustrates a Client Inventory report for a designated site. This report provides critical insights into the network’s connected clients, including details such as client count, vendor and OS summaries, and connection types. It serves as a foundational tool for asset tracking, security compliance verification, and identifying anomalous device behavior.
