# Using Grafana with Linkerd

You can install Grafana in various ways, like using the [Grafana official Helm
chart](https://github.com/grafana/helm-charts/tree/main/charts/grafana), or the
[Grafana Operator](https://github.com/grafana-operator/grafana-operator). Hosted
solutions are also available, like [Grafana
Cloud](https://grafana.com/products/cloud/).

The file `grafana/values.yaml` provides a default Helm config for the [Grafana
official Helm
chart](https://github.com/grafana/helm-charts/tree/main/charts/grafana), which
pulls the Linkerd dashboards published at
<https://grafana.com/orgs/linkerd/dashboards>.

You can install the chart like this:

```shell
helm repo add grafana https://grafana.github.io/helm-charts
helm install grafana -n grafana --create-namespace grafana/grafana \
  -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/linkerd/linkerd2/main/grafana/values.yaml
```

Please make sure to update the entries in `grafana/values.yaml` before using the
file; in particular:

- auth and log settings under `grafana.ini`
- `datasources.datasources.yaml.datasources[0].url` should point to your
  Prometheus service

The other installation methods can easily import those same dashboards using
their IDs, as listed in `grafana/values.yaml`.

In order to have the Linkerd Viz Dashboard show the Grafana icon there where
relevant, and have it link to the appropriate Grafana dashboard, make sure you
have a proper location set up in the `grafana.url` setting in Linkerd Viz's
`values.yaml`.

## Granting access

As of linkerd `stable-2.13.0` (or `edge-23.1.1`), the access to Linkerd Viz'
Prometheus instance has been restricted through the `prometheus-admin`
AuthorizationPolicy, granting access only to the `metrics-api` ServiceAccount.
In order to grant access to Grafana, you need to add an AuthorizationPolicy
pointing to its ServiceAccount. You can apply
[authzpolicy-grafana.yaml](grafana/authzpolicy-grafana.yaml) which grants
permission for the `grafana` ServiceAccount.

## Note to developers

The `grafana/dashboards` directory contains the same dashboard definitions
published under <https://grafana.com/orgs/linkerd>. Please keep them in sync when
making any changes. After logging into grafana.com (using the linkerd account),
the dashboards can be managed under Org Settings -> My Dashboards.