Error returning data while loading a dashboard widget

Products

• Information Centric Analytics
• Data Loss Prevention Core Package

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to load a custom dashboard widget in the Information Centric Analytics (ICA) console, the following error message is displayed:

Error loading <widget-name> data

Environment

Release : 6.x

Component : Dashboards

Cause

The most common cause of this error is an issue with the underlying query. These issues can include a loss of connectivity to the data source (database or cube); a cube processing failure (in the case of an MDX query); or a poorly formed query (SQL or MDX).

Resolution

To resolve this error, first determine the cause of failure by following these high level steps:

1. Confirm connectivity exists between the application (IIS) server and the database (SQL) server using command line tools such as ping and telnet. Tools such as a network packet trace (e.g., Wireshark) and SQL Server Profiler can be used to troubleshoot connectivity and identify the requests submitted by the application to the database and/or cube.
2. Confirm SQL Server and Analysis Services services are running by using SQL Server Configuration Manager. In addition to confirming services are running, determine the ports on which each service is listening.
3. Confirm the nightly RiskFabric Processing job has completed without errors by navigating in the ICA console to Dashboards > Risk Fabric Health, select RiskFabric Processing from the Job Name dropdown menu, and click the Update button.

If connectivity is good and the cube has processed, open your browser’s developer tools to troubleshoot further:

1. Developer tools are accessed differently by each browser but most can be opened by pressing the F12 function key
2. Click the Network tab to display the requests sent to IIS and SQL Server and the request responses
3. Refresh the page containing the widget in question
4. The widget with an error will be highlighted in red, as shown in the following example:

6. Select the row in question and a new section will appear for the Headers, Preview, Response, and Timing data
7. Click the Preview tab to view the error:
   
   NOTE: In this example, there is an extra closing parenthesis in the query
8. To edit the widget query, navigate in the ICA console to Admin > Dashboards