How to Build a SolarWinds Dashboard for CPU Load in Power BI

In this article, we will construct a matrix in Power BI to examine the percentage of load for different machine types. We will also make use of some of Power BIs formatting and style features to make this report more presentable.

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Step 1: To begin, select a multidimensional database (MDB)

Step 2: Select an ‘NPM’ cube

Step 3: Select the ‘OK’ button

Matrix

Step 4: Start building the report by selecting the ‘Matrix’ option from under ‘Visualizations’

Step 5: Now select the search bar and type in ‘machine type’

Step 6: Select the ‘Machine Type’ option to add it to the Matrix

Step 7: Select the search field, delete the last query, and type in ‘ios version’

Step 8: Click and hold on the ‘IOS Version’ field

Step 9: Drag it into the ‘Rows’ column to add it under the machine type

Step 10: Select the search bar, delete the last query, and type in ‘percentage of load’

Step 11: Select the ‘Percentage of Load’ option to add it to the chart

Step 12: Select the small dropdown arrow under ‘Percentage of Load’ to sort the machine types by the highest percentage of load

Step 13: Scroll down to the filters section and select the dropdown arrow for ‘Machine Type’

Step 14: Select the dropdown chart next to ‘Basic filtering’ to see the filtering options.

Step 15: Select the ‘Top N’ option

Step 16: Select the text field next to ‘Top’

Step 17: Now click and hold on the ‘Percentage of Load’ field

Step 18: Drag it over to the ‘By value’ section

Step 19: Select the ‘Format’ option to make some edits to the matrix

Step 20: Select the dropdown arrow on the ‘Grid’ section

Step 21: Select the up arrow to increase the text size and make it easier to see. We’ll increase it to ‘12px’ here

Step 22: Now select the arrow next to the ‘Style’ section

Step 23: Select the dropdown chart under ‘Default’

Step 24: Select a style. We’ll use the ‘Bold header’ option

Step 25: Resize the chart by dragging on the corners to make it easier to see

Step 26: Select the search field, delete the last query, and type in ‘percentage of memory used’

Step 27: Select the ‘Percentage of Memory Used’ field

Step 28: Select the search field, delete the last query, and type in ‘buffer’

Step 29: Select the ‘Buffer Major Miss’ field

Step 30: Select the ‘Buffer Moderate Miss’ field as well

Step 31: Select the search field, delete the last query, and type in ‘dropped icmp packets’

Step 32: Select the ‘Dropped ICMP Packet’ field 

Step 33: Right click on a cell in the machine type column

Step 34: Select ‘Expand to next level’

Step 35: Since the chart is a little too big to see now, we’re going to reduce the text size a bit

Step 36: Drag the edges of the chart to resize it

Step 37: Now we have our full analysis of CPU Load in the table, and we have the ability to restyle and rearrange the chart to our preferences

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