Analytics center having a natural language query (NLQ) interface

A method, comprising:

• providing a database server that includes a configuration management database (CMDB), a key performance indicator (KPI) table, and an access control list (ACL) table, wherein the CMDB stores operational metrics of a plurality of configuration items (CIs) associated with a communicatively coupled client network, and wherein the KPI table stores KPIs that track the operational metrics stored in the CMDB;
• providing, to a client device, a graphical user interface (GUI) that is presented to a user of the client device, wherein the GUI includes user interface elements configured to receive a natural language query (NLQ) from the client device;
• receiving the NLQ from the client device;
• processing the NLQ using a natural language processor (NLP) to extract query details, wherein the query details comprise one or more tables of the CMDB;
• generating a database query based on the query details extracted from the NLQ;
• in response to determining, within the ACL table, that the user is authorized to access the one or more tables of the CMDB, processing the database query against the one or more tables of the CMDB to determine KPI data from the stored operational metrics;
• storing the NLQ, the database query, and the KPI data within the KPI table as a particular KPI;
• and
• providing the KPI data of the particular KPI to the client device in response to the NLQ, wherein the GUI is updated to present a visual representation of the KPI data of the particular KPI on the client device.

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor of an analytics server that is communicatively coupled to a database server, wherein the database server includes a configuration management database (CMDB), a key performance indicator (KPI) table, and an access control list (ACL) table, wherein the CMDB stores operational metrics of a plurality of configuration items (CIs) associated with a communicatively coupled client network, and wherein the KPI table stores KPIs that track the operational metrics stored in the CMDB, the instructions comprising instructions to:

• determine, within the ACL table, a role of a user of a client device;
• determine a plurality of KPIs associated with the role of the user;
• provide, to the client device, a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes user interface elements configured to receive a natural language query (NLQ) from the user of the client device, wherein the user interface elements include a list of selectable NLQs populated using names or descriptions of the plurality of KPIs associated with role of the user;
• receive the NLQ from the client device and process the NLQ to extract query details, wherein the query details comprise one or more tables of the CMDB;
• in response to determining, within the ACL table, that the user is authorized to access the one or more tables of the CMDB, perform a database query of the one or more tables of the CMDB based on the query details to determine KPI data from the stored operational metrics;
• store the NLQ, the database query, and the KPI data within the KPI table as a particular KPI;
• and
• provide the KPI data of the particular KPI to the client device in response to the NLQ, wherein the GUI is updated to present a visual representation of the KPI data of the particular KPI on the client device.