The marvelous uniqueness of vibration responses of faulty roller bearings can be simply observed through its vibration signature. Therefore, vibration analysis has been claimed as an effective tool not only for primitive detection but also for subsequent analysis. The dynamic behavior of roller bearings has been investigated by systematic modeling of system and its validation under diverse operating conditions. This article presents an overview of imperative marks in the development of dynamic modeling of rolling-element bearing, which especially predicted vibration responses of damaged bearings. This study aims to address dimensional analysis; a new and imperative way to model the dynamic behavior of rolling-element bearings and their real-time performance in a rotor-bearing system. The findings are described with influential advantages over earlier research to pinpoint the intention behind its development. A literature summary is trailed by remarkable findings and future directions for research. © The Author(s) 2020.