Using the Network Performance Dashboard

You use the Network Performance Dashboard to get a holistic view of the performance of your network. Within the dashboard, you can drill down to specific areas of the network to locate issues. You do this by first using the menus across the top of the dashboard, and then by viewing and interpreting the dashboard panels that highlight key measurements for operations.

Select a device from the Device List (25 max shown) panel or from any of the bar charts to navigate to the Device Overview Dashboard for that device.

Using the Network Performance Dashboard Menus

The device menus on this dashboard let you focus on specific aspects of the devices on your network. By default, all devices are shown. You select device characteristics from the menu to filter the devices.

The menus are:

Using the Network Performance Dashboard Panels

This dashboard includes the following panels:

Total Devices

This panel shows the total number of devices included in the dashboard, based on the selections made in the menus above.

Total Instances

This panel shows the total population of instances of those devices included in the dashboard.

This panel offers a quick launch point from this dashboard to other dashboards in the report pack.

Top 10 Devices with Highest Average CPU Utilization (%)

This panel shows a sorted list of the top 10 devices by CPU utilization. Devices with the highest CPU utilization for the time period selected appear at the top of the list. The panel contains devices listed by their name, a horizontal bar next to each device showing the relative percentage of average CPU utilization, and the actual utilization percentage value.

Devices with very high CPU utilization may require further investigation. When a network device, such as a router, switch, or firewall, shows high CPU utilization, it means the device processor is operating near its maximum capacity, often above 80% for a sustained period. This may indicate that the device is overloaded, performing more work than it was designed to handle efficiently, or struggling to process packets and control-plane tasks in real time.

Device List (25 max shown)

This panel contains a table that shows the top 25 devices with the most record counts. The table consists of the following columns:

Only the Device column is sortable. You can hover over the panel to scroll through the table.

Top 10 Devices with Highest Memory Usage

This panel shows the devices consuming the highest memory out of the total memory consumed. Devices with the highest memory used for the selected time period appear at the top of the list. The panel contains devices listed by their name, a horizontal bar next to each device showing the relative memory consumed, and the actual memory consumed value in data storage units.

When a device shows high memory utilization, it means the device is very busy and is using most of its available RAM. While not always critical, it is a major warning sign. If the memory utilization remains consistently high, it can lead to dropped connections, slow performance, or a complete device crash, requiring a reboot.

Note:

While high memory usage is a warning sign, there are some normal and expected causes for it. These include:

Device Map

This panel shows a map showing where devices are located around the world. The map shows devices that have their geolocation set.

Top 10 Devices with Highest System Uptime

This panel shows a list of devices that have been up the longest amount of time since your last reboot. Devices with the highest uptime for the selected time period appear at the top of the list. The panel contains devices listed by name, a horizontal bar next to each device showing the relative uptime, and the actual uptime in days.

If a network device, such as a router, switch, or firewall, shows a high uptime measured in years, it indicates that the device is stable and reliable, with very low chance of a hardware failure or a catastrophic software crash. It also indicates a mature and predictable network that has a settled configuration and has not undergone major changes, upgrades, or expansions that would require a reboot.

However, while high uptime is a sign of past stability, it may not be the optimal condition for your network. A device with moderate, planned uptime that is regularly patched and proactively maintained could be more reliable and secure than a device with years of unplanned uptime.

Top 10 Devices with Lowest System Uptime

This panel shows a list of devices that have been up the shortest amount of time since your last reboot. Devices with the lowest uptime for the selected time period appear at the top of the list. The panel contains devices listed by name, a horizontal bar next to each device showing the relative uptime, and the actual uptime in days.

Device List (10,000 max shown)

This panel shows details of all devices, in a table. The number of devices here is either the same as the number that is seen in the Total Devices panel, or 10,000, whichever is lower. The table consists of the following columns:

Only the Device column is sortable. You can hover over the panel to scroll through the table.

Top 10 Devices with CPU Average Utilization (%)

This panel shows a list view and a graph view of the top ten devices by average CPU utilization over time, instead of an average for a time period. The chart shows all ten devices by default. When you hover over a name in the list of devices, the graph highlights the CPU utilization of that particular device. When you move your cursor over the graph and along the horizontal axis, which represents time, a pop-up panel highlights the devices and their utilization percentage at that point in time.

Top 10 Devices with Highest Memory Usage

This panel shows a list view and a graph view of the top ten devices by memory used over time, instead of an average for a time period. The chart shows all ten devices by default. When you hover over a name in the list of devices, the graph highlights the memory usage of that particular device. When you move your cursor over the graph and along the horizontal axis, which represents time, a pop-up panel highlights the devices and their memory usage value at that point in time.

Top 10 Devices with Highest Latency

This panel shows a list of devices that have the highest latency. Devices with the highest latency for the selected time period appear at the top of the list. The panel contains devices listed by name, a horizontal bar next to each device showing the relative latency, and the actual latency in milliseconds.

Top 10 Devices with Highest Ping Jitter

This panel shows a list of devices that have the highest ping jitter. Devices with the highest ping jitter for the selected time period appear at the top of the list. The panel contains devices listed by name, a horizontal bar next to each device showing the relative ping jitter, and the actual ping jitter in milliseconds.

Top 10 Devices with Highest Packet loss

This panel shows a list of devices that have the highest packet loss. Devices with the highest packet loss for the selected time period appear at the top of the list. The panel contains devices listed by name, a horizontal bar next to each device showing the relative packet loss, and the percentage of actual packet loss.