Getting started with InfluxDB dashboards

InfluxDB is a powerful open-source time-series database widely used for monitoring system performance, IoT metrics, and application telemetry.

With SquaredUp's InfluxDB plugin, you can effortlessly visualize and monitor your InfluxDB data, gaining real-time insights into your metrics alongside your other tools and services.

This guide will walk you through connecting InfluxDB with SquaredUp, creating dashboards, setting up monitoring, and sharing your visualizations.

Connecting InfluxDB and SquaredUp

Getting started is straightforward. If you don't have a SquaredUp account yet, signing up for the free tier is quick and easy.

Once logged into SquaredUp, click on the Settings gear icon and select Data sources.

Click on Add data source, search for InfluxDB, and select it. You'll be prompted to enter your InfluxDB connection details:

• Server: The address of your InfluxDB server (e.g., your-influxdb-server.com).
• Token: Your InfluxDB token with necessary read permissions.
• Organization: The InfluxDB organization you are connecting to.

After filling in these details, click on Test and add. If the connection is successful, SquaredUp will set up the data source for you.

Visualizing your data

Now the InfluxDB data source is configured, you can start building dashboards to visualize your data.

1. Create a new dashboard: Click on the + next to Dashboards in the left-hand menu to create a new dashboard.
2. Add a tile: Click on the + within the dashboard to add a new tile. This will open the tile editor.
3. Select data stream: Choose the appropriate InfluxDB data stream that matches the data you wish to visualize. In the example image we have used a ‘Metric Query’ for timeseries data.
4. Configure the query: Enter your Flux query to fetch the desired data from InfluxDB. You can use 'range(start: {{timeframe.start}}, stop: {{timeframe.end}})' to let SquaredUp adjust the query timeframe based on the timeframe used in your dashboards.
5. Choose visualization: Select a visualization type that best represents your data, such as a line graph, bar chart, or scalar.
6. Save the tile: After configuring the tile, click Save to add it to your dashboard.

Repeat these steps to add more tiles and build a comprehensive dashboard that provides insights into your InfluxDB data.

Monitoring

Beyond visualization, SquaredUp allows you to set up monitors to alert you to specific conditions in your data.

1. Edit the dashboard: Click on Edit at the top of the dashboard.
2. Add a new tile: Add a tile that queries the specific metric you want to monitor.
3. Configure monitoring: In the tile editor, switch to the Monitoring tab and define the conditions under which the monitor should trigger an alert (e.g. if a value exceeds a certain threshold).
4. Save the tile: Click on Save to apply the monitoring settings.

Once set up, SquaredUp will display visual cues on the dashboard when the defined conditions are met, allowing you to stay informed about critical metrics.

Sharing

Sharing your dashboards with colleagues or stakeholders is simple in SquaredUp, and it's a feature that's also available in the free tier.

1. Click on Share: At the top of your dashboard, click on the Share button.
2. Choose Sharing option: You can invite users to the workspace or share a direct link to the dashboard.

Shared dashboards are read-only, making it easy to disseminate information across your organization.

By following these steps, you can effectively connect InfluxDB with SquaredUp, create insightful dashboards, set up monitoring to stay informed about critical metrics, and share your visualizations with others. Start exploring the power of SquaredUp and take your InfluxDB data visualization to the next level.

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