Docs > Configuration > Dashboard Creation
1. Getting Started with vuSmartMaps™
3. Console
5. Configuration
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9. Monitoring and Managing vuSmartMaps™
A dashboard is a collection of panels organized in rows. Each panel is a visualization unit with its own data query editor. This editor is tailored to the panel’s chosen data source, helping you create the right visualizations.
Dashboards make it easy to build the perfect view. You can create queries, adjust visuals, and craft the ideal dashboard. Every panel can pull data from any configured source. However, dashboard snapshots are fixed. Changes to queries won’t update snapshot data since snapshots can’t re-run queries. For instance, if you wish to gain insights into your business journey, you can create a dashboard that incorporates various panels to offer comprehensive observability into the business journey.
The Dashboard home screen looks like this after you log in.
To create a new Dashboard, follow these steps:
Open the left navigation menu, go to the top left, and click on Dashboards.
You will be redirected to the following page.
Now select the Data source.
This is the Default Screen that appears when you start creating a new dashboard.
It is divided into 3 sections:
The visualization settings allow you to configure the graph visual settings. You can control the graph display and change its properties.
The graph view options include:
Change the graph visual settings. It depends on the type of visualization selected and the options change based on that.
The data source that you add to get the graph output.
Before exploring visualization options, choose a query as your data source. The query defines what data you’ll work with. You can configure and visualize this data through the query settings. You can select multiple queries for visualization.
For any query selected, one has to choose a Metric. It is based on the parameter you want to visualize on the y-axis such as count, average, sum, max, etc.
The following are the different types of metric aggregations that can be used as the value on the y-axis.
You can add multiple metrics by clicking the + sign and selecting the type.
Repeat the same for more metrics that you want to add.
Choose a Group By parameter. This categorizes data on the x-axis. Common examples are time intervals, like days, months, etc. You can use aggregation types like terms, filters, geo hash grid, date histogram, and histogram. The chosen field and interval define this grouping.
The following are the most commonly used bucket aggregation types:
The Field and Interval are selected based on the Group By option.
Now the field and interval can be time.
Similar to multiple metrics, you can have multiple buckets too.
Let’s say you want to see the CPU usage in multiple time settings. It could be in terms of normal time and CPU start time.
Click on the +Query button.
You can add more queries, keeping the same metric but changing the “Group By” option. This helps you compare different aspects of your data. You can also create custom labels for metrics and groups.
Dashboard Settings: The dashboard settings section provides control over various parameters, including:
Managing and configuring dashboards involves various options, as outlined below:
When it comes to grouping dashboards, you have two options: you can group them by folders for organized management or group them individually. Additionally, you can choose to sort your dashboards alphabetically, either in ascending order (A-Z) or descending order (Z-A).
Moreover, you can easily manage your dashboards by deleting any unwanted ones – simply select a dashboard and click “Delete.” To make modifications and add notes for future reference, click on a dashboard to edit it further.
When it comes to editing dashboards, you have several options at your disposal. You can enhance your dashboard by adding more panels, saving any modifications you make, accessing dashboard-specific settings, defining the time range, manually refreshing the dashboard, and switching between various dashboard views, including full-screen mode. With the auto-refresh option, you can manually refresh your dashboard at any time or set a refresh interval for regular updates.
Dashboard Filters and Variables
Dashboard Filters help you refine data in your dashboards based on specific criteria, making it easy to focus on particular data subsets, compare information, and tailor views to your needs. For example, you can use them to analyze the performance of a specific application or network device.
Variables in dashboards are dynamic tools that act as placeholders for values in queries and titles. They allow you to create dynamic filters, adjusting data based on the chosen variable value. For instance, you can filter CPU usage data for a specific server using a variable like “$server_name.”
Variable Types:
Creating Dashboard Filters is user-friendly:
Downloading Data Statistics Made Easy
With vuSmartMaps, getting comprehensive data statistics is a breeze. Sometimes, you need detailed data and stats in a tabular format alongside your graphs. Here’s how to do it:
To save your dashboard, simply click “Save” in the top right corner, give it a name, and optionally choose a folder – your saved dashboard will then be ready to use.
Configure the Dashboard Settings
Learn more about Dashboard Option
To create a new dashboard, open the Left Navigation Menu, go to “Dashboards,” and click “New -> New Dashboard.” For detailed steps, refer to Create a New Dashboard.
To monitor application performance, you can create a new dashboard and add relevant visualizations such as line charts or gauges. Configure queries to pull data specific to the application, as detailed in the Query Selection section.
Absolutely! When creating or editing your dashboard, you can adjust the time range selection to specify the desired timeframe. Explore the Time Selection for Dashboards section for step-by-step instructions on setting custom time ranges.
To compare multiple data sources, you can add multiple queries to your dashboard panel and configure them accordingly. You can add more queries, keeping the same metric but changing the “Group By” option. This helps you compare different aspects of your data. You can also create custom labels for metrics and groups. Check out the Multiple Queries and Configurations section for detailed guidance on comparing different data aspects
You can group dashboards by creating folders or grouping them individually. Detailed instructions are in the Dashboards Grouping section.
You can enable auto-refresh settings for your dashboard to ensure it stays updated with real-time data. Follow the instructions in the Auto Refresh Dashboard section to configure auto-refresh intervals based on your preferences.
You can easily download your dashboard data in CSV format for analysis. Follow the steps outlined in the Downloading Data Statistics section to download the data associated with your visualizations.
Yes, you can create dynamic filters using variables to refine your dashboard data based on user selections. Learn how to set up interactive filters in the Creating Dashboard Filters section for a more tailored dashboard experience.
You can choose from various metrics like count, average, sum, max, min, extended stats, percentiles, unique, raw documents, raw data, and logs. More details are available in the Metric Options section.
You can set an absolute or relative time range by clicking the time filter in the top right corner or using the time settings in the dashboard options. For more, see the Time Selection for Dashboards section.
Optimize queries for performance by indexing and filtering data sources. Use summary metrics instead of raw data where possible. Implement pagination in tables, reduce the frequency of auto-refresh, and leverage caching mechanisms to improve load times and scalability.
Utilize multiple queries and groupings within a single panel. Configure one query to fetch historical data and another for real-time metrics. Overlay these in a line or area chart to visualize trends over time, allowing for direct comparison and better decision-making.
Implement tracking scripts or analytics tools to monitor user interactions, such as clicks, navigation paths, and time spent on different panels. Use this data to gain insights into user behavior and improve dashboard design and functionality.
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VuNet’s Business-Centric Observability platform, vuSmartMaps™ seamlessly links IT performance to business metrics and business journey performance. It empowers SRE and IT Ops teams to improve service success rates and transaction response times, while simultaneously providing business teams with critical, real-time insights. This enables faster incident detection and response.