Datagen source plugin

The Datagen source plugin generates simulated log data through Gofakeit (opens in a new tab). You can use this simulated data to test your pipeline configurations.

Configuration parameters

The Datagen source plugin accepts the following configuration parameters.

Templates

Templates define the structure and content of your simulated log data. When you configure the Datagen source plugin in a pipeline's YAML configuration file, use the template key to create a JSON object. For example:

pipeline:
  inputs:
    - name: datagen
      template: |-
        {
            "host":            "{{ IPv4Address }}",
            "user": {
              "user-identifier": "{{ Username }}",
              "auth-user-id":    "{{ UUID }}",
            }
            "method":          "{{ HTTPMethod }}",
            "request":         "{{ URLPath }}",
            "protocol":        "{{ HTTPVersion }}",
            "response-code":   "{{ HTTPStatusCode }}",
            "bytes":           "{{ Number 0 30_000 }}"
        }

When the Datagen plugin generates logs, each log matches the format of your template, but any included functions are replaced by simulated data. For best results, Chronosphere recommends creating a JSON object that uses custom strings for its keys and functions for its values.

Functions

The Datagen plugin uses functions to generate randomized values that follow a consistent pattern. For example, {{ HTTPMethod }} can output a string like GET, POST, or PUT, but not a string like GREEN or SUNDAY.

To invoke a function in a template, surround the name of that function with double curly braces.

Suggested functions

You can use any of the available Gofakeit functions (opens in a new tab) in a template. The following functions are best suited for generating realistic log data:

• {{ HTTPMethod }}: returns an HTTP method, like GET.
• {{ HTTPStatusCode }}: returns an HTTP status code, like 403.
• {{ HTTPVersion }}: returns an HTTP protocol version, like HTTP/1.1.
• {{ IPv4Address }}: returns a random IPv4 address.
• {{ IPv6Address }}: returns a random IPv6 address.
• {{ Username }}: returns a random username, like Bailey1270.
• {{ UUID }}: returns a string of numbers in UUID format.
• {{ Date }}: returns a random time in UTC format.
• {{ LogLevel syslog }}: returns a log type, like alert.
• {{ Number 0 30_000 }}: returns a number between 0 and 30,000.
• {{ URLPath }}: returns a string that resembles a URL path, like /foo/bar. This function is unique to Datagen and isn't included in Gofakeit.
• {{ URLScheme }}: returns either http or https. This function is unique to Datagen and isn't included in Gofakeit.

Example output

For a pipeline with the following template:

pipeline:
  inputs:
    - name: datagen
      template: |-
        {
            "response-code":   "{{ HTTPStatusCode }}",
            "bytes":           "{{ Number 0 30_000 }}"
            "host":            "{{ IPv4Address }}",
        }

The Datagen source plugin generates simulated log data in the following format:

{"response-code"=>201.000000, "bytes"=>29600.000000, "host"=>"64.15.54.123"}
 
{"response-code"=>302.000000, "bytes"=>429.000000, "host"=>"214.221.240.201"}
 
{"response-code"=>205.000000, "bytes"=>3507.000000, "host"=>"27.79.197.250"}
 
{"response-code"=>504.000000, "bytes"=>758.000000, "host"=>"211.135.114.51"}
 
{"response-code"=>404.000000, "bytes"=>12190.000000, "host"=>"84.74.177.0"}