Loki-Promtail Setup Documentation

Introduction

This repository provides streamlined scripts to automate the setup of Loki and Promtail, offering centralized logging integrated with Grafana. The scripts are designed for ease of use and allow users to set up Loki and Promtail on any compatible Linux server with minimal manual intervention.

Features

• Automated Installation: One-click setup for Loki and Promtail, with system architecture detection.
• Grafana Integration: Automatically configures Grafana with Loki as a data source and sets up a default dashboard.
• Middleware Support: Provides middleware scripts for advanced configuration options in Grafana.
• Extensive Compatibility: Supports most Linux-based distributions (Ubuntu, CentOS, Fedora).

Installation

Install Loki & Promtail

Run the following command to install both Loki and Promtail:

sudo bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/abdulsaheel/Loki-Promtail-Setup/refs/heads/main/install_loki_promtail.sh)"

This command will:

• Detect your system architecture automatically.
• Download and install Loki and Promtail.
• Set up Promtail to run as a service and start on boot.

Middleware Setup

You can skip this part if you plan to use lambda function

Run Middleware Script

To configure Grafana with Loki as a data source and set up a default dashboard, run:

sudo wget -O middleware.py https://raw.githubusercontent.com/abdulsaheel/Loki-Promtail-Setup/refs/heads/main/middleware.py && wget -O loki-dashboard.json https://raw.githubusercontent.com/abdulsaheel/Loki-Promtail-Setup/refs/heads/main/loki-dashboard.json && python3 middleware.py"

Grafana Data Source & Dashboard Setup

Generate a Grafana Bearer Token

To configure Grafana with Loki, you need a Bearer Token. Follow these steps to generate one:

• Log in to Grafana with an account that has admin privileges.
• Navigate to Configuration → API Keys in the side menu.
• Click on Add API Key.
• Enter a name for the token (e.g., Loki-Integration).
• Select Admin as the role to grant full permissions.
• Click Create API Key.
• Copy the generated token immediately. You won't be able to view it again.

Note: Store the token securely, as it grants access to configure Grafana and interact with data sources.

Using Flask Python Script

To automatically add Loki as a data source and create a default Grafana dashboard:

sudo bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/abdulsaheel/Loki-Promtail-Setup/refs/heads/main/create_grafana_dashboard.sh)"

If Using Lambda Function

For AWS Lambda configuration:

sudo bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/abdulsaheel/Loki-Promtail-Setup/refs/heads/main/create_grafana_dashboard_lamba_fn.sh)"

This script will prompt for:

• Grafana URL: The URL to access Grafana.(Where your dashboard will be created)
• Grafana Bearer Token: Used for API authentication.
• Loki Basic Auth Password: Password for Loki access. (Which you kept during installation)
• Middleware URL: The URL to send configuration data. (Lambda Fn URL or Flask Middleware URL)

Accessing Loki UI

Once Loki and Promtail are installed and running, access the Loki UI at:

http://<your-server-ip>:3100

Default Credentials:

• Username: admin
• Password: Password configured during the installation

Troubleshooting

Loki and Promtail Not Starting

Check the status of the services:

sudo systemctl status loki

sudo systemctl status promtail

If the services aren’t running, check logs with:

journalctl -u loki

journalctl -u promtail

Grafana Data Source Not Created

Verify the Loki URL and credentials in the middleware script. Ensure that the Grafana Bearer Token is valid and has permissions to create data sources.

Logs Not Showing in Grafana

Check the data source in Grafana:

• Navigate to Configuration → Data Sources → Loki in Grafana.
• Ensure the URL and credentials match the settings from the middleware script.