Dashboard Options

There are so many options to manage and configure dashboards. You will learn more about them below.

Manage Dashboards

Navigate to the left navigation menu and then click on the Dashboards dropdown menu.

There are 4 main options to manage the dashboard.

1. Dashboards: You can use Dashboards to browse through the dashboards and perform operations such as list, delete, new folder, import, etc.
2. Playlists: It can be used to create a playlist with different dashboard settings.
3. Snapshots: You can view the dashboard snapshots here.
4. Library panels: You can view the library panels here.

Dashboards

Under Dashboard, the Manage Dashboards screen will appear and all the dashboards will be listed here.

The manage dashboards options under Dashboards include:

1. New Dashboard: Click on it to create a new dashboard.
2. New Folder: Click on it to create a new folder.
3. Import: Click on it to import a dashboard.

New Folder

To create a new folder and add dashboards in it.

1. Click on the New Folder button.
2. Give a name to the folder.
3. Click on Create.

Your newly created folder will look like this.

You can click on the +Create Dashboard button to Create a Dashboard in that folder.

You can also go to Browse Dashboards and add a dashboard to the folder from there.

Add Dashboards to Folder

1. Select the dashboards that you want to add, and click on Move.
2. Select the folder you want to add the dashboards to and click on Move.

3. You can now see that the selected dashboards are added to your newly created folder.

Import Dashboard

You can import a dashboard from outside sources by clicking on the Import button.

There are 3 ways to import a dashboard:

1. Upload a . JSON file to import the dashboard.
2. Import by loading a dashboard URL.
3. Import via writing or pasting a JSON panel.

Dashboards Grouping

The dashboards can be grouped together in 2 different ways and then can be sorted alphabetically.

1. Group by Folder: The dashboards will be grouped together folder-wise.
2. Group by Dashboard: The dashboards will be grouped together as individual dashboards.
3. Sort: The dashboards will be sorted by (A-Z) or (Z-A).

Delete

To delete a Dashboard, select a dashboard and click on Delete.

Edit Dashboard

1. Click on a Dashboard to further edit it.
2. Every time you edit and save the dashboard after making changes, you can add notes to remember the edits.
3. You can also review the specific modifications listed under the Changes tab

Dashboard Controls

Below are the key controls available on the dashboard’s top bar to help you manage, configure, and share your dashboard effectively.

1. Save Dashboard: Click on it to save the Dashboard.
2. Dashboard settings: Click on it to access the Dashboard settings.
3. Add a Panel: You can click on it to add another panel.
4. Share: Click to generate a link to the dashboard or panel with options to lock time range, choose theme, shorten URL, copy link, take a snapshot, export as JSON, or download as PNG/PDF.
5. Time settings: Click on it to select the time range.
6. Time range zoom out: Click on it to zoom out the time range.
7. Refresh Dashboard: Click on it to refresh the Dashboard.
8. Toggle top search bar: Click on it to show or hide the top search bar

Share Dashboards and Panels in vuSmartMaps

vuSmartMaps offers flexible sharing options for dashboards and panels, enabling seamless collaboration and wider accessibility within your organization or externally. You can share insights in multiple ways tailored to your needs:

1. Share Links
   Create direct, customized links to your dashboards or panels. Lock time ranges and choose themes (Current, Dark, Light) for consistent views. Easily copy and share links with authorized users or teams.

   

2. Snapshots
   Generate interactive snapshots of dashboards or panels that remove sensitive query details, allowing secure public or internal sharing. Snapshots can be named, set to expire after a configurable duration, and published locally or externally.

   

3. Export
   Export dashboards as JSON files for backup or import in other instances. Exporting dashboards as PDFs (where supported) enables the sharing of visual reports in a printable format.

   

4. Download
   Download snapshots as images or PDFs with theme customization to include in presentations or offline reviews.

   

Tip: Use the Share button to generate links, export as JSON, or download dashboards as images or PDFs. Collaboration and reporting have never been easier!

Time Selection for Dashboards

vuSmartMaps provides several ways to manage the time ranges of the data being visualized, for the dashboard, panels, and also for alerting.

Time Units and Relative Ranges

It supports the following time units: s (seconds), m (minutes), h (hours), d (days), w (weeks), M (months), Q (quarters), and y (years).

The minus operator enables you to step back in time, relative to the current time.

The plus operator enables you to step forward in time, relative to the current time. For example, you can use this feature to look at predicted data in the future.

Relative Time Range

Select the relative time range from the Relative time ranges list. You can filter the list using the input field at the top.

The quick time ranges list includes:

• Last 30 minutes
• Last 12 hours
• Last 7 days
• Last 2 years
• Yesterday
• Day before yesterday
• This day last week
• Today so far
• This week so far
• This month so far

Absolute Time Range

You can set an absolute time range in the following ways:

• Type values into the From and To fields.
• You can type exact time values or relative values, such as now-24h, and then click Apply time range.
• Click in the From or To field. It displays a calendar.
• Click the day or days you want to use as the current time range and then click Apply time range.

This section also displays recently used absolute ranges.

Global Time Filter

A time filter present in the top right corner of the screen is used to select a time range.

Auto Refresh Dashboard

Click on the Refresh dashboard icon to immediately run every query on the dashboard and refresh the visualizations. It cancels any pending requests when you trigger a refresh.

By default, it does not automatically refresh the dashboard. Queries run on their own schedule according to the panel settings.

However, if you want to regularly refresh the dashboard, then click the down arrow next to the Refresh dashboard icon and then select a refresh interval.

You can select an interval and the Dashboard will automatically refresh at the set time period.

Dashboard Filters

Dashboard filters are an effective mechanism employed within dashboards to refine the dataset presented based on specific criteria. These filters serve multiple purposes, including the ability to concentrate on particular data subsets, facilitate data comparison, and enable the creation of configurable views tailored to specific requirements.

For instance, dashboard filters can be leveraged to observe and evaluate the performance of a targeted application or network device. A support engineer, for instance, can utilize a dashboard filter to access and scrutinize detailed information pertaining to a particular application or network device.

Variables

Variables in dashboards are placeholders for dynamic values used in metric queries and panel titles. They enable the creation of dynamic filters, allowing the filter to be modified based on the variable's value. By changing the variable value, the metric queries in the dashboard can be adjusted accordingly. For instance, a variable like "$server_name" can be utilized in a metric query to filter CPU usage data for a specific server. Updating the variable value will automatically update the dashboard to display CPU usage for the newly selected server.

Variable Types

1. Query
   Query variables are utilized to populate dropdown lists with values retrieved from data sources based on specific queries. These variables enable users to select options dynamically, which are often employed in filters to refine data based on their selections. For instance, a query variable can be created to fetch a list of countries from a database, allowing the user to choose a specific country and display data pertaining only to that selection.

2. Custom
   Custom variables, on the other hand, are manually defined variables that offer greater control over available options. They can be populated with predefined values or criteria, and are commonly used in filters to restrict data based on specific requirements. As an example, a custom variable can be created with severity levels such as "Critical," "Error," "Warning," and "Information," which can then be used in a filter to display data relevant to the selected alert severities.

3. Text Box
   Text box variables provide users with the flexibility to enter free-form text values as filters within a dashboard. This type of variable allows for searching or filtering data based on specific text criteria. For instance, a text box variable can be employed as a filter in the dashboard to narrow down data by a specific transaction ID, such as "T1234-5678-9012-3456."

4. Constant Constant variables allow you to define a fixed value that remains unchanged throughout the dashboard. These are especially useful when you want to embed a static value, such as a metric prefix, environment ID, or path, in multiple queries without having to repeat it each time.

   For instance, if you frequently query metrics using a prefix like your. metric.prefix, you can store this in a constant variable and reference it across the dashboard for simplicity and consistency.

   Constant variables are not interactive and do not appear on the dashboard. They are configured with a single value, which can include letters, numbers, symbols, or wildcards, depending on query format support. Once set, the value can only be changed by editing the variable settings directly.

5. Data Source Data source variables enable dynamic switching between different data sources configured on the platform. This is useful when you have multiple instances of a data source, such as different environments (e.g., development, staging, production), and want the flexibility to switch between them without modifying individual panel configurations.

   You can apply a regex filter to restrict which data source instances are available in the variable dropdown.

   Additional options like Multi-value and Include All allow users to select multiple sources at once or include all matching instances in one go. This makes it easier to compare results across environments or aggregate data when needed.

6. Interval Interval variables are used to represent time-based intervals such as minutes, hours, or days. These variables allow you to control how data is grouped across the dashboard, making them particularly useful for time-series analysis or date-based visualizations.

   You can define a custom list of intervals, such as 1m, 10m, 1h, 1d, and so on, to provide users with preset options for grouping or filtering data.

   Additionally, enabling the Auto option allows the platform to dynamically calculate a suitable interval based on the current time range and a predefined step count. This helps maintain optimal performance and clarity by adjusting the granularity automatically as users zoom in or out on the timeline.

7. Ad-Hoc
   Ad-hoc variables are dynamic filters that enable users to interactively apply filters on the fly while viewing a dashboard. They allow for quick exploration of specific subsets of data without requiring pre-configuration or predefined filters. For example, an Ad-hoc variable can be created as a filter in the dashboard to filter the last five days' transactions for a particular customer using a query like "customer name = <name> AND @timestamp = last 5 days."

Create a New Dashboard Filter

For instance, to create a query-based filter, select the Dashboard that you want to create filers for and follow the steps ahead.

1. Go to Dashboard Settings > Variables > Add variable

2. Click on the +New variable button to create a new filter.

3. The Edit Variables page will open where you have to fill in all the details that are divided mainly into 3 sections:

   1. General: Name, Type, Label, Hide and Description
      There are 7 main types of filer variables:

      1. Query
      2. Custom
      3. Text Box
      4. Constant
      5. Data Source
      6. Interval
      7. Ad hoc filters

   2. Query Options: Data Source, Refresh, Regex and Sort

   3. Selection options: Multi-value and Include all options

   

4. Fill in all the details such as:

   1. Select the Query type.
   2. Enter a name for your variable.
   3. Select the Datasource type.
   4. Select the Refresh option.
   5. Enter the query that you want to use.
   note

   The options to be filled will depend on the type of Query selected.

5. Click on Apply to add the filter. You can see the new filter added to the list of variables.

Clear All Filters Option in Dashboard

To add the option to clear all filters in the Dashboard, follow these steps:

1. Copy the base URL of the Dashboard. For eg: https://164.52.200.38/vui/d/b8f88879-87ce-48ef-9b39-e76adbd9a292/kafka-zookeeper-overview?orgId=1

   Copy the base URL from /vui. In this case, it is: /vui/d/b8f88879-87ce-48ef-9b39-e76adbd9a292/kafka-zookeeper-overview?orgId=1

2. Go to Dashboard Settings > Links > Create New Dashboard Link.

3. Add the title 'Clear Filters' and set the following:

   • Type: Links
   • URL: Paste the base URL copied earlier.

4. Save the Dashboard.

A Clear Filters button will now appear next to the filters. You can click this button to clear all the filters at once.

Experiment with dashboard filters and variables! Dynamic filters let you focus on specific data subsets, while variables make dashboards interactive and adaptable to any scenario.

Download and View the Data Statistics

vuSmartMaps also provides an option to view the data statistics in terms of data, stats, codes, etc. You can also ask for a new query. Even though you use graphs to visualize the data, sometimes you need all the details and stats in tabular format.

The raw data that you receive from the input can be converted into a simpler format along with its stats. To download and view the data statistics:

Under the Edit Dashboard, click on the Query Inspector button.

You will be redirected to the Inspect Panel which contains the following options:

Data: It shows the total units of data received based on the metric selected.

Stats: It shows the request time and the number of queries.

JSON: It shows the code.

Query: It triggers a new Query.

Go to the Data section, and Click on Download CSV.

All the data points that are added based on the Metric and Group by properties will be downloaded.

The selected data will be downloaded in a CSV format that you can use for further application.

Save the Dashboard

In the top right corner, there are 3 options:

• Discard: Discard any changes made.
• Save: Save the Dashboard.
• Apply: Apply any changes made to the current Dashboard.

To save the Dashboard, go to Save, give the Dashboard a name, set a Folder, and click on Save

This is how your saved Dashboard will look like.