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diff --git a/docs/quickstart/infrastructure.md b/docs/quickstart/infrastructure.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..9ce3ad214c --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/quickstart/infrastructure.md @@ -0,0 +1,126 @@ +<!-- +title: "Infrastructure monitoring with Netdata" +sidebar_label: "Infrastructure monitoring" +description: "Build a robust, infinitely scalable infrastructure monitoring solution with Netdata. Any number of nodes and every available metric." +custom_edit_url: https://github.com/netdata/netdata/edit/master/docs/quickstart/infrastructure.md +--> + +# Infrastructure monitoring with Netdata + +Together, the Netdata Agent and Netdata Cloud create a powerful, infinitely-scalable infrastructure monitoring solution. + +The Netdata Agent uses zero-configuration collectors to gather metrics from every application and container instantly. +The distributed data model lets you monitor everything without a slow and troublesome centralized data lake for your +infrastructure's metrics, reducing the resources you need to invest in metrics retention. Netdata Cloud unifies all the +metrics from these distributed nodes on customizable, interactive, and real-time visualizations. + +In this quickstart guide, you'll learn how to see key metrics from all your nodes in one interface and build your first +dashboard for aggregating like metrics from many distributed nodes. You'll then take a peek into configuring individual +nodes and get helpful pointers about collecting all the metrics from every critical application in your infrastructure. + +> This quickstart assumes you've installed the Netdata Agent on more than one node in your infrastructure, and claimed +> that node to your Space in Netdata Cloud. If you haven't yet, see the [_Get Netdata_ doc](/docs/get/README.md) for +> details on installation and claiming. + +## See your infrastructure's metrics + +To see all your nodes from a single pane of glass, first [sign in](https://app.netdata.cloud) to Netdata Cloud. As you +sign in, Netdata Cloud pings each claimed node to start on-demand streaming from your nodes to your browser. When +Netdata Cloud loads your War Room's **Nodes** view, you'll immediately see key metrics from your nodes, streamed in +real time, in a single interface. + + + +You can drill down into any node's full dashboard by clicking on that node's hostname in the Nodes view. + + + +You can use single-node dashboards in Netdata Cloud to drill down on specific issues, scrub backward in time to +investigate historical data, and see like metrics presented meaningfully to help you troubleshoot performance problems. +Learn about [interacting with dashboards and charts](/docs/visualize/interact-dashboards-charts.md) to get the most from +all of Netdata's real-time metrics. + +> If you want to monitor a Kubernetes cluster with Netdata, see our [k8s installation +> doc](/packaging/installer/methods/kubernetes.md) for setup details, and then read our guide, [_Monitor a Kubernetes +> cluster with Netdata_](/docs/guides/monitor/kubernetes-k8s-netdata.md). + +## Build new dashboards for your infrastructure + +You can use Netdata Cloud to build new dashboards that match your infrastructure's topology or help you diagnose complex +issues by aggregating correlated charts from any number of nodes. + +To build your first dashboard, click on the **Nodes** dropdown, then select **+ Add**. Enter a name to assign to this +dashboard. Click on either of the **Add chart** buttons, then select the node you want to add a chart from. Select the +context, which is Netdata's way to organize charts, and then click **Add chart**. + +Once you add a few charts, you can move them around, resize them, and add text. Make sure you click the **Save** button +before you navigate away. + +Read more about [creating new dashboards](/docs/visualize/create-dashboards.md) for more details about the process and +additional tips on best leveraging the feature to help you troubleshoot complex performance problems. + +## Configure your nodes + +You can configure any node in your infrastructure if you need to, although most users will find the default settings +work extremely well for monitoring their infrastructures. + +Each node has a configuration file called `netdata.conf`, which is typically at `/etc/netdata/netdata.conf`. The best +way to edit this file is using the `edit-config` script, which ensures updates to the Netdata Agent do not overwrite +your changes. For example: + +```bash +cd /etc/netdata +sudo ./edit-config netdata.conf +``` + +Our [configuration basics doc](/docs/configure/nodes.md) contains more information about `netdata.conf`, `edit-config`, +along with simple examples to get you familiar with editing your node's configuration. + +After you've learned the basics, you should [secure your infrastructure's nodes](/docs/configure/secure-nodes.md) using +one of our recommended methods. These security best practices ensure no untrusted parties gain access to the metrics +collected on any of your nodes. + +## Collect metrics from your systems and applications + +Netdata has [300+ pre-installed collectors](/collectors/COLLECTORS.md) that gather thousands of metrics with zero +configuration. Collectors search each of your nodes in default locations and ports to find running applications and +gather as many metrics as they can without you having to configure them individually. + +In fact, Netdata is already collecting thousands of metrics per second from your webservers, databases, containers, and +much more, on each node in your infrastructure. + +These metrics enrich your Netdata Cloud experience. You can see metrics from systems, containers, and applications in +the individual node dashboards, and you can create new dashboards around very specific charts, such as the real-time +volume of 503 responses from each of your webserver nodes. + +Most collectors work without configuration, but you should read up on [how collectors +work](/docs/collect/how-collectors-work.md) and [how to enable/configure](/docs/collect/enable-configure.md) them. + +In addition, find detailed information about which [system](/docs/collect/system-metrics.md), +[container](/docs/collect/container-metrics.md), and [application](/docs/collect/application-metrics.md) metrics you can +collect from across your infrastructure with Netdata. + +## What's next? + +Netdata has many features that help you monitor the health of your nodes and troubleshoot complex performance problems. +Once you have a handle on configuration and are collecting all the right metrics, try out some of Netdata's other +infrastructure-focused features: + +- [Organize your nodes](/docs/configure/spaces-war-rooms.md) into **War Rooms** based on your preferred strategy. +- [Invite your team](/docs/configure/invite-collaborate.md) to collaborate on identifying anomalies or troubleshooting + complex performance problems. +- [Export metrics](/docs/export/external-databases.md) to an external time-series database to use Netdata alongside + other monitoring and troubleshooting tools. + +To change how the Netdata Agent runs on each node, dig in to configuration files: + +- [Change how long nodes in your infrastructure retain metrics](/docs/store/change-metrics-storage.md) based on how + many metrics each node collects, your preferred retention period, and the resources you want to dedicate toward + long-term metrics retention. +- [Create new alarms](/docs/monitor/configure-alarms.md), or tweak some of the pre-configured alarms, to stay on top + of anomalies. +- [Enable notifications](/docs/monitor/enable-notifications.md) to Slack, PagerDuty, email, and 30+ other services. + +[](<>) |