Using Grafana to Visualize Prometheus Data

Libraries: If you want this lab, consider one of these libraries.
Cloud

Using Grafana to Visualize Prometheus Data

While Prometheus is a wonderful took for keep track of our metrics, its graphing and dashboard capabilities leave a lot to be desired. This is where Grafana comes in. Grafana allows us to create beautiful persistent dashboards using our Prometheus data. These dashboards let us gain insight in the parts of our infrastructure that are most important to us, without having to continually manually query with PromQL or viewing and click on our recording rules. From our Node Exporter data to tracking our current alerts, Grafana provides us with visual insight into what's happening.

Get started Contact sales

Lab Info

Level

Intermediate

Last updated

Sep 24, 2025

Duration

30m

Challenge

Add Prometheus as a data source

Click Add data source from the home page. Add the Prometheus data source by setting the URL to http://localhost:9090. Save & Test.
Challenge

Add the suggested dashboards for the Prometheus data source

Click the Dashboards tab. Import the Prometheus 2.0 Stats and Grafana metrics dashboards.
Challenge

Import the "Node Exporter Full" dashboard
1. Click the plus sign on the side menu, then select Import.
2. In a new window or tab, open the JSON data for the dashboard and copy the provided data.
3. Return to your Grafana instance. Paste in the JSON in the provided text box.
Challenge

Create a new dashboard called "Forethought"

Click the plus sign again, this time selecting Dashboard from the options. Click the cog icon on the top of the screen and rename the dashboard to Forethought. Save.
Challenge

Add a heatmap to the dashboard
1. Click the Add panel button. Select Heatmap.
2. Click the panel title, then click Edit.
3. Set the metric so it tracks the average of all our response times via bucket:
  
  sum(rate(forethought_request_hist_bucket[30s])) by (le)
Ensure the Legend is also set to {{le}}
1. Switch to the Axes tab and change the Data Format to Time series buckets.
Challenge

Save the dashboard

Return to the dashboard and Save the changes.

About the author

Pluralsight Skills

Pluralsight Skills gives leaders confidence they have the skills needed to execute technology strategy. Technology teams can benchmark expertise across roles, speed up release cycles and build reliable, secure products. By leveraging our expert content, skill assessments and one-of-a-kind analytics, keep up with the pace of change, put the right people on the right projects and boost productivity. It's the most effective path to developing tech skills at scale.

Real skill practice before real-world application

Hands-on Labs are real environments created by industry experts to help you learn. These environments help you gain knowledge and experience, practice without compromising your system, test without risk, destroy without fear, and let you learn from your mistakes. Hands-on Labs: practice your skills before delivering in the real world.

Learn by doing

Engage hands-on with the tools and technologies you’re learning. You pick the skill, we provide the credentials and environment.

Follow your guide

All labs have detailed instructions and objectives, guiding you through the learning process and ensuring you understand every step.

Turn time into mastery

On average, you retain 75% more of your learning if you take time to practice. Hands-on labs set you up for success to make those skills stick.