Managing Dashboards

A dashboard is a group of dashlets that give you the ability to view data in one space, the key snapshots of the various components that you consider important. In NetWitness, you can compose dashboards to obtain high-level information and metrics that portray the overall picture of a NetWitness deployment, displaying only the information that is most relevant to the day-to-day operations.

The dashboards for all NetWitness components are available to add to the default NetWitness dashboard or a custom NetWitness dashboard.

You can view dashboards on different areas of interest depending on your user permissions. You have the option to select a preconfigured dashboard, import a dashboard, or create your own custom dashboard. The dashboards help you to quickly and easily view reports. You can configure your dashboards to display the information that supports your workflow. This topic explains the high-level tasks that can be done when you are setting up a dashboard.

Dashboard Basics

If the Dashboard view is your default landing page following logging in to NetWitness, you always see either the default dashboard or the currently configured dashboard immediately after completing the login process. To return to the dashboard from another NetWitness component, click Dashboard.

Dashboard Title

The dashboard title reflects the currently active dashboard; for example, Default Dashboard.

netwitness_titledsbd_126x28.png

Dashboard Selection List

You can access preconfigured and custom dashboards on the dashboard selection list. When you select a dashboard, its title is displayed below the NetWitness toolbar.

netwitness_selectdsbd_185x362.png

A dashboard has:

  • The dashboard toolbar
  • The dashboard title and the dashboard selection list.

Dashboard Toolbar

The dashboard toolbar is available next to the title of the selected dashboard. The dashboard toolbar allows various operations on dashboards and dashlets.

netwitness_toolbardsbd.png

Note: The Copy, Delete, Import, Export, Share, and Add Row options are disabled for preconfigured dashboards.

Option Description

netwitness_favdsbd_18x18.png

 Sets the selected dashboard as the Favorite.
netwitness_titledsbd_126x28.png Displays the list of available dashboards from which you can make a selection.

netwitness_adddsbd_22x25.png

 Displays the Create a Dashboard dialog, where you define or add a custom dashboard.
netwitness_deletedsbd_22x22.png Deletes a custom dashboard. The default dashboard cannot be deleted.

netwitness_copy_24x24.png

 Allows you to copy a dashboard.
netwitness_mngdsbdicon_25x23.png Displays the Manage Dashlet dialog.
netwitness_exportsdb_25x20.png Exports a dashboard as a .zip file.
netwitness_importdsbd_21x22.png Imports a dashboard as .zip or.cfg file.

netwitness_sharedsbd_69x24.png

 Allows you to share a dashboard with another user.

netwitness_addrowicon_71x12.png

Enables user to add rows and columns to the dashboard based on the requirement. Click the netwitness_adddsbd_21x24.png icon in a row to add a dashlet.

The Default Dashboard

The default dashboard is configured to display specific dashlets in specific positions. The default dashboard serves as an example of dashboard composition and a starting point for customization.

  • You can customize the information on the default dashboard by editing, adding, moving, maximizing, and deleting dashlets.
  • After modifying the default dashboard, you can restore the default dashboard (netwitness_rstdsbd_26x23.png) to its original layout.
  • The default dashboard cannot be deleted or shared.

Selecting a Preconfigured Dashboard

On installation of NetWitness, the following preconfigured dashboards are automatically activated and are available to you:

  • Default
  • Identity
  • Investigation
  • Operations - File
  • Operations - Logs
  • Operations - Network
  • Operations - Protocol Analysis
  • Overview
  • SecurID
  • Threat - Hunting
  • Threat - Intrusion
  • Threat - Malware Indicators

You cannot perform the following actions on a preconfigured dashboard:

  • Edit a dashboard
  • Export a dashboard
  • Share a dashboard
  • Delete a dashboard

For more information on each preconfigured dashboard, see the Dashboards Catalog in the NetWitness Content space on NetWitness Community.

Note: If you are logged into an Analyst UI, you can view but cannot enable, disable, or edit preconfigured Dashboards.

Enabling or Disabling Dashboards

When you enable or disable a dashboard, all the dashlets within the dashboard are enabled or disabled along with the associated charts, unless they are used in any other dashboard.

NetWitness modules can display only those dashlets presented in the Manage Dashboard dialog. The main dashboard offers all NetWitness dashlets. This is an example of currently available dashlets.

netwitness_dashlet_choices_424x295.png

Name Description
Dashboard List Displays a list of the default, preconfigured, and custom dashboards.
netwitness_enabledsbd.png Indicates if the selected dashlet is enabled.
netwitness_disable.png Indicates if the selected dashlet is disabled.
Title Displays the title of the selected dashlet and you can also rename the dashboard.
Past Hours Displays the time for which the data is collected.
Dashlet Refresh Intervals (Minutes) Displays the refresh interval time of a dashlet.

Enable a Dashboard

If you select a dashboard that is not enabled, a masked screen is displayed.

122_maskedds_1122.png

To enable one or more dashboards:

  1. Navigate to the dashboard to be enabled.

  2. In the dashboard toolbar, click netwitness_mngdsbdicon_25x23.png (Manage Dashboards).
    The Manage Dashboards dialog is displayed.
    netwitness_mngdsbd_424x291.png

  3. From the dashboard list, select the dashboards to be enabled.

  4. Select the Enable checkbox.

  5. Click Save.

Disable a DashboardDisable a Dashboard

To disable one or more dashboards:

  1. Navigate to the dashboard to be disabled.

  2. In the dashboard toolbar, click netwitness_mngdsbdicon_25x23.png (Manage Dashboards).
    The Manage Dashboards dialog is displayed.
    netwitness_disabledsbd_411x285.png

  3. From the dashboard list, select the dashboards to be disabled.

  4. Select the Disable checkbox.
  5. Click Save.

Setting a Dashboard as a Favorite

To customize the views in NetWitness, you can set a preconfigured or custom dashboard as a Favorite. The NetWitness dashboard offers all NetWitness dashlets. The Favorite dialog sets a specific dashboard as your favorite dashboard and is listed as favorite every time you log in to NetWitness.

  1. Navigate to any dashboard.

  2. In the dashboard toolbar, click netwitness_favdsbd_23x23.png

    If the favorite icon is red in color, it indicates that selected dashboard is set as a Favorite and is listed on top above the line.

Creating Custom Dashboards

You can create custom dashboards to serve a particular purpose; for example, to represent a specific geographical or functional area of the network. Each custom dashboard is appended to the dashboard selection list.

To create a custom dashboard:

  1. In the dashboard toolbar, click netwitness_adddsbd_21x24.png.
    The Create a Dashboard dialog is displayed.
    netwitness_createdbdialg_460x95.png
  2. Enter a title for the new dashboard and click Create.
    The new dashboard is displayed as a blank screen.
    122_newdsbrd_1122.png
  3. Add rows to the dashboard, which can contain one or more columns, using the Add Row option on the right side of the screen (netwitness_addrowicon_100x17.png). Click the desired column configuration in the drop-down list to add one row to the dashboard with the selected number of columns. Repeat the process to add more rows.
    122_phla_dashboard_1122.png
  4. You can add any desired dashlets to the dashboard by clicking netwitness_adddsbd_21x24.png in an empty placeholder in a row. For complete details on adding and managing dashlets, see Working with Dashlets.

After custom dashboards are created, you can:

  • Switch between dashboards by selecting an option from the dashboard selection list.
  • Delete any custom dashboard.
  • Import or export a dashboard.

Each dashboard has:

  • The dashboard toolbar.
  • The dashboard title and the dashboard selection list.
  • Zero or more dashlets.

Working with Dashlets

Dashlets are the parts that make up a dashboard. NetWitness uses dashlets to display focused subsets of system information, services, jobs, resources, subscriptions, rules, and other information.

The controls for a dashlet are in the title bar. All dashlets use a common set of controls, and only those that apply to the particular dashlet appear in the title bar of the dashlet.
netwitness_dashlet_293x269.png

The following table displays the description of each icon on the dashlet.

Icon Name Description
netwitness_104collapseverticon.png Collapse vertically Collapses the dashlet vertically so that only the title is visible.
netwitness_104expandverticon.png Expand vertically Expands the dashlet to its original size.
netwitness_104dashletreloadicon.png Reload Reloads the dashlet.
netwitness_dshletsetttings.png Settings Displays configurable settings for the dashlet.
netwitness_maximize_control_icon.png Maximize In some dashlets with content that does not fit horizontally within the width of the dashlet, maximizes a chart or a dashlet to full screen.
netwitness_104unidbdeleteicon.png Delete Deletes the dashlet from the dashboard.
Last Refreshed at

 

 Displays the time at which the data is polled from the related chart.
View More   When clicked, navigates to the corresponding dashboard which is linked to the main dashlet and displays more details. If you have not linked the dashboard to an existing dashlet, this link with not be available on the dashlet. To configure this option, click netwitness_dshletsetttings.png, and in the Dashboard Link field select a related dashboard view more details of the specific dashlet.

You can add dashlets to the default dashboard or construct a custom dashboard with your own useful set of dashlets to make your workflow more efficient.

Add a Dashlet

To customize the views in NetWitness, you can add dashlets to a default dashboard or create custom dashboards. However, you cannot add dashlets to preconfigured dashboards.

To add a dashlet:

  1. Navigate to any dashboard or create a new dashboard.
    122_phla_dashboard_1122.png
  2. Click netwitness_adddsbd_21x24.png on the placeholder where you want to add the dashlet.
    The Add a Dashlet dialog is displayed.
    netwitness_add_dashlet_270x110.png
  3. Click the Type selection list to view the available dashlets, and select the type of dashlet you want to add. Depending on the type of dashlet you are adding, some configurable fields appear in the Add a Dashlet dialog.
  4. Type a title for the dashlet. The title can include letters, numbers, special characters, and spaces.
  5. If there are additional configurable fields for the dashlet, set appropriate values.
  6. When all required fields have been configured, click Add.
    The dashlet is added to the dashboard in the selected placeholder and is automatically saved.
    122_Daboard_1122.png

Edit Dashlet Properties

All preconfigured dashlets are read-only and their properties cannot be edited. Other dashlets are editable and allow users to customize some aspect of the data displayed in the dashlet. A dashlet with editable properties has a settings (netwitness_104settingsicon.png) option that displays all the editing options.

After the dashlets are added, you can drag and drop them and they can be swapped.

A dashlet without editable properties, such as the Live Subscriptions dashlet, does not display the settings option in the title bar. Many dashlets have an editable title where you can edit the following properties:

  • Dashlet display title.
  • Type of services to monitor; for example, you can monitor only Decoders, or you can monitor Decoders and Concentrators.

Other dashlets have parameters that you define to specify the kind and amount of information you want to see in the dashlet. For example, a Realtime Chart Dashlet has the settings option.

  1. To display and modify the options for a dashlet, click settings (netwitness_dshletsetttings.png) in the dashlet title bar.
    The Options dialog is displayed.
    netwitness_invtvdshedit_249x231.png
  2. Edit any of the displayed properties. For example, in an in Operations - File Analysis Dashboard, edit Dashlet Refresh Interval from 15 to 20.
  3. Click Apply.

Some dashlets have configuration options to tailor the appearance or the contents of the dashlet. The following options are available for RE Top Alerts, RE Alert Variance, and RE Realtime Charts dashlets on left-click:

  • Hide For 24 Hours: This option allows you to hide the selected value for the next 24 hours. After 24 hours, the data is automatically displayed on the dashlet, if the value is configured and listed on top.

  • Hide Permanently: This option allows you to hide the selected value permanently until you add it back using the Manage Hidden Values option.

    netwitness_hide_options_374x201.png

  • Manage Hidden Values: This option displays a list of all the hidden values. You can select the checkbox for a value and click Remove to view the data back on the chart.

    netwitness_manage_options_235x267.png

The options to Hide for 24 Hours, Hide Permanently, and Manage Hidden Values are not available for Geomap charts.

Note: When you edit a value in a preconfigured dashboard, it is a user-specific change. The changes made to a preconfigured dashboard are applicable only to your dashboard and cannot be viewed by other users who use the same preconfigured dashboard. For example, if you hide a value in an overview dashboard, the change is applicable only to your dashboard. If another user views the same overview dashboard, the value is still displayed. The same applies to a custom dashboard. When you hide a value in the custom dashboard and share the same dashboard with another user, the values are still displayed even though the dashboard is shared.

For more information on available dashlets, see the Dashboards Catalog in the NetWitness Content space on NetWitness Community.

Rearrange a Dashlet

You can arrange dashlets according to your preference by dragging and dropping them into a different order on the dashboard.

  1. To move a dashlet, hover in the header of the dashlet that you want to move.
    The directional cursor netwitness_104directionalcursor.pngappears over the dashlet. Click and hold in the header of the dashlet that you want to move.
  2. Continue to hold the left mouse button and drag the window toward the new location.
    The figure below shows a dashlet as it is being re-arranged.
    netwitness_dltmove_598x320.png
  3. Release the mouse button when the dashlet is in the desired location.
    The dashlet that currently occupies that position moves down.

Maximize a Single Dashlet

This section explains how to open a dashlet on the entire area of the main NetWitness dashboard with the same dashlet title. Dashlets that have a lot of columns or charts, for example some Reporting dashlets, are easier to view when maximized so that the entire contents is visible without scrolling.

To maximize a dashlet, click the maximize control icon in the dashlet title bar: netwitness_maximize_control_icon.png. The dashlet is displayed on full screen.

To minimize a dashlet, click the same control icon in the dashlet title bar: netwitness_maximize_control_icon.png. The dashlet is restored to previous size.

netwitness_reg_dashlets_604x295.png

Delete a Dashlet

  1. Click netwitness_closeicon.png in the dashlet title bar:
    A confirmation pop-up is displayed to confirm if you want to delete the dashlet.
  2. Click Yes, if you want to delete. The dashlet is removed from the dashboard.
    Click No, if you do not want to delete.

Note: After you remove the dashlet, the empty space is replaced by a placeholder where you can add another dashlet using the above Add a Dashlet procedure.

Importing and Exporting Dashboards

The ability to customize dashboards to changing circumstances and conditions could result in a large number of dashboards that are not needed on a daily basis. Rather than reinvent the wheel each time you want to recreate a particular custom dashboard, you can export your dashboards that are not currently in use. When you are ready to use a previously exported dashboard, import the dashboard into NetWitness.

Import a Dashboard

Note: You can import the Reporter Realtime Charts dashboard and its related charts in different instances of the NetWitness server and Reporting Engine from which it was exported.

  1. In the dashboard toolbar, click netwitness_importdsbd.png (Import Dashboard).
    The Import Dashboard dialog is displayed.
    netwitness_importdsbdscreen_334x112.png
  2. Browse to the dashboard file in the Import Dashboard dialog. You can import .cfg and .zip files.
  3. Click Import.
    The dashboard is displayed in NetWitness

Note: If you import a dashboard from Security Analytics 10.6. x into NetWitness11.x, the dashboard and the associated rules and charts must be imported separately. But when you import a dashboard from NetWitness11.x into NetWitness, the dashboard and all the rules and charts associated with it are imported in .zip format.

Export a Dashboard

Note: When you export a Reporter Realtime dashboard, the corresponding Reporting Engine contents is also exported.

Exported dashboards are designed to work within the same NetWitness instance. It is also possible to share your custom dashboards with other users in your organization, provided they have equivalent permissions.

To export a dashboard, you must have the dashboard open to access the Export Dashboard option under the Edit drop-down menu in the dashboard toolbar.

  1. Navigate to the dashboard that you want to export. All existing dashboards appear in the drop-down Dashboard Selection List in the currently displayed dashboard.
  2. In the dashboard toolbar, click netwitness_exportsdb.png (Export Dashboard).
    The exported file is saved in .zip format.

Note: The Export feature is not applicable for preconfigured dashboards.

Copying a Dashboard

To customize the views in NetWitness, you can copy dashboards to the NetWitness dashboard or a custom dashboard. The NetWitness dashboard, as the name suggests, offers all NetWitness dashlets. The Copy Dashboard dialog creates a duplicate dashboard, which can be customized. When you copy a dashboard, the default name is prefixed with Copy of. For example, if the name of the original dashboard is XYZ, the default title of the copied dashboard will be Copy of XYZ.

To copy a dashboard:

  1. Navigate to any dashboard.
  2. In the dashboard toolbar, click netwitness_copy.png.
    The Copy Dashboard dialog is displayed. The following screenshot is an example of copying a dashboard.
    netwitness_copydsbd1_395x111.png
  3. Enter the Dashboard Title.
  4. Click Copy.

Sharing a Dashboard

In NetWitness, as an administrator you can share dashboards for viewing purposes with other roles such as Administrators, Analysts, Operators and so on. When you share a dashlet, the users can only view the dashboard, make dashboard as favorite, copy the dashboard, and export the dashboard. In case of other roles such as Analysts, Operators, and so on, you can share the dashboard only with similar roles. For example, an analyst can share a dashboard with other analysts only.

  1. Navigate to any dashboard.

  2. In the dashboard toolbar, click netwitness_sharedsbd_75x30.png and select the checkbox of the role with whom you want to share the dashboard.

Note: If you do not want to share the dashboard, clear the checkbox of the role. If a dashboard is shared, the dashboard name will be displayed with the share icon netwitness_dbshare_15x15.png.

Removing Unwanted Dashboards

You can remove the following dashboards by enabling the dashboard cleaning job.

  • Dashboards not owned by anyone

  • Dashboards not shared

  • Duplicates default dashboards

When the dashboard cleaning job is enabled, a scheduled job is triggered once a week on Sunday at 00:00.

Shared dashboards without owners are assigned to the administrator.

To enable Dashboard Cleaning Job:

1. Go to netwitness_adminicon_25x22.png (Admin) > System > Dashboard Settings.

2. Select the Enable UnOwned Dashboards and Duplicate Default Dashboard Cleaning checkbox.

3. Click Apply.

     122_dashboard_cleaningjob_1122.png

Using Dashboards in the Analyst User Interface

Large environments that include geographical distribution with a single data center and multiple NetWitness Servers require Analyst UI instances in all their NetWitness locations or managed entities. For example, if an Analyst UI is deployed for the EMEA SOC team, analysts can query their EMEA NetWitness Platform  hosts directly. If the EMEA team has Broker hosts and Concentrator hosts within the region, the Analyst UI can connect and query them instead of connecting back to Primary User Interface (Primary UI).

When using the dashboards in the Analyst UI, these features apply and affect the dashboards available to analysts:

  • Each Analyst UI instance is connected to its local Reporting Engine service. Every Reporting Engine has its own copy of the built-in content such as rules and charts and the local Reporting Engine runs them on the default data source (if configured in Reporting Engine) when the dashboard is enabled.

  • The built-in Reporting Engine content that is modified on local Analyst UI is available only to that specific Analyst UI. This behavior is same for an Admin UI as well.

  • Dashboards that are shared across different Analyst deployments display the Reporting Engine chart data from the shared instance. To edit the shared dashboard, the analyst must create a copy or contact the Admin to customize it.
  • When built-in preconfigured dashboards are enabled from an Admin UI, the dashboard is enabled for all the roles and for all the Analyst UIs. However, the data displayed in every Analyst UI is specific to the associated Reporting Engine.
  • By default, all the built-in preconfigured dashlets are disabled and can be enabled only from an Admin UI. Before you enable a preconfigured dashlet, you must set up the Live Services Account, see the Set Up Live Services topic in the Live Services Management Guide.

122_Analyst_dshbrd_1122.png

Note: The Analyst UI functions are similar to the Admin UI functions, except all configurations must be performed from the Admin UI.