Create custom Azure Workbooks for detailed monitoring

Introduction

Azure Workbooks are a powerful way to build customizable dashboards for monitoring applications and infrastructure. They can combine multiple data sources such as:

• Metrics
• Log Analytics Workspaces
• Visualizations

They are flexible enough for quick performance overviews or deep investigations.

Using Default Azure Workbooks

Many Azure resources include built-in workbook templates with basic health and performance insights.

1. Open your Virtual Machine.
2. Select Workbooks.
3. Choose Overview or another template.

Workbook Templates and Examples

Microsoft maintains a public repository with workbook templates:

• https://github.com/microsoft/Application-Insights-Workbooks/tree/master/Workbooks

This library contains hundreds of ready-to-use workbooks that can also be reused in your own custom dashboards.

Import a Predefined Workbook

Create a new workbook in Azure and open the Advanced Editor to paste workbook JSON from GitHub.

After applying the JSON, the workbook becomes available in your tenant.

Build Your Own Custom Workbook

Useful building blocks:

• Parameters – filters, selectors, dynamic views
• Queries – KQL queries against Log Analytics
• Metrics – CPU, memory, disk, network
• Groups – combine components into sections

Add CPU Metrics

Create a new metric tile:

• Resource type: Virtual Machines
• Scope: select one or more VMs
• Metric: Percentage CPU

Add Memory Metrics

Use:

• Available Memory Percentage

Add Disk Metrics

Recommended metrics:

• Disk Read Bytes
• Disk Read Operations/sec
• Disk Write Bytes
• Disk Write Operations/sec

Use Average aggregation.

Save the Workbook

Store workbooks in a dedicated monitoring resource group or alongside the application.

Improve Visualizations

Add Titles

Use Advanced Settings to define chart titles.

Tile Order and Size

Reorder tiles and set width percentages (for example 50%) to create two-column layouts.

Use Bar Charts

Bar charts are often clearer than line charts for quick health checks.

Grid View for Operations

Grid views are ideal for incident response and multi-VM overviews.

Add conditional formatting such as:

• CPU: Green → Red
• Memory Available: Red → Green

Round percentages to zero decimals for readability.

Download Example Workbook

You can download the original sample workbook here:

• https://github.com/JustinVerstijnen/DemonstrationWorkBook/blob/main/wb-jv-customworkbook.workbook

Summary

Azure Workbooks provide a flexible and scalable way to visualize operational data in Azure. Start with templates, then evolve toward dashboards tailored to your own workloads.

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