ScaleXtreme Support Forum/Documentation/Dashboard

Dashboard

ScaleXtreme Support
posted this on August 19, 2011 05:24 pm

Dashboard

The Dashboard gives you a birds-eye-view of your entire system in a single convenient window. Data is automatically fed from other parts of your system into “panels” that provide a quick and informative look into the status of your system's infrastructure and scheduled activities.

screenshot-new-dashboard-overview.png

 

Note that full Dashboard functionality requires that you have a server under management with the ScaleXtreme software agent installed. For information on installing the ScaleXtreme software agent on your server, see our Installing the ScaleXtreme Agent documentation.

Dashboard Panels

Dashboard panels are roughly organized into three columns showing information about your system, as follows: 

  • Server Panels

Server panels (left side of Dashboard) display information about your data center infrastructure. Included is a Recent Events panel, which shows recent product-related server events, such as server registrations and changes in administrative functions; a Server Statistics panel, where you can view the number of registered and available servers in your system; and a Server List panel, which displays the names of all servers in your system, regardless of type (virtual or physical) or location (in your private data center or in the public cloud).

screenshot-recent-events.png

screenshot-server-stats.png

screenshot-serverlist.png

 

  • "Jobs" Panels

In ScaleXtreme we refer to automated machine tasks, such as recurring running scripts, as “jobs.” The Dashboard includes three Jobs panels -- Completed Jobs, Upcoming Jobs, and Failed Jobs – that indicate the status of your scheduled jobs. These panels are useful for keeping track of system workflow and making sure that scheduled tasks are performed and completed successfully as expected. For example, you may have created a recurring script, such as an automated system maintenance check, and scheduled it to run every night for 30 days at 9:00PM. A quick look at the Jobs Panel can tell you if the job has completed as expected, or, in the event of failure, can alert you to possible issues with your system that may require attention.

screenshot-completed-jobs.png

screenshot-upcoming-jobs.png

screenshot-failed-jobs.png

 

  • Social Panels

The Dashboard is more than a place to get a quick status report on your system -- It is also a social venue that lets administrators communicate with each other and with users through the product.

Wall

The right side of the Dashboard can be thought of as a “social column” and includes a Wall panel that you can use as a "sticky note messaging system" to communicate with your fellow administrators. The Wall is great for keeping colleagues informed on important events – maintenance downtime, infrastructure upgrades, schedule changes -- almost anything: from the latest subnet virtualization technology to the availability of extra popcorn in the microwave. To post a message on the Wall, simply type some text in the input box and click Post. 

screenshot-wall.png

 

Twitter Feed

In addition, the ScaleXtreme software agent tracks events in the system (failed jobs, etc.) and sends out updates via Twitter. You can view these feeds inside the Dashboard's Twitter Feed panel, or remotely on any compatible device. This way you can oversee your system from almost anywhere!  Note: To receive updates of server events via Twitter you must sign up for a new and private Twitter account. For more information, see www.twitter.com.

screenshots-dashboard-twitterfeed.png


Using Dashboard Panels

Dashboard panels are streamlined display windows, featuring hidden scroll bars that appear with a mouse rollover. You can open, close, and refresh panels by clicking on the icons in the upper right corner of the panel frame.

 

Beyond the Dashboard — Powerful Cloud-based Systems Management

The Dashboard is perfect for a quick overview of system activities.  But underneath it  lies ScaleXtreme's powerful cloud-based systems management tools:  

  • Manage - The Dashboard's Server Panels show just a sampling of the server management capability available via ScaleXtreme's Manage tab. Think of the Manage tab as a master control center for viewing and interacting with all servers and clouds in your system. Manage lets you add and configure server groups; view detailed information about each machine (including network config info --  IP address, Mac address, NICs, etc.); browse file systems and manage files with functions like copy, delete, and diff; run custom commands; get info on installed Linux packages; and execute commands via browser-based command shell . For more information on Manage, click on the Manage tab, or see our Manage documentation.
  • Operations - For information on viewing job details, checking job status, and modifying job specifications, see our Operations documentation.
  • Library - For information on creating, editing, sharing, and purchasing scripts; and creating and launching pre-configured server templates, click on the Library tab, or see our Library documentation.