Splunk Dashboard Examples, Guide, Review: 2023

Introduction

In today’s data-driven world, businesses require effective tools to collect, analyze and monitor their data. Splunk is a leading software platform that provides real-time data insights and analysis. Splunk dashboards are an essential tool that helps businesses visualize their data and gain meaningful insights. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Splunk dashboards, their benefits, examples, advanced techniques, and a review.

Getting Started with Splunk Dashboards

Splunk Dashboards are an essential part of the Splunk platform that allows you to create visualizations of your data. A dashboard is a collection of visualizations, reports, and alerts that can help you monitor and analyze your data effectively.

Here are the steps to create a new Splunk dashboard:

1. Log in to the Splunk web interface and navigate to the “Dashboards” section.
2. Click on “Create New Dashboard” and choose a name for your dashboard.
3. Select the type of dashboard you want to create, such as a simple XML dashboard or a dashboard with advanced features.
4. Add panels to your dashboard by dragging and dropping visualizations or reports onto the dashboard.
5. Customize your dashboard by adding filters, search bars, and other interactive features.
6. Save your dashboard and share it with other users or groups.

To create an effective dashboard, it is essential to follow best practices for dashboard design. Here are some tips:

• Define the purpose of your dashboard and the key metrics you want to track.
• Use appropriate data visualizations that best represent your data.
• Keep your dashboard simple and easy to understand.
• Use color and contrast effects to highlight important data points.
• Use interactivity features to allow users to drill down into specific data.

Splunk Dashboard Examples

Splunk Dashboards are used in different industries and functions, such as IT Operations, Security, and Business Analytics. Here are some examples of Splunk Dashboards:

1. IT Operations Dashboard An IT operations dashboard provides real-time insights into the performance of your IT infrastructure. It helps you monitor key metrics, such as CPU usage, memory usage, network latency, and system uptime. Here are some examples of visualizations that can be used in an IT Operations Dashboard:

• Line charts showing CPU and memory usage over time.
• Gauge charts showing disk usage and network latency.
• Heat maps showing system uptime and availability.
• Drilldown tables show detailed information about specific systems.

2. Security Dashboard A security dashboard helps you detect and respond to security threats in real time. It provides a comprehensive view of your security posture by monitoring security events, analyzing trends, and identifying vulnerabilities. Here are some examples of visualizations that can be used in a Security Dashboard:

• Bar charts show the number of security events by type and severity.
• Pie charts showing the distribution of security events by source and destination.
• Maps showing the location of security events.
• Lists showing the most critical security events.

3. Business Analytics Dashboard A business analytics dashboard helps you monitor key business metrics and make data-driven decisions. It provides a real-time view of your business performance by tracking revenue, sales, customer behavior, and other metrics. Here are some examples of visualizations that can be used in a Business Analytics Dashboard:

• Line charts showing revenue and sales over time.
• Scatter plots show the correlation between customer behavior and revenue.
• Heat maps show the distribution of customer behavior.
• KPIs showing key business metrics.

Advanced Splunk Dashboard Techniques

To take your Splunk dashboard to the next level, you can use advanced techniques and features. Here are some examples:

1. Advanced-Data Visualization Techniques To create more sophisticated visualizations, you can use the Splunk Web Framework. The Splunk Web Framework allows you to create custom visualizations using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You can use third-party visualization libraries, such as D3.js, Highcharts, and Chart.js, to create custom visualizations that best represent your data.

2. Splunk Dashboard Studio Splunk Dashboard Studio is an advanced tool that allows you to create complex dashboards with multiple panels and layouts. With Dashboard Studio, you can create pixel-perfect dashboards that are fully customizable. You can also use advanced layout and styling features to create professional-looking dashboards.
3. Creating Custom Visualizations With Splunk Web Framework, you can create your own custom visualizations that best represent your data. You can use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create custom charts, maps, and other visualizations. You can also use third-party visualization libraries, such as D3.js, Highcharts, and Chart.js, to create advanced visualizations.

Review of Splunk Dashboards

Splunk Dashboards have many benefits, including real-time data insights, customizable dashboards, and advanced visualization techniques. However, there are also some drawbacks to using Splunk Dashboards, such as a steep learning curve and a high cost. Here’s a review of Splunk Dashboards:

Pros:

• Real-time data insights
• Customizable dashboards
• Advanced visualization techniques
• Comprehensive data analysis
• Scalable and flexible platform
• Excellent customer support

Cons:

• Steep learning curve
• High cost
• Limited features in the free version
• Requires a dedicated IT team for implementation
• Complex integration with other systems

Comparison with Other Dashboard Tools in the Market

Splunk Dashboards are not the only dashboard tool available in the market. There are many other dashboard tools, such as Tableau, QlikView, and Power BI. Here’s a comparison of Splunk Dashboards with other dashboard tools:

• Tableau: Tableau is a popular dashboard tool that provides advanced data visualization features. Tableau has a user-friendly interface and a large community of users. However, Tableau is expensive and requires a dedicated IT team for implementation.
• QlikView: QlikView is a business intelligence tool that provides real-time data insights and analysis. QlikView is easy to use and has a low learning curve. However, QlikView is expensive and has limited customization options.
• Power BI: Power BI is a dashboard tool provided by Microsoft that allows you to create custom dashboards and reports. Power BI has a user-friendly interface and integrates well with other Microsoft products. However, Power BI is limited in terms of customization options and requires a dedicated IT team for implementation.

User Reviews and Ratings of Splunk Dashboards

Splunk Dashboards have received positive reviews from users and customers. According to Gartner Peer Insights, Splunk Dashboards have an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 based on 202 reviews. Users have praised Splunk Dashboards for their real-time data insights, customizability, and advanced visualization techniques. However, users have also highlighted the steep learning curve and high cost as potential drawbacks.

Conclusion

Splunk Dashboards are an essential tool for businesses that require real-time data insights and analysis. With Splunk Dashboards, you can create customizable dashboards, use advanced visualization techniques, and monitor key business metrics. However, using Splunk Dashboards requires a dedicated IT team and a steep learning curve. Before investing in Splunk Dashboards, businesses should consider their specific needs and budget.