Elasticsearch data visualization through Kibana is undeniably robust, offering users an intuitive UI for rapid dashboard creation, search functionality, and data analysis. However, the open-source version of Kibana lacks advanced reporting features, necessitating additional plugins for automated data export to CSV, Excel, or PDF formats.

In this review, we delve into two tools designed to streamline the process of exporting data directly from Elasticsearch, shedding light on their features, pros, and cons.

Exporting Data From Kibana

Kibana stands as an open-source data visualization and exploration platform, often employed alongside Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Beats to form the ELK Stack. This stack finds widespread use in log and data analysis, as well as real-time search and visualization.

To export data from Kibana to a CSV file, you can follow these steps:

1. Open Kibana Dashboard: Access the Kibana dashboard containing the target data.
   
   
2. Select Time Range: Specify the desired time range for focused data export.
3. Access Visualization: Click on the ellipsis icon for the chosen visualization.
4. Download CSV: Choose “Download as CSV” from the options to initiate the download of data in CSV format based on the selected time range.
   
   

Pros of Export from Kibana 

• One of the major advantages of the inbuilt export option is that it does not require the installation of any third-party plugins or tools. 
• No coding is necessary, making it user-friendly even for non-technical users.
• The inbuilt export options are seamlessly integrated into Kibana’s user interface.

Cons Export from Kibana  

• You can only export one visualization at a time.
• Unfortunately, exporting an entire dashboard as a whole is not supported. supported. Each panel must be exported individually, which can be time-consuming.
• Using the inbuilt export option is a manual process.
• In cases you have a dashboard with numerous visualization, exporting each one individually can be time-consuming

Skedler Reports

Skedler is a meticulously designed tool to improve reporting processes for DevOps teams operating on renowned platforms such as Kibana and Grafana. Its sophisticated automated reporting capabilities enable organizations to generate and disseminate paginated reports effortlessly, facilitating streamlined data-driven decision making.

Skedler’s seamless integration with Kibana and Grafana maximizes its inherent visualization strengths, offering a comprehensive reporting solution. This integration ensures that teams can effortlessly extract and present crucial information from their monitoring and analysis tools. In addition, Skedler’s easy-to-use interface, coupled with flexible scheduling options, positions it as a valuable asset, enabling organizations to elevate operational efficiency and remain vigilant about performance metrics.

Skedler transforms the traditionally complex task of generating and sharing reports into a seamless, automated operation. This operational efficiency translates into significant time savings, allowing DevOps teams to save significant time and increase efficiency. 

Pros of Skedler Reports

• Skedler is quick to install and configure and its a cost-affordable solution
• Skedler supports all formats like PDF, Excel/CSV/HTML, and even PNG reports
• Layouts can be customized with rich templates to drive the value of data
• You can add your branding to all the reports you generate
• You can send personalized reports to different recipients from a single dashboard
• Flexibility in scheduling and distribution
• Multiple deployment options such as Docker are supported
• Skedler has role-based access control (RBAC), so you can monitor who has access to what
• Robust error handling and notification mechanisms

Cons of Skedler Reports

• The utilization of Skedler Reports requires a paid license, covering both software usage and comprehensive enterprise support. You can get your quote here. 

What tools do you use?

For those of you who regularly export data from Kibana or use other third-party plugins, we invite you to share your experiences and tools of choice with us. Connect with us at [email protected] to join the ongoing dialogue on Elasticsearch data export optimization. If you haven’t tried Skedler yet, now is your time to start enjoying the 15-day trial. If you have any questions, we are here for you. 

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