Part 6: Creating and Managing Dashboards in Graylog

1. Introduction

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create and manage dashboards in Graylog, a powerful open source log management tool. Dashboards are a way of displaying and monitoring key metrics and trends from your logs, such as error rates, response times, user activity, and more. You can customize your dashboards with different types of widgets, such as charts, tables, maps, and counters, and configure them to suit your needs and preferences.

Dashboards can help you gain insights into your system’s performance, identify and troubleshoot issues, and optimize your operations. You can also share and export your dashboards with other users or stakeholders, or use them for reporting and analysis purposes.

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:

• Create a dashboard and add widgets to it
• Configure widget settings and layout
• Edit and delete dashboards
• Share and export dashboards

To follow this tutorial, you will need:

• A Graylog server up and running
• Some log data ingested into Graylog
• A basic understanding of Graylog concepts and features

Ready to create and manage dashboards in Graylog? Let’s get started!

2. What are Dashboards in Graylog?

Dashboards are one of the most useful features of Graylog, as they allow you to display and monitor key metrics and trends from your logs in a visual and interactive way. You can use dashboards to gain insights into your system’s performance, identify and troubleshoot issues, and optimize your operations.

A dashboard consists of one or more widgets, which are the individual components that display a specific type of data, such as a chart, a table, a map, or a counter. You can add widgets to a dashboard from any search result or stream, and configure them to show the data you want to see.

You can also customize the layout and appearance of your dashboard, by resizing, moving, and arranging the widgets according to your preferences. You can also add titles, descriptions, and filters to your dashboard to make it more informative and user-friendly.

Some of the benefits of using dashboards in Graylog are:

• You can visualize your log data in different ways, such as graphs, histograms, pie charts, heat maps, and more.
• You can monitor the most important metrics and trends from your logs, such as error rates, response times, user activity, and more.
• You can compare and correlate data from different sources, such as streams, inputs, extractors, and pipelines.
• You can drill down into the details of your data, by clicking on any widget and opening the underlying search result.
• You can share and export your dashboards with other users or stakeholders, or use them for reporting and analysis purposes.

In the next section, you will learn how to create a dashboard and add widgets to it in Graylog.

3. How to Create a Dashboard

In this section, you will learn how to create a dashboard and add widgets to it in Graylog. A dashboard is a collection of widgets that display and monitor key metrics and trends from your logs. You can create a dashboard from any search result or stream, and customize it with different types of widgets, such as charts, tables, maps, and counters.

To create a dashboard, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Search page and run a query on your log data. You can use the search bar, the time range selector, and the filter options to refine your search.
2. Click on the Create dashboard button on the top right corner of the page. This will open a dialog box where you can enter a title and a description for your dashboard.
3. Click on the Create dashboard button again to confirm. This will create an empty dashboard and redirect you to the Dashboards page.
4. Alternatively, you can create a dashboard from a stream. Go to the Streams page and select a stream that contains the log data you want to display. Click on the More actions button on the top right corner of the page and select Create dashboard from stream. This will create a dashboard with the same title and description as the stream, and add a filter for the stream ID.

Once you have created a dashboard, you can add widgets to it to display and monitor your log data. In the next section, you will learn how to add widgets to a dashboard and configure them to suit your needs and preferences.

3.1. Adding Widgets to a Dashboard

After you have created a dashboard, you can add widgets to it to display and monitor your log data. Widgets are the individual components that show a specific type of data, such as a chart, a table, a map, or a counter. You can add widgets to a dashboard from any search result or stream, and configure them to show the data you want to see.

To add a widget to a dashboard, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Search page and run a query on your log data. You can use the search bar, the time range selector, and the filter options to refine your search.
2. On the right side of the page, you will see a list of available widgets that you can add to your dashboard. You can choose from different types of widgets, such as charts, tables, maps, and counters, depending on the type of data you want to display.
3. Click on the Add to dashboard button next to the widget you want to add. This will open a dialog box where you can select the dashboard you want to add the widget to, and enter a title and a description for the widget.
4. Click on the Add to dashboard button again to confirm. This will add the widget to the dashboard and redirect you to the Dashboards page.
5. Alternatively, you can add a widget to a dashboard from a stream. Go to the Streams page and select a stream that contains the log data you want to display. Click on the More actions button on the top right corner of the page and select Add to dashboard. This will open a dialog box where you can select the dashboard you want to add the widget to, and enter a title and a description for the widget.

Once you have added a widget to a dashboard, you can configure its settings and layout to suit your needs and preferences. In the next section, you will learn how to configure widget settings and layout in Graylog.

3.2. Configuring Widget Settings

After you have added a widget to a dashboard, you can configure its settings and layout to suit your needs and preferences. You can change the title and description of the widget, the type and format of the data, the time range and refresh interval, and the appearance and position of the widget.

To configure widget settings, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Dashboards page and select the dashboard that contains the widget you want to configure.
2. Hover over the widget and click on the Edit button on the top right corner of the widget. This will open a dialog box where you can edit the widget settings.
3. On the General tab, you can change the title and description of the widget, and the time range and refresh interval of the data. You can also lock the widget to prevent accidental changes.
4. On the Data tab, you can change the type and format of the data, such as the aggregation function, the field name, the chart type, the color scheme, and the legend position. You can also add or remove series, filters, and pivots to customize the data.
5. On the Layout tab, you can change the appearance and position of the widget, such as the width, height, row, and column. You can also drag and drop the widget to move it around the dashboard.
6. Click on the Apply changes button to save your changes and close the dialog box.

You can also duplicate or delete a widget from the dashboard by clicking on the More actions button on the top right corner of the widget and selecting the appropriate option.

By configuring widget settings, you can customize your dashboard to display and monitor your log data in the way you want. In the next section, you will learn how to manage dashboards in Graylog.

4. How to Manage Dashboards

In this section, you will learn how to manage dashboards in Graylog. You can edit and delete dashboards, as well as share and export them for different purposes. You can also view and access all your dashboards from the Dashboards page.

To edit a dashboard, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Dashboards page and select the dashboard you want to edit.
2. Click on the Edit button on the top right corner of the page. This will open a dialog box where you can change the title and description of the dashboard, as well as add or remove filters.
3. Click on the Update dashboard button to save your changes and close the dialog box.

To delete a dashboard, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Dashboards page and select the dashboard you want to delete.
2. Click on the Delete button on the top right corner of the page. This will open a confirmation dialog box where you can confirm your action.
3. Click on the Delete button again to delete the dashboard and close the dialog box.

To share a dashboard, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Dashboards page and select the dashboard you want to share.
2. Click on the Share button on the top right corner of the page. This will open a dialog box where you can choose how to share the dashboard.
3. You can share the dashboard by copying the URL, generating a QR code, or embedding it in another website. You can also set the permissions for the dashboard, such as who can view, edit, or own it.
4. Click on the Close button to close the dialog box.

To export a dashboard, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Dashboards page and select the dashboard you want to export.
2. Click on the Export button on the top right corner of the page. This will open a dialog box where you can choose the format and options for the export.
3. You can export the dashboard as a PDF, CSV, or JSON file. You can also customize the export settings, such as the time range, the resolution, the orientation, and the margins.
4. Click on the Export button to download the file and close the dialog box.

By managing dashboards in Graylog, you can organize, update, and share your dashboards with ease. In the next section, you will learn how to conclude your tutorial and provide some additional resources for the reader.

4.1. Editing and Deleting Dashboards

In this section, you will learn how to edit and delete dashboards in Graylog. You can edit and delete dashboards, as well as share and export them for different purposes. You can also view and access all your dashboards from the Dashboards page.

To edit a dashboard, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Dashboards page and select the dashboard you want to edit.
2. Click on the Edit button on the top right corner of the page. This will open a dialog box where you can change the title and description of the dashboard, as well as add or remove filters.
3. Click on the Update dashboard button to save your changes and close the dialog box.

To delete a dashboard, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Dashboards page and select the dashboard you want to delete.
2. Click on the Delete button on the top right corner of the page. This will open a confirmation dialog box where you can confirm your action.
3. Click on the Delete button again to delete the dashboard and close the dialog box.

By editing and deleting dashboards, you can keep your dashboards organized and up to date. In the next section, you will learn how to share and export dashboards in Graylog.

4.2. Sharing and Exporting Dashboards

In this section, you will learn how to share and export dashboards in Graylog. You can share and export dashboards for different purposes, such as collaborating with other users, presenting your findings, or backing up your data. You can also control the permissions and access levels for your dashboards.

To share a dashboard, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Dashboards page and select the dashboard you want to share.
2. Click on the Share button on the top right corner of the page. This will open a dialog box where you can choose how to share the dashboard.
3. You can share the dashboard by copying the URL, generating a QR code, or embedding it in another website. You can also set the permissions for the dashboard, such as who can view, edit, or own it.
4. Click on the Close button to close the dialog box.

To export a dashboard, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Dashboards page and select the dashboard you want to export.
2. Click on the Export button on the top right corner of the page. This will open a dialog box where you can choose the format and options for the export.
3. You can export the dashboard as a PDF, CSV, or JSON file. You can also customize the export settings, such as the time range, the resolution, the orientation, and the margins.
4. Click on the Export button to download the file and close the dialog box.

By sharing and exporting dashboards, you can make your dashboards more accessible and useful for different audiences and scenarios. In the next section, you will learn how to conclude your tutorial and provide some additional resources for the reader.

5. Conclusion

In this tutorial, you have learned how to create and manage dashboards in Graylog, a powerful open source log management tool. You have learned how to:

• Create a dashboard and add widgets to it from any search result or stream
• Configure widget settings and layout to customize your dashboard
• Edit and delete dashboards to keep them organized and up to date
• Share and export dashboards for different purposes and audiences

Dashboards are a great way to display and monitor key metrics and trends from your logs, such as error rates, response times, user activity, and more. You can use dashboards to gain insights into your system’s performance, identify and troubleshoot issues, and optimize your operations. You can also customize your dashboards with different types of widgets, such as charts, tables, maps, and counters, and configure them to suit your needs and preferences.

We hope you have enjoyed this tutorial and found it useful. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. You can also check out the following resources for more information and guidance on Graylog and dashboards:

• Graylog Documentation: Dashboards
• Graylog Video: Graylog Dashboards
• Graylog Blog: Graylog Dashboards 101

Thank you for reading and happy logging!