diff --git a/dashboard/README.md b/dashboard/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db15c9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashboard/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# son-emu Dashboard
+
+A simple web-based dashboard that polls the REST API and displays running services etc. It does not do much more than son-cli but it looks nicer and improves the visualization of the emulator state for live demos.
+
diff --git a/dashboard/css/main.css b/dashboard/css/main.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b10dbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashboard/css/main.css
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+body {
+	margin: 16px;
+	height: 100%;
+}
+
+#logo {
+    height: 90px;
+    text-align: right;
+}
+
+#content {
+}
+
+
+.tbl-head {
+    font-weight: bold;
+    border-bottom: 1px solid #2c3e50;
+    background-color: #c9ced3;
+}
+
+.tbl-head > td {
+    padding-top: 4px;
+    padding-bottom: 4px;
+}
+
+.tbl-row > td {
+    padding-top: 4px;
+    padding-bottom: 4px;
+
+}
+
+.spacer {
+    height: 20px;
+}
diff --git a/dashboard/img/SONATA_new.png b/dashboard/img/SONATA_new.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8fd99f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashboard/img/SONATA_new.png
Binary files differ
diff --git a/dashboard/index.html b/dashboard/index.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c31bec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashboard/index.html
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="en">
+<head>
+    <meta charset="utf-8">
+    <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge">
+    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
+    <!-- The above 3 meta tags *must* come first in the head; any other head content must come *after* these tags -->
+    <title>MeDICINE Dashboard</title>
+
+    <!-- Bootstrap -->
+    <!--<link href="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.7/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet">-->
+    <link href="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootswatch/3.3.7/flatly/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet" integrity="sha384-+ENW/yibaokMnme+vBLnHMphUYxHs34h9lpdbSLuAwGkOKFRl4C34WkjazBtb7eT" crossorigin="anonymous">
+
+    <link href="css/main.css" rel="stylesheet">
+
+    <!-- jQuery -->
+   <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.1.1/jquery.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
+    <!--<script src="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.7/js/bootstrap.min.jss" type="text/javascript"></script>-->
+    <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/bootbox.js/4.4.0/bootbox.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
+
+    <!-- HTML5 shim and Respond.js for IE8 support of HTML5 elements and media queries -->
+    <!-- WARNING: Respond.js doesn't work if you view the page via file:// -->
+    <!--[if lt IE 9]>
+    <script src="https://oss.maxcdn.com/html5shiv/3.7.2/html5shiv.min.js"></script>
+    <script src="https://oss.maxcdn.com/respond/1.4.2/respond.min.js"></script>
+    <![endif]-->
+
+    <script src="js/main.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
+</head>
+
+<body>
+
+  <div id="page-top">
+    <div class="row">
+      <div class="col-sm-8"><h1>MeDICINE Dashboard</h1></div>
+      <div class="col-sm-4" id="logo"><a href="http://sonata-nfv.eu" target="_blank"><img src="img/SONATA_new.png" alt="SONATA Logo" width="252" height="70"></a></div>
+    </div>
+
+<nav class="navbar navbar-default">
+  <div class="container-fluid">
+    <!-- Brand and toggle get grouped for better mobile display -->
+    <div class="navbar-header">
+      <button type="button" class="navbar-toggle collapsed" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#bs-example-navbar-collapse-1" aria-expanded="false">
+        <span class="sr-only">Toggle navigation</span>
+        <span class="icon-bar"></span>
+        <span class="icon-bar"></span>
+        <span class="icon-bar"></span>
+      </button>
+    </div>
+
+    <!-- Collect the nav links, forms, and other content for toggling -->
+    <div class="collapse navbar-collapse" id="bs-example-navbar-collapse-1">
+      <div class="navbar-form navbar- navbar-btn btn-group" role="group" aria-label="category">
+          <!--<button type="button" class="btn btn-default active" id="btn_tab_pop">Datacenter List</button>-->
+          <!--<button type="button" class="btn btn-default" id="btn_tab_container">Container List</button>-->
+          <!--<button type="button" class="btn btn-default" id="btn_tab_other">Other</button> -->
+      </div>
+      <form class="navbar-form navbar-right">
+	<div class="input-group">
+          <span class="input-group-addon">http://</span>
+	  <input type="text" class="form-control" placeholder="api-url.or.ip" value="sonata-emulator.cs.upb.de:5001" id="text_api_host" data-provide="typeahead" size="30">
+	</div>
+	<button type="button" class="btn btn-success" id="btn_connect">Connect &nbsp;<span class="glyphicon glyphicon-play-circle"></span></button>
+	<button type="button" class="btn btn-danger disabled" id="btn_disconnect">Disconnect &nbsp;<span class="glyphicon glyphicon-off"></span></button>
+		</form>	
+    </div><!-- /.navbar-collapse -->
+  </div><!-- /.container-fluid -->
+</nav>
+</div>
+  <div id="content">
+
+
+<div class="panel panel-primary">
+  <!-- Default panel contents -->
+  <div class="panel-heading"><span>Emulated Datacenters</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="badge" id="lbl_datacenter_count">0</span><span class="pull-right" id="lbl_lateness_datacenter">Lateness: -</span></div>
+  <!-- Table -->
+  <table class="table table-striped table-hover" id="table_datacenter">
+  </table>
+</div>
+
+<div class="spacer">&nbsp;</div>
+ 
+<div class="panel panel-primary">
+  <!-- Default panel contents -->
+  <div class="panel-heading"><span>Running Containers</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="badge" id="lbl_container_count">0</span><span class="pull-right" id="lbl_lateness_container">Lateness: -</span></div>
+  <!-- Table -->
+  <table class="table table-striped table-hover" id="table_container">
+  </table>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<footer class="footer text-center small">(c) 2017 by SONATA Consortium and Paderborn University</footer>
+
+
+</body>
+
+</html>
diff --git a/dashboard/js/main.js b/dashboard/js/main.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71741f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashboard/js/main.js
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+var API_HOST = "http://127.0.0.1:5001";
+var ERROR_ALERT = false;
+var TIMESTAMP = 0;
+var CONNECTED = false;
+var LATENESS_UPDATE_INTERVAL = 50;
+var DATA_UPDATE_INTERVAL = 1000 * 10;
+var LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP_CONTAINER = 0;
+var LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP_DATACENTER = 0;
+
+
+function update_lateness_loop() {
+    lateness_datacenter= (Date.now() - LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP_DATACENTER) / 1000;
+    $("#lbl_lateness_datacenter").text("Lateness: " + Number(lateness_datacenter).toPrecision(3) + "s");
+    lateness_container= (Date.now() - LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP_CONTAINER) / 1000;
+    $("#lbl_lateness_container").text("Lateness: " + Number(lateness_container).toPrecision(3) + "s");
+    // loop while connected
+    if(CONNECTED)
+        setTimeout(update_lateness_loop, LATENESS_UPDATE_INTERVAL)
+}
+
+
+function errorAjaxConnection()
+{
+    // only do once
+    if(!ERROR_ALERT)
+    {
+        ERROR_ALERT = true;
+        // show message
+        alert("ERROR!\nAPI request failed.\n\n Please check the backend connection.", function() {
+            // callback
+            ERROR_ALERT = false;
+        });
+    }
+}
+
+
+function update_table_datacenter(data)
+{
+    console.debug(data)
+    // clear table
+    $("#table_datacenter").empty();
+    // header
+    $("#table_datacenter").append('<tr class="tbl-head"><td>Label</td><td>Int. Name</td><td>Switch</td><td>Num. Containers</td><td>Metadata Items</td></tr>');
+    // fill table
+    $.each(data, function(i, item) {
+        var row_str = "";
+        row_str += '<tr class="tbl-row clickable_row" id="datacenter_row_' + i +'">';
+        row_str += '<td>' + item.label + '1</td>';
+        row_str += '<td>' + item.internalname + '</td>';
+        row_str += '<td>' + item.switch + '</td>';
+        row_str += '<td><span class="badge">' + item.n_running_containers + '</span></td>';
+        row_str += '<td><span class="badge">' + Object.keys(item.metadata).length + '</span></td>';
+        row_str += '<tr>';
+	$("#table_datacenter").append(row_str);
+    });
+    $("#lbl_datacenter_count").text(data.length);
+    // update lateness counter
+    LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP_DATACENTER = Date.now();
+}
+
+
+function update_table_container(data)
+{
+    console.debug(data)
+    // clear table
+    $("#table_container").empty();
+    // header
+    $("#table_container").append('<tr class="tbl-head"><td>Datacenter</td><td>Container</td><td>Image</td><td>docker0</td><td>Status</td></tr>');
+    // fill table
+    $.each(data, function(i, item) {
+        var row_str = "";
+        row_str += '<tr class="tbl-row clickable_row" id="container_row_' + i +'">';
+        row_str += '<td>' + item[1].datacenter + '</td>';
+        row_str += '<td>' + item[0] + '</td>';
+        row_str += '<td>' + item[1].image + '</td>';
+        row_str += '<td><code>' + item[1].docker_network + '<code></td>';
+        if(item[1].state.Status == "running")
+            row_str += '<td><span class="label label-success">running</span></td>';
+        else
+            row_str += '<td><span class="label label-danger">stopped</span></td>';
+        row_str += '<tr>';
+	$("#table_container").append(row_str);
+    });
+    $("#lbl_container_count").text(data.length);
+    // update lateness counter
+    LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP_CONTAINER = Date.now();
+}
+
+
+function fetch_datacenter()
+{
+    // do HTTP request and trigger gui update on success
+    var request_url = API_HOST + "/restapi/datacenter";
+    console.debug("fetching from: " + request_url);
+    $.getJSON(request_url,  update_table_datacenter);
+}
+
+
+function fetch_container()
+{
+    // do HTTP request and trigger gui update on success
+    var request_url = API_HOST + "/restapi/compute";
+    console.debug("fetching from: " + request_url);
+    $.getJSON(request_url,  update_table_container);
+}
+
+
+function fetch_loop()
+{
+    // only fetch if we are connected
+    if(!CONNECTED)
+        return;
+
+    // download data
+    fetch_datacenter();
+    fetch_container();
+    
+    // loop while connected
+    if(CONNECTED)
+        setTimeout(fetch_loop, DATA_UPDATE_INTERVAL);
+}
+
+
+function connect()
+{
+    console.info("connect()");
+    // get host address
+    API_HOST = "http://" + $("#text_api_host").val();
+    console.debug("API address: " + API_HOST);
+    // reset data
+    LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP_DATACENTER = Date.now();
+    LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP_CONTAINER = Date.now();
+    CONNECTED = true;
+    // restart lateness counter
+    update_lateness_loop();
+    // restart data fetch loop
+    fetch_loop();
+    // gui updates
+    $("#btn_disconnect").removeClass("disabled");
+    $("#btn_connect").addClass("disabled");
+}
+
+function disconnect()
+{
+    console.info("disconnect()");
+    CONNECTED = false;
+     // gui updates
+    $("#btn_connect").removeClass("disabled");
+    $("#btn_disconnect").addClass("disabled");
+}
+
+
+$(document).ready(function(){
+    console.info("document ready");
+    // setup global connection error handling
+    $.ajaxSetup({
+        "error": errorAjaxConnection
+    });
+
+    // add listeners
+    $("#btn_connect").click(connect);
+    $("#btn_disconnect").click(disconnect);
+
+    // additional refresh on window focus
+    $(window).focus(function () {
+        if(CONNECTED)
+        {
+            fetch_datacenter();
+            fetch_container();  
+        }
+    });
+
+});
diff --git a/dashboard/son-emu-dashboard-screenshot.png b/dashboard/son-emu-dashboard-screenshot.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8274984
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashboard/son-emu-dashboard-screenshot.png
Binary files differ
diff --git a/src/emuvim/api/rest/compute.py b/src/emuvim/api/rest/compute.py
index f0c8954..dc2b611 100755
--- a/src/emuvim/api/rest/compute.py
+++ b/src/emuvim/api/rest/compute.py
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
 
+CORS_HEADER = {'Access-Control-Allow-Origin': '*'}
+
 dcs = {}
 
 
@@ -72,10 +74,10 @@
             c = dcs.get(dc_label).startCompute(
                 compute_name, image=image, command=command, network=nw_list)
             # return docker inspect dict
-            return c.getStatus(), 200
+            return c.getStatus(), 200, CORS_HEADER
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
 
     def _update_resource(self, dc_label, compute_name, resource, value):
         #check if container exists
@@ -96,18 +98,18 @@
         logging.debug("API CALL: compute status")
 
         try:
-            return dcs.get(dc_label).containers.get(compute_name).getStatus(), 200
+            return dcs.get(dc_label).containers.get(compute_name).getStatus(), 200, CORS_HEADER
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
 
     def delete(self, dc_label, compute_name):
         logging.debug("API CALL: compute stop")
         try:
-            return dcs.get(dc_label).stopCompute(compute_name), 200
+            return dcs.get(dc_label).stopCompute(compute_name), 200, CORS_HEADER
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
 
     def _parse_network(self, network_str):
         '''
@@ -140,14 +142,14 @@
                 all_containers = []
                 for dc in dcs.itervalues():
                     all_containers += dc.listCompute()
-                return [(c.name, c.getStatus()) for c in all_containers], 200
+                return [(c.name, c.getStatus()) for c in all_containers], 200, CORS_HEADER
             else:
                 # return list of compute nodes for specified DC
                 return [(c.name, c.getStatus())
-                        for c in dcs.get(dc_label).listCompute()], 200
+                        for c in dcs.get(dc_label).listCompute()], 200, CORS_HEADER
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
 
 
 class DatacenterList(Resource):
@@ -156,10 +158,10 @@
     def get(self):
         logging.debug("API CALL: datacenter list")
         try:
-            return [d.getStatus() for d in dcs.itervalues()], 200
+            return [d.getStatus() for d in dcs.itervalues()], 200, CORS_HEADER
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
 
 
 class DatacenterStatus(Resource):
@@ -168,7 +170,7 @@
     def get(self, dc_label):
         logging.debug("API CALL: datacenter status")
         try:
-            return dcs.get(dc_label).getStatus(), 200
+            return dcs.get(dc_label).getStatus(), 200, CORS_HEADER
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
diff --git a/src/emuvim/api/rest/monitor.py b/src/emuvim/api/rest/monitor.py
index c1c7831..6f99bdf 100755
--- a/src/emuvim/api/rest/monitor.py
+++ b/src/emuvim/api/rest/monitor.py
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
 
+CORS_HEADER = {'Access-Control-Allow-Origin': '*'}
+
 net = None
 
 
@@ -61,10 +63,10 @@
             else:
                 c = net.monitor_agent.setup_metric(vnf_name, vnf_interface, metric)
             # return monitor message response
-            return  str(c), 200
+            return  str(c), 200, CORS_HEADER
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
 
     def delete(self, vnf_name, vnf_interface=None, metric='tx_packets', cookie=None):
         logging.debug("REST CALL: stop monitor VNF interface")
@@ -74,10 +76,10 @@
             else:
                 c = net.monitor_agent.stop_metric(vnf_name, vnf_interface, metric)
             # return monitor message response
-            return str(c), 200
+            return str(c), 200, CORS_HEADER
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
 
 
 class MonitorFlowAction(Resource):
@@ -96,20 +98,20 @@
         try:
             c = net.monitor_agent.setup_flow(vnf_name, vnf_interface, metric, cookie)
             # return monitor message response
-            return str(c), 200
+            return str(c), 200, CORS_HEADER
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
 
     def delete(self, vnf_name, vnf_interface=None, metric='tx_packets', cookie=0):
         logging.debug("REST CALL: stop monitor VNF interface")
         try:
             c = net.monitor_agent.stop_flow(vnf_name, vnf_interface, metric, cookie)
             # return monitor message response
-            return str(c), 200
+            return str(c), 200, CORS_HEADER
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
 
 class MonitorLinkAction(Resource):
     """
@@ -144,7 +146,7 @@
             return self._MonitorLinkAction(vnf_src_name, vnf_dst_name, command=command)
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
 
     def delete(self, vnf_src_name, vnf_dst_name):
         logging.debug("REST CALL: monitor link flow remove")
@@ -154,7 +156,7 @@
             return self._MonitorLinkAction(vnf_src_name, vnf_dst_name, command=command)
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
 
     def _MonitorLinkAction(self, vnf_src_name, vnf_dst_name, command=None):
         # call DCNetwork method, not really datacenter specific API for now...
@@ -209,7 +211,7 @@
                 c2 = net.monitor_agent.stop_flow(vnf_name, vnf_interface, metric, cookie)
 
             # return setChain response
-            return (str(c1) + " " + str(c2)), 200
+            return (str(c1) + " " + str(c2)), 200, CORS_HEADER
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
             return ex.message, 500
@@ -242,7 +244,8 @@
             c = net.monitor_agent.update_skewmon(vnf_name, resource_name, action='stop')
 
             # return monitor message response
-            return str(c), 200
+            return str(c), 200, CORS_HEADER
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
\ No newline at end of file
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
+
diff --git a/src/emuvim/api/rest/network.py b/src/emuvim/api/rest/network.py
index 88ea470..c4ab23f 100755
--- a/src/emuvim/api/rest/network.py
+++ b/src/emuvim/api/rest/network.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 import json
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+CORS_HEADER = {'Access-Control-Allow-Origin': '*'}
 
 # the global net is set from the topology file, and connected via connectDCNetwork function in rest_api_endpoint.py
 net = None
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@
                 monitor=monitor,
                 monitor_placement=monitor_placement)
             # return setChain response
-            return str(c), 200
+            return str(c), 200, CORS_HEADER
         except Exception as ex:
             logging.exception("API error.")
-            return ex.message, 500
\ No newline at end of file
+            return ex.message, 500, CORS_HEADER
diff --git a/src/emuvim/dcemulator/net.py b/src/emuvim/dcemulator/net.py
index b0838e0..1a8d938 100755
--- a/src/emuvim/dcemulator/net.py
+++ b/src/emuvim/dcemulator/net.py
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@
         edge_attributes = [p for p in params if p in weight_metrics]
         for attr in edge_attributes:
             # if delay: strip ms (need number as weight in graph)
-            match = re.search('([0-9]*\.?[0-9]+)', params[attr])
+            match = re.search('([0-9]*\.?[0-9]+)', str(params[attr]))
             if match:
                 attr_number = match.group(1)
             else: