Archived - Path Discovery dashlet

To add a Path Discovery dashlet to a custom dashlet

To view further information about an application path

To configure the application path's display

To manually discover an application path

To see path history

The Path Discovery dashlet visually displays the discovered path between the specified source device and the destination device. A path reports on the state of devices and links, and can identify potential capacity bottlenecks.

The Path Discovery dashlet is only applicable to application paths. It is not applicable to any other data source (e.g. Views, devices, components etc).

To add a Path Discovery dashlet to a custom dashboard:

1. When adding a dashlet to a new custom dashboard or editing an existing custom dashboard, follow the instructions for adding a dashlet, select Path Discovery in the Select Dashlet Type, and click Next.
2. The Create Dashlet form will slide in on the right. Enter a name for your dashlet in the Name field.
3. You can then choose the source of the data to be displayed in the dashlet.
   
   
   The Path Discovery dashlet is only applicable when its data source is an application path.
   
   
   • If you want this dashlet to source its data from the context of its parent dashboard, select Dashboard. You can see the context of the parent dashboard in the Dashboard Context field at the top of the form.
   • If you want this dashlet to source its data from another dashlet in this current dashboard, select Dashlet.
   • If you want this dashlet to source its data from a specific application path on your network, select Fixed Object. You can then click Browse to an object to search for the application path in Explorer, or drag into the box your desired application path in from another browser window.
4. Specify which of the following you want to be displayed in the Display Mode field:
   • Recent Path Only - the dashlet will only display the most recently discovered path.
   • Reference Path Only - the dashlet will only display the reference path.
   • Recent and Reference Path Only - the dashlet will display both the most recently discovered path and the reference path.
5. Click the AdvancedSettings field to open the Advanced Settings form.
   1. Choose whether you want to hide the title of the dashlet in the Hide Title Bar field. If selected, the dashlet's Overflow Menu will also be hidden, but in the Promote Menu Options field you can then choose if you want to display the options in the dashlet's Overflow Menu in the overall dashboard's Overflow Menu.
   2. Choose whether you want the dashlet to automatically refresh in the Auto Refresh field. By default this is set to On.
   3. Click Done in the top right of the form to save and return to the Create Dashlet form, otherwise click Cancel.
6. Click Done in the top right of the form, otherwise click Cancel.

To view further information about an application path:

The path from source device to destination device is displayed in the dashlet.

1. The path state will be displayed in top left of the dashlet, which will be one of the following icons:
   • Green - path is available.
   • Blue - indicates discovery has started but full discovery of all attributes is not complete. During rediscovery, it will show the old status.
   • Grey - state is unknown, because service has not been polled yet or failures in the polling process.
   • Yellow - actual path has changed from the reference path. The service may still be available.
2. Each device on the path is color-coded to show its status. You can click on the device to open the Device Details form on the right of the browser, which shows you the following information about the device:
   • Name
   • Server
   • Next Layer 3 Address
   • Discovery Time
3. By default, a link between two devices is color-coded to reflect its status. To view further information on a link, click on the link to open the Link Details form on the right of the browser. This form shows you the following information about the device:
   • the two devices sharing the link.
   • spare capacity of the link in Mbps.
4. To show utilization on the links, tick the Show Utilization box in the dashlet's Overflow Menu.
   • Each link will now display utilization information as a % of total capacity.
   • Each device will have a color-coded circle for its utilization status.

To configure the application path's display:

1. By default, an application path will be displayed in a straight line, but you can move a device into any position in the dashlet (without breaking the displayed link) by clicking and dragging it.
2. Navigate around the dashlet display by clicking and holding an empty part of the dashlet and moving it in the direction you want.
3. You can also zoom in and out of the dashlet display. 

To manually discover an application path:

1. In the Path Discovery dashlet, click Discover Path via the dashlet's Overflow Menu. The dashlet will then discover the path specified by the dashlet's data source, and update the path displayed in the dashlet.

To see path history:

1. In the Path Discovery dashlet, click Show Path History via the dashlet's Overflow Menu.
2. The Path History page for the path will then open.