Cisco Business Dashboard Online Demonstration

Click the button below to open an online demonstration of Cisco Business Dashboard. Login with username and password ‘demo’ .

CBD Online Demonstration - Username/Password: demo

The demo scripts below may be helpful when exploring the Cisco Business Dashboard functionality.


  • 1 - Network Visualization
  • 2 - Network Operations
  • 3 - Network Monitoring
  • 4 - Configuration
  • 5 - Lifecycle Management

1 - Network Visualization

The Discovery and Visualization functionality in Cisco Business Dashboard is designed to give the user a good understanding of the structure of the network and the devices that are present.  In the target market for Cisco Business Dashboard, it is not uncommon for customers and their partners to have a poor understanding of how a given network environment has evolved over time. 

Demonstration Workflow

This demonstration focuses on the Network page in the Cisco Business Dashboard user interface.  This page allows you to see how the network in each site is constructed, as well as an overall view of all sites in the network.

Network Overview

To view the overall network, do the following:

  • Connect to Cisco Business Dashboard and log on with the credentials provided. Once logging on, select Network in the navigation bar and ensure the Map view is selected.  Note that you can see all the individual networks displayed geographically using Google Maps (Baidu Maps in China).
  • Click on the List button and briefly note that that the same information may also be viewed in a table.
  • Return to the Map view and note that the icons indicate the number and severity of outstanding notifications in that network.
  • Click on an icon for a network. Note the network information panel and the high-level information displayed about the network. 
  • [Optional] Type the first few letters of a device hostname or PID into the search box to show how you can locate specific devices in the network. For example, type CBW in the search box and click on one of the devices presented.  Note that the icon for the network containing a device is highlighted as you move the mouse over the device list.  Click on a device in the list and the network information panel is displayed.

Network Detail

To examine an individual network in more detail, do the following:

  • Click on the Manage button in the network information panel to shift the focus to the individual network level
  • Select each of the display options of Topology and Floorplan. Note how each view suits different tasks.  For example, troubleshooting a connectivity problem may be better done using the Topology view, while locating a device requiring hardware replacement may be better done from the Floorplan view.
  • Note that all the devices and the network topology are discovered automatically by the dashboard
  • Return to the Topology view and select Overlays. Note the different filter checkboxes.  Select the Link Utilization overlay and note how the topology is marked up with additional information.  If there is no traffic and all links are green, drag the warning slider to 0% to demonstrate the change in link colour as a threshold is exceeded.
  • Note the other overlay options. [Optional] Demonstrate each of the overlays if time permits.
  • Click on the icon for a device. Note the following:
    • The Overview panel shows important details about the device, including the version of any firmware update that is available
    • Any currently outstanding notifications are displayed, along with the history of events from the last 24 hours
    • Context sensitive panels are also shown here – e.g. PoE, Internet connection info for routers, and so on.
  • Note the device More button. [Optional] Click on the button to display the Device Detail view. Click through the tabs, noting that they are device-type specific.  e.g. The wireless tab only appears for wireless devices, port management only for switches, etc.  Close the Device Detail view.