Mastering NetScaler Console: Zero to hero in 31days - Day 15 - Dashboards & Custom Dashboards!
Who doesn't love a dashboard?
Hello, my name is Andrew and I tend to get a lot of questions about NetScaler Console. The purpose of this series is to offer some pointers on what it is, what it can offer and why you should take some notice. This is the fifteenth and a bit post in a set which is designed to cover the top topics that will get you trained up.
Knowledge is power, right? 📖📖📖📖
31 days seems an arbitrary number. Today is all about NetScaler Console Dashboards & Custom Dashboards.
How does this normally come up?
Talking to customers, one of the key things that comes up is ‘What’s going on right now?’ I was chatting to a friend a while ago, ADC’s are all about throughput (mostly), so I asked him how busy his boxes were. Keep in mind that these were not NetScaler appliances…
No idea mate! Haven’t a Scooby!
In his defence, his management of the ADC’s was one of the many responsibilities that he had. In his case, it is important for him to not spend too much time on that.
Who would be interested in this?
Any Network Admin, will be facing increasing time pressures. How can they get some time back and become a super hero?
I know - shoot for the stars!
Mastering sounds 'heavy'?
Ultimately, this is Substack, who would be crazy enough to write technical content on this platform?
What can NetScaler Console offer with the Dashboards & Custom Dashboards?
The title has two items:
Dashboards
Custom Dashboards
What is NetScaler Console ultimately for?
I know this one…..its for management, right? It is. One of its roles is to give Admins a kind of drill down view of multiple aspects of their environment. There is a number of context sensitive dashboards. Each has a link to a more detailed sub view. These are the top level snap shots. These are all in one place, smart call!
Applications: shows what is going on with applications published by NetScaler.
NetScaler appliances: A snap shot of what needs your attention right now.
Appsec: What is going on with application security?
NetScaler gateway stats: looks like this environment does not have that much data today.
NetScaler API analytics
Awesome Andrew, but I don’t like any of them!
Bob is a demanding admin! He has a specific focus, everything outside of that is irrelevant (to Bob). Using Custom Dashboards, he can craft a set of metrics that work for him. Choose the widgets and save it..
Summary
The dashboards in NetScaler Console pulls a number of different things together to give you that high level view. The option to drill into the specifics when you need the detail is cool. Also, having your own dashboard could be a powerful way to stay on top of things that concern you. Dashboards make it easy to have a view of where the potential issues are, and where/when they are likely to bite you.
If it is not clear, here is a scenario.
Bob and Alice have been using NetScaler Console Service in the scenarios for the last few days.
Bob needs to keep track of the infra and the gateway module. Alice covers API and Appsec. They each have custom dashboards to suit their roles. This helps them stay on top of things.
Happy days, as this allows Bob and Alice to focus time on other tasks that are important to Acme, as the combination NetScaler and the NS Console has them covered.
The Call to Action
Let me know if this piece raises any questions/comments, drop them into the space below. I will endeavour to answer directly or update the post to better address the question(s).
Summary
Buckle up. The NetScaler Console is the best tool for many different jobs when working in conjunction with the NetScaler Appliance. They are the perfect tag team. 🤼. The NetScaler Console can offer a one-stop shop to see all your appliances from one place, and deploy and update them and track those applications and the level of Security in-place that your business needs.
Do you need another tool to see a status dashboard? Of course not! NetScaler Console has your back!
Let me show you how to make the most of it!
Have a good one.