If you have an online-oriented business, you might have created a platform for it, or you may be using one through a SaaS company. For this article, let’s say you created your own online business platform. You wanted some unique functionality, and you felt like it was worth the cost.
Every business has different needs. Because of this, your dashboard might have some particular functionalities that you wouldn’t find elsewhere. However, regardless of what kind of company you’re running, there are a few features you’ll probably want.
Let’s look at what some of those are, and you can think about whether you want them on your dashboard. If you do, you can add them, and if you don’t, you can get rid of them and replace them with other features.
DNS Metrics
Many companies want DNS metrics in your dashboards. DNS is:
- Domain-name system shorthand
- An entity domain-naming assignment system
If you have a DNS system, that’s how your business can translate domain names into IP addresses. At that point, computers can understand them.
The reason you might want to have these on your dashboard is so you can track your business network devices. This way, you can tell whether any unauthorized devices or individuals are using your network. It’s an easy trade secret and data-guarding security measure.
Router Performance Monitoring
A router:
- Is a data-packet forwarding networking device
- Is how your business performs internet traffic-direction functioning
Your router function is critical because if you’re ever having trouble with it, your employees can’t do their jobs if you work out of a centralized location, like an office space. If your router ever goes down, you can lose time and money while your workers wait to get back online.
There are dashboard router monitoring tools, and you should certainly consider setting one up and keeping an eye on it during workdays.
CPU Utilization Monitoring
CPU utilization refers to who is using your workstations, servers, appliances, etc. Again, for this example, let’s say you’re working out of a centralized location.
You’ve assigned employee IDs, so when each worker clocks in, you’ll know who it is. This way, you can tell whether they are getting to work on time.
You can also tell which work stations they’re using. Maybe you assigned each employee a workstation, or perhaps you’re more relaxed about that.
In either situation, this is how you can see which workstations are active and who is using each one. That way, you’ll know if someone is logging into a workstation you didn’t assign them.
Basically, you might want CPU utilization monitoring as a way to see who’s accessing your system at all times, from where, and on what devices.
Server File Activity Checker
You might also want some key server file activity checking functionality. You have a file database, and if you run the company, you know that only specific individuals should have total file access. Presumably, you’ll only let some high-level employees access the most sensitive internal files.
You can set up the dashboard so you can see who is accessing which files and when. If a worker or workstation is trying to get into some sensitive areas, you’ll immediately see it, and you can talk to them about it.
Ideally, you’ll want to have a file permission system. A worker can send you a formal request if they need sensitive file access, and they can tell you why they need it. This is a useful internal safeguard.
Device Storage Space Monitoring
You also probably have only a limited device storage space amount. You’ll probably want to set up dashboard functionality so you can look at how much space each network device has, so you can take action if any of them are getting too full, and you need to look into some alternative storage ideas.
You can also set up status checks, firmware level checks, and job and event details at the same time. That way, you’ll know who’s getting close to finishing which projects, who is behind, and whether you’re approaching any critical system updates.
Your dashboard is like a vessel’s control panel. You’re the captain or pilot who’s watching out over the whole operation.
You’ll feel better when you can use various dashboard functionalities to find out anything about a device, employee, etc., during a workday or at any other time. You can always do dashboard modifications whenever you like as your business grows and your needs or objectives change.