Custom Tables

The following topics describe how to use custom tables:

Introduction to Custom Tables

As the system collects information about your network, the management center stores it in a series of database tables. When you use a workflow to view the resulting information, the management center pulls the data from one of these tables. For example, the columns on each page of the Network Applications by Count workflow are taken from the fields in the Applications table.

If you determine that your analysis of the activity on your network would be enhanced by combining fields from different tables, you can create a custom table.

Note that you can create custom workflows for either predefined or custom tables.

Predefined Custom Tables

Custom tables contain fields from two or more predefined tables. The system is delivered with a number of system-defined custom tables, but you can create additional custom tables that contain only information that matches your specific needs.

For example, the system is delivered with system-defined custom tables that correlate intrusion event data with host data, so you can search for events that impact critical systems and view the results of that search in one workflow.

In a multidomain deployment, the predefined custom tables belong to the Global domain and cannot be modified in lower domains.

The following table describes the custom tables provided with the system.

Table 1. System-Defined Custom Tables

Table

Description

Hosts with Servers

Includes fields from the Hosts and Servers tables, providing you with information about the detected applications running on your network, as well as basic operating system information about the hosts running those applications.

Possible Table Combinations

When you create a custom table, you can combine fields from predefined tables that have related data. The following table lists the predefined tables you can combine to create a new custom table. Keep in mind that you can create a custom table that combines fields from more than two predefined custom tables.

Table 2. Custom Table Combinations

You can combine fields from...

With fields from...

Applications

  • Correlation Events

  • Intrusion Events

  • Connection Summary Data

  • Host Attributes

  • Application Details

  • Discovery Events

  • Hosts

  • Servers

  • Allow List Events

Correlation Events

  • Applications

  • Host Attributes

  • Hosts

Intrusion Events

  • Applications

  • Host Attributes

  • Hosts

  • Servers

Connection Summary Data

  • Applications

  • Host Attributes

  • Hosts

  • Servers

Host Indications of Compromise

  • Applications

  • Application Details

  • Captured Files

  • Connection Summary Data

  • Correlation Events

  • Discovery Events

  • Host Attributes

  • Hosts

  • Intrusion Events

  • Security Intelligence Events

  • Servers

  • Allow List Events

Host Attributes

  • Applications

  • Correlation Events

  • Intrusion Events

  • Connection Summary Data

  • Application Details

  • Discovery Events

  • Hosts

  • Servers

  • Allow List Events

Application Details

  • Applications

  • Host Attributes

  • Hosts

Discovery Events

  • Applications

  • Host Attributes

  • Hosts

Security Intelligence Events

  • Applications

  • Host Attributes

  • Hosts

  • Servers

Hosts

  • Applications

  • Correlation Events

  • Intrusion Events

  • Connection Summary Data

  • Host Attributes

  • Application Details

  • Discovery Events

  • Servers

  • Allow List Events

Servers

  • Applications

  • Intrusion Events

  • Connection Summary Data

  • Host Attributes

  • Hosts

Allow List Events

  • Applications

  • Host Attributes

  • Hosts

Sometimes a field in one table maps to more than one field in another table.

When you create a new custom table, a default workflow that displays all the columns in the table is automatically created. Also, just as with predefined tables, you can search custom tables for data that you want to use in your network analysis. You can also generate reports based on custom tables, as you can with predefined tables.

User-Defined Custom Tables


Tip

Instead of creating a new custom table, you can export a custom table from another management center, then import it onto your management center.

To create a custom table, decide which predefined tables contain the fields you want to include in your custom table. You can then choose which fields you want to include and, if necessary, configure field mappings for any common fields.


Tip

Data involving the Hosts table allows you to view data associated with all IP addresses from one host, rather than one specific IP address.

For example, consider a custom table that combines fields from the Correlation Events table and the Hosts table. You can use this custom table to get detailed information about the hosts involved in violations of any of your correlation policies. Note that you must decide whether to display data from the Hosts table that matches the source IP address or the destination IP address in the Correlation Events table.

If you view the table view of events for this custom table, it displays correlation events, one per row. You can configure the custom table to include the following information:

  • the date and time the event was generated

  • the name of the correlation policy that was violated

  • the name of the rule that triggered the violation

  • the IP address associated with the source, or initiating, host involved in the correlation event

  • the source host’s NetBIOS name

  • the operating system and version the source host is running

  • the source host criticality


Tip

You could create a similar custom table that displays the same information for destination, or responding, hosts.

Creating a Custom Table

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Analysis > Advanced > Custom Tables.

Step 2

Click Create Custom Table.

Step 3

In the Name field, enter a name for the custom table.

Example:

For example, you might enter Correlation Events with Host Information (Src IP).

Step 4

From the Tables drop-down list, choose Correlation Events.

Step 5

Under Fields, choose Time and click Add to add the date and time when a correlation event was generated.

Step 6

Repeat step 5 to add the Policy and Rule fields.

Tip

 

You can use Ctrl or Shift while clicking to choose multiple fields. You can also click and drag to choose multiple adjacent values. However, if you want to specify the order the fields appear in the table view of events associated with the table, add the fields one at a time.

Step 7

From the Tables drop-down list, choose Hosts.

Step 8

Add the IP Address, NetBIOS Name, OS Name, OS Version, and Host Criticality fields to the custom table.

Step 9

Under Common Fields, next to Correlation Events, choose Source IP.

Your custom table is configured to display the host information you chose in step 8 for the source, or initiating, hosts involved in correlation events.

Tip

 

You can create a custom table that displays detailed host information for the destination, or responding, hosts involved in a correlation event by following this procedure but choosing Destination IP instead of Source IP.

Step 10

Click Save.

Modifying a Custom Table

In a multidomain deployment, the system displays custom tables created in the current domain, which you can edit. It also displays custom tables created in ancestor domains, which you cannot edit. To view and edit custom tables in a lower domain, switch to that domain.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Analysis > Advanced > Custom Tables.

Step 2

Click Edit (edit icon) next to the table you want to edit.

If View (View button) appears instead, the configuration belongs to an ancestor domain, or you do not have permission to modify the configuration.

Step 3

Optionally, remove fields from the table by clicking Delete (delete icon) next to the fields you want to remove.

Note

 

If you delete fields currently in use in reports, the system will prompt you to confirm that you want to remove the sections using those fields from those reports.

Step 4

Make other changes as needed.

Step 5

Click Save.

Deleting a Custom Table

In a multidomain deployment, the system displays custom tables created in the current domain, which you can delete. It also displays custom tables created in ancestor domains, which you cannot delete. To delete custom tables in a lower domain, switch to that domain.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Analysis > Advanced > Custom Tables.

Step 2

Click Delete (delete icon) next to the custom table you want to delete.

If the controls are dimmed, the configuration belongs to an ancestor domain, or you do not have permission to modify the configuration.

Viewing a Workflow Based on a Custom Table

When you create a custom table, the system automatically creates a default workflow for it. The first page of this workflow displays a table view of events. If you include intrusion events in your custom table, the second page of the workflow is the packet view. Otherwise, the second page of the workflow is a hosts page. You can also create your own custom workflows based on your custom table.


Tip

If you create a custom workflow based on a custom table, you can specify it as the default workflow for that table.

You can use the same techniques to view events in your custom table that you use for event views based on predefined tables.

In a multidomain deployment, the system displays custom tables created in the current domain, which you can edit. It also displays custom tables created in ancestor domains, which you cannot edit. To view and edit custom tables in a lower domain, switch to that domain.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Analysis > Advanced > Custom Tables.

Step 2

Click View (View button) next to the custom table related to the workflow you want to see.

Searching Custom Tables

In a multidomain deployment, the system displays custom tables created in the current domain, which you can edit. It also displays custom tables created in ancestor domains, which you cannot edit. To view and edit custom tables in a lower domain, switch to that domain.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Analysis > Advanced > Custom Tables.

Step 2

Click View (View button) next to the custom table you want to search.

Tip

 

To use a different workflow, including a custom workflow, click (switch workflow) next the workflow title.

Step 3

Click Search.

Tip

 

To search the database for a different kind of event or data, choose it from the table drop-down list.

Step 4

Enter your search criteria in the appropriate fields.

If you enter criteria for multiple fields, the search returns only the records that match search criteria specified for all fields.

Tip

 

Click Object (object icon) next to a search field to use an object as a search criterion.

Step 5

Optionally, if you plan to save the search, you can check the Private check box to save the search as private so only you can access it. Otherwise, leave the check box clear to save the search for all users.

Tip

 

If you want to use the search as a data restriction for a custom user role, you must save it as a private search.

Step 6

Optionally, you can save the search to be used again in the future. You have the following options:

  • Click Save to save the search criteria. The search is visible only to your account if you checked the Private check box.
  • Click Save As New to save a new search or assign a name to a search you created by altering a previously-saved search. The search is saved and visible only to your account if you checked the Private check box.

Step 7

Click Search to start the search.

Your search results appear in the default workflow for the custom table, constrained by the current time range (if applicable).

History for Custom Tables

Feature

Minimum Management Center

Minimum Threat Defense

Details

Support for connection events in custom tables was removed

6.6

Any

You can no longer create custom tables that include connection events.

If you upgraded to version 6.6: Existing tables with connection events will be listed as deprecated and will show no data, and you cannot export or edit them. Existing reports, custom workflows, and dashboards may include deprecated tables; you may want to review these.

Modified screens: Analysis > Advanced > Custom Tables and the page for adding or editing custom tables.

Affected Platforms: management center