Enhancing Visualization in IcingaWeb2: From Markdown to Metrics

This talk introduces a suite of visualization modules we’ve developed to enhance the user experience in IcingaWeb2. These tools aim to simplify and enrich the way monitoring data is presented, making dashboards more flexible, informative, and user-friendly.

CustomDocs
The first module is based on a simple yet powerful idea: adding custom text to dashboards. Leveraging the existing markdown rendering capabilities of the docs module, this extension allows single Markdown files to be embedded, viewed, and edited directly in IcingaWeb2. It also supports displaying images, PDFs, and plain text, making it a versatile documentation and annotation tool within IcingaWeb2.

Timeseries
This module serves as a lightweight alternative to NagVis by integrating Grafana into IcingaWeb2 using token-based and proxy authentication. While Grafana excels at creating beautiful dashboards, seamless integration with IcingaWeb2 has been lacking. Timeseries addresses this by rendering Grafana folders and dashboards as native menu items in IcingaWeb2, providing a smoother and more intuitive navigation experience.

VisLab
VisLab integrates Chart.js to visualize performance data directly in IcingaWeb2. It is based on the Grafana module and it supports InfluxDB 1.x, InfluxDB 2.x, and VictoriaMetrics. If the metric unit is not available from the time-series database, it is automatically fetched from the latest performance data. Custom hooks allow additional data sources to be integrated, offering a flexible and extensible solution for real-time metrics visualization.

IcingaDB Reports
Building on the reporting capabilities of the IcingaDB module, this tool provides tailored reports suited to specific operational needs. You can filter for business hours (e.g., 9×5) or exclude specific dates such as public holidays. The module supports importing iCalendar (.ics) files for custom scheduling. Reports can include detailed time-based breakdowns of states (critical, unknown, warning), and account for periods under scheduled downtimes.

Conclusion
These modules are designed to offer practical, powerful visualization tools that enhance day-to-day monitoring with IcingaWeb2. Whether it’s embedding documentation, integrating external dashboards, or rendering performance data natively, this toolkit brings clarity and customization to your monitoring setup.