Documentation forSecurity Event Manager

About SEM reports

See the SEM Installation and Upgrade Guide for instructions on how to install SEM reports application in your deployment.

The SEM reports application converts SEM database data into information you can use to troubleshoot and identify problems in your network. You can run reports on your Security Event Manager database to view events and trends and make informed decisions about your network activity.

The application includes over 200 standard and industry-specific reports that can help you make informed decisions about your network security.

About report categories

SEM reports are organized into categories, as described below.

Category Description
Standard Reports

Captures specific event data that occurs during a specific period of time. These reports are included with SEM.

Industry Reports Supports the compliance and auditing needs of certain industries (such as financial services and healthcare), and the accountability requirements of publicly-traded companies.
Custom Reports Reports you created to meet a specific need.
Favorite Reports Standard, industry, and custom reports you use most often. You can add and remove reports to this category as required.

Standard and custom reports are essentially the same report. The only difference is that custom reports are undocumented and created specifically by (or for) you.

About report levels

SEM reports include three report levels, as described below.

Report level Description
Primary report

A standard reports that includes a series of subtopics where each subtopic contains a specific set of details about the higher-level primary topic. Together, these topics create the report, similar to chapters in a book.

These reports include a graphical summary page.

Detailed report A report that includes all events and event details.
Top report Includes the top events for a selected category.

About scheduled and on-demand reports

The reports application can run scheduled or on-demand reports:

Scheduled reports are reports you configure to automatically run on their own, on a particular schedule, and without intervention.

On-demand reports are reports you run only when you need them.

SolarWinds recommends identifying who needs to receive performance or status reports, and how often they should receive them.

After you run a report, you can print the report or export it to several supported formats, including PDF and Microsoft Word.

Open the SEM reports application

When you launch the Reports application for the first time, launch the application as an administrator. Depending on your Windows security privieges, you may need to run reports using the Run as administrator option. See Automatically Run as administrator every time you run Reports for help.

  1. Log in to a Windows computer that has the SEM reports application.

  2. Click Start, and then select All Programs.

  3. Choose the SolarWinds folder, and then click the Reports shortcut.

    The SEM reports application opens.

Automatically Run as administrator every time you run reports

  1. Right-click the Reports application icon.
  2. On the Shortcut tab, click Advanced.
  3. Select the Run as administrator check box, and then click OK.