Trends

How trends graphs can help you monitor the switch:

Tips on using this window:

Note: Using the Refresh option from your browser reloads the device manager and clears the graphs. If you want to update (not clear) the graphs, click Refresh on the toolbar.

  • If you are using the trends graphs to monitor the switch status over time, do not end your device manager session. Redisplaying the device manager clears the data from the PoE graph.
  • Move the pointer over the bars in a graph for the specific percentages.
  • Data retrieved from the latest refresh cycle always appears in the last column.
  • Click Refresh on the toolbar to update the information displayed. The information on this window is automatically updated at each system refresh (every 60 seconds).

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Why Use the Trends Graphs

Use the historical trends graphs to display the switch bandwidth, the port usage, and the percentage of packet errors detected by the switch. You can display the data in increments of seconds, minutes, hours, and days. The granularity of these graphs can help you to analyze traffic patterns and to identify problems with the switch and individual ports.

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Bandwidth Utilization Graph

The Bandwidth Utilization graph shows the same information as the Bandwidth Used gauge on the Dashboard, except that the graph can show bandwidth usage patterns over incremental instances in time (by 60 seconds, 60 minutes, 24 hours, or 14 days). This graph also marks the highest peak reached. The default is 60 seconds.

If you see sharp increases in switch usage, use this graph to determine when unusual peaks in network usage occur. For more information about bandwidth usage, see Bandwidth Used Gauge.

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Packet Error Graph

The Packet Error graph shows the same information as the Packet Error gauge on the Dashboard, except that the graph can show the percentage of packet errors collected over incremental instances in time (by 60 seconds, 60 minutes, 24 hours, or 14 days). The default is 60 seconds.

Use this graph to audit the effects that connected devices have on the switch performance or the network. For example, if you suspect that a connected device is sending error packets, you can check if the data on the graph changes when you disconnect and reconnect the suspected device. For more information about packet errors, see Packet Error Gauge.

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Power (PoE) Utilization Graph

The PoE Utilization graph is only available if the switch is a Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch. This graph shows the same information as the PoE Utilization gauge on the Dashboard. The percentage of power allocated is shown over ten 60-second system refresh cycles. For more information about power allocation, see PoE Gauge.

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Port Utilization and Port Errors Graphs

The Port Utilization and Port Errors graphs on the Trends window show the same information as the Port Utilization and Port Errors graphs on the Dashboard, except that the graphs on the Trends window can show the usage patterns of a specific port over incremental instances in time (by 60 seconds, 60 minutes, 24 hours, or 14 days). The default is 60 seconds.

To display the trends for a specific port, choose a port from the Port list.

Use these graphs to observe the performance of a specific port. For example, if a network user is having intermittent network connectivity, use the Port Utilization graph to observe the traffic patterns on the port to which the user's PC is connected, and use the Port Errors graph to see if the port is receiving or sending error packets.

For more information about port usage and port errors, see the Port Utilization and Port Errors Gauges.

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