| 1 | # Reporting |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Extract infrastructure insights for stakeholders, leadership, and external tools. Netdata provides four ways to create reports—from asking a simple question to exporting raw metrics into your existing business intelligence stack. |
| 4 | |
| 5 | ## Methods overview |
| 6 | |
| 7 | | Method | Effort | Best for | |
| 8 | |--------|--------|----------| |
| 9 | | **[AI Insights](#ai-insights)** | Easiest | Executive summaries, recurring reports, natural language queries | |
| 10 | | **[AI Assistants (MCP)](#ai-assistants-mcp)** | Easy | Ad-hoc analysis, deep investigation, developer workflows | |
| 11 | | **[Grafana](#grafana-integration)** | Medium | Custom dashboards, teams already using Grafana | |
| 12 | | **[Export to BI](#export-to-business-intelligence-tools)** | Advanced | Power BI, Tableau, Looker, custom analytics pipelines | |
| 13 | |
| 14 | ## AI Insights |
| 15 | |
| 16 | Ask Netdata anything about your infrastructure in plain language and receive an executive-ready report. No configuration required—just describe what you need. |
| 17 | |
| 18 | ### When to use it |
| 19 | |
| 20 | - Monday morning recap of weekend incidents |
| 21 | - Post-incident executive summary for leadership |
| 22 | - Weekly health checks and situational awareness |
| 23 | - Cost optimization analysis |
| 24 | - SLO conformance reporting |
| 25 | |
| 26 | ### How to generate a report |
| 27 | |
| 28 | 1. Open Netdata Cloud and go to `Insights` |
| 29 | 2. Select a pre-built report type (Infrastructure Summary, Performance Optimization, Capacity Planning, Anomaly Analysis) or click `New Investigation` for a custom prompt |
| 30 | 3. Choose the time range and scope (all nodes or a specific room/space) |
| 31 | 4. Click `Generate` |
| 32 | |
| 33 | Reports complete in 2–3 minutes and are saved in Insights. You receive an email when the report is ready. |
| 34 | |
| 35 | ### Scheduling recurring reports |
| 36 | |
| 37 | Automate your reporting workflow with scheduled reports: |
| 38 | |
| 39 | 1. Configure your report as above |
| 40 | 2. Click `Schedule` (next to `Generate`) |
| 41 | 3. Choose cadence: daily, weekly, or monthly |
| 42 | 4. Set the delivery time |
| 43 | |
| 44 | Scheduled reports run automatically and deliver results to your email and the Insights tab. |
| 45 | |
| 46 | ### Example prompts |
| 47 | |
| 48 | **Weekly infrastructure health:** |
| 49 | ``` |
| 50 | Generate a weekly infrastructure summary for services A, B, and C. |
| 51 | Include major incidents, anomalies, capacity risks, and recommended follow-ups. |
| 52 | ``` |
| 53 | |
| 54 | **Cost optimization:** |
| 55 | ``` |
| 56 | Identify underutilized nodes for cost savings. Monthly compute is ~$12K |
| 57 | with mixed workloads. Goal: save $2–3K/month without reliability impact. |
| 58 | ``` |
| 59 | |
| 60 | **SLO conformance:** |
| 61 | ``` |
| 62 | Generate an SLO conformance report for 'user-auth' (99.9% uptime, |
| 63 | p95 latency <200ms) for the last 7 days. Include breaches, contributing |
| 64 | factors, and remediation recommendations. |
| 65 | ``` |
| 66 | |
| 67 | ### Availability |
| 68 | |
| 69 | - Available to Business and Free Trial plans |
| 70 | - Each report consumes 1 AI credit (10 free per month on eligible plans) |
| 71 | - Data privacy: metrics are summarized into structured context; your data is not used to train foundation models |
| 72 | |
| 73 | ## AI Assistants (MCP) |
| 74 | |
| 75 | Connect your AI assistant directly to Netdata using the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Ask questions in natural language and receive answers based on live infrastructure data. |
| 76 | |
| 77 | MCP is available in two ways: |
| 78 | |
| 79 | - **Netdata Cloud MCP** at `app.netdata.cloud/api/v1/mcp` — infrastructure-wide access to all your nodes (Paid plan) |
| 80 | - **Agent/Parent MCP** on every Netdata Agent and Parent (v2.6.0+) — direct local access (free, open-source) |
| 81 | |
| 82 | AI assistants can query metrics, alerts, logs, and live system information across your entire infrastructure. |
| 83 | |
| 84 | ### Supported AI clients |
| 85 | |
| 86 | | Client | Description | |
| 87 | |--------|-------------| |
| 88 | | Claude Desktop | Anthropic's desktop AI assistant | |
| 89 | | Claude Code | Anthropic's CLI for development workflows | |
| 90 | | Cursor | AI-powered code editor | |
| 91 | | VS Code | Visual Studio Code with MCP support | |
| 92 | | JetBrains IDEs | IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, and others | |
| 93 | | Gemini CLI | Google's Gemini CLI | |
| 94 | | OpenAI Codex CLI | OpenAI's development tools | |
| 95 | |
| 96 | ### How to connect |
| 97 | |
| 98 | ```bash |
| 99 | # Export your MCP key |
| 100 | export NETDATA_MCP_API_KEY="$(cat /var/lib/netdata/mcp_dev_preview_api_key)" |
| 101 | |
| 102 | # Connect using mcp-remote |
| 103 | npx mcp-remote@latest --http http://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/mcp \ |
| 104 | --allow-http \ |
| 105 | --header "Authorization: Bearer $NETDATA_MCP_API_KEY" |
| 106 | ``` |
| 107 | |
| 108 | ### Example queries |
| 109 | |
| 110 | Once connected, ask natural language questions: |
| 111 | |
| 112 | - "Show me CPU usage for all nodes in the last 24 hours" |
| 113 | - "What are the top 10 processes by memory consumption?" |
| 114 | - "Find any anomalies in network traffic this week" |
| 115 | - "Generate a summary of all active alerts" |
| 116 | - "Which nodes have the highest disk utilization?" |
| 117 | |
| 118 | ### Availability |
| 119 | |
| 120 | - **Cloud MCP**: Available on Paid plans — infrastructure-wide access, zero local setup |
| 121 | - **Agent/Parent MCP**: Available on all plans (v2.6.0+) — free, open-source, direct local access |
| 122 | - Unlimited queries with no per-query charges |
| 123 | - Requires API key (Cloud token or local API key) for access |
| 124 | |
| 125 | See [Netdata MCP](/docs/netdata-ai/mcp/README.md) for detailed setup instructions. |
| 126 | |
| 127 | ## Grafana integration |
| 128 | |
| 129 | Connect Grafana to Netdata Cloud for infrastructure-wide dashboards. Use Grafana's visualization capabilities with Netdata's real-time metrics. |
| 130 | |
| 131 | ### When to use it |
| 132 | |
| 133 | - Teams already using Grafana for other data sources |
| 134 | - Custom dashboard requirements beyond Netdata's built-in charts |
| 135 | - Combining Netdata metrics with data from other systems |
| 136 | |
| 137 | ### How to connect |
| 138 | |
| 139 | 1. Install the Netdata data source plugin in Grafana |
| 140 | 2. Configure connection to Netdata Cloud using an API token |
| 141 | 3. Create dashboards using Grafana's query builder |
| 142 | |
| 143 | :::tip |
| 144 | |
| 145 | Generate API tokens from Netdata Cloud under **User Settings** → **API Tokens**. See [API Tokens](/docs/netdata-cloud/authentication-and-authorization/api-tokens.md) for details. |
| 146 | |
| 147 | ::: |
| 148 | |
| 149 | ### Availability |
| 150 | |
| 151 | - Requires Netdata Cloud account |
| 152 | - Grafana Cloud or self-hosted Grafana |
| 153 | - API tokens available on all plans |
| 154 | |
| 155 | ## Export to business intelligence tools |
| 156 | |
| 157 | Export metrics from Netdata to external databases and business intelligence platforms. You can query data from individual Agents or use Netdata Cloud to aggregate metrics from your entire infrastructure. |
| 158 | |
| 159 | ### Supported BI platforms |
| 160 | |
| 161 | Netdata integrates with popular business intelligence tools through several pathways: |
| 162 | |
| 163 | | BI Platform | Integration Options | |
| 164 | |-------------|---------------------| |
| 165 | | **Power BI** | Netdata Cloud API, Prometheus endpoint, or database export | |
| 166 | | **Tableau** | Netdata Cloud API, PostgreSQL, or Prometheus | |
| 167 | | **Looker / Looker Studio** | Netdata Cloud API, BigQuery, or Prometheus | |
| 168 | | **Qlik** | Netdata Cloud API, PostgreSQL, or InfluxDB | |
| 169 | | **SAP Analytics Cloud** | Netdata Cloud API or PostgreSQL | |
| 170 | | **Metabase** | Netdata Cloud API, PostgreSQL, or TimescaleDB | |
| 171 | | **Apache Superset** | Netdata Cloud API, PostgreSQL, or Prometheus | |
| 172 | | **Domo** | Netdata Cloud API or database connectors | |
| 173 | | **ThoughtSpot** | Netdata Cloud API or PostgreSQL | |
| 174 | |
| 175 | ### Query options |
| 176 | |
| 177 | #### Netdata Cloud API (recommended) |
| 178 | |
| 179 | The Netdata Cloud API lets you query metrics from all your nodes through a single endpoint. This is the simplest approach for multi-node infrastructure. |
| 180 | |
| 181 | 1. Generate an API token from **User Settings** → **API Tokens** |
| 182 | 2. Use the token to authenticate requests to `https://app.netdata.cloud/api/v2/data` |
| 183 | |
| 184 | ```bash |
| 185 | # Query CPU metrics from all nodes |
| 186 | curl -H 'Accept: application/json' \ |
| 187 | -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN" \ |
| 188 | 'https://app.netdata.cloud/api/v2/data?contexts=system.cpu&after=-3600' |
| 189 | |
| 190 | # Get list of all nodes in your space |
| 191 | curl -H 'Accept: application/json' \ |
| 192 | -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN" \ |
| 193 | 'https://app.netdata.cloud/api/v2/nodes' |
| 194 | ``` |
| 195 | |
| 196 | The Cloud API returns aggregated data from all nodes in your infrastructure, making it ideal for BI tools that need a unified view. |
| 197 | |
| 198 | #### Prometheus endpoint (single-node) |
| 199 | |
| 200 | For single-node deployments or Prometheus-based workflows, query the Agent or Parent directly: |
| 201 | |
| 202 | ``` |
| 203 | http://NODE_IP:19999/api/v3/allmetrics?format=prometheus |
| 204 | ``` |
| 205 | |
| 206 | Replace `NODE_IP` with your Netdata Agent or Parent IP address: |
| 207 | - **Agent IP**: Returns metrics from that single node |
| 208 | - **Parent IP**: Returns aggregated metrics from all child agents connected to that Parent |
| 209 | |
| 210 | This endpoint is useful when you need metrics from a specific node or when your BI tool already integrates with Prometheus. |
| 211 | |
| 212 | #### REST API with JSON |
| 213 | |
| 214 | Query specific metrics from an Agent or Parent in JSON format. This is useful for BI tools that need to combine Netdata metrics with other business data. |
| 215 | |
| 216 | **Common BI use cases:** |
| 217 | |
| 218 | ```bash |
| 219 | # Daily averages for last 30 days, grouped by node |
| 220 | curl 'http://NODE_IP:19999/api/v3/data?contexts=system.cpu&after=-2592000&points=30&time_group=avg&group_by=node' |
| 221 | |
| 222 | # Weekly max values for capacity planning |
| 223 | curl 'http://NODE_IP:19999/api/v3/data?contexts=system.ram&after=-604800&points=4&time_group=max&group_by=node' |
| 224 | |
| 225 | # Hourly sum for cost analysis |
| 226 | curl 'http://NODE_IP:19999/api/v3/data?contexts=system.cpu&after=-86400&points=24&time_group=sum' |
| 227 | ``` |
| 228 | |
| 229 | **Key parameters for BI workflows:** |
| 230 | |
| 231 | | Parameter | Description | Example | |
| 232 | |-----------|-------------|---------| |
| 233 | | `contexts` | Metric context to query | `system.cpu`, `system.ram`, `disk.io` | |
| 234 | | `after` / `before` | Timeframe (seconds or Unix timestamp) | `-2592000` = last 30 days | |
| 235 | | `points` | Number of output points | `30` = daily for monthly view | |
| 236 | | `time_group` | Aggregation function | `avg`, `sum`, `min`, `max` | |
| 237 | | `group_by` | How to group results | `node`, `context`, `label:LABEL_NAME` | |
| 238 | |
| 239 | Power BI, Tableau, and similar tools can consume this JSON through their data transformation features (Power Query, etc.). |
| 240 | |
| 241 | #### Database export connectors |
| 242 | |
| 243 | For persistent storage and historical analysis, export metrics to a database: |
| 244 | |
| 245 | | Database | Connector | |
| 246 | |----------|-----------| |
| 247 | | PostgreSQL | Prometheus remote write adapter | |
| 248 | | TimescaleDB | Prometheus remote write or netdata-timescale-relay | |
| 249 | | InfluxDB | Graphite or Prometheus remote write | |
| 250 | | Elasticsearch | Graphite or Prometheus remote write | |
| 251 | | Google BigQuery | Prometheus remote write | |
| 252 | | AWS services | AWS Kinesis Data Streams | |
| 253 | | Azure services | Prometheus remote write | |
| 254 | |
| 255 | See [Export Metrics to External Time-Series Databases](/docs/exporting-metrics/README.md) for full connector documentation. |
| 256 | |
| 257 | ### When to use this approach |
| 258 | |
| 259 | - Existing BI infrastructure with established workflows |
| 260 | - Requirement to combine Netdata data with other business data sources |
| 261 | - Custom visualization needs not covered by built-in dashboards |
| 262 | - Long-term archival beyond Netdata's retention |
| 263 | - Compliance requirements for data export |
| 264 | |
| 265 | ## Choosing the right method |
| 266 | |
| 267 | ### Start with AI Insights if you: |
| 268 | |
| 269 | - Need reports quickly without setup |
| 270 | - Want executive-ready summaries |
| 271 | - Prefer natural language over configuration |
| 272 | - Need recurring automated reports |
| 273 | |
| 274 | ### Use AI Assistants (MCP) if you: |
| 275 | |
| 276 | - Want real-time answers to ad-hoc questions |
| 277 | - Already use Claude, Cursor, or similar AI tools |
| 278 | - Need deep investigation capabilities |
| 279 | - Prefer conversational interaction with your data |
| 280 | |
| 281 | ### Use Grafana if you: |
| 282 | |
| 283 | - Already have Grafana deployed |
| 284 | - Need highly customized dashboards |
| 285 | - Want to combine Netdata with other data sources in one view |
| 286 | - Have team expertise in Grafana |
| 287 | |
| 288 | ### Export to BI tools if you: |
| 289 | |
| 290 | - Have established Power BI, Tableau, or Looker workflows |
| 291 | - Need to combine infrastructure metrics with business data |
| 292 | - Require custom analytics beyond monitoring |
| 293 | - Have compliance requirements for data in specific systems |
| 294 | |
| 295 | ## Related documentation |
| 296 | |
| 297 | - [AI Insights: Infrastructure Summary](/docs/netdata-ai/insights/infrastructure-summary.md) |
| 298 | - [AI Insights: Scheduled Reports](/docs/netdata-ai/insights/scheduled-reports.md) |
| 299 | - [Investigations](/docs/netdata-ai/investigations/index.md) |
| 300 | - [Netdata MCP](/docs/netdata-ai/mcp/README.md) |
| 301 | - [API Tokens](/docs/netdata-cloud/authentication-and-authorization/api-tokens.md) |
| 302 | - [Export Metrics to External Time-Series Databases](/docs/exporting-metrics/README.md) |
| 303 | - [REST API](/src/web/api/README.md) |