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Topology Custom View in ObserveOps

The Custom tab in ObserveOps lets you build a personalized topology canvas starting from any monitored device you choose. You pick a root monitor, ObserveOps builds the topology from that device outward, and the view is saved in the sidebar so you can return to it anytime. Every node reflects its live health state each time you open the view.

Custom tab showing the sidebar with saved views and a canvas with connected devices

Prerequisites​

  • You must hold the Admin or Operator role to create or edit Custom Views.
  • The device you want to use as a root monitor must already be monitored in ObserveOps.

How Custom View Works​

When you create a Custom View, you select one device as the root monitor. ObserveOps builds the topology map outward from that device, showing all the devices connected to it through discovery protocols. The view is saved in the Custom Views sidebar panel under the name of the root monitor. When you reopen the view, ObserveOps loads the layout and overlays current health data from the monitoring engine on top. The health status updates in real time.

This means a node that was green when you first created the view may be red when you reopen it — because the health reflects what is happening now, not when the view was saved.

The Custom Views Sidebar​

The left panel shows all your saved views. Click any view name to load it on the canvas. Hover over a view name to reveal the Delete icon.

The + button at the top of the sidebar opens the Create Custom View panel.

Creating a Custom View​

Step 1: Open the Create Custom View Panel​

  1. Go to Topology from the main navigation menu.
  2. Select the Custom tab.
  3. Click the + button at the top of the Custom Views sidebar.

Create Custom View panel showing the Root Monitor dropdown

Step 2: Select a Root Monitor​

  1. Click the Root Monitor dropdown and select the device you want to use as the starting point for the topology.
  2. Click Create to confirm.

ObserveOps creates the view and opens the topology canvas built from that root monitor outward.

Step 3: Arrange the Layout​

Click and drag any node to position it where you want on the canvas. Arrange nodes to reflect the relationships or groupings that are meaningful to your team.

Use the scroll wheel to zoom in and out. Click and drag on an empty canvas area to pan the view.

Step 4: Save the Layout​

After arranging the nodes, click Save in the toolbar. ObserveOps saves the current node positions, zoom level, and pan position.

danger

If you close the browser or navigate away before clicking Save, your node positions are not saved. Always wait for the save confirmation before leaving the page.

Canvas Toolbar​

The toolbar appears above the canvas when a Custom View is loaded.

ButtonWhat It Does
Full ViewSwitches to a force-directed layout where nodes arrange themselves based on their connections
Tree ViewSwitches to a hierarchical tree layout showing parent-child relationships
Toggle FullscreenExpands the canvas to fill the entire browser window
Advanced ConfigurationOpens the configuration panel for overlay labels, force simulation controls, and zoom limits
Export As XMLDownloads the current view as an XML file

Advanced Configuration​

The Advanced Configuration panel gives you control over what extra information appears on the canvas and how nodes are positioned.

Advanced Configuration panel showing Overlay toggles for Show Node IP and Show Interface Names, Force Simulation sliders, and Zoom controls

Overlays (NEW)​

Show Node IP Address — Displays each node's IP address below its name label on the canvas. Turn this on during an incident to identify devices by IP without opening the detail panel.

Show Interface Names — Displays the interface name at each end of a link between two connected nodes. Turn this on to verify which physical interfaces carry a connection.

Both overlays are per-user and off by default.

Force Simulation​

Node Distance — Controls the spacing between connected nodes. Increase the value to push nodes further apart. Decrease it to bring them closer together.

Repulsion Strength — Controls how strongly nodes push away from all other nodes. A higher value spreads nodes across the canvas more aggressively.

Gravity — Controls how strongly nodes are pulled toward the center of the canvas. Higher gravity keeps the layout compact. Lower gravity lets nodes spread outward.

Zoom​

Min Zoom — Sets the minimum zoom level allowed on the canvas. Lower values let you zoom out further to see a large topology at once.

Max Zoom — Sets the maximum zoom level allowed on the canvas. Higher values let you zoom in closer to inspect individual nodes.

Click Reset to Defaults to restore all settings to their original values. Click Apply to keep your changes.

Canvas with Nodes​

Canvas showing connected devices with health status colors

Node Health States​

Every node in a Custom View reflects its current health state with a color and icon:

ColorStateWhat It Means
GreenClearAll monitors for this device are healthy
RedCriticalOne or more critical monitors have failed
OrangeWarningAt least one monitor is in a warning state
Gray / UnknownUnknownStatus data is not currently available

Deleting a Custom View​

  1. Open the Custom tab.
  2. Hover over the view name in the sidebar.
  3. Click the Delete icon that appears next to the view name.
  4. Confirm the deletion in the dialog.

Sidebar showing the Delete icon appearing on hover next to a saved view name

danger

Deleting a Custom View is permanent. ObserveOps does not retain deleted views.