Share Grafana Dashboards Publicly: A No-Login Guide

by Alex Braham 52 views

Hey guys! Ever wanted to share your awesome Grafana dashboards with the world (or just your team without them needing to log in)? It's totally doable, and this guide will walk you through several methods to make your Grafana dashboards public without requiring authentication. We'll cover everything from using built-in features like snapshot and public dashboards to more advanced techniques like reverse proxies. Let's dive in!

Understanding the Need for Public Dashboards

Before we jump into the how-to, let's quickly address why you might want to share your Grafana dashboards publicly. There are many reasons, and understanding these reasons can help you choose the best method for sharing.

  • Transparency: Sharing dashboards publicly promotes transparency, allowing stakeholders to see real-time data and insights. This is particularly useful for open-source projects, community initiatives, or internal teams wanting to keep everyone in the loop.
  • Collaboration: Public dashboards facilitate collaboration by providing a common view of metrics and KPIs. Team members can easily access and discuss the data without needing individual Grafana accounts.
  • External Reporting: You might want to embed a Grafana dashboard in a public website or report. This allows you to showcase key performance indicators (KPIs) to external audiences, such as customers, investors, or the general public.
  • Ease of Access: Let's be real, sometimes you just want to share a dashboard quickly without the hassle of managing user accounts and permissions. Public dashboards offer a simple and straightforward way to share data with anyone.

However, it's crucial to consider the security implications of making dashboards public. Sensitive data should never be exposed without proper precautions. We'll discuss security considerations throughout this guide.

Method 1: Using Grafana Snapshots

One of the simplest ways to share a Grafana dashboard without requiring a login is by using snapshots. Snapshots create a portable version of your dashboard that includes all the panels, data, and settings at a specific point in time. Let's break down how to create and share them. This method is great for sharing a static view of your data.

Creating a Snapshot

  1. Open the Dashboard: Navigate to the Grafana dashboard you want to share.
  2. Share Button: Click the Share button at the top right of the dashboard.
  3. Snapshot Tab: In the Share panel, select the Snapshot tab.
  4. Snapshot Options:
    • Local Snapshot: This creates a snapshot that is stored locally on your Grafana server. It's suitable for internal sharing.
    • grafana.com: This option publishes the snapshot to the Grafana Labs snapshot service. It's a convenient way to share dashboards publicly, but be aware that the snapshot will be accessible to anyone with the link. Use this cautiously if the data isn't meant to be public.
  5. Publish: Click the Publish to grafana.com or Create Local Snapshot button.
  6. Copy the Link: Once the snapshot is created, you'll receive a link. Share this link with anyone you want to view the dashboard.

Sharing and Viewing Snapshots

When someone clicks the snapshot link, they'll see a read-only version of your dashboard exactly as it was when the snapshot was created. They won't need a Grafana account or login credentials. Keep in mind that snapshots are static; they don't update with real-time data.

Considerations for Snapshots

  • Data Sensitivity: Never include sensitive data in snapshots. Once a snapshot is created, it's out of your control.
  • Snapshot Expiration: Snapshots on grafana.com are publicly accessible unless deleted. Be mindful of how long you want the snapshot to be available.
  • No Interactivity: Snapshots are static images of your dashboard. Viewers can't interact with the panels or change the time range.

Method 2: Making a Dashboard Public (If Supported)

Some Grafana setups allow you to make a dashboard directly public. This feature might not be available in all Grafana installations, especially if security is tightly controlled. However, if it's an option, it's one of the easiest ways to share your dashboards without requiring login. This method often requires admin privileges. Make sure the Grafana version supports the 'anonymous access' feature.

Checking for Anonymous Access

First, you'll need to check if anonymous access is enabled in your Grafana configuration file (grafana.ini). Look for the [auth.anonymous] section. If it exists, ensure that enabled is set to true.

[auth.anonymous]
enabled = true
org_name = Main Org.
org_role = Viewer
  • enabled = true: This enables anonymous access.
  • org_name: Specifies the organization to assign anonymous users to.
  • org_role: Sets the default role for anonymous users (e.g., Viewer, Editor).

Making a Dashboard Public

  1. Dashboard Settings: Navigate to the dashboard you want to make public.
  2. Permissions: Go to the dashboard settings (usually a gear icon) and look for a Permissions or ACL (Access Control List) section.
  3. Add Anonymous Access: Add a permission entry for the Anonymous user and grant them View access.
  4. Save: Save the dashboard settings.

Now, anyone with the dashboard URL should be able to view it without logging in. This is a live, updating dashboard, unlike a snapshot.

Security Implications

Making a dashboard public via anonymous access has significant security implications:

  • Data Exposure: Ensure that the dashboard doesn't contain sensitive data.
  • Potential Abuse: Be aware that anyone can access the dashboard, including malicious actors.
  • Limited Control: You have limited control over who accesses the dashboard.

Revoking Access

To revoke public access, simply remove the Anonymous user's permission from the dashboard settings or disable anonymous access in the Grafana configuration file.

Method 3: Using a Reverse Proxy

A more advanced technique is to use a reverse proxy like Nginx or Apache to provide access to specific Grafana dashboards without requiring authentication. This method offers more control and security than simply enabling anonymous access.

Setting Up a Reverse Proxy

  1. Install and Configure Nginx/Apache: Set up a reverse proxy server like Nginx or Apache. This is outside the scope of this guide, but there are tons of great tutorials online.
  2. Configure Authentication (Optional): You can add authentication to the reverse proxy level, requiring users to authenticate before accessing the Grafana dashboard. This adds an extra layer of security.
  3. Proxy Pass: Configure the reverse proxy to forward requests to the Grafana server for specific dashboard URLs. For example, you can set up a rule that forwards requests to yourdomain.com/public-dashboard to your Grafana server.

Here's an example Nginx configuration:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name yourdomain.com;

    location /public-dashboard/ {
        proxy_pass http://grafana-server:3000/d/YOUR_DASHBOARD_UID;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    }
}

Replace yourdomain.com with your domain name, grafana-server:3000 with the address of your Grafana server, and YOUR_DASHBOARD_UID with the unique identifier of your dashboard.

Securing the Reverse Proxy

  • HTTPS: Always use HTTPS to encrypt traffic between the client and the reverse proxy.
  • Authentication: Consider adding authentication to the reverse proxy to control access to the dashboard.
  • Firewall: Configure your firewall to only allow traffic to the Grafana server from the reverse proxy.

Advantages of Using a Reverse Proxy

  • Security: Provides better security than anonymous access by allowing you to control access at the reverse proxy level.
  • Customization: Allows you to customize the URL and appearance of the public dashboard.
  • Flexibility: Offers more flexibility in terms of authentication and authorization.

Method 4: Embedding Grafana Dashboards

Another way to share Grafana dashboards without requiring login is by embedding them into other web pages or applications. This allows you to integrate Grafana visualizations seamlessly into your existing infrastructure. You can embed Grafana dashboards using iframes.

Generating the Embed Code

  1. Share Button: Click the Share button at the top right of the dashboard.
  2. Embed Tab: In the Share panel, select the Embed tab.
  3. Copy the Iframe Code: Copy the generated iframe code.

Embedding the Dashboard

Paste the iframe code into the HTML of your web page or application. You may need to adjust the width and height attributes of the iframe to fit your layout.

<iframe src="http://your-grafana-server:3000/d-solo/YOUR_DASHBOARD_UID?orgId=1&panelId=2" width="600" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Replace http://your-grafana-server:3000 with the address of your Grafana server and YOUR_DASHBOARD_UID with the unique identifier of your dashboard. The panelId parameter specifies which panel to display.

Considerations for Embedding

  • Anonymous Access: Embedding a dashboard typically requires anonymous access to be enabled in Grafana. Otherwise, users will be prompted to log in.
  • Security: Be mindful of the security implications of enabling anonymous access. Only embed dashboards that don't contain sensitive data.
  • Customization: You can customize the appearance of the embedded dashboard by modifying the URL parameters. For example, you can hide the Grafana header or change the theme.

Security Best Practices

No matter which method you choose, always prioritize security when sharing Grafana dashboards publicly. Here are some best practices to follow:

  • Data Sanitization: Ensure that your dashboards don't contain any sensitive data that shouldn't be exposed publicly.
  • Rate Limiting: Implement rate limiting to prevent abuse and protect your Grafana server from being overwhelmed.
  • Regular Audits: Regularly audit your Grafana configuration and dashboards to identify and address any security vulnerabilities.
  • Least Privilege: Grant the minimum necessary permissions to anonymous users. Avoid giving them Editor or Admin roles.
  • Monitoring: Monitor your Grafana server for suspicious activity and unusual traffic patterns.

Conclusion

Sharing Grafana dashboards publicly without requiring login can be a powerful way to promote transparency, collaboration, and external reporting. Whether you choose to use snapshots, public dashboards, reverse proxies, or embedding, always be mindful of the security implications and follow best practices to protect your data. By carefully considering your options and implementing appropriate security measures, you can effectively share your Grafana dashboards with the world while keeping your data safe.

So there you have it! Several ways to share your Grafana dashboards without making everyone create an account. Choose the method that best fits your needs and always keep security in mind. Happy dashboarding!