Geographic Maps

Download this manual as a PDF file

This section describes how to view, create, and manage geographic maps for the various elements, also called nodes, in Skylar One (formerly SL1).

Use the following menu options to navigate the Skylar One user interface:

  • To view a pop-out list of menu options, click the menu icon ().
  • To view a page containing all of the menu options, click the Advanced menu icon ().

What is a Geographic Map?

A geographic map is an interactive visual tool that displays location-based data tied to various devices. The map shows devices as nodes based on their physical locations. Each node on the map displays the devices' health status, like whether they are online, offline, or experiencing issues. By combining data types with mapping layers, Skylar One provides intuitive insights into a system's health, connectivity, or usage trends.

Viewing Geographic Maps

The Geographic Maps page (Maps > Geographic Maps) lists the geographic maps aligned with your organization. A map is a visual representation of the various devices and related elements, also called nodes, within your environment that have been discovered by Skylar One. Each map displays important details about the nodes, their hierarchies, and the relationships associated with those nodes. Geographic maps display objects positioned by their longitude and latitude coordinates, and are plotted based on device's location.

To view a geographic map, go to the Geographic Maps page (Maps > Geographic Maps) and click the name of the map you want to view under the Name column. The geographic map view is split into two sections:

  • The geographic map
  • The geographic map table

Viewing Geographic Map Nodes

Geographic maps show nodes based on device locations. When zoomed out, the map uses different node types to indicate whether a location contains one device or multiple devices, or when multiple locations are within close proximity. As you zoom in, nodes representing multiple locations split into individual location nodes.

Single location nodes are labeled with the location's name. When you hover your cursor over these nodes, a list of devices displays. Multiple location nodes are labeled with their location names. When you hover your cursor over these nodes, the list of locations displays. As you zoom in, the node separates into single location nodes.

Viewing the List of Devices Associated with the Geographic Map

A table to the right of the map displays a list of devices associated with your geographic map. The table includes the following columns:

  • Name. The name of a device. Clicking the name will redirect you to the Device Investigator page for that specific device.
  • Location. The location of a device based on its city name.
  • State. The current condition of the devices, based upon events generated by the devices. Devices can have one of the following states:
    • Critical. Device has a serious problem that requires immediate attention.
    • Major. Device has a problem that requires immediate attention.
    • Minor. Device has a less-serious problem.
    • Notice. Device has an informational event associated with it.
    • Healthy. Device is running with no problems.

If you do not see one of these columns, click the gear icon () and then select Column Preferences to add or remove columns. You can also drag columns to different locations on the page or click on a column heading to sort the list by the values in that column. Skylar One retains any changes you make to the columns that appear on the page and will automatically recall those changes the next time you visit the page. For more information, see the section on Editing the Settings for an Inventory Page.

You can filter the items on this inventory page by typing filter text or selecting filter options in one or more of the filters found above the columns on the page. For more information, see Filtering Inventory Pages.

You can adjust the size of the rows and the size of the row text on this inventory page. For more information, see the section on Adjusting the Row Density.

You can save the current list of items as a comma-separated list by clicking the gear icon () and selecting Export to CSV.

Interacting With Geographic Maps

There are several ways to interact with a geographic map. You can zoom in and out to reveal different levels of detail about a given location. Zooming in displays more specific device information, while zooming out gives a broader overview. Additionally, when you hover your cursor over a node, it displays a list of all devices (by device name) associated with that location.

  • Zoomed-out view (clustered locations): If multiple locations with devices are in close proximity, the map displays a single node showing the number of locations in that area. For example, a node marked "3" in California indicates that there are three locations nearby with devices.

  • Zoomed-in view (location separation): As you zoom in, the clustered node separates into individual nodes labeled by their specific location names, such as Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Marina. You can then hover your cursor over each location-specific node to see the devices in that particular area.

  • Single-location behavior: If there is only one location with devices in a region of the map, even when zoomed out, the map will display a single node marked by that location's name. Hovering over it with your cursor will show all devices in that location.

The map is automatically zoomed out by default to show a smaller map that includes all in-filter devices.

Managing Geographic Maps

You can create, edit, and delete geographic maps on the Geographic Maps page (Maps > Geographic Maps).

Prerequisites for Creating a Geographic Map

To create geographic maps in Skylar One, you must first do the following:

  • Download the latest version of the "ScienceLogic: Geographic Maps" PowerPack. To do so:

    1. Search for and download the PowerPack from the PowerPacks page at the ScienceLogic Support Center (Skylar One > PowerPacks, login required).

    2. In Skylar One, go to the PowerPacks page (System > Manage > PowerPacks).

    3. Click the Actions menu and choose Import PowerPack. The Import PowerPack modal appears.

    4. Click Browse and navigate to the "ScienceLogic: Geographic Maps" PowerPack.

    5. Select the PowerPack file and click Import. The PowerPack Installer modal displays a list of the PowerPack contents.

    6. Click Install. The PowerPack is added to the PowerPack Manager page.

  • Download the bulk import ZIP file (Sciencelogic-geolocation-maps-import-v10.zip). To do so, go to the ScienceLogic Support Center and download the "GeoMapImport" ZIP file locally to your machine from the AP2 Release Versions page (Skylar One > Downloads > AP2 Releases). Select "GeoMapImport" from the Release Files table and then click the Download File button located under the Release File Downloads section of the page. The ZIP file includes both the bulk import script (geo-location-device-import.v10.py) and its configuration file (geo_import.cfg). You will need both files to create a geographic map. After downloading and extracting Sciencelogic-geolocation-maps-import-v10.zip, locate the geo-location-device-import.v10.py script and confirm that the target device is configured with the following:

    • Python 3
    • Python PIP
    • The following Python packages installed:
      • requests
      • sys
      • logging
      • urlib3
      • configparser
      • os
      • csv
      • defaultdict
      • time
      • json

      All of these packages are included by default when you install the Skylar One platform.

  • Optional: Align the "ScienceLogic: Geographic Maps Usage" Dynamic Application to the primary Database Server if you are on-premises, or ask a system administrator to align it to their virtual IP address if you are on a SaaS Skylar One deployment. Doing so will assist ScienceLogic with implementing future updates. After alignment, complete the steps outlined below:

    1. Align the Dynamic Application to a Skylar One Database Server. For more information, see the section on Manually Aligning a Dynamic Application to a Device.

    2. Make sure the Dynamic Application's Poll Frequency is set to run once every 24 hours. For more information, see the section on Updating the Poll Frequency for a Dynamic Application Aligned to a Device.

    3. Ensure the Dynamic Application runs successfully. For more information, see the section on Running a Dynamic Application on a Device.

    4. Schedule the "Geographic Maps V1 - Device location export" report to run once a week and email the resulting .xlsx file to Geo-MapsPM@sciencelogic.com. For more information, see the section on Scheduling Custom Reports.

Creating a Geographic Map

Before creating a map, you must first select the devices you want to plot. Devices already exist in the Database Server, so the process involves extracting the desired devices into a spreadsheet, assigning location data to them, and then bulk uploading the devices with their location data back into the Database Server. Once uploaded, the Geographic Maps page recognizes the devices with their assigned location data and makes them available for selection.

A geographic map can be created from the Geographic Maps page (Maps > Geographic Maps) by selecting which devices to display. The list of available devices comes from the Database Server. If no devices appear as options, it means none have been extracted, updated with location data, and re-uploaded.

Device data can be managed in bulk using spreadsheets. This allows you to assign location data to multiple devices and upload them efficiently, rather than updating each device individually. The process can be repeated as needed to keep device location data current. Once uploaded, the devices will appear in the Geographic Maps page for selection during map creation.

You need three files to successfully create a geographic map:

  • An Excel spreadsheet (.xlsx) that lists the devices you want to add to your geographic map. This file is used to assign location data to devices and import them into the Database Server. To generate the spreadsheet, run the Extract Location data - Devices report, which is included in the "ScienceLogic: Geographic Maps" PowerPack. The report produces a spreadsheet of the selected devices, which must be saved as an Excel file. After adding location data, save the file as a CSV UTF-8 format.

  • The bulk import script file, which uploads all of the devices listed in your spreadsheet to the Database Server. Once the devices are in the Database Server, you can add them to the geographic map through the user interface.

  • The configuration script file, which is used to configure the bulk import script and control its behavior. This configuration script is included with the download package for the bulk import script.

After extracting the ZIP file (see Prerequisites section above), you'll have both the bulk import script and its configuration file. The next step is to generate the devices spreadsheet by running the Extract Location data - Devices report from the user interface. Add location data to the devices in this spreadsheet, then import it back into the Database Server. Once this process is complete, you are ready to officially create a geographic map.

  1. Generate the Excel spreadsheet (.xlsx). You will need to generate the Excel spreadsheet used to add location data to devices.

  2. Assign location data to devices. You will need to assign location data to the devices you want to add to your geographic map.

  3. Create a geographic map. During this step, you will select which devices you want to plot. Only devices you have assigned location data to will display as options.

Generating the Excel Spreadsheet

To generate the Excel spreadsheet used to add location data to devices:

  1. Go to the Reports page.
  2. Select Run Report > Asset Management > Location Data Extract - Devices.
  3. In the Select devices by field, choose the devices you want to include in the report. You can list devices by Organization, Category, or Device Group. To select specific devices instead of all devices within these groups, select the Select individual devices checkbox and then select the individual devices you want to include.

    4. The devices you select when creating this report will be uploaded to the Database Server, from which you can then select them to include in your geographic map.

  4. In the Output format field, select Microsoft Excel 2007+ Spreadsheet (.xlsx).
  5. Click Generate.

Assigning Location Data to Devices

To assign location data to the devices you want to add to your geographic map:

  1. When the report is generated, open the report spreadsheet and edit the necessary columns:
    • Mandatory fields:
      • Device Name. The name of the device.
      • Location Name. The device's location name that will appear on your geographic map.

        • The cells under the Location Name column will be empty. This field is optional but highly recommended, as these are the location names that will appear on your geographic map.

      • Organization. The organizations with which the device is aligned. These will be the names that will appear on your geographic map.
      • Longitude. The measurement of the device's position north or south.
      • Latitude. The measurement of the device's position east or west.

        • If this is your first time creating a report for geographic maps, the cells under the Longitude and Latitude columns in the spreadsheet will be empty. You must supply values for each device in these two columns.

    • Optional fields:
      • Global region. The broad area where the device is located, such as North America or Asia-Pacific.
      • Country. The nation where the device is located.
      • Domestic region. The internal or local area within a country where the device is located, such as Northeast or West Coast.
      • City. The city or town where the device is located.
      • Street. The street address or road name for the device's location.
      • Zip code. The postal code for the device's location.
      • Description. A brief explanation of the device's purpose or details.
      • State. The state where the device is located.
      • Note. Any additional information relevant to the device or its location.

    Populate the optional fields in the spreadsheet depending on the level of complexity required for your search filters.

  2. Once you have filled in all the required details, save the spreadsheet as a CSV file in UTF-8 format.
  3. Move the geo-location-device-import.v10.py bulk import script file, geo_import.cfg script configuration file, and the spreadsheet file you have created and updated in the previous step to the same folder.

    If you are working from an environment with no access to the internet (air gapped installations), copy the bulk import script file, script configuration file, and the spreadsheet to a Skylar One appliance by using SSH to access the Skylar One appliance. Then, move all files to the same folder.

  4. Update the geo_import.cfg script configuration file by adding the following information to the fields shown:
    • URL. Enter the URL of the Skylar One stack to which you will upload the file, which is the IP address of the Database Server.
    • Username. Enter the username used to connect to Skylar One.
    • Password. Enter the password used to connect to Skylar One.
    • Excel File Path. Enter the spreadsheet file name you have created in the Generating the Excel Spreadsheet section above.
  5. Either go to the console of the Skylar One Database Server or use SSH to access the Database Server, then run the following Python script: python3.11 geo-location-device-import-v10.py. The console will display 5 different logging levels with a number assigned to them.

    6. Alternatively, you can connect through the console of a server that has SSH access to the Database Server. In air-gapped environments, you can SSH into the Database Server itself.

  6. Enter the level of information you want on your geographic map by entering the number corresponding to the desired logging level. The script will read the spreadsheet file, de-duplicate locations, add new locations to Skylar One, and associate devices with locations.
  7. The script will connect with the GraphQL interface of the IP address, username, password, and Excel file path specified in the geo_import.cfg script configuration file. The script will also create a list of single entries for each device and their location. If devices have identical locations (longitude and latitude), the script will associate those devices to a single location, which is displayed as a single entry. This is so that the script can capture the number of unique locations in your spreadsheet report.

Creating a Geographic Map

After you have assigned location data to your devices, they will appear as options when creating the map. To create the map:

  1. Go to the Geographic Maps page (Maps > Geographic Maps).

  2. Click the Create Geographic Map button.

  3. Enter information in the following fields:

    • Map Name. Enter a name for your geographic map.
    • Organization. Select the organization that can view this map.

  4. Under the Search and Filter Devices To Map field, enter the filter expression to specify which devices will appear in the geographic map.

    5. A filter expression, sometimes referred to as an expression match, is used to locate and filter data from a database. This can be any combination of alphanumeric and multi-byte characters, up to 64 characters in length. Skylar One's expression matching is case-sensitive. For details on the regular-expression syntax allowed by Skylar One, see http://www.python.org/doc/howto/.

    You can sort and filter the column data in the table on the page by clicking the Filter field under the column names.

  5. Click Save.

Editing a Geographic Map

To edit an existing geographic map:

  1. Go to the Geographic Maps page (Maps > Geographic Maps) and find the map you want to edit.

  2. Click the Actions icon () for the geographic map you want to edit, then select Edit.

  3. You can make changes to the following fields:

    • Map Name. The name for your geographic map.
    • Organization. The organization that can view the map.
    • Search and Filter Devices To Map. The filter expression to specify which devices appear in the geographic map.

  4. Once you are done making your changes, click Save.

Deleting a Geographic Map

To delete a geographic map:

  1. Go to the Geographic Maps page (Maps > Geographic Maps) and find the map you want to delete.

  2. Click the Actions icon () for the geographic map you want to delete, then select Delete. The Delete Geographic map modal appears.

  3. Click Delete to confirm.