Tips & Tricks: The Application Command Center (ACC) for PAN-OS 7.0 and Later — Part 1

This week's Tips & Tricks discusses the Application Command Center (ACC), covering the ACC for PAN-OS version 7.0 and later. The ACC is dramatically different from earlier versions, with many new features. My previous introduction of the ACC for PAN-OS 6.1 and earlier is here:
https://live.paloaltonetworks.com/t5/Management-Articles/Tips-amp-Tricks-How-to-Use-the-Application-Command-Center-ACC/ta-p/67342

We'll start with the new areas and what's different about the new ACC from the previous version.

You first notice the new look of the ACC, accessed via the second tab to the right of Dashboard.
When you compare the old ACC (before PAN-OS 7.0) and the new ACC (PAN-OS 7.0 and later), the entire screen layout has been redesigned, so you can see more of the screen being used.

At the top of the screen, you see the following in versions of the ACC for PAN-OS 7.0 and later.

• The Export option lets you export the current view as a PDF file
• Network Activity tab
• Threat Activity tab
• Blocked Activity tab
• + to Add an Activity tab
• Pencil option to edit the tab

On the right, you see:

• Auto Refresh check box
• Manual Refresh option
• Help button
• Risk-O-Meter

On the left pane of the ACC, you see:

• Time frame dropdown
• Global Filters that will affect all  the graphs in the ACC tab.

Note: This whole section is collapsible, if you click on the small arrow pointing left.

Under the Network Activity tab, you see the following widgets by default:

• Application Usage
• User Activity
• Source IP Activity
• Destination IP Activity
• Source RegionsDestination Regions
• GlobalProtect Host Information
• Rule Usage

One of the most popular features of the new ACC is customization for the data you want to see.
Almost every aspect of the data can be customized using filters to new sections, including how many widgets are displayed. The GUI response has also been improved.

If you click the pencil option to edit the Network Activity tab, you see an Edit Custom Tab pop-up that shows widgets in the workspace.

Here, you have options to:

• Add a Widget Group
• Add a Widget (Each Widget Group that is added can have 1 or 2 widgets per group)
• Reset View

If you would like to add a new section and more widgets, click Add Widget Group.

You then see a new section appear at the bottom of the pop-up window.

You have an option if you'd like to have 1 or 2 columns in each Widget Group.

If you want to add any widgets to the new group you just added, click Add Widget.

You now see all  the widgets currently in use.
Check the widgets you'd like to see.
Note: You can reorganize the widgets by dragging and dropping them to other sections.

If you move or change anything accidentally, and want to reset  default view, click Reset View in the upper right pop-up window.

This concludes Part 1 of this week's Tips and Tricks: How to use the Application Command Center (ACC) for PAN-OS 7.0 and later.

The next Tips & Tricks will be Part 2 of this series, which covers more detail of the Network Activity tab, the Threat Activity tab, and how to get more information from the new ACC. I will also be creating a Video Tutorial on Part 1.

As always, please feel free to post feedback or comments below. Please also Like if this article has helped you in any way.

Thanks for reading,
Joe Delio