Dashboard Import Export

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Export, edit, and re-import LogZilla dashboards in YAML or JSON format using the UI or the logzilla dashboards CLI for sharing between instances

Dashboard Import and Export

LogZilla supports importing and exporting dashboards so that configurations can be shared across teams or moved between LogZilla instances. The same capability is available through the user interface and the logzilla command line.

Dashboard Format in LogZilla

A LogZilla dashboard is stored in either YAML or JSON format. Both formats support the same schema. The following YAML snippet shows the basic structure of a dashboard:

yaml
- config:
    style_class: infographic
    time_range:
      preset: last_1_hours
    title: Meraki DHCP
  is_public: true
  widgets:
    - config:
        col: 0
        filter:
          - field: program
            value: Meraki DHCP
        row: 0
        show_avg: true
        show_last: false
        show_max: true
        show_min: false
        sizeX: 6
        time_range:
          preset: last_1_minutes
        title: Meraki DHCP Events Per Second
      type: EventRate

The top-level keys are config, is_public, and widgets. Each widget has its own config key describing the widget type and the filter applied. Layout values include column and row placement (col and row), display size (sizeX), and time_range.

Manipulating Dashboards in LogZilla

Dashboards can be manipulated in two ways: through the UI menu on an open dashboard, or through the logzilla dashboards CLI subcommand.

Dashboard Manipulation via UI

The dashboard action menu is shown below:

Dashboard Manipulation Menu

  • Clone: Create a copy of an existing dashboard.
  • Download as Excel report: Download the dashboard as an Excel report.
  • Export to file: Write the dashboard configuration to a file and download it to the local system.
  • Import from file: Upload a dashboard configuration file and load it into LogZilla.
  • Save as a default: Designate the dashboard as the default assigned to new users.
  • Delete: Permanently remove the dashboard from the system.

Dashboard Manipulation via Command Line

The logzilla dashboards subcommand provides equivalent capabilities.

Import

To import a dashboard from a YAML or JSON file:

bash
logzilla dashboards import -I mydashboards.yaml

If the dashboard file contains a typo or a field LogZilla does not recognize, the import fails with an error that names the bad field. The dashboard is not partially imported. Fix the field in the file and run the import again.

Export

To export all dashboards to a YAML file:

bash
logzilla dashboards export -O mydashboards.yaml

The -I flag specifies the input file for the import command; the -O flag specifies the output file for the export command.

To use YAML instead of JSON, add the -F yaml option to the above commands.

A single dashboard can be exported by first listing available dashboards:

bash
logzilla dashboards list

which shows the list of dashboards with names and dashboard IDs. The specific dashboard can then be exported as follows:

bash
logzilla dashboards export --dashboard-id <dashboard_id> -O mydashboard.yaml

Using Dashboards from Apps in LogZilla

Dashboards are included with LogZilla apps. Once an app is installed, the app's dashboards support the full set of actions including cloning, editing, importing, and deleting. Operators modifying an app-supplied dashboard for a specific environment can use the export, edit, and re-import flow described below.

Example: Exporting, Changing, and Importing a Dashboard

The following example walks through exporting, modifying, and re-importing a dashboard.

Scenario: Modifying the Linux DNSmasq App Dashboard

The Linux DNSmasq app includes a dashboard named "Linux: dnsmasq Events" containing a widget called "dnsmasq-dhcp: Live Stream", which presents a continuous stream of incoming DHCP log messages. By default this widget displays events of type "query", "cached", and "reply":

Dashboard with Cached Events

In this example the "cached" events are filtered out of the widget. The procedure is:

  1. Export the dashboard
  2. Edit the configuration file
  3. Re-import the modified dashboard

Step 1: Exporting the Dashboard

Click Export to file on the dashboard menu described earlier. The dashboard configuration file is downloaded to the local system:

Dashboard File Download

Step 2: Editing the Configuration File

The downloaded file contains JSON on a single line. A JSON formatter makes the file easier to edit. The formatted file begins:

json
{
    "config": {
        "style_class": "infographic",
        "time_range": {
            "preset": "last_1_minutes"
        },
        "title": "Linux: dnsmasq Events"
    },
    "widgets": [
        {

followed by widget configuration elements. The live-stream widget configuration looks like this:

json
        {
            "config": {
                "col": 0,
                "columns": [
                    "severity",
                    "host",
                    "facility",
                    "program",
                    "message",
                    "first_occurrence",
                    "last_occurrence",
                    "counter"
                ],
                "filter": [
                    {
                        "field": "program",
                        "op": "eq",
                        "value": [
                            "dnsmasq*"
                        ]
                    }
                ],
                "limit": 16,
                "row": 1,
                "sizeX": 6,
                "sizeY": 2,
                "sort": "-first_occurrence",
                "title": "dnsmasq-dhcp: Live Stream"
            },
            "type": "Search"
        }

To exclude messages matching *cached*, add a second filter entry:

json
      "filter": [
          {
              "field": "program",
              "op": "eq",
              "value": [
                  "dnsmasq*"
              ]
          },
          {
              "field": "message",
              "op": "ne",
              "value": [
                  "*cached*"
              ]
          }
      ],

Step 3: Importing the Modified Dashboard

Remove the existing dashboard before importing the modified copy:

bash
logzilla dashboards remove "Linux: dnsmasq Events"

text
These dashboards will be removed:
id: 270, title: Linux: dnsmasq Events, public: False, widgets: 4
Do you want to remove all selected dashboards [Y/n]

After confirming removal, import the modified file:

bash
logzilla dashboards import -I linux-dnsmasq-events.dashboard.json

The absence of output indicates a successful import. Refreshing the LogZilla UI shows the updated dashboard:

Dashboard without Cached Events

The widget now displays only the desired event types.

Dashboard Import Export | LogZilla Documentation