Implementing DNS Insights

To implement DNS Insights, you configure DNS Insights to push data to your time series database (TSDB) and to import the dashboard(s) to view collected data in Grafana or your preferred data visualization tool.

If using Grafana for data visualization, you can load the Grafana dashboard to view DNS Insights data. Alternatively, you can configure your dashboards using your preferred data visualization tools. Implementation details vary depending on the option you choose.

  • Option 1: Grafana Cloud
  • Option 2: Grafana Enterprise Stack
  • Option 3: Grafana and Prometheus (open-source)
  • Option 4: Other TSDB that supports remote write (connected to your preferred data visualization tool)
    Attention: You must develop your dashboard and analytical tools if you plan to use a TSDB other than Prometheus through Grafana Cloud, open-source versions of Grafana, or Grafana Enterprise. If using an alternative TSDB, IBM support’s ability to support you might be limited.

Before you begin

Review the following prerequisites and considerations:

  • You must use a TSDB that supports remote write functionality.
  • If using Grafana as your data visualization tool, you must add the TSDB to the appropriate Grafana stack.
  • NS1 Connect DNS Insights provides basic authentication for connections to Prometheus or token-based authentication for OpenTelemetry instances. When configuring the integration, you enter the relevant Prometheus or OpenTelemetry API credentials to enable data pushing from NS1 Connect agents to your TSDB. If you use a TSDB other than Prometheus, you must work directly with IBM support to determine which credentials are required for implementation.

Procedure

To implement DNS Insights, follow this process:

Note: The following instructions reflect the implementation process for Grafana Cloud customers using the built-in Prometheus TSDB. Instructions vary for those using Grafana Enterprise, open-sourced versions of Grafana and Prometheus, or another TSDB.
  1. Gather details and credentials for your remote write endpoint of your TSDB, if you don't already have one.
  2. Create a DNS Insights data sink in NS1 Connect containing the credentials for the TSDB to which DNS Insights agents push data. You can create a data sink through one of the following methods:
    1. Creating a data sink through the IBM NS1 Connect® web interface
    2. Creating a data sink through the IBM NS1 Connect® API

    NS1 Connect uses this information to complete the data sink configuration.

  3. Import the DNS Insights dashboard to Grafana.