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Troubleshoot Graphite data source issues

This document provides solutions for common issues you might encounter when using the Graphite data source.

Connection issues

Use the following troubleshooting steps to resolve connection problems between Grafana and your Graphite server.

Data source test fails with “Unable to connect”:

If the data source test fails, verify the following:

  • The URL in your data source configuration is correct and accessible from the Grafana server.
  • The Graphite server is running and accepting connections.
  • Any firewall rules or network policies allow traffic between Grafana and the Graphite server.
  • If using TLS, ensure your certificates are valid and properly configured.

To test connectivity, run the following command from the Grafana server:

sh 
curl -v <GRAPHITE_URL>/render

Replace <GRAPHITE_URL> with your Graphite server URL. A successful connection returns a response from the Graphite server.

Authentication errors:

If you receive 401 or 403 errors:

  • Verify your Basic Auth username and password are correct.
  • Ensure the With Credentials toggle is enabled if your Graphite server requires cookies for authentication.
  • Check that your TLS client certificates are valid and match what the server expects.

For detailed authentication configuration, refer to Configure the Graphite data source.

Query issues

Use the following troubleshooting steps to resolve problems with Graphite queries.

No data returned:

If your query returns no data:

  • Verify the metric path exists in your Graphite server by testing directly in the Graphite web interface.
  • Check that the time range in Grafana matches when data was collected.
  • Ensure wildcards in your query match existing metrics.
  • Confirm your query syntax is correct for your Graphite version.

HTTP 500 errors with HTML content:

Graphite-web versions before 1.6 return HTTP 500 errors with full HTML stack traces when a query fails. If you see error messages containing HTML tags:

  • Check the Graphite server logs for the full error details.
  • Verify your query syntax is valid.
  • Ensure the requested time range doesn’t exceed your Graphite server’s capabilities.
  • Check that all functions used in your query are supported by your Graphite version.

Parser errors in the query editor:

If the query editor displays parser errors:

  • Check for unbalanced parentheses in function calls.
  • Verify that function arguments are in the correct format.
  • Ensure metric paths don’t contain unsupported characters.

For query syntax help, refer to Graphite query editor.

Version and feature issues

Use the following troubleshooting steps to resolve problems related to Graphite versions and features.

Functions missing from the query editor:

If expected functions don’t appear in the query editor:

  • Verify the correct Graphite version is selected in the data source configuration.
  • The available functions depend on the configured version. For example, tag-based functions require Graphite 1.1 or later.
  • If using a custom Graphite installation with additional functions, ensure the version setting matches your server.

Tag-based queries not working:

If seriesByTag() or other tag functions fail:

  • Confirm your Graphite server is version 1.1 or later.
  • Verify the Graphite version setting in your data source configuration matches your actual server version.
  • Check that tags are properly configured in your Graphite server.

Performance issues

Use the following troubleshooting steps to address slow queries or timeouts.

Queries timing out:

If queries consistently time out:

  • Increase the Timeout setting in the data source configuration.
  • Reduce the time range of your query.
  • Use more specific metric paths instead of broad wildcards.
  • Consider using summarize() or consolidateBy() functions to reduce the amount of data returned.
  • Check your Graphite server’s performance and resource utilization.

Slow autocomplete in the query editor:

If metric path autocomplete is slow:

  • This often indicates a large number of metrics in your Graphite server.
  • Use more specific path prefixes to narrow the search scope.
  • Check your Graphite server’s index performance.

MetricTank-specific issues

If you’re using MetricTank as your Graphite backend, use the following troubleshooting steps.

Rollup indicator not appearing:

If the rollup indicator doesn’t display when expected:

  • Verify Metrictank is selected as the Graphite backend type in the data source configuration.
  • Ensure the Rollup indicator toggle is enabled.
  • The indicator only appears when data aggregation actually occurs.

Unexpected data aggregation:

If you see unexpected aggregation in your data:

  • Check the rollup configuration in your MetricTank instance.
  • Adjust the time range or use consolidateBy() to control aggregation behavior.
  • Review the query processing metadata in the panel inspector for details on how data was processed.

Get additional help

If you continue to experience issues:

When reporting issues, include the following information:

  • Grafana version
  • Graphite version (for example, 1.1.x) and backend type (Default or MetricTank)
  • Authentication method (Basic Auth, TLS, or none)
  • Error messages (redact sensitive information)
  • Steps to reproduce the issue
  • Relevant configuration such as data source settings, timeout values, and Graphite version setting (redact passwords and other credentials)
  • Sample query (if applicable, with sensitive data redacted)