Kibana Error: Saved Objects Not Found - Common Causes & Fixes

Brief Explanation

The "Saved Objects Not Found" error in Kibana occurs when the system is unable to locate or retrieve specific saved objects, such as dashboards, visualizations, or index patterns, that are requested by the user or required for certain operations.

Common Causes

1. Deletion or corruption of saved objects in the Elasticsearch index.
2. Misconfiguration of Kibana or Elasticsearch settings.
3. Version mismatch between Kibana and Elasticsearch.
4. Index mapping issues in Elasticsearch.
5. Insufficient permissions for the Kibana user to access saved objects.

Troubleshooting and Resolution Steps

1. Verify Elasticsearch Connection:

   • Ensure Kibana is properly connected to Elasticsearch.
   • Check Elasticsearch cluster health and status.

2. Check Kibana and Elasticsearch Versions:

   • Confirm that Kibana and Elasticsearch versions are compatible.
   • Upgrade if necessary to ensure version alignment.

3. Inspect Kibana Logs:

   • Review Kibana logs for specific error messages related to saved objects.

4. Verify Index Existence and Mapping:

   • Check if the .kibana index (or the configured saved objects index) exists in Elasticsearch.
   • Inspect the index mapping for any inconsistencies.

5. Rebuild Kibana Index:

   • If the index is corrupted, consider rebuilding the Kibana index.
   • Use the kibana-setup command to recreate the index and its mappings.

6. Check User Permissions:

   • Ensure the Kibana user has sufficient permissions to read and write saved objects.

7. Restore from Backup:

   • If available, restore saved objects from a recent backup.

8. Recreate Missing Objects:

   • As a last resort, manually recreate the missing saved objects.

Best Practices

• Regularly backup Kibana saved objects.
• Implement proper version control for Kibana and Elasticsearch updates.
• Use role-based access control to manage permissions effectively.
• Monitor Kibana and Elasticsearch logs for early detection of issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I recover deleted saved objects in Kibana?
A: Deleted saved objects cannot be directly recovered unless you have a backup. It's crucial to maintain regular backups of your Kibana saved objects.

Q: How do I check if my Kibana and Elasticsearch versions are compatible?
A: Check the Elastic documentation for version compatibility matrices. Generally, it's recommended to use the same version number for both Kibana and Elasticsearch.

Q: What should I do if rebuilding the Kibana index doesn't solve the issue?
A: If rebuilding the index doesn't work, consider checking for data corruption in Elasticsearch, reviewing recent configuration changes, or consulting Elastic support for advanced troubleshooting.

Q: How can I prevent the "Saved Objects Not Found" error from occurring?
A: Implement regular backups, maintain version compatibility, use proper access controls, and monitor system logs to prevent and quickly identify potential issues.

Q: Is it safe to delete the .kibana index to resolve this error?
A: Deleting the .kibana index should be a last resort as it will remove all saved objects. If you choose to do so, ensure you have a backup and be prepared to recreate necessary objects.