single pane of glass
A single pane of glass is a management console that presents data from multiple sources in a unified display. The glass, in this case, is a computer monitor or mobile device screen.
An effective single pane of glass view serves as a starting point from which a corporate executive or system administrator can get a sense of the big picture. For example, a data center software product that offers a single pane of glass might obtain data from building facility systems and integrate that information with data from information technology (IT) systems. The purpose of a unified display is to present operational data in a way that's easier to read and interpret. The phrase single pane of glass is often used as a synonym for Dashboard.
Features of an effective single pane of glass dashboard include:
- An intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) that is thoughtfully laid-out and easy to navigate.
- A logical structure behind the display that makes accessing current data easy and fast.
- A display that can be customized and categorized to meet the end user’s specific needs.