Dashboards

Kloudfuse uses dashboards to visualize metrics, logs, and trace data across infrastructure and applications.

At the top level, the dashboard interface provides three key actions:

Dashboard List

Dashboard List

The Dashboard List view lets you:

  • View existing dashboards.

  • Add, edit, export, or delete dashboards.

  • Group dashboards into folders for organization and RBAC.

  • Search dashboards using name, tags, or filters.

For folder management, refer to Organize Dashboards with Folders for more details.

Create a Dashboard

Use dashboards to bring metrics, logs, and traces together in a single view. A new dashboard provides a blank canvas where you can add panels and configure layouts.

Steps to create a dashboard

  1. In the top navigation bar, click the Dashboards tab.

  2. Click + Create New Dashboard.

    Create New Dashboard
  3. Enter a Name for your dashboard.

  4. Add one or more panels to begin visualizing data.

  5. Click Save to add the panel to the dashboard. Repeat to add as many panels you want.

  6. After adding all required panels, click Save Dashboard to save it to the dashboard list.

  7. (Optional) Add a Description to explain its purpose or audience.

  8. (Optional) Select a Folder to organize it and apply RBAC permissions.

New dashboards start empty. Add panels right away to make the dashboard useful.

Add a Panel to a Dashboard

Panels are the building blocks of a Kloudfuse dashboard. Each panel represents a visualization of your observability data—whether it’s time-series metrics, aggregated lists, log events, or static content.

Use panels to create focused, actionable views of infrastructure or application performance.

Add a New Panel

  1. Go to the Dashboards tab.

  2. Open the dashboard where you want to add the panel.

  3. Click Add Panel in the top action bar.

    Add Panel
  4. In the Add Panel screen:

    • Select a panel type that best fits your data.

    • Choose a Data Source (metrics, logs, or traces).

    • Configure visualization and query settings for that panel type.

      Types of Panels
  5. Click Save to add the panel to your dashboard layout.

For more details, refer to Panel types.

Best Practices

  • Use meaningful panel titles to help users quickly identify the purpose of each visualization.

  • Limit the number of panels per dashboard to keep load times fast.

  • Group related panels using a Row panel for better organization.

  • Apply filters or variables to make panels reusable across teams and environments.

Panel Types

Use different panels to display the data that matter to you:

Timeseries panel icon

The Timeseries panel displays metrics over time. Use it to monitor trends, detect anomalies, and compare multiple series in a single view. For details, see Timeseries.

Timeseries

The Timeseries panel displays metrics over time. Use it to monitor trends, detect anomalies, and compare multiple series in a single view.

Add a Timeseries Panel

  1. Open the dashboard where you want the panel.

  2. Click Add Panel.

  3. In Choose Visualization, select Timeseries.

  4. In Graph your data, click Select a metric and build your query.

  5. Enter a descriptive Title.

  6. Click Save to add the panel.

Select Timeseries Visualization

Build queries (Graph your data)

The query builder controls which metrics appear and how they are aggregated.

dashboard timeseries graph your data
  1. Click Add Query to create one query. Repeat to add more.

  2. Click Select a metric to choose a metric name.

  3. Use From to pick the metric source or namespace.

  4. Click Add Label to filter on label values, (for example, pod=web, env=prod).

  5. Select an Aggregation (for example, min, max, sum, avg) to reduce raw samples to a single value per time interval.

  6. Use the Select dropdown (if available) to set the aggregation interval, (for example, 1m, 5m).

  7. Click Add Functions to transform your data:

    Examples: rate(), derivative(), moving_avg(), scale().

    Select Metric and Configure Settings

Query order determines formula identifiers: first query = a, second = b. Assign aliases to make formulas more readable.

Apply functions

Functions modify your time series after aggregation:

dashboard timeseries add function
  • rate() — Convert cumulative counters into per-second rates.

  • moving_avg() — Smooth short-term fluctuations.

  • scale() — Multiply values by a constant.

  • round() — Reduce decimal precision.

Complex function chains can slow panel rendering. Test performance with your expected time range before saving.

Add formulas

Formulas calculate new series from existing queries.

  1. Click Add Formula.

  2. Reference queries by letter (a, b, etc.) or alias.

  3. Enter the expression and click Apply.

Example — double a series:

2*a

Example — scale b by 100 and add to a:

a + 100*b
  • Use parentheses to control precedence: 2*(a + b) vs. 2*a + b.

  • Formulas align or interpolate time points if queries have different intervals.

  • Add a Label so the formula appears clearly in the legend.

Customize appearance

In the Settings tab, you can:

  • Set y-axis units.

  • Choose line, point, or bar styles.

  • Add thresholds for critical values.

  • Configure legend placement and content.

Timeseries Style Settings

Best practices

  • Alias queries before creating formulas.

  • Keep formulas simple and verify results with a short time range.

  • Use server-side aggregations when possible to improve performance.

  • Document complex logic in the panel Description.

Top List

The Top List panel ranks metric values and displays them in list format. Use it to identify the highest or lowest values for a specific metric across labels such as hosts, namespaces, or services.

Add a Top List Panel

  1. Open the dashboard where you want the panel.

  2. Click Add Panel.

    Add Panel
  3. In Choose Visualization, select Top List.

    Select Top List Visualization
  4. In Graph your data, click Select a metric to start building your query.

  5. Enter a descriptive Title.

  6. Click Save to add the panel.

Build queries (Graph your data)

The query builder defines which metrics are ranked and how they are displayed.

  1. Click Add Query to create a query. Repeat to add more.

  2. Click Select a metric to choose the metric name.

  3. Use From to pick the metric source or namespace.

  4. Click Add Label to group results by label values (for example, host, pod, region).

  5. Select an Aggregation (for example, sum, avg, max, min) to combine values per label.

  6. Use the Select dropdown (if available) to set the aggregation interval.

  7. Click Add Functions to apply transformations (for example, scaling or unit conversion).

Select Metric and Configure Settings

If multiple queries are added, you can sort and display results from each independently or combine them using formulas.

Configure ranking

  • Sort order — Choose ascending (lowest first) or descending (highest first).

  • Limit — Set the number of results to display (for example, Top 5, Top 10).

  • Display units — Apply unit formatting to values (for example, bytes, ms, percentage).

Apply functions

Functions let you modify the values before ranking.

Examples: * scale() — Multiply all values by a constant. * round() — Reduce decimal precision. * moving_avg() — Smooth values before sorting.

Applying expensive transformations to large datasets can impact performance. Test with shorter time ranges when building complex panels.

Add formulas

Formulas can calculate new values before ranking.

Example — double the values:

2*a

Example — compute percentage change between two queries:

((a - b) / b) * 100

Use short aliases (a, b) or meaningful names in the query list for clearer formulas.

Customize appearance

In the Settings tab, you can:

  • Choose list alignment (horizontal or vertical).

  • Show or hide value bars next to labels.

  • Set thresholds to color results based on value.

  • Adjust font size and spacing.

Best practices

  • Always label metrics meaningfully in the legend.

  • Limit the number of displayed results to improve readability.

  • Apply sorting and thresholds to highlight critical items.

  • Use consistent units for easier comparison across dashboards.

Pie Chart

The Pie Chart panel displays how a metric’s values are distributed across categories. Use it to visualize proportions, compare categories, and highlight dominant contributors.

Add a Pie Chart panel

  1. Open the dashboard where you want the panel.

  2. Click Add Panel.

  3. In Choose Visualization, select Pie Chart.

    Select Pie Chart Visualization
  4. Build your query in Graph your data to return a metric and grouping field.

  5. Enter a descriptive Title.

  6. Click Save to add the panel.

Build queries (Graph your data)

The Graph your data section defines which metrics are displayed and how they are processed before visualization. These steps apply to most panel types in Kloudfuse.

  1. Click Add Query to create a new query. Repeat to add multiple queries.

  2. Click Select a metric to choose the metric name you want to query.

  3. Use From to select the metric source or namespace.

  4. Click Add Label to filter results by label values (for example: pod=web, env=prod).

  5. Select an Aggregation (for example: min, max, sum, avg) to reduce raw samples to one value per time interval.

  6. Use the Select dropdown (if available) to set the aggregation interval (for example: 1m, 5m).

  7. Click Add Functions to apply transformations to your data.

    Common examples: * rate() — Convert counters to rates. * derivative() — Show the rate of change. * moving_avg() — Smooth short-term fluctuations. * scale() — Multiply values by a constant.

Query order determines formula identifiers: the first query = a, second = b, etc. Assign aliases to queries for more readable formulas.

Add formulas

Use formulas to create new series from existing queries.

  1. Click Add Formula in Graph your data.

  2. Reference queries by their letter (a, b, …) or alias.

  3. Enter your expression and click Apply.

Example — double a series:

2*a

Example — percentage change between two queries:

((a - b) / b) * 100
  • Use parentheses to control precedence: 2*(a + b) vs. 2*a + b.

  • If queries return different intervals, the formula engine aligns or interpolates values.

  • Add a Label so the formula appears meaningfully in the legend.

Pie Chart–specific settings

Once your query returns grouped data:

  • Group by — Choose a field to define the pie slices (for example: host, service, region).

  • Aggregation — Select a method to calculate slice values (for example: sum, avg, max, min).

  • Slice labels — Display category names, percentages, values, or a combination.

  • Color palette — Assign consistent colors to categories for easier recognition.

  • Legend placement — Show legends inside or outside the chart.

  • Donut mode — Optionally display as a donut chart by enabling the center hole.

Best practices

  • Group by dimensions that meaningfully segment your data.

  • Limit the number of slices to avoid clutter (merge small slices into “Other” if available).

  • Use a consistent color palette across related dashboards for familiarity.

Host Map

The Host Map panel displays host-level metrics in a color-coded grid layout. Use it to monitor CPU, memory, disk, or other resource utilization across multiple hosts at a glance.

Add a Host Map panel

  1. Open the dashboard where you want the panel.

  2. Click Add Panel.

  3. In Choose Visualization, select Host Map.

    Select Host Map Visualization
  4. Build your metric query in Graph your data.

  5. Enter a descriptive Title.

  6. Click Save to add the panel.

Build queries (Graph your data)

The Graph your data section defines which metrics are displayed and how they are processed before visualization. These steps apply to most panel types in Kloudfuse.

  1. Click Add Query to create a new query. Repeat to add multiple queries.

  2. Click Select a metric to choose the metric name you want to query.

  3. Use From to select the metric source or namespace.

  4. Click Add Label to filter results by label values (for example: pod=web, env=prod).

  5. Select an Aggregation (for example: min, max, sum, avg) to reduce raw samples to one value per time interval.

  6. Use the Select dropdown (if available) to set the aggregation interval (for example: 1m, 5m).

  7. Click Add Functions to apply transformations to your data.

    Common examples: * rate() — Convert counters to rates. * derivative() — Show the rate of change. * moving_avg() — Smooth short-term fluctuations. * scale() — Multiply values by a constant.

Query order determines formula identifiers: the first query = a, second = b, etc. Assign aliases to queries for more readable formulas.

Add formulas

Use formulas to create new series from existing queries.

  1. Click Add Formula in Graph your data.

  2. Reference queries by their letter (a, b, …) or alias.

  3. Enter your expression and click Apply.

Example — double a series:

2*a

Example — percentage change between two queries:

((a - b) / b) * 100
  • Use parentheses to control precedence: 2*(a + b) vs. 2*a + b.

  • If queries return different intervals, the formula engine aligns or interpolates values.

  • Add a Label so the formula appears meaningfully in the legend.

Host Map–specific settings

Once your metric is selected:

  • Metric — Choose the host-level metric to display, such as CPU usage, memory consumption, disk I/O, or network throughput.

  • Group by — Group data by host, cluster, availability_zone, or other relevant labels.

  • Color scheme — Map metric values to colors to highlight high/low usage.

  • Layout — Adjust grid spacing, tile size, and sorting to improve readability.

  • Value display — Show or hide numeric values on each tile.

  • Thresholds — Add color-based thresholds to signal warning or critical conditions.

Best practices

  • Use consistent grouping (e.g., always group by host) to keep dashboards predictable.

  • Keep tile counts reasonable — too many hosts in one panel may make patterns harder to spot.

  • Pair Host Map with detailed Timeseries or Top List panels for drill-down analysis.

Log Events

The Log Events panel shows log entries that match specific filters. Use it to monitor error rates, trace issues, or watch for specific application or infrastructure events in real time.

Add a Log Events panel

  1. Open the dashboard where you want the panel.

  2. Click Add Panel.

  3. In Choose Visualization, select Log Events.

    Select Log Events Visualization
  4. Build your log query in Graph your data to define the log source and filters.

  5. Enter a descriptive Title.

  6. Click Save to add the panel.

Build queries (Graph your data)

Build queries (Graph your data)

The Graph your data section defines which metrics are displayed and how they are processed before visualization. These steps apply to most panel types in Kloudfuse.

  1. Click Add Query to create a new query. Repeat to add multiple queries.

  2. Click Select a metric to choose the metric name you want to query.

  3. Use From to select the metric source or namespace.

  4. Click Add Label to filter results by label values (for example: pod=web, env=prod).

  5. Select an Aggregation (for example: min, max, sum, avg) to reduce raw samples to one value per time interval.

  6. Use the Select dropdown (if available) to set the aggregation interval (for example: 1m, 5m).

  7. Click Add Functions to apply transformations to your data.

    Common examples: * rate() — Convert counters to rates. * derivative() — Show the rate of change. * moving_avg() — Smooth short-term fluctuations. * scale() — Multiply values by a constant.

Query order determines formula identifiers: the first query = a, second = b, etc. Assign aliases to queries for more readable formulas.

Add formulas

Use formulas to create new series from existing queries.

  1. Click Add Formula in Graph your data.

  2. Reference queries by their letter (a, b, …) or alias.

  3. Enter your expression and click Apply.

Example — double a series:

2*a

Example — percentage change between two queries:

((a - b) / b) * 100
  • Use parentheses to control precedence: 2*(a + b) vs. 2*a + b.

  • If queries return different intervals, the formula engine aligns or interpolates values.

  • Add a Label so the formula appears meaningfully in the legend.

Log Events–specific settings

Once your log source is selected:

  • Log source — Choose the dataset, index, or stream that stores your logs.

  • Time window — Define the time range for displayed logs (e.g., Last 5 minutes, Last 24 hours).

  • Filters — Apply field-based filters (for example: level=error, service=api, `pod=f*

Text

Use the Text panel to display static content or markdown.

  1. Click Add Panel.

  2. Select Text.

    dashboard add panels list
  3. Enter title and body text (supports markdown).

    dashboard text panel
  4. Click Save.

Row

Use Row to group related panels horizontally.

  1. Click Add Panel.

  2. Select Row.

    dashboard add row 1
  3. Provide a title.

    dashboard add row 2
  4. Click Save.

  5. Add panels inside this row.

Manage Panels in a Dashboard

Use panel management actions to arrange and customize dashboards for better readability and analysis.

Resize a panel

  1. Hover over the panel edge until the resize cursor appears.

  2. Drag horizontally or vertically to adjust the panel’s width or height.

  3. Release to apply the new size.

Move a panel

  1. Hover over the panel header.

  2. Drag and drop the panel to a new position in the grid layout.

  3. The dashboard auto-adjusts surrounding panels to fit.

Configure panel settings

Manage Panel
  1. Click the gear icon in the panel’s header.

  2. Adjust data queries, visualization settings, thresholds, or display options.

  3. Click Apply to save changes.

Duplicate or remove a panel

Manage Panel
  1. Open the panel menu (three-dot icon).

  2. Choose Duplicate to duplicate the panel with all current settings.

  3. Choose Delete Panel to remove the panel from the dashboard.

    Deleting a panel permanently removes it from the dashboard. This action cannot be undone unless you restore from a saved JSON export.

Best practices

  • Group related panels together to make dashboards easier to scan.

  • Keep panel sizes consistent for similar visualizations.

  • Use panel descriptions to explain the purpose or data source for future maintainers.

Import a Dashboard

Use the import feature to add dashboards from saved JSON files or shared templates. This is useful for reusing dashboards across environments or restoring from a backup.

Import a dashboard from JSON

  1. Open the Dashboards section in the Kloudfuse UI.

  2. Click Import Dashboard JSON.

    Import Dashboard
  3. Select and upload a .json file from your local system.

    Upload Dashboard JSON
  4. Review the imported dashboard details, such as title, folder assignment, and variables.

  5. (Optional) Change the folder to control access and organization.

  6. Click Import Dashboard to complete the process.

If the dashboard UID in the JSON matches an existing dashboard, Kloudfuse prompts you before overwriting. Choose Replace to overwrite or Cancel to keep the existing dashboard.

Best practices

  • Always export a backup of existing dashboards before importing changes.

  • Keep versioned JSON files in source control for easier rollback.

  • Update any data source or variable references after import to match your environment.

Edit a Dashboard

Use the edit feature to update dashboard metadata, adjust variables, or change panel layouts without recreating the dashboard from scratch.

Edit dashboard settings

  1. Navigate to the Dashboards list and open the dashboard you want to modify.

  2. Click the Edit icon (pencil) in the top toolbar.

  3. Update dashboard-level details:

    • Title — Change the display name.

    • Description — Explain the dashboard’s purpose or scope.

    • Tags — Add searchable keywords for filtering.

    • Folder — Reassign to control access or improve organization.

    • Time range — Set default time window for all panels.

    • Variables — Edit defaults for dynamic filtering.

  4. Click Save dashboard to apply settings.

Modify dashboard panels

  • Edit a panel — Click the panel title, choose Edit, and adjust the query, visualization type, or style.

  • Add a new panel — Use Add Panel to introduce new visualizations.

  • Rearrange panels — Drag and drop to change layout.

  • Resize panels — Drag edges to adjust width and height.

  • Remove panels — Use the panel menu to delete unwanted visualizations.

Changes are saved at the dashboard level. Always review the layout after edits to ensure important panels remain visible and logically grouped.

Best practices

  • Keep dashboard names short but descriptive.

  • Group related panels visually for quick scanning.

  • Regularly review and remove obsolete panels to avoid clutter.

  • Test time range and variable settings after edits to confirm they work as expected.

Dashboard Actions Menu

The Actions menu, located in the top-right corner of a dashboard, provides quick access to configuration options, variables, JSON export, and deletion tools.

Dashboard Actions Menu

Basic Settings

Update core properties of the dashboard:

  • Title — Display name shown in the dashboard list and header.

  • Description — Short text describing the dashboard’s purpose or content focus.

  • Folder — Assign the dashboard to a folder for organization and RBAC control.

  • Tags — Add searchable labels for easier discovery.

View Metadata

At the bottom of the settings dialog, you can view:

  • Created At / Updated At — Date and time stamps.

  • Created By / Updated By — User details, if available.

Save or Cancel Changes

  1. Click Save dashboard to confirm changes.

  2. Click Cancel to close without saving.

Dashboard JSON Diff View

Use the JSON Diff tab in the Save Dashboard dialog to view changes made to the dashboard configuration before saving.

dashboard json

Purpose

The diff view shows what has changed between the current and saved versions of the dashboard. This includes edits to:

  • Panel settings

  • Variable definitions

  • Visualization properties

  • Layout metadata

How It Works

  • Removed lines are shown in red with a minus (-)

  • Added lines are shown in green with a plus (+)

  • Collapsed blocks show how many lines are hidden — click Expand to view them

When to Use

Use the diff to:

  • Validate edits before saving

  • Avoid accidental overwrites

  • Compare versions when troubleshooting panel behavior

Actions

  1. Review the diff output.

  2. Click Save dashboard to confirm and apply the changes.

  3. Or click Cancel to discard.

The diff is generated automatically. No edits can be made directly in this view.

Configure Dashboard Variables

Dashboard variables act as placeholders in panel queries. They allow dashboards to adapt based on user selections—such as cluster, namespace, environment, or service—without changing the underlying queries.

Export Dashboard JSON

Download the complete .json definition for:

  • Backup purposes.

  • Migration to another Kloudfuse instance.

  • Manual editing outside the UI.

Copy Dashboard JSON

Copy the dashboard’s JSON to your clipboard for quick sharing in chat, version control, or support requests.

Delete Dashboard

Permanently remove the dashboard from Kloudfuse.

Once deleted, dashboards cannot be recovered unless previously exported.

Organize Dashboards with Folders

Use folders to group dashboards by service, environment, or team ownership. Folders also help apply RBAC scopes for access control.

Create a Folder

  1. Go to the Dashboards tab.

  2. Click + Add new folder.

    Add New Folder
  3. Enter a folder name.

  4. Confirm to save.

Assign a Dashboard to a Folder

You must choose a folder when saving or editing a dashboard.

  1. Click Save dashboard.

  2. In the Folder dropdown, select a folder from the list.

    Select Folder While Saving
  3. Click Save dashboard to confirm.

Folder selection must be done during dashboard creation or editing.

Rename or Delete a Folder

  1. Click the Folder Options menu.

  2. Choose Rename or Delete.

Deleting a folder does not delete dashboards inside it. They return to the ungrouped list.

Why Use Folders

  • Organize dashboards logically (e.g., by team, service, environment).

  • Assign RBAC access per folder.

  • Improve discoverability and reduce clutter.

Use consistent naming (e.g., team-service-env) to standardize dashboard grouping.