--- aliases: - ../installation/provisioning/ description: Describes provisioning settings for Grafana using configuration files. keywords: - grafana - provisioning title: Provision Grafana weight: 600 --- # Provision Grafana In previous versions of Grafana, you could only use the API for provisioning data sources and dashboards. But that required the service to be running before you started creating dashboards and you also needed to set up credentials for the HTTP API. In v5.0 we decided to improve this experience by adding a new active provisioning system that uses config files. This will make GitOps more natural as data sources and dashboards can be defined via files that can be version controlled. We hope to extend this system to later add support for users, orgs and alerts as well. ## Config File See [Configuration]({{< relref "../../setup-grafana/configure-grafana/" >}}) for more information on what you can configure in `grafana.ini`. ### Config File Locations - Default configuration from `$WORKING_DIR/conf/defaults.ini` - Custom configuration from `$WORKING_DIR/conf/custom.ini` - The custom configuration file path can be overridden using the `--config` parameter {{% admonition type="note" %}} If you have installed Grafana using the `deb` or `rpm` packages, then your configuration file is located at `/etc/grafana/grafana.ini`. This path is specified in the Grafana init.d script using `--config` file parameter. {{% /admonition %}} ### Using Environment Variables It is possible to use environment variable interpolation in all 3 provisioning configuration types. Allowed syntax is either `$ENV_VAR_NAME` or `${ENV_VAR_NAME}` and can be used only for values not for keys or bigger parts of the configurations. It is not available in the dashboard's definition files just the dashboard provisioning configuration. Example: ```yaml datasources: - name: Graphite url: http://localhost:$PORT user: $USER secureJsonData: password: $PASSWORD ``` If you have a literal `$` in your value and want to avoid interpolation, `$$` can be used.
## Configuration Management Tools Currently we do not provide any scripts/manifests for configuring Grafana. Rather than spending time learning and creating scripts/manifests for each tool, we think our time is better spent making Grafana easier to provision. Therefore, we heavily rely on the expertise of the community. | Tool | Project | | --------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Puppet | [https://forge.puppet.com/puppet/grafana](https://forge.puppet.com/puppet/grafana) | | Ansible | [https://github.com/cloudalchemy/ansible-grafana](https://github.com/cloudalchemy/ansible-grafana) | | Chef | [https://github.com/sous-chefs/chef-grafana](https://github.com/sous-chefs/chef-grafana) | | Saltstack | [https://github.com/salt-formulas/salt-formula-grafana](https://github.com/salt-formulas/salt-formula-grafana) | | Jsonnet | [https://github.com/grafana/grafonnet-lib/](https://github.com/grafana/grafonnet-lib/) | ## Data sources {{% admonition type="note" %}} Available in Grafana v5.0 and higher. {{% /admonition %}} You can manage data sources in Grafana by adding YAML configuration files in the [`provisioning/datasources`]({{< relref "../../setup-grafana/configure-grafana#provisioning" >}}) directory. Each config file can contain a list of `datasources` to add or update during startup. If the data source already exists, Grafana reconfigures it to match the provisioned configuration file. The configuration file can also list data sources to automatically delete, called `deleteDatasources`. Grafana deletes the data sources listed in `deleteDatasources` _before_ adding or updating those in the `datasources` list. ### Running multiple Grafana instances If you run multiple instances of Grafana, add a version number to each data source in the configuration and increase it when you update the configuration. Grafana updates only data sources with the same or lower version number than specified in the config. This prevents old configurations from overwriting newer ones if you have different versions of the `datasource.yaml` file that don't define version numbers, and then restart instances at the same time. ### Example data source config file This example provisions a [Graphite data source]({{< relref "../../datasources/graphite" >}}): ```yaml # Configuration file version apiVersion: 1 # List of data sources to delete from the database. deleteDatasources: - name: Graphite orgId: 1 # List of data sources to insert/update depending on what's # available in the database. datasources: # Sets the name you use to refer to # the data source in panels and queries. - name: Graphite # Sets the data source type. type: graphite # Sets the access mode, either # proxy or direct (Server or Browser in the UI). # Some data sources are incompatible with any setting # but proxy (Server). access: proxy # Sets the organization id. Defaults to orgId 1. orgId: 1 # Sets a custom UID to reference this # data source in other parts of the configuration. # If not specified, Grafana generates one. uid: my_unique_uid # Sets the data source's URL, including the # port. url: http://localhost:8080 # Sets the database user, if necessary. user: # Sets the database name, if necessary. database: # Enables basic authorization. basicAuth: # Sets the basic authorization username. basicAuthUser: # Enables credential headers. withCredentials: # Toggles whether the data source is pre-selected # for new panels. You can set only one default # data source per organization. isDefault: # Fields to convert to JSON and store in jsonData. jsonData: # Defines the Graphite service's version. graphiteVersion: '1.1' # Enables TLS authentication using a client # certificate configured in secureJsonData. tlsAuth: true # Enables TLS authentication using a CA # certificate. tlsAuthWithCACert: true # Fields to encrypt before storing in jsonData. secureJsonData: # Defines the CA cert, client cert, and # client key for encrypted authentication. tlsCACert: '...' tlsClientCert: '...' tlsClientKey: '...' # Sets the database password, if necessary. password: # Sets the basic authorization password. basicAuthPassword: version: 1 # Allows users to edit data sources from the # Grafana UI. editable: false ``` For provisioning examples of specific data sources, refer to that [data source's documentation]({{< relref "../../datasources" >}}). #### JSON Data Since not all data sources have the same configuration settings, we include only the most common ones as fields. To provision the rest of a data source's settings, include them as a JSON blob in the `jsonData` field. Common settings in the [built-in core data sources]({{< relref "../../datasources#built-in-core-data-sources" >}}) include: {{% admonition type="note" %}} Data sources tagged with _HTTP\*_ communicate using the HTTP protocol, which includes all core data source plugins except MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MSSQL. {{% /admonition %}} | Name | Type | Data source | Description | | ----------------------------- | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | tlsAuth | boolean | _HTTP\*_, MySQL | Enable TLS authentication using client cert configured in secure json data | | tlsAuthWithCACert | boolean | _HTTP\*_, MySQL, PostgreSQL | Enable TLS authentication using CA cert | | tlsSkipVerify | boolean | _HTTP\*_, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MSSQL | Controls whether a client verifies the server's certificate chain and host name. | | serverName | string | _HTTP\*_, MSSQL | Optional. Controls the server name used for certificate common name/subject alternative name verification. Defaults to using the data source URL. | | timeout | string | _HTTP\*_ | Request timeout in seconds. Overrides dataproxy.timeout option | | graphiteVersion | string | Graphite | Graphite version | | timeInterval | string | Prometheus, Elasticsearch, InfluxDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL and MSSQL | Lowest interval/step value that should be used for this data source. | | httpMode | string | Influxdb | HTTP Method. 'GET', 'POST', defaults to GET | | maxSeries | number | Influxdb | Max number of series/tables that Grafana processes | | httpMethod | string | Prometheus | HTTP Method. 'GET', 'POST', defaults to POST | | customQueryParameters | string | Prometheus | Query parameters to add, as a URL-encoded string. | | manageAlerts | boolean | Prometheus and Loki | Manage alerts via Alerting UI | | alertmanagerUid | string | Prometheus and Loki | UID of Alert Manager that manages Alert for this data source. | | timeField | string | Elasticsearch | Which field that should be used as timestamp | | interval | string | Elasticsearch | Index date time format. nil(No Pattern), 'Hourly', 'Daily', 'Weekly', 'Monthly' or 'Yearly' | | logMessageField | string | Elasticsearch | Which field should be used as the log message | | logLevelField | string | Elasticsearch | Which field should be used to indicate the priority of the log message | | maxConcurrentShardRequests | number | Elasticsearch | Maximum number of concurrent shard requests that each sub-search request executes per node | | sigV4Auth | boolean | Elasticsearch and Prometheus | Enable usage of SigV4 | | sigV4AuthType | string | Elasticsearch and Prometheus | SigV4 auth provider. default/credentials/keys | | sigV4ExternalId | string | Elasticsearch and Prometheus | Optional SigV4 External ID | | sigV4AssumeRoleArn | string | Elasticsearch and Prometheus | Optional SigV4 ARN role to assume | | sigV4Region | string | Elasticsearch and Prometheus | SigV4 AWS region | | sigV4Profile | string | Elasticsearch and Prometheus | Optional SigV4 credentials profile | | authType | string | Cloudwatch | Auth provider. default/credentials/keys | | externalId | string | Cloudwatch | Optional External ID | | assumeRoleArn | string | Cloudwatch | Optional ARN role to assume | | defaultRegion | string | Cloudwatch | Optional default AWS region | | customMetricsNamespaces | string | Cloudwatch | Namespaces of Custom Metrics | | profile | string | Cloudwatch | Optional credentials profile | | tsdbVersion | string | OpenTSDB | Version | | tsdbResolution | string | OpenTSDB | Resolution | | sslmode | string | PostgreSQL | SSLmode. 'disable', 'require', 'verify-ca' or 'verify-full' | | tlsConfigurationMethod | string | PostgreSQL | SSL Certificate configuration, either by 'file-path' or 'file-content' | | sslRootCertFile | string | PostgreSQL, MSSQL | SSL server root certificate file, must be readable by the Grafana user | | sslCertFile | string | PostgreSQL | SSL client certificate file, must be readable by the Grafana user | | sslKeyFile | string | PostgreSQL | SSL client key file, must be readable by _only_ the Grafana user | | encrypt | string | MSSQL | Connection SSL encryption handling. 'disable', 'false' or 'true' | | postgresVersion | number | PostgreSQL | Postgres version as a number (903/904/905/906/1000) meaning v9.3, v9.4, ..., v10 | | timescaledb | boolean | PostgreSQL | Enable usage of TimescaleDB extension | | maxOpenConns | number | MySQL, PostgreSQL and MSSQL | Maximum number of open connections to the database (Grafana v5.4+) | | maxIdleConns | number | MySQL, PostgreSQL and MSSQL | Maximum number of connections in the idle connection pool (Grafana v5.4+) | | connMaxLifetime | number | MySQL, PostgreSQL and MSSQL | Maximum amount of time in seconds a connection may be reused (Grafana v5.4+) | | keepCookies | array | _HTTP\*_ | Cookies that needs to be passed along while communicating with data sources | | prometheusVersion | string | Prometheus | The version of the Prometheus data source, such as `2.37.0`, `2.24.0` | | prometheusType | string | Prometheus | The type of the Prometheus data sources. such as `Prometheus`, `Cortex`, `Thanos`, `Mimir` | | cacheLevel | string | Prometheus | This determines the duration of the browser cache. Valid values include: `Low`, `Medium`, `High`, and `None`. This field is configurable when you enable the `prometheusResourceBrowserCache` feature flag. | | incrementalQuerying | string | Prometheus | Experimental: Turn on incremental querying to enhance dashboard reload performance with slow data sources | | incrementalQueryOverlapWindow | string | Prometheus | Experimental: Configure incremental query overlap window. Requires a valid duration string, i.e. `180s` or `15m` Default value is `10m` (10 minutes). | | implementation | string | AlertManager | The implementation of the AlertManager data source, such as `prometheus`, `cortex` or `mimir` | | handleGrafanaManagedAlerts | boolean | AlertManager | When enabled, Grafana-managed alerts are sent to this Alertmanager | For examples of specific data sources' JSON data, refer to that [data source's documentation]({{< relref "../../datasources" >}}). #### Secure JSON Data Secure JSON data is a map of settings that will be encrypted with [secret key]({{< relref "../../setup-grafana/configure-grafana#secret_key" >}}) from the Grafana config. The purpose of this is only to hide content from the users of the application. This should be used for storing TLS Cert and password that Grafana will append to the request on the server side. All of these settings are optional. {{% admonition type="note" %}} The _HTTP\*_ tag denotes data sources that communicate using the HTTP protocol, including all core data source plugins except MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MSSQL. {{% /admonition %}} | Name | Type | Data source | Description | | ----------------- | ------ | ---------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | | tlsCACert | string | _HTTP\*_, MySQL, PostgreSQL | CA cert for out going requests | | tlsClientCert | string | _HTTP\*_, MySQL, PostgreSQL | TLS Client cert for outgoing requests | | tlsClientKey | string | _HTTP\*_, MySQL, PostgreSQL | TLS Client key for outgoing requests | | password | string | _HTTP\*_, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MSSQL | password | | basicAuthPassword | string | _HTTP\*_ | password for basic authentication | | accessKey | string | Cloudwatch | Access key for connecting to Cloudwatch | | secretKey | string | Cloudwatch | Secret key for connecting to Cloudwatch | | sigV4AccessKey | string | Elasticsearch and Prometheus | SigV4 access key. Required when using keys auth provider | | sigV4SecretKey | string | Elasticsearch and Prometheus | SigV4 secret key. Required when using keys auth provider | #### Custom HTTP headers for data sources Data sources managed by Grafanas provisioning can be configured to add HTTP headers to all requests going to that data source. The header name is configured in the `jsonData` field and the header value should be configured in `secureJsonData`. ```yaml apiVersion: 1 datasources: - name: Graphite jsonData: httpHeaderName1: 'HeaderName' httpHeaderName2: 'Authorization' secureJsonData: httpHeaderValue1: 'HeaderValue' httpHeaderValue2: 'Bearer XXXXXXXXX' ``` ## Plugins {{% admonition type="note" %}} Available in Grafana v7.1 and higher. {{% /admonition %}} You can manage plugin applications in Grafana by adding one or more YAML config files in the [`provisioning/plugins`]({{< relref "../../setup-grafana/configure-grafana#provisioning" >}}) directory. Each config file can contain a list of `apps` that will be updated during start up. Grafana updates each app to match the configuration file. {{% admonition type="note" %}} This feature enables you to provision plugin configurations, not the plugins themselves. The plugins must already be installed on the Grafana instance. {{% /admonition %}} ### Example plugin configuration file ```yaml apiVersion: 1 apps: # the type of app, plugin identifier. Required - type: raintank-worldping-app # Org ID. Default to 1, unless org_name is specified org_id: 1 # Org name. Overrides org_id unless org_id not specified org_name: Main Org. # disable the app. Default to false. disabled: false # fields that will be converted to json and stored in jsonData. Custom per app. jsonData: # key/value pairs of string to object key: value # fields that will be converted to json, encrypted and stored in secureJsonData. Custom per app. secureJsonData: # key/value pairs of string to string key: value ``` ## Dashboards You can manage dashboards in Grafana by adding one or more YAML config files in the [`provisioning/dashboards`]({{< relref "../../setup-grafana/configure-grafana#dashboards" >}}) directory. Each config file can contain a list of `dashboards providers` that load dashboards into Grafana from the local filesystem. The dashboard provider config file looks somewhat like this: ```yaml apiVersion: 1 providers: # an unique provider name. Required - name: 'a unique provider name' # Org id. Default to 1 orgId: 1 # name of the dashboard folder. folder: '' # folder UID. will be automatically generated if not specified folderUid: '' # provider type. Default to 'file' type: file # disable dashboard deletion disableDeletion: false # how often Grafana will scan for changed dashboards updateIntervalSeconds: 10 # allow updating provisioned dashboards from the UI allowUiUpdates: false options: # path to dashboard files on disk. Required when using the 'file' type path: /var/lib/grafana/dashboards # use folder names from filesystem to create folders in Grafana foldersFromFilesStructure: true ``` When Grafana starts, it will update/insert all dashboards available in the configured path. Then later on poll that path every **updateIntervalSeconds** and look for updated json files and update/insert those into the database. > **Note:** Dashboards are provisioned to the General folder if the `folder` option is missing or empty. #### Making changes to a provisioned dashboard It's possible to make changes to a provisioned dashboard in the Grafana UI. However, it is not possible to automatically save the changes back to the provisioning source. If `allowUiUpdates` is set to `true` and you make changes to a provisioned dashboard, you can `Save` the dashboard then changes will be persisted to the Grafana database. > **Note:** > If a provisioned dashboard is saved from the UI and then later updated from the source, the dashboard stored in the database will always be overwritten. The `version` property in the JSON file will not affect this, even if it is lower than the existing dashboard. > > If a provisioned dashboard is saved from the UI and the source is removed, the dashboard stored in the database will be deleted unless the configuration option `disableDeletion` is set to true. If `allowUiUpdates` is configured to `false`, you are not able to make changes to a provisioned dashboard. When you click `Save`, Grafana brings up a _Cannot save provisioned dashboard_ dialog. The screenshot below illustrates this behavior. Grafana offers options to export the JSON definition of a dashboard. Either `Copy JSON to Clipboard` or `Save JSON to file` can help you synchronize your dashboard changes back to the provisioning source. Note: The JSON definition in the input field when using `Copy JSON to Clipboard` or `Save JSON to file` will have the `id` field automatically removed to aid the provisioning workflow. {{< figure src="/static/img/docs/v51/provisioning_cannot_save_dashboard.png" max-width="500px" class="docs-image--no-shadow" >}} ### Reusable Dashboard URLs If the dashboard in the JSON file contains an [UID]({{< relref "../../dashboards/build-dashboards/view-dashboard-json-model" >}}), Grafana forces insert/update on that UID. This allows you to migrate dashboards between Grafana instances and provisioning Grafana from configuration without breaking the URLs given because the new dashboard URL uses the UID as identifier. When Grafana starts, it updates/inserts all dashboards available in the configured folders. If you modify the file, then the dashboard is also updated. By default, Grafana deletes dashboards in the database if the file is removed. You can disable this behavior using the `disableDeletion` setting. {{% admonition type="note" %}} Provisioning allows you to overwrite existing dashboards which leads to problems if you re-use settings that are supposed to be unique. Be careful not to re-use the same `title` multiple times within a folder or `uid` within the same installation as this will cause weird behaviors. {{% /admonition %}} ### Provision folders structure from filesystem to Grafana If you already store your dashboards using folders in a git repo or on a filesystem, and also you want to have the same folder names in the Grafana menu, you can use `foldersFromFilesStructure` option. For example, to replicate these dashboards structure from the filesystem to Grafana, ``` /etc/dashboards ├── /server │ ├── /common_dashboard.json │ └── /network_dashboard.json └── /application ├── /requests_dashboard.json └── /resources_dashboard.json ``` you need to specify just this short provision configuration file. ```yaml apiVersion: 1 providers: - name: dashboards type: file updateIntervalSeconds: 30 options: path: /etc/dashboards foldersFromFilesStructure: true ``` `server` and `application` will become new folders in Grafana menu. {{% admonition type="note" %}} `folder` and `folderUid` options should be empty or missing to make `foldersFromFilesStructure` work. {{% /admonition %}} {{% admonition type="note" %}} To provision dashboards to the General folder, store them in the root of your `path`. {{% /admonition %}} ## Alerting For information on provisioning Grafana Alerting, refer to [Provision Grafana Alerting resources]({{< relref "../../alerting/set-up/provision-alerting-resources/" >}}). ## Alert Notification Channels {{% admonition type="note" %}} Alert Notification Channels are part of legacy alerting, which is deprecated and will be removed in Grafana 10. Use the Provision contact points section in [Create and manage alerting resources using file provisioning]({{< relref "../../alerting/set-up/provision-alerting-resources/file-provisioning" >}}). {{% /admonition %}} Alert Notification Channels can be provisioned by adding one or more YAML config files in the [`provisioning/notifiers`](/administration/configuration/#provisioning) directory. Each config file can contain the following top-level fields: - `notifiers`, a list of alert notifications that will be added or updated during start up. If the notification channel already exists, Grafana will update it to match the configuration file. - `delete_notifiers`, a list of alert notifications to be deleted before inserting/updating those in the `notifiers` list. Provisioning looks up alert notifications by uid, and will update any existing notification with the provided uid. By default, exporting a dashboard as JSON will use a sequential identifier to refer to alert notifications. The field `uid` can be optionally specified to specify a string identifier for the alert name. ```json { ... "alert": { ..., "conditions": [...], "frequency": "24h", "noDataState": "ok", "notifications": [ {"uid": "notifier1"}, {"uid": "notifier2"}, ] } ... } ``` ### Example Alert Notification Channels Config File ```yaml notifiers: - name: notification-channel-1 type: slack uid: notifier1 # either org_id: 2 # or org_name: Main Org. is_default: true send_reminder: true frequency: 1h disable_resolve_message: false # See `Supported Settings` section for settings supported for each # alert notification type. settings: recipient: 'XXX' uploadImage: true token: 'xoxb' # legacy setting since Grafana v7.2 (stored non-encrypted) url: https://slack.com # legacy setting since Grafana v7.2 (stored non-encrypted) # Secure settings that will be encrypted in the database (supported since Grafana v7.2). See `Supported Settings` section for secure settings supported for each notifier. secure_settings: token: 'xoxb' url: https://slack.com delete_notifiers: - name: notification-channel-1 uid: notifier1 # either org_id: 2 # or org_name: Main Org. - name: notification-channel-2 # default org_id: 1 ``` ### Supported Settings The following sections detail the supported settings and secure settings for each alert notification type. Secure settings are stored encrypted in the database and you add them to `secure_settings` in the YAML file instead of `settings`. {{% admonition type="note" %}} Secure settings is supported since Grafana v7.2. {{% /admonition %}} #### Alert notification `pushover` | Name | Secure setting | | ---------- | -------------- | | apiToken | yes | | userKey | yes | | device | | | priority | | | okPriority | | | retry | | | expire | | | sound | | | okSound | | #### Alert notification `discord` | Name | Secure setting | | -------------------- | -------------- | | url | yes | | avatar_url | | | content | | | use_discord_username | | #### Alert notification `slack` | Name | Secure setting | | -------------- | -------------- | | url | yes | | recipient | | | username | | | icon_emoji | | | icon_url | | | uploadImage | | | mentionUsers | | | mentionGroups | | | mentionChannel | | | token | yes | #### Alert notification `victorops` | Name | | ----------- | | url | | autoResolve | #### Alert notification `kafka` | Name | | -------------- | | kafkaRestProxy | | kafkaTopic | #### Alert notification `LINE` | Name | Secure setting | | ----- | -------------- | | token | yes | #### Alert notification `pagerduty` | Name | Secure setting | | -------------- | -------------- | | integrationKey | yes | | autoResolve | | #### Alert notification `sensu` | Name | Secure setting | | -------- | -------------- | | url | | | source | | | handler | | | username | | | password | yes | #### Alert notification `sensugo` | Name | Secure setting | | --------- | -------------- | | url | | | apikey | yes | | entity | | | check | | | handler | | | namespace | | #### Alert notification `prometheus-alertmanager` | Name | Secure setting | | ----------------- | -------------- | | url | | | basicAuthUser | | | basicAuthPassword | yes | #### Alert notification `teams` | Name | | ---- | | url | #### Alert notification `dingding` | Name | | ---- | | url | #### Alert notification `email` | Name | | ----------- | | singleEmail | | addresses | #### Alert notification `hipchat` | Name | | ------ | | url | | apikey | | roomid | #### Alert notification `opsgenie` | Name | Secure setting | | ---------------- | -------------- | | apiKey | yes | | apiUrl | | | autoClose | | | overridePriority | | | sendTagsAs | | #### Alert notification `telegram` | Name | Secure setting | | ----------- | -------------- | | bottoken | yes | | chatid | | | uploadImage | | #### Alert notification `threema` | Name | Secure setting | | ------------ | -------------- | | gateway_id | | | recipient_id | | | api_secret | yes | #### Alert notification `webhook` | Name | Secure setting | | ---------- | -------------- | | url | | | httpMethod | | | username | | | password | yes | #### Alert notification `googlechat` | Name | | ---- | | url | #### Alert notification `Cisco Webex Teams` | Name | Secure setting | | --------- | -------------- | | message | | | room_id | | | api_url | | | bot_token | yes | ## Grafana Enterprise Grafana Enterprise supports: - [Provisioning role-based access control with Grafana]({{< relref "../roles-and-permissions/access-control/rbac-grafana-provisioning/" >}}) - [Provisioning role-based access control with Terraform]({{< relref "../roles-and-permissions/access-control/rbac-terraform-provisioning/" >}})