Volkov Labs at GrafanaCON 2024: A Celebration of Community and Innovation
At Volkov Labs, Grafana is more than a tool—it's a passion. Nothing captures this spirit better than the in-person conferences Grafana hosts globally. This spring, we had the honor of attending GrafanaCON 2024 in the dynamic city of Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Over two incredible days, we engaged in meaningful collaborations, connected with inspiring individuals, and savored exceptional food.
Our mission was to immerse ourselves in Grafana’s culture, uncover their strategic priorities, and gain insights into future developments. What we didn’t anticipate was the overwhelming appreciation from attendees. As we wandered the conference halls, lemonade in hand, countless people approached us with gratitude: "Thank you for your plugins; they’ve been a lifesaver for my company!" These heartfelt interactions made the journey truly unforgettable.
While download statistics for our plugins are impressive, meeting users in person and hearing their stories provided invaluable perspective.
Golden Grot Award Winner: Professional Category​
For nearly three years, we’ve partnered with Theia Scientific and Chris Fields on a transformative project. This initiative enables nuclear scientists across the US to analyze material quality under microscopes with unprecedented speed and accuracy.
We’re ecstatic to share that the dashboard we co-developed clinched the prestigious Golden Grot Award in the Professional category at GrafanaCON 2024. With only two winners each year—one personal and one professional—this accolade is a remarkable honor.
Chris graciously shared the award with us for a photo. Crafted from elegant glass, the award’s striking design and weight perfectly symbolize this significant achievement.
JAXA Moon Landing: Monitoring with Volkov Labs Plugins​
A standout moment at GrafanaCON 2024 occurred during a keynote follow-up session. Satoshi Nakahira, Associate Senior Researcher at JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), showcased their historic Moon landing project. As I viewed the dashboards used for probe monitoring, I was thrilled to spot our Business Media panel prominently displayed, tracking probe movements in real time.
Planted: Innovating with Grafana Beyond Monitoring​
Following a delightful lunch and an insightful session on Grafana 11, Mathias Pawlowsky, Head of Data Science at Planted, demonstrated how they harness Grafana for operational excellence. We were excited to see their use of Volkov Labs plugins, including Business Forms, Business Variable, and Business Charts, to enable seamless control directly from Grafana dashboards.
Mathias reinforced a core belief at Volkov Labs: Grafana can extend beyond traditional process monitoring to serve as a central hub for broader business solutions.
We were deeply honored by a shout-out to Volkov Labs on one of his slides, recognizing our contributions to Business Charts powered by Apache ECharts.
Heineken: Scaling with Grafana Across 85 Breweries​
Another highlight was a presentation by Dolf Noordman and Frank Van Boven, IIoT and Mission Critical Engineers at Schuberg Philis. They revealed an ambitious project connecting 85 Heineken breweries worldwide, monitored via over 4,000 Grafana dashboards.
To handle this scale, they deploy customizable Grafana Docker containers for each client, preloaded with essential plugins—including our Business Charts powered by Apache ECharts. This approach mirrors our own strategies for commercial projects. Want to dive deeper? Explore our blog post on customizing Grafana UI or check out our YouTube tutorials.
Obirdability: A Charming Bird Monitoring Project​
One of the most delightful talks came from Ivana Huckova and Sven GroĂźmann, Senior Software Engineers at Grafana Labs. Their Obirdability project, focused on bird monitoring, was both innovative and endearing. They creatively used our Business Text panel to display bird images and play audio clips of bird calls.
Reflections on the Flight Home​
GrafanaCON 2024 was an unequivocal success. We achieved every objective, from networking to learning, while immersing ourselves in a vibrant atmosphere and enjoying delicious cuisine.
As we flew home, we were brimming with inspiration and energy. Our team is already ideating new features, plugins, and innovations. GrafanaCON masterfully blended technology with human connection, reinforcing why we’re so passionate about this community—a group of tech enthusiasts who prioritize simplicity, maintainability, and speed in their solutions.
A Special Thank You​
A heartfelt thank you to Amanda V. Wagner for her outstanding organizational skills and unwavering support for Grafana champions throughout the event.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going​
Inspired by our journey at GrafanaCON 2024? Explore our plugin catalog to discover how Volkov Labs can enhance your Grafana experience. Have questions or ideas to share? Leave a comment below or connect with us on GitHub or LinkedIn.
Let’s Stay Connected!​
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