SkySQL Observability service

Overview

The SkySQL Observability service makes observability features available for MariaDB enterprise customers on-premises or in private clouds.

This page shows how to install and configure MariaDB Agent Manager to send monitoring data to SkySQL Observability service.

Alternatively, a quickstart is available at "Onboarding for the SkySQL Observability service".

Compatibility

MariaDB Products

  • MariaDB Community Server 10.3

  • MariaDB Community Server 10.4

  • MariaDB Community Server 10.5

  • MariaDB Community Server 10.6

  • MariaDB Enterprise ColumnStore 5

  • MariaDB Enterprise ColumnStore 6

  • MariaDB Enterprise ColumnStore 22.08

  • MariaDB Enterprise ColumnStore 23.02

  • MariaDB Enterprise Server 10.3

  • MariaDB Enterprise Server 10.4

  • MariaDB Enterprise Server 10.5

  • MariaDB Enterprise Server 10.6

  • MariaDB MaxScale 2.5

  • MariaDB MaxScale 6

  • MariaDB MaxScale 22.08

  • MariaDB MaxScale 23.02

  • MariaDB Xpand 5.3

  • MariaDB Xpand 6.0

  • MariaDB Xpand 6.1

Operating Systems

  • CentOS 7

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

  • Rocky Linux 8

  • Ubuntu 18.04 LTS

  • Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

  • Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

Introduction

This procedure shows how to install and configure MariaDB Agent Manager to send monitoring data to the SkySQL Observability service. This procedure is intended to be followed linearly from the top to the bottom of the page.

Some steps in the procedure contain different instructions for MariaDB Server and MariaDB Xpand. If the host is running MariaDB Enterprise Server, MariaDB Enterprise ColumnStore, or MariaDB Community server, the instructions for MariaDB Server should be used.

Some steps in the procedure contain different instructions for Forwarding Hosts and Monitored Hosts. Read the instructions carefully to determine which instructions apply to each host.

MariaDB Agent Manager

The MariaDB Agent Manager coordinates deployment of the agents needed to consolidate and push data to the SkySQL Observability service.

The SkySQL Observability service should be used with MariaDB Agent Manager 1.3 or a version released more recently than 2023-04-18.

Host Types

These instructions describe actions performed on two types of hosts:

  • Forwarding Hosts forward data to the SkySQL Observability service. Forwarding Hosts run the following components:

    • A local Prometheus server

    • skysql_uni_exporter

    • MariaDB Agent Manager daemon

  • Monitored Hosts are servers that run MariaDB Server, MariaDB Xpand, or MariaDB MaxScale. Monitored Hosts transmit monitoring data to Forwarding Hosts. Monitored Hosts run exporters to collect the monitoring data, such as:

    • mariadb_exporter

    • maxscale_exporter

    • node_exporter

Dedicated Forwarding Hosts are supported, but not required. A service can have one dedicated Forwarding Host.

A Monitored Host can serve as a combined Forwarding and Monitored Host. In non-production environments, particularly when only a single host is in use, it might be preferable for the host to serve both roles.

System Requirements

Memory Requirements

On each Forwarding Host, the expected memory footprint of MariaDB Agent Manager and its components is around 150 MB.

Storage Requirements

On each Forwarding Host, the Prometheus data directory must have sufficient storage capacity to cache service metrics. The service metrics typically require 100 MB or less. The specific capacity requirements depend on the number of services, the service types, and the Prometheus configuration.

For additional information about the specific directories that are used, see "MariaDB Agent Manager Directory ReferenceMariaDB Agent Manager Directory Reference".

Log Collection

Fluent Bit can be used to collect and process logs.

Pricing and Billing

Pricing is based on the number of servers being monitored.

Refer to the SkySQL portal for SkySQL Observability service pricing. Volume pricing is available.

Only Monitored Hosts count for billing purposes. Dedicated Forwarding Hosts are not counted.

If servers are only monitored for part of a month, charges are prorated. Depending on the type of customer account, monthly charges for the SkySQL Observability service will either be sent as a standalone invoice or in a combined invoice with other charges.

Customers can stop their SkySQL Observability service subscription by stopping the MariaDB Agent Manager services on the Monitored Hosts and Forwarding Hosts.

Prerequisites

Before deploying MariaDB Agent Manager, you must meet the following prerequisites:

Step 1: Determine Systemd Mode

MariaDB Agent Manager is installed and executed differently on different operating systems:

  • On some operating systems, MariaDB Agent Manager is installed in "system" systemd mode. On these operating systems, Agent Manager must be installed as root, and the systemd services are managed by the main systemd system manager (PID 1).

  • On other operating systems, MariaDB Agent Manager is installed in "user" systemd mode. On these operating systems, Agent Manager must be installed as a non-root user, and the systemd services are managed by the systemd user manager instance owned by the user that installed the package.

For details about which mode is used on specific operating system, see "Systemd ModesSystemd Modes".

Step 2: Create Dedicated OS User (User Systemd Mode)

On operating systems that use MariaDB Agent Manager in user systemd modeuser systemd mode, it must be installed as a non-root OS user. If you would like to use an existing user, skip this step. The existing user needs to be in the sudo group during the installation process. The existing user must also have a password.

On operating systems that use MariaDB Agent Manager in system systemd modesystem systemd mode, skip this step and perform the subsequent steps as the root OS user.

On each Forwarding Host and Monitored Host, consider creating a dedicated user account and group for MariaDB Agent Manager.

To create a user account named mariadbagent in a default group with the same name:

$ useradd --create-home --user-group --groups sudo --shell /bin/bash mariadbagent
$ passwd mariadbagent

The user can be removed from the sudo group after installation.

Before continuing with the rest of this procedure, login as the new dedicated OS user. When logging in, do not use su, because a full login session is required to start the systemd user manager instance used by MariaDB Agent Manager's systemd services. Each of the subsequent steps in this procedure should be performed using the full login session for this dedicated user account.

Step 3: Install MariaDB Agent Manager

MariaDB Agent Manager transmits monitoring metrics and topology status data to the SkySQL Observability service.

On each Forwarding Host and Monitored Host, MariaDB Agent Manager must be installed using one of the following methods:

Step 5: Check Monitoring Dashboard in Portal

After MariaDB Agent Manager has been started on each Forwarding Host and Monitored Host, check the monitoring dashboard in the PortalPortal.