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Store result of custom SWQL query KPI widget as metric

Good evening!

Apologies in advance if this is a silly question, but I have been unable to find the answer - but I could easily be missing something obvious!

I am using a custom API poller to query an application to track/monitor some numbers (metrics). This part works very well and I have then been able to display them on a modern dashboard using KPI widgets and some custom SWQL. However, one of these custom SWQL queries performs a total count of the number (metrics) matching a certain LIKE and displays the total value in a custom KPI widget. This works very well but... how can I 'track' the history of the resulting total of this specific KPI widget / custom SWGL query for long term reporting / tracking. The nature of this application means this number can increase / decrease periodically and I would like to report on this regularly but, as far as I can tell, the result of the custom SWQL is not actually 'stored' as a metric in the SW database - or is it?

Thanks in advance - any help / pointers very much appreciated.

Cheers,

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Accepted answers

adam.beedell

If it's a number, you can use either an API Poller, or a SAM component, or something similar to commit it to the DB. I think this is a pretty uncommon action across the userbase but I'd bet it'd be used much more if it was straightforward

For an API poller, you can search "Solarwinds Swagger" and you'll get the api reference, you get a query going in SWQL, and run it through a URL encoder (search "Url encode decode") Creds are important, think about them

For a component, you can either go to the DB or go to the api, the DB would be easiest with the SQL user experience monitor

All comments

edwinhoekman

Hi Chris,

To answer your last question first. The result of a query is not stored in the SW DB.

And to track a your KPI over time i would suggest using Perfmon (Performance) analyses for historical data. see the example below.

Is this something which can help you?

Cheers, Edwin

chris.mcmorris

Hi Edwin,

Many thanks for your reply. Ok yes that makes sense, thank you.

Can I just create a custom Perfmon setup that uses the custom SWQL query then? Sorry if that's a silly question but I am yet to play around with the Perfmon customisation - I had assumed (probably incorrectly) that you could only track 'stored' metrics in the SW db.

Best wishes,

Chris

edwinhoekman

Hi Chris,

No you do not need to play around with SWQL. It is much easier.

Go to My Dashboard à Home à Performance Analyses.

Filter on API Poller Monitor Value

Choose one or more API’s. One if you want just one line per TimeSeries or more if you want several historical data lines per TimeSeries. In my case I choose 1 line. Closed this windo by pressing Add selected entities.

I selected The API and pulled it into the column next to it

Expanded API Poller Monitored Metric ….. Selected Metric avg and pulled it into the graph area.
The graph is loaded automatically.

Now you can store this Perfstack (performance analyses) with a meaningful name. Save can be found under More.

Now go to your modern dashboard and add a timeseries widget.
Set the Perfstack model as your graph. You will get an overview of the saved perfstacks if you press Edit Model.

And this is how easy it is to get a perfstack into a modern dashboard.

chris.mcmorris

Thanks Edwin for the detailed explanation - much appreciated.

Unfortunately I do not think this will work for my use case. Perhaps I did not explain myself correctly so my apologies. The value I want to track is not available via the API and therefore not stored / tracked / monitored (or stored) as a metric in SW db. The 'total' is calculated by a custom SWQL query in my modern dashboard. Obviously I can see the individual API values that are monitored and can load them into perfstack, but this does not show me the TOTAL (SUM) for the individual metrics that are tracked. I hope that makes sense?

Sorry for the confusion and hopefully there is another way to graph / track this value in perfstack?

Cheers,

adam.beedell

For a component, you can either go to the DB or go to the api, the DB would be easiest with the SQL user experience monitor

adam.beedell

(Please ask away, i've not got a guide but i've given demos, hard to tell where people will get stuck)

chris.mcmorris

Thank you, Adam

Yes this is what I was thinking. I kind of need SW to pull (monitor) from its own DB in order to 'track' (store) the result in SW(!) db. So I'm thinking using a custom SQL user experience monitor to query the DB and store the SUM of the specific rows. Many thanks for your suggestion.

Cheers,

adam.beedell

Can confirm that works - Be careful though, use a specific read-only account

chad.every

I've done this with another API Poller directly to the Orion API so I could get historical data. It allows me to better control the permissions than going directly to the DB. It also allows me to pulls multiple metrics back if the query outputs them.

https://localhost:17774/SolarWinds/InformationService/v3/Json/Query?query=SELECT....

adam.beedell

@chad.every Anything in the works to make this sort of thing more of a OOTB feature? (Or to help store historic text etc in the same fashion?)