FortiWLC – Spectrum Manager Dashboard

Spectrum Manager Dashboard

The Spectrum Manager Dashboard screen presents the interference information gathered from various “Sensors” on page 123 (“Software Sensors” on page 123 and “Hardware Sensors” on page 123). It provides a graphical representation of the Interference devices activity in the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz spectrum.

Figure 19 on page 102 illustrates the Spectrum Manager Dashboard screen.

Figure 19: Spectrum Manager Dashboard

The following table depicts the various sections displayed on the Dashboard screen.

Trend Graph The Trend Graph plots the number of interference events observed over a period of time.
Interferer Type The Interferer Type Graph is a pie chart divided by the different types of interferer observed in the set duration. The area of each sector is proportional to the percentage of the number of individual interference events from a particular type of interferer against the total number of interference events in the set duration.
Affected Channels The Affected Channels Graph is a pie chart that plots the number of times, a particular channel was impacted due to an interference events. The area of each sector is proportional to the percentage of the number of events that impacted a particular channel against the total number of events.

Note: An interference event impacts multiple channels simultaneously.

The Dashboard screen provides various expandable control panels to filter database and modify display settings. For further information, refer to “Control Panels” on page 112 topic.

The Dashboard screen allows you to connect to the following other tabs:

  1. “Event Log” on page 103
  2. “Spectrum Manager – Channel Availability” on page 106
  3. “Spectrum Manager – Channel Utilization” on page 107
  4. “Spectrum Manager – Spectrogram” on page 108
  5. “Spectrum Manager – Equalizer” on page 109
  6. “Spectrum Manager – Persistence” on page 110

The above mentioned tabs from 3 to 7 are enabled only, by selecting the View live data from sensor option on the Event Log screen or it can be viewed through Show Spectrum Display of the selected sensor displayed on the Sensor’s page. For further information, refer to Spectrum Manager – Event Log screen.

Event Log

Spectrum Manager > Monitor > Dashboard > Event Log

The Spectrum Manager Event Log screen provides the detailed log information of the sensors.

Figure 20 on page 104 illustrates the Spectrum Manager Event Log screen.

Figure 20: Spectrum Manager – Event Log

The following table depicts the Event Information displayed on the Event Log screen:

Field Description  
Event ID Displays the Event ID.  
Event Type Displays the type of Event.  
Event Subtype Displays the interference source name.  
Sensor Displays the name of the selected Sensor. The following options are available for selection:

•  View live data from sensor: This option allows you to read the live data from the Sensor.

The below mentioned tabs are enabled by the selection of the View live data from sensor option.

•  Channel Availability

•  Channel Utilization

•  Spectrogram

•  Equalizer

•  Persistence

The above mentioned tabs reveal data of the selected Sensor in their respective tabs.

•  Show interferer on map:  Select the icon

The E(z)RF Map Management screen is displayed, depicting the location of the interfering device on the Floor.

 
  Field Description
  Group Displays the sensor’s group.
  Signal Strength Displays the Signal Strength of Interference with Min, Max, and Avg values in dBm.
  Channel Utilization Displays the percentage of channel utilized by the interferer.
  Start Time Displays the Start Time of the interference detected by the sensor.
  Stop Time Displays the Stop Time of the interference detected by the sensor.
  Duration Displays the Duration of the interference detected by the sensor.
  Center Frequency Displays the Center Frequency of the interference.
  Affected Channel(s) Displays the number of channels affected by the interference.
  Recording Id Displays the recording event Id.
  Additional Information Displays the interfere type for alert triggered event.
  Active Displays the number of active events highlighted with bold red dot.
Interference Event Clustering

The Spectrum Manager Event Log screen displays the cluster of events. Multiple interference reports, correlated to the same interferer and interference event are assigned to the same cluster ID. The interference event is reported as a single event, when multiple sensors reporting the same interference event.

Figure 21 on page 106 illustrates the Interference Event Clustering screen.

Figure 21: Interference Event Clustering

The Spectrum Manager Event Log screen provides various Control Panel tabs. For further information, refer to “Control Panels” on page 112.

Spectrum Manager – Channel Availability

Navigation: Spectrum Manager > Monitor > Dashboard > Channel Availability

  1. Select the Channel Availability

The Channel Availability screen displays the Channel Quality and Channel Utilization graphs.

Figure 22 on page 107 illustrates the Spectrum Manger Channel Availability screen.

Figure 22: Spectrum Manager – Channel Availability

  1. The Channel Quality and Channel Utilization graph, rendered in a flash application, displays a real time calculated channel quality for each of the Wi-Fi channels as well as the level of interference detected on each channel. The interference is differentiated between 802.11 interference and Non-802.11 The Channel Utilization graph also displays the Channel Utilization per Interference.
  2. Each of the interference is displayed as a percentage of the channel it is utilized.

The Channel Utilization per Interference type is displayed on the Channel Utilization graph, only if the Show Non-Wifi Interference Type option is checked in the Display Settings. This option is displayed only for the Hardware Sensors (See “Hardware Sensors” on page 123.)

  1. The Channel Availability screen provides various Control Panel For further information, refer to “Control Panels” on page 112.
Spectrum Manager – Channel Utilization

Spectrum Manager > Monitor > Dashboard > Channel Utilization

  1. Select the Channel Utilization

Figure 23 on page 108 illustrates the Spectrum Manager Channel Utilization screen.

The Channel Utilization screen displays the WLAN Channel Utilization and Non-WLAN

Channel Utilization graphs. This option is displayed only for the Hardware Sensors (See

“Hardware Sensors” on page 123.)

Figure 23: Spectrum Manager – Channel Utilization

  1. The WLAN Channel Utilization and Non-WLAN Channel Utilization graphs, rendered in a flash application, displays a real time calculated channel utilization for each of the WLAN and Non-WLAN Channels.
  2. The Channel Utilization screen provides various Control Panel For further information, refer to “Control Panels” on page 112.
Spectrum Manager – Spectrogram

Navigation: Spectrum > Monitor > Dashboard > Spectrogram

  1. Select the Spectrogram

Figure 24 on page 109 illustrates the Spectrum Manager Spectrogram screen.

The Spectrogram screen provides the spectrum activity for the Interferer devices.

Figure 24: Spectrum Manager – Spectrogram

  1. The scrolling Spectrogram displays the following details:
    • The frequency and amplitude of RF energy over time is displayed.
    • The x-axis displays the Frequency (MHz) or Wi-Fi channel number. The amplitude of the energy is plotted as Instantaneous data or the maximum peak hold amplitude. The amplitude is represented in blue color representing the weakest signal and red representing the strongest signal.
    • The y-axis displays the Time, with the most recent data at the bottom of the display and the plotted data scrolling upward.
  2. The Spectrogram screen provides various Control Panel For further information, refer to “Control Panels” on page 112.
Spectrum Manager – Equalizer

Spectrum > Monitor > Dashboard > Equalizer

  1. Select the Equalizer

Figure 25 on page 110 illustrates the Spectrum Manager Equalizer screen.

Figure 25: Spectrum Manager – Equalizer

  1. The Equalizer screen provides a flash application that starts Sensor to the browser. The Equalizer is a plot of the amplitude versus the frequency of RF (RF Energy or Signal) scanned by the “Sensors” on page 123.
  2. The Spectrum Equalizer plots the amplitude frequency for the detected RF energy. The frequency along the x-axis can be displayed as either frequency (MHz) or Wi-Fi channels. Both the instantaneous amplitude (the last data point collected over the scan period) and the maximum peak hold amplitude (the highest data point collected over the scan period) are dynamically plotted. The instantaneous data is plotted in yellow, while the peak hold data is plotted in blue. The colors are user configurable.
  3. The Equalizer screen provides various Control Panel For further information, refer to “Control Panels” on page 112.
Spectrum Manager – Persistence

Spectrum > Monitor > Dashboard > Persistence

  1. Select the Persistence

Figure 26 on page 111 illustrates the Spectrum Manager Persistence screen.

Figure 26: Spectrum Manager – Persistence

  1. The Persistence screen provides a flash application. The Persistence provides the spectrum activity for the Interferer devices to view the channel Persistence link to display the interference events.
  2. The Persistence display plots the amplitude frequency for the detected RF energy. Both the instantaneous amplitude (the last data point collected over the scan period) and the maximum peak hold amplitude (the highest data point collected over the scan period) are dynamically plotted. The color of a pixel on the display represents the number of times the energy was detected at that specific frequency and amplitude, with blue representing the least frequent and red representing the most frequent.

The Persistence screen provides various Control Panel tabs. For further information, refer to “Control Panels” on page 112.

 

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About Mike

Michael Pruett, CISSP has a wide range of cyber-security and network engineering expertise. The plethora of vendors that resell hardware but have zero engineering knowledge resulting in the wrong hardware or configuration being deployed is a major pet peeve of Michael's. This site was started in an effort to spread information while providing the option of quality consulting services at a much lower price than Fortinet Professional Services. Owns PacketLlama.Com (Fortinet Hardware Sales) and Office Of The CISO, LLC (Cybersecurity consulting firm).

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