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๐Ÿ“Š Grafana Monitoring Dashboards on AlmaLinux: Visualize Your Metrics Beautifully
grafana monitoring almalinux

๐Ÿ“Š Grafana Monitoring Dashboards on AlmaLinux: Visualize Your Metrics Beautifully

Published Aug 29, 2025

Master Grafana on AlmaLinux! Learn installation, dashboard creation, data sources, panels, alerts, and plugins. Perfect beginner's guide to metric visualization!

5 min read
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Table of Contents

๐Ÿ“Š Grafana Monitoring Dashboards on AlmaLinux: Visualize Your Metrics Beautifully

Welcome to the world of beautiful data visualization! ๐ŸŽ‰ Ready to turn boring numbers into stunning dashboards? Grafana is like having a crystal ball for your infrastructure - it shows you everything happening in real-time with gorgeous charts and graphs! Think of it as Instagram for your metrics! ๐Ÿ“ธโœจ

๐Ÿค” Why is Grafana Important?

Grafana transforms raw data into actionable insights! ๐Ÿš€ Hereโ€™s why itโ€™s incredible:

  • ๐ŸŽจ Stunning Visualizations - From graphs to heatmaps to 3D charts!
  • ๐Ÿ”Œ 150+ Data Sources - Connect to anything: Prometheus, MySQL, AWS
  • ๐Ÿšจ Smart Alerting - Get notified before problems happen
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Responsive Design - Beautiful on desktop, tablet, and phone
  • ๐ŸŽฏ Custom Dashboards - Build exactly what you need
  • ๐Ÿค Team Collaboration - Share dashboards with your team

Itโ€™s like having a mission control center for your entire infrastructure! ๐Ÿ›ธ

๐ŸŽฏ What You Need

Before creating stunning dashboards, ensure you have:

  • โœ… AlmaLinux server (8 or 9)
  • โœ… Root or sudo access
  • โœ… At least 2GB RAM
  • โœ… 10GB free disk space
  • โœ… A data source (weโ€™ll use Prometheus)
  • โœ… Love for beautiful visualizations! ๐ŸŽจ

๐Ÿ“ Step 1: Installing Grafana - Your Visualization Platform!

Letโ€™s install Grafana Enterprise (free version)! ๐Ÿ—๏ธ

Add Grafana repository:

# Create repository file
sudo nano /etc/yum.repos.d/grafana.repo

# Add this content:
[grafana]
name=grafana
baseurl=https://rpm.grafana.com
repo_gpgcheck=1
enabled=1
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=https://rpm.grafana.com/gpg.key
sslverify=1
sslcacert=/etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt

Install Grafana:

# Install Grafana
sudo dnf install -y grafana

# Enable and start service
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable grafana-server
sudo systemctl start grafana-server

# Check status
sudo systemctl status grafana-server

Configure firewall:

# Open Grafana port
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=3000/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Access Grafana at http://your-server-ip:3000

  • Default username: admin
  • Default password: admin
  • Youโ€™ll be prompted to change the password!

Grafana is running! ๐ŸŽ‰

๐Ÿ”ง Step 2: Adding Data Sources - Connecting Your Metrics!

Letโ€™s connect Grafana to data sources! ๐ŸŽฏ

First, ensure Prometheus is installed (quick setup):

# Download Prometheus
cd /tmp
wget https://github.com/prometheus/prometheus/releases/download/v2.45.0/prometheus-2.45.0.linux-amd64.tar.gz

# Extract and install
tar -xvf prometheus-2.45.0.linux-amd64.tar.gz
sudo mv prometheus-2.45.0.linux-amd64/prometheus /usr/local/bin/
sudo mv prometheus-2.45.0.linux-amd64/promtool /usr/local/bin/

# Create config
sudo mkdir /etc/prometheus
sudo nano /etc/prometheus/prometheus.yml

Basic Prometheus config:

global:
  scrape_interval: 15s

scrape_configs:
  - job_name: 'prometheus'
    static_configs:
      - targets: ['localhost:9090']
  
  - job_name: 'node'
    static_configs:
      - targets: ['localhost:9100']

Start Prometheus:

# Run Prometheus
prometheus --config.file=/etc/prometheus/prometheus.yml &

# Install Node Exporter for system metrics
wget https://github.com/prometheus/node_exporter/releases/download/v1.6.1/node_exporter-1.6.1.linux-amd64.tar.gz
tar -xvf node_exporter-1.6.1.linux-amd64.tar.gz
sudo mv node_exporter-1.6.1.linux-amd64/node_exporter /usr/local/bin/
node_exporter &

Now add Prometheus to Grafana:

  1. Login to Grafana (http://your-server:3000)
  2. Go to Configuration โ†’ Data Sources
  3. Click โ€œAdd data sourceโ€
  4. Choose โ€œPrometheusโ€
  5. Set URL: http://localhost:9090
  6. Click โ€œSave & Testโ€

Success! Data is flowing! ๐Ÿ“Š

๐ŸŒŸ Step 3: Creating Your First Dashboard - Making It Beautiful!

Time to create a stunning dashboard! ๐ŸŽจ

Method 1: Import a Pre-built Dashboard

# Popular dashboard IDs:
# 1860 - Node Exporter Full
# 3662 - Prometheus 2.0 Overview
# 11074 - Node Exporter for Prometheus

In Grafana:

  1. Click Dashboards โ†’ Import
  2. Enter Dashboard ID: 1860
  3. Click Load
  4. Select Prometheus data source
  5. Click Import

Boom! Instant beautiful dashboard! ๐ŸŽŠ

Method 2: Build Your Own Dashboard

Create from scratch:

  1. Click Dashboards โ†’ New Dashboard
  2. Click โ€œAdd visualizationโ€
  3. Select Prometheus data source

Letโ€™s add panels:

CPU Usage Panel:

# Query for CPU usage
100 - (avg(rate(node_cpu_seconds_total{mode="idle"}[5m])) * 100)

Memory Usage Panel:

# Query for memory usage
(1 - (node_memory_MemAvailable_bytes / node_memory_MemTotal_bytes)) * 100

Disk Usage Panel:

# Query for disk usage
100 - ((node_filesystem_avail_bytes{mountpoint="/"} * 100) / node_filesystem_size_bytes{mountpoint="/"})

โœ… Step 4: Advanced Visualizations - Making Data Dance!

Letโ€™s create advanced visualizations! ๐Ÿš€

Stat Panels with Thresholds:

{
  "type": "stat",
  "targets": [{
    "expr": "up",
    "format": "time_series"
  }],
  "fieldConfig": {
    "defaults": {
      "thresholds": {
        "mode": "absolute",
        "steps": [
          {"value": 0, "color": "red"},
          {"value": 1, "color": "green"}
        ]
      },
      "mappings": [
        {"type": "value", "value": "1", "text": "UP"},
        {"type": "value", "value": "0", "text": "DOWN"}
      ]
    }
  }
}

Time Series with Annotations:

# Create annotation query
up{job="prometheus"} == 0

Heatmap for Request Latency:

# Histogram query
sum(rate(http_request_duration_seconds_bucket[5m])) by (le)

Variables for Dynamic Dashboards:

  1. Go to Dashboard Settings โ†’ Variables
  2. Add variable:
    • Name: server
    • Type: Query
    • Query: label_values(node_uname_info, instance)
  3. Use in panels: node_load1{instance="$server"}

๐Ÿ”” Step 5: Setting Up Alerts - Never Miss a Problem!

Configure alerting to stay informed! ๐Ÿšจ

Create Alert Rules:

# In Grafana UI:
# 1. Go to Alerting โ†’ Alert rules
# 2. Click "Create alert rule"

Example alert configuration:

# High CPU Alert
name: High CPU Usage
condition: avg() OF query(A, 5m, now) IS ABOVE 80
query: 100 - (avg(rate(node_cpu_seconds_total{mode="idle"}[5m])) * 100)

Configure Notification Channels:

Email notification:

# Go to Alerting โ†’ Contact points
# Add contact point โ†’ Email
# Enter email addresses

Slack notification:

{
  "url": "https://hooks.slack.com/services/YOUR/WEBHOOK/URL",
  "username": "Grafana",
  "icon_emoji": ":grafana:"
}

Test alerts:

# Simulate high CPU
stress --cpu 8 --timeout 60s

# Check alert status in Grafana

๐ŸŽจ Step 6: Customization and Plugins - Make It Yours!

Install awesome plugins! ๐Ÿ”Œ

# List available plugins
grafana-cli plugins list-remote

# Install popular plugins
sudo grafana-cli plugins install grafana-clock-panel
sudo grafana-cli plugins install grafana-piechart-panel
sudo grafana-cli plugins install grafana-worldmap-panel
sudo grafana-cli plugins install alexanderzobnin-zabbix-app

# Restart Grafana
sudo systemctl restart grafana-server

Create custom themes:

# Edit Grafana config
sudo nano /etc/grafana/grafana.ini

# Enable custom theme
[users]
default_theme = dark  # or light

[auth.anonymous]
enabled = true  # For public dashboards
org_role = Viewer

๐ŸŽฎ Quick Examples

Example 1: Business Metrics Dashboard

Create e-commerce dashboard:

# Sales per hour
sum(rate(sales_total[1h]))

# Active users
count(up{job="web"})

# Response time
histogram_quantile(0.95, rate(http_request_duration_seconds_bucket[5m]))

Example 2: Multi-Source Dashboard

Combine different data sources:

-- MySQL query for user data
SELECT 
  DATE(created_at) as time,
  COUNT(*) as new_users
FROM users
WHERE $__timeFilter(created_at)
GROUP BY DATE(created_at)

Example 3: IoT Sensor Dashboard

Monitor IoT devices:

# Temperature readings
avg(sensor_temperature) by (location)

# Humidity levels
avg(sensor_humidity) by (location)

# Alert on anomalies
abs(sensor_temperature - avg_over_time(sensor_temperature[1h])) > 5

๐Ÿšจ Fix Common Problems

Problem 1: No Data Showing

Symptom: Panels show โ€œNo Dataโ€ ๐Ÿ˜ฐ

Fix:

# Check data source connection
curl http://localhost:9090/api/v1/query?query=up

# Verify time range
# Ensure correct time zone in Grafana

# Test query in Prometheus
http://localhost:9090/graph

# Check Grafana logs
sudo journalctl -u grafana-server -f

Problem 2: Slow Dashboard Loading

Symptom: Dashboards take forever to load ๐ŸŒ

Fix:

# Optimize queries - use recording rules
# In Prometheus:
groups:
  - name: optimized
    rules:
      - record: job:cpu_usage:rate5m
        expr: avg(rate(node_cpu_seconds_total[5m])) by (job)

# Reduce refresh rate
# Dashboard Settings โ†’ General โ†’ Auto refresh

# Enable caching
sudo nano /etc/grafana/grafana.ini
[caching]
enabled = true

Problem 3: Lost Dashboards

Symptom: Dashboards disappeared! ๐Ÿ˜ฑ

Fix:

# Check database
sudo sqlite3 /var/lib/grafana/grafana.db
.tables
SELECT * FROM dashboard;

# Restore from backup
sudo grafana-cli admin reset-admin-password newpassword

# Export dashboards as JSON
# Dashboard โ†’ Settings โ†’ JSON Model โ†’ Copy

๐Ÿ“‹ Simple Commands Summary

CommandWhat It DoesWhen to Use
grafana-cli plugins list-remoteList pluginsFind plugins
grafana-cli plugins installInstall pluginAdd features
grafana-cli admin reset-admin-passwordReset passwordLocked out
systemctl status grafana-serverCheck statusHealth check
journalctl -u grafana-serverView logsTroubleshooting
/api/dashboards/homeAPI endpointAutomation
curl /api/healthHealth checkMonitoring
grafana-cli plugins update-allUpdate pluginsMaintenance
/api/datasourcesList sourcesDebug data
/api/alertsList alertsCheck alerts

๐Ÿ’ก Tips for Success

๐Ÿš€ Performance Optimization

Make dashboards lightning fast:

# In /etc/grafana/grafana.ini
[database]
wal = true
cache_mode = shared

[caching]
enabled = true

[dataproxy]
timeout = 30
keep_alive_seconds = 30

๐ŸŽจ Design Best Practices

Create beautiful dashboards:

  1. Use consistent colors - Create a color scheme! ๐ŸŽจ
  2. Group related panels - Use rows for organization! ๐Ÿ“
  3. Add descriptions - Help users understand! ๐Ÿ“
  4. Use appropriate visualizations - Right chart for right data! ๐Ÿ“Š
  5. Donโ€™t overcrowd - White space is good! โฌœ
// Panel best practices
{
  "gridPos": {"h": 8, "w": 12, "x": 0, "y": 0},
  "transparent": true,
  "title": "Clear, Descriptive Title",
  "description": "What this panel shows and why it matters"
}

๐Ÿ“ฑ Mobile Optimization

Make dashboards mobile-friendly:

# Create mobile view
# Use smaller panels (width 12 for full width)
# Stack panels vertically
# Use larger fonts
# Simplify visualizations

๐Ÿ† What You Learned

Youโ€™re now a Grafana visualization expert! ๐ŸŽ“ Youโ€™ve successfully:

  • โœ… Installed Grafana on AlmaLinux
  • โœ… Connected data sources
  • โœ… Created beautiful dashboards
  • โœ… Built custom visualizations
  • โœ… Set up alerting
  • โœ… Installed plugins
  • โœ… Optimized performance

Your monitoring is now beautiful and insightful! ๐Ÿ“Š

๐ŸŽฏ Why This Matters

Grafana gives you data superpowers! With your dashboards, you can:

  • ๐Ÿ‘๏ธ See everything - No blind spots in your infrastructure!
  • ๐ŸŽฏ Spot trends - Predict problems before they happen!
  • ๐Ÿ“Š Impress stakeholders - Beautiful reports that wow!
  • ๐Ÿš€ Make decisions - Data-driven choices!
  • ๐Ÿ‘ฅ Collaborate better - Share insights with your team!

Youโ€™re not just displaying metrics - youโ€™re telling the story of your infrastructure through beautiful, interactive visualizations! Your data is now accessible, understandable, and actionable! ๐ŸŒŸ

Keep visualizing, keep monitoring, and remember - with Grafana, data becomes art! โญ

May your dashboards be beautiful and your metrics be meaningful! ๐Ÿš€๐Ÿ“Š๐Ÿ™Œ