Flow Monitor: Top Applications

This dashboard report displays the applications used by devices generating the most traffic traveling in the selected direction (Inbound, Outbound, Inbound and Outbound, or Bounce) on the selected interface. Application definitions are created using the Map Ports to Applications dialog (Flow Monitor > Applications > New or Edit) which maps port numbers to applications. Application data is useful in determining the types of tasks persons on the network are conducting the most over the selected time period.

You can choose to display and sort sender traffic by bytes, packets, or flows using the Display and sort by option on the report configuration dialog. Providing alternate sorting methods allows you to monitor and identify hosts that are the largest consumers of interface resources other than bandwidth.

• Application. Displays the application used by the devices generating the highest traffic on the selected interface.

Note: Traffic that flows between unmonitored ports is considered unclassified. In Flow Monitor, for traffic to be considered "unclassified," both the port from which the data is sent, and the receiving port must not be mapped to an application in the Configure Application dialog. If either the sending or receiving port is mapped to an application, the traffic is associated with the application.

If Flow Monitor detects a large amount of traffic to an unmonitored port, this dashboard report displays a yellow warning flag that explains the situation and guides you in defining the unmonitored port. This can help you to proactively detect emerging non-standard traffic on your network. You can also use the Unclassified Traffic dialog by selecting (Flow Monitor > Flow Unclassified Traffic) to view all unclassified traffic for the selected date range.

• You can select one of the following units to display and sort the specific items in the report using the Display and sort by option on the report configuration dialog. The selected option appears as the first column header in the report and is used to sort the top "n" items.
  • Bytes. Displays the total number of bytes transmitted for the specific item in the report category for the selected date range.
  • Packets. Displays the total number of packets for the specific item in the report category for the selected date range.
  • Flows. Displays the total number of flows for the specific item in the report category for the selected date range.
• Throughput. Displays the average bit rate, packet rate or flow rate, in multiples of the selected unit (e.g. Kbps, Mbps, or Gbps) for the specific item in the report category for the selected date range.
• Usage. Displays the percentage of the total available bandwidth used by the specific item in the report category for the selected date range.

  Note: Utilization is displayed as N/A if a speed is not specified for the interface, or if you have selected to display packets or flows in the report. If you are displaying bytes, you can set the interface speed on the Flow Interface dialog. To navigate to the Flow Interface dialog, click the Configure link in the message appearing above the dashboard reports.

• Percentage. Displays the percentage of the total traffic for the specific item in the report category for the selected date range.
• Totals (row title). Displays the total of all of the items in the report category, specified and unspecified (Others). This row shows the interface totals for each column in the report.

For more information

• About interface traffic directions

  Note: For illustration purposes, the descriptions and diagrams in the table below assume that traffic is passing from an internal interface to an external interface or vice versa. In reality, traffic may pass from an internal interface to another internal interface, an external interface to another external interface, or traffic may be routed out the same interface it enters.

  Interface	Traffic Direction	Report displays...
  Internal interface	Inbound	The top applications used by devices on the LAN segment connected to the selected internal interface to communicate with outside devices.
  	Outbound	The top applications used by outside devices to communicate with devices on the LAN segment connected to the selected internal interface.
  	Inbound/ Outbound	The top applications used by all devices transmitting traffic across the selected internal interface.
  External interface	Inbound	The top applications used by devices connected to the selected external interface to communicate with devices on an internal LAN segment.
  	Outbound	The top applications used by devices on internal LAN segments to communicate with devices connected to the selected external interface.
  	Inbound/ Outbound	The top applications used by all devices transmitting traffic across the selected external interface.

• Linking to Flow Monitor reports from WhatsUp Gold

  There are several ways to connect to the Flow Monitor Interface Details report from this WhatsUp Gold dashboard report.

  • Click the interface name at the top of the dashboard report to view the Flow Monitor Interface Details report for the selected interface.
  • Click an entry in the far left column of the dashboard report to view the Interface Details report for the selected interface. The entry that you click will be applied to the report as a keyword filter.
• Configuring this dashboard report
  1. In the title bar of the dashboard report pane, select Menu > Configure. The Configure Report dialog appears.
  2. Enter or select the appropriate information:
     • Report name. Enter a title for the dashboard report. This name appears in the title bar of the dashboard report's pane.
     • Date range. Select the timeframe for the traffic about which you want to see a report. You can select either the last 5, 15, or 30 minutes, or the last hour.
     • Interface. Select the router interface that is used by the traffic you want to see in this report.
     • Interface traffic direction. Select a direction for which the report will display data for the selected interface (In, Out, or Both).
     • Maximum number of Items to display. Enter the number of individual items within the category you want to display in the dashboard report. The report displays the top values based on the sort option selected in Display and Sort by Bytes, Packets, or Flows. All other items in the category are included in the 'Others' category, and are displayed when Include 'Others' is selected.
     • Display. Select the display type you want to use in the dashboard report. Choose Chart and data, Data only, or Chart only.
     • Chart type. Select the type of chart you would like the report to display. Choose Pie chart, Pie chart (3D), Pie chart (transparent 3D), Bar chart, Bar chart (horizontal), Bar chart (transparent 3D), or Stacked Time graph.
     • Width. Specify how wide, in pixels, the graph or chart should appear.
     • Height. Specify how tall, in pixels, the graph or chart should appear.
     • Filter. Click this button to apply a filter by which report data will sort. After clicking, filter fields appear below the button.

       Select the type of filter you want to apply. If appropriate, select a secondary filter type from the second filter field. For more information on filters, see Filtering Flow Monitor dashboard reports in WhatsUp Gold.

     Note: Filters applied here are listed at the top of the dashboard report in Current filters.

  3. Click OK to save changes.