Glances + InfluxDB + Grafana: Integrated Monitoring, Storage, and Visualization Stack
If you’re looking to keep tabs on system performance — in real time, historically, and across a range of environments — this trio has you covered. Glances handles the metrics collection, InfluxDB stores the data efficiently, and Grafana brings it all to life with flexible, powerful visualizations. Simple, open-source, and surprisingly scalable.
Component Breakdown
| Component | Role | What It Brings |
| Glances | Metric collector | Real-time monitoring from CLI or daemon; exports via REST/API; works on most platforms |
| InfluxDB | Time-series database | High-ingestion throughput; supports retention policies; optimized for low disk usage |
| Grafana | Dashboard and alerting | Custom dashboards, templating, user roles, flexible alert rules |
Why This Combo Works So Well
Glances grabs system stats — CPU, memory, disk, network, running processes — and sends them straight to InfluxDB. InfluxDB then stores those metrics efficiently, tagging them by host, time, or category for fast lookups. Grafana sits on top, pulling that data into beautiful, interactive dashboards that help teams spot trends, troubleshoot in real time, and stay ahead of issues.
Each tool is solid on its own, but together they form a lightweight, no-nonsense stack that’s as effective for a single server as it is across a full infrastructure deployment.
Installation & Setup (Quick Start)
- Install Glances with InfluxDB support
pip install glances[influxdb]
Edit glances.conf:
[influxdb]
host=localhost
port=8086
db=glances
- Set up InfluxDB
Download and install InfluxDB. Then run:
influx
> CREATE DATABASE glances
(Optional) Configure retention and authentication.
- Install Grafana and connect it to InfluxDB
– Start Grafana and go to Configuration → Data Sources
– Choose InfluxDB as the source type
– Set the URL: http://localhost:8086
– Set the database name: glances
– Save and test the connection
Where This Stack Really Shines
- Monitoring bare-metal servers or VMs
- Visualizing real-time system health
- Analyzing historical performance over time
- Triggering alerts and detecting anomalies
Notes for Technical Environments
– All three components run on Linux, Windows, and macOS (though Linux gets the best integration overall).
– Glances can run in agent mode for remote multi-host monitoring.
– In containerized or orchestrated setups (like Kubernetes), Prometheus is often swapped in for InfluxDB — but Grafana remains the go-to for visualization.
Final Thoughts
The Glances + InfluxDB + Grafana stack is more than just a clever combo. It’s a practical, open solution for anyone needing actionable observability — without the overhead of commercial tools or the lock-in of proprietary platforms. Scales when you need it, runs lean when you don’t.
