How to customize a dashboard with the Azion plugin on Grafana
The Azion data source plugin on Grafana allows you to visualize the data from your existing applications on Azion on a Grafana dashboard. It queries data from Real-Time Metrics, which uses the GraphQL APIs.
With the data source plugin, you can customize your own dashboard to visualize the data you need.
Requirements
Section titled RequirementsTo use the Azion data source plugin, you need:
- A Real-Time Manager account on Azion.
- A personal token created to authenticate your account.
- One or more edge applications created on your account.
- Real-Time Metrics activated on your account.
- Access to Grafana.
Installing the plugin on Grafana
Section titled Installing the plugin on GrafanaCurrently, to use the Azion data source plugin, you must install it locally and enable your account to use unsigned plugins. See the documentation on the plugin’s GitHub repository for a step-by-step on how to install it.
Customizing a dashboard on Grafana
Section titled Customizing a dashboard on GrafanaAfter installing a Grafana instance locally on your machine and authorizing the Azion plugin, open it.
Follow the next steps:
- On the left-side menu, click on Dashboards. The dashboard page opens.
- Next to the search bar, click New > New Dashboard.
- On the Add panel card, select Add a new panel.
- On the second section of the page, below the preview, on Data source dropdown menu, select Azion.
- On the code box, add the query you want to use.
- See the GraphQL API guides for a few examples of queries.
The five fields below can be used to complete your setup depending on what type of visualization you’re using and what you want to see on your graphs:
- Data path: insert the data set you want to use.
- Time path: inform a timestamp. The field is dot-delimited.
- Time format: inform a time format in moment.js format.
- Group by: use the field you want to use to group your data aggregation.
- Alias by: use to change the value and name of a field shown in the legend.
- On the right side of the page, on the Visualization list, select the visualization type you want to use. Example: Time series.
- On the upper-right corner, click Save to apply your configurations.
Best practices
Section titled Best practices- To use a time series graph, you must inform a timestamp on the Time path field. It must be used in ISO8601 format or a configurable custom format.
- To aggregate data into multiple data points, you must use the Group by field. To use a time series graph, you must use this field.
- Nested objects are flattened with underscores.
- While using Grafana variables, replace them directly in the query’s field.
- To configure or change a name of a field shown in the legend, use the Alias by field: substitute
$field_<field.name>
with the values for the field; substitute$fieldName
with a name for the field. - Use annotations to mark points on a graph.
- Use the dashboard’s time range to explore and analyze your data.
Read more on Grafana
Section titled Read more on Grafana- Create and use dashboards
- Grafana dashboard best practices
- Add and manage variables
- Configuring time series in ISO8601
- Configuring time series in custom format
- Visualizations
- Configuring a legend
- Configuring value mappings
Trademarks
Section titled TrademarksGrafana Cloud is a trademark of Grafana Labs. We are not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Grafana Labs or its affiliates.
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