Documentation Plugins Datadog data source Template variables

Datadog template variables

Instead of hard-coding details such as server, application, and sensor names in metric queries, you can use variables. Grafana lists these variables in drop-down lists at the top of the dashboard to help you change the data displayed in your dashboard. Grafana refers to such variables as template variables.

For an introduction to templates and variables, refer to the following topics:

• Variables
• Templates
• Add and manage variables
• Variable syntax

To add a Datadog query variable, refer to Add a query variable. Set Select variable type to Query, select your Datadog data source, and enter one of the following queries in the Query field:

After you create a variable, use it in Datadog queries with $variable or ${variable} syntax. For more information, refer to Variable syntax.

• If the variable lists host names from all-hosts, filter with host:$host.
• If the variable lists full tags from all-tags or a keyword query, filter with $tag (for example, avg:system.cpu.user{$region}).

Examples

The following examples show how to create variables and use them in queries.

Filter panels by host

Create a drop-down that filters every panel by host:

1. In Dashboard settings > Variables, click Add variable.
2. Set Select variable type to Query and select your Datadog data source.
3. In the Query field, enter all-hosts.
4. Name the variable host and click Apply.

Use the variable as a tag filter. For example, in a Raw Query, enter avg:system.cpu.user{host:$host}. In a Query type query, add host:$host in From. When you select a host from the drop-down, the panel updates to show only that host.

List the tags for a metric

Create a variable whose values are the tags associated with a specific metric:

1. Add a Query variable that uses your Datadog data source.
2. In the Query field, enter <metric>:all-tags, such as system.cpu.user:all-tags.
3. Name the variable and click Apply.

The variable’s drop-down lists tags reported for that metric, such as host:web-01 or env:prod. Use a selected value as a filter, for example avg:system.cpu.user{$tag} in a Raw Query.

Ad hoc filters

The Ad hoc filters variable type is included with Grafana. With a Datadog data source, selected key:value tag pairs are applied to Query type metric queries (the visual builder From tags). To create this variable, complete the following steps:

1. Open your dashboard and go to Dashboard settings.
2. Click Variables.
3. Click Add variable.
4. Set Select variable type to Ad hoc filters.
5. Enter general options.
6. Select your Datadog data source.

Instead of a fixed list of values, this variable lets dashboard users add and remove tag filters. Filters you apply this way affect every Query type panel that uses that Datadog data source on the dashboard.