energylink/docs/sources/datasources/cloudwatch.md

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page_title: Cloudwatch page_description: Cloudwatch grafana datasource documentation

page_keywords: Cloudwatch, grafana, documentation, datasource, docs

Cloudwatch

Grafana ships with support for Cloudwatch.

Adding the data source

1. Open the side menu by clicking the the Grafana icon in the top header.

2. In the side menu under the Dashboards link you should find a link named Data Sources.

   NOTE: If this link is missing in the side menu it means that your current user does not have the Admin role for the current organization.

3. Click the Add new link in the top header.

4. Select Elasticsearch from the dropdown.

Name	Description
Name	The data source name, important that this is the same as in Grafana v1.x if you plan to import old dashboards.
Default	Default data source means that it will be pre-selected for new panels.
Url	The http protocol, ip and port of you elasticsearch server.
Access	Proxy = access via Grafana backend, Direct = access directory from browser.

Proxy access means that the Grafana backend will proxy all requests from the browser, and send them on to the Data Source. This is useful because it can eliminate CORS (Cross Origin Site Resource) issues, as well as eliminate the need to disseminate authentication details to the Data Source to the browser.

Direct access is still supported because in some cases it may be useful to access a Data Source directly depending on the use case and topology of Grafana, the user, and the Data Source.