With the Observer Platform, the ability to get an expert analysis relatively quickly is the best benefit., The capture is constantly running, so we can analyze any time we like without setting up extra equipment.
Apex is the first performance monitoring solution to generate an end-user experience (EUE) score on every transaction. Apex offers adaptability and visibility via multiple data sources: packets, metadata, and enriched flow. Organizations select those that fit their budgets, operational demands, and business needs.
Apex provides global IT service health and status awareness. When service anomalies do arise or potential security breaches are detected, efficient workflows empower NetOps, DevOps, and SecOps groups to uncover root cause and fix it, fast.
Check out real-world troubleshooting workflows of Observer in action with these demos
Apex Features and Benefits Summary
- Machine learning-powered automated EUE scoring converts multiple KPIs into a single easy-to-understand metric
- Flexible data source options via GigaStor and GigaFlow: packets, metadata, and enriched flow offer the right view for every stakeholder from network engineer to line of business owner
- Customizable dashboards for global operational intelligence with efficient workflows enable fast problem identification and resolution for NetOps, SecOps, and DevOps
- On-demand application dependency mapping enables immediate multi-tier application visibility with no configuration required
- Integrated performance management and forensics for fast service anomaly and rapid cybersecurity breach response
- Flexible deployment options from purpose-built appliances for the data center to Amazon Machine Images (AMI) for simple, efficient cloud deployments

User-Defined Dashboard F.A.Q.
What is a Network Performance Dashboard?
A network performance dashboard is a report populated with widgets, and these widgets show the information collected by your data sources.
- How are network performance dashboards populated?
Your reports—your dashboards—are populated with one or many widgets. The data shown by widgets in your dashboards belongs to Observer. To make use of dashboards, Observer must be collecting network trending data and be a data source to Apex. Without trending data, Apex will not have any data for the widgets in a dashboard.
- Are system dashboards available "out-of-the-box" to enable easy setup?
Dashboards that are pre-made by VIAVI are available to you as system dashboards. System dashboards are identical in function to dashboards you create on your own, but they cannot be modified. Additionally, system dashboards provide broad information and are useful for high-level analytics. A temporary filter can be used while viewing system dashboards, but a permanent filter cannot be added.
- Can the network performance dashboards be filtered?
Any dashboard can have an always-on filter written into its properties. Dashboard filters force every widget in a dashboard to display only information that meets the filter. For example, you can filter a dashboard so that its widgets show statistics from a specific subnet only. Or you can filter a dashboard to search for a telephone number used in a VoIP conversation.
A dashboard filter can be applied to the design of the dashboard itself (always-filtered), applied during viewing of the dashboard (temporary), or applied as a combination of the two.
- Who can view the user dashboards?
Each newly created dashboard is considered a user dashboard. User dashboards are unique to the user that logged in to Apex and created it, and it can only be viewed and modified by that user. To share a user dashboard with other Apex users, the creator must promote the dashboard. A promoted dashboard becomes a site dashboard that is viewable by other users. A promoted dashboard cannot be demoted.
- Does promoting a dashboard simultaneously promote user widgets?
This means you can promote a user dashboard to a site dashboard without promoting the underlying user widgets—if any exist. This protects your personal user widgets from being altered and changed by others. If you want to share a dashboard with others (by promotion) and also allow changes to those widgets, the widgets must be promoted to site widgets.
- Can my view of a network performance dashboard be shared with other users?
As long as you are viewing a site or system dashboard—user dashboards are not applicable—your current view of the dashboard can be summarized into a shareable URL. Whoever clicks the URL you share can see the dashboard how it appeared to you. Choices you have made like the reporting period and any temporary dashboard filters are retained by the URL. You can use this sharing feature in your instant messages, emails, or other documents.
To start building your network performance dashboard with Observer Apex:
Additional resources:
End-User Experience Scoring
Machine learning powered end-user experience (EUE) scoring for every network transaction with intelligently rolled-up values at the dashboard site level. Scores are color-coded and range from 0 to 10 with corresponding problem domain highlighted. Integrated with troubleshooting workflows and dashboards.
Custom Dashboards and Streamlined Workflows
Customizable dashboards provide network observability of IT service health at the regional, country, city, data center levels, or functional level. When combined with end user experience scoring, IT teams can gain instant world-wide situational awareness of all resources and then, when required quickly drill down to an individual user for rapid problem resolution. Receive complimentary dashboard assistance by contacting VIAVI here by a technical specialist. Be sure to enter “Complimentary Dashboards” in the comments box.
On-Demand Multi-Tier Application Intelligence
On-demand application dependency mapping offers fast discovery of app interdependencies. Maps are built automatically to display complex relationships with simple clarity. This allows users to determine worst connections, app tiers, and network delay threshold deviations, while sorting all connections by status; critical, marginal, and acceptable.
Network Security Forensics
Not every performance issue can be solved without going back-in-time to analyze the underlying root cause of the problem. Likewise, given the never-ending series of cybersecurity breach announcements worldwide, it’s clear even the most robust IT security defense strategy with solutions such as firewalls, IDS/IPS, and SIEMs are necessary but no longer enough to protect critical resources—especially the organization’s crown jewels. That’s why Apex provides network forensics based on traffic and enriched flow to provide in-depth visibility past network activity.
Intuitive Visualizations with IP Viewer
By compiling Layer 2 to Layer 3 insights into a single enriched flow record, Observer can produce unique, interactive visualizations that illustrate the relationships between User, IP, MAC, and application usage in the network. A NetOps or SecOps user can simply enter a name enter in a username and immediately find all devices, interfaces, and applications associated with it. Finding out what is connected and who is communicating across your network has never been easier.
Apex Integrates with ServiceNow Platform
The ServiceNow and VIAVI strategic relationship continues to grow. Apex can now provide in-depth network observability via End-User Experience scoring to existing ServiceNow Information Technology Operations Management (ITOM) and Telecommunications Service Operations Management (TSOM) customers. Utilizing the Observer ApexNow application available from the ServiceNow store, organizations can leverage a powerful new data source combined with the ServiceNow Platform analytics and automation capabilities to achieve tangible business value:
- Enhance their event and incident management and IT operations automation initiatives
- Boost AIOps intelligence for streamlined incident response and event reduction “noise” efforts
- Accelerate network and application problem troubleshooting and resolution

The combination of ServiceNow and VIAVI delivers on these objectives within the context of easy-to-configure dashboards and simple problem resolution workflows that increase IT user satisfaction and accelerate IT operational enhancements. Look for additional releases of ApexNow in the coming months that will build on this effort and add even more value to your ServiceNow investment.
Apex Available as an Amazon Machine Image (AMI)
Apex can now be procured on the Amazon Marketplace website as an AMI for simple, efficient cloud deployment.
Observer Apex collects and aggregates data from Observer GigaStor, Observer GigaStor M, Observer GigaFlow to achieve enterprise-wide network observabilityand security visibility for NetOps and SecOps teams. By intelligently combining packet information, metadata, and enriched flow records, Apex delivers centralized management of end-user experience scoring, performance, and cybersecurity intelligence.
As the centralizing reporting point for Observer 3D, Apex provides flexible, customizable real-time dashboards and long-term historical reporting based on end-user experience (EUE) scoring. Data can be aggregated from packets, metadata, and enhanced and enriched flow.
Apex Deployment Considerations:
- Deploy Apex in locations that maximize the opportunity to simplify connectivity with support components
- Monitoring instrumentation points depend on network size, configuration, and visibility requirements
- Utilize redundant Apex capabilities with two duplicate systems: a primary and a secondary for automated replication, facilitating redundancy
Select an Observer Apex form-factor that best aligns with your IT monitoring requirements and deployment best practices. Then scale as required to grow with your business. Based on the number of data sources, Apex is offered in three tiers to be monitored:
- Tier 1 – Apex Standard - available in a cloud version (as an AWS AMI) and a software edition
- Tier 2 – Apex Workgroup - form-factors include hardware, cloud version (as an AWS AMI) and a software edition
- Tier 3 – Apex Enterprise - Hardware appliance only
ObserverONE
The all-in-one VIAVI solution that enables IT teams to gain the powerful security and performance insights of the entire Observer 3D platform. This upgradable appliance combines Apex end-user experience scoring with GigaStor industry leading packet capture and GigaFlow enriched flow analysis, offering great network observability at a modest price point and minimal footprintFeatured Resources
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