---
title: Configuring collectd for your instance
shortTitle: Configure collectd
intro: 'To gain insight into {% data variables.product.prodname_ghe_server %}''s performance, you can review data from `collectd` on your instance, or optionally send the data to an external `collectd` server.'
redirect_from:
  - /enterprise/admin/installation/configuring-collectd
  - /enterprise/admin/articles/configuring-collectd
  - /enterprise/admin/enterprise-management/configuring-collectd
  - /admin/enterprise-management/configuring-collectd
  - /admin/enterprise-management/monitoring-your-appliance/configuring-collectd
  - /admin/monitoring-managing-and-updating-your-instance/monitoring-your-appliance/configuring-collectd
  - /admin/monitoring-managing-and-updating-your-instance/monitoring-your-instance/configuring-collectd
  - /admin/monitoring-managing-and-updating-your-instance/monitoring-your-instance/configuring-collectd-for-your-instance
versions:
  ghes: '*'
type: how_to
topics:
  - Enterprise
  - Fundamentals
  - Infrastructure
  - Monitoring
  - Performance
---

## About collectd for {% data variables.product.prodname_ghe_server %}

`collectd` is a service that runs on {% data variables.location.product_location %} to gather and provide metrics about the system's performance. Common metrics that `collectd` gathers includes CPU utilization, memory and disk consumption, network interface traffic and errors, and a system's overall load. You can also forward the data to another `collectd` server. For more information see the [collectd wiki](https://github.com/collectd/collectd/wiki).

Your instance uses metrics from `collectd` to display graphs in the {% data variables.enterprise.management_console %}'s monitor dashboard. For more information, see [AUTOTITLE](/admin/monitoring-and-managing-your-instance/monitoring-your-instance/about-the-monitor-dashboards).

You can review a list of the metrics that `collectd` gathers on {% data variables.location.product_location %}. For more information, see [AUTOTITLE](/admin/monitoring-and-managing-your-instance/monitoring-your-instance/collectd-metrics-for-github-enterprise-server).

{% ifversion prometheus-metrics-exporter %}

> [!TIP] In {% data variables.product.prodname_ghe_server %} 3.16, support was added for exporting `collectd` metrics in Prometheus format. This update does not change the existing metrics stack in the appliance but provides an easier way to ingest metrics into an observability platform by supporting the Prometheus protocol. An additional option is available to expose collectd metrics in Prometheus format with an endpoint. See [AUTOTITLE](/admin/monitoring-and-managing-your-instance/monitoring-your-instance/exporting-and-scraping-prometheus-metrics).

{% endif %}

## Set up an external `collectd` server

If you haven't already set up an external `collectd` server, you will need to do so before enabling `collectd` forwarding on {% data variables.location.product_location %}. Your `collectd` server must be running `collectd` version 5.x or higher.

1. Log into your `collectd` server.
1. Create or edit the `collectd` configuration file to load the network plugin and populate the server and port directives with the proper values. On most distributions, this is located at `/etc/collectd/collectd.conf`

An example _collectd.conf_ to run a `collectd` server:

    LoadPlugin network
    ...
    ...
    <Plugin network>
        Listen "0.0.0.0" "25826"
    </Plugin>

## Enabling collectd forwarding on {% data variables.product.prodname_enterprise %}

By default, `collectd` forwarding is disabled on {% data variables.product.prodname_enterprise %}. Follow the steps below to enable and configure `collectd` forwarding:

{% data reusables.enterprise_site_admin_settings.access-settings %}
{% data reusables.enterprise_site_admin_settings.management-console %}
1. Below the log forwarding settings, select **Enable collectd forwarding**.
1. In the **Server address** field, type the address of the `collectd` server to which you'd like to forward {% data variables.product.prodname_enterprise %} appliance statistics.
1. In the **Port** field, type the port used to connect to the `collectd` server. (Defaults to 25826)
1. In the **Cryptographic setup** dropdown menu, select the security level of communications with the `collectd` server. (None, signed packets, or encrypted packets.)
{% data reusables.enterprise_management_console.save-settings %}

## Exporting collectd data with `ghe-export-graphs`

The command-line tool `ghe-export-graphs` will export the data that `collectd` stores in RRD databases. This command turns the data into XML and exports it into a single tarball (`.tgz`).

Its primary use is to provide the {% data variables.contact.contact_ent_support %} team with data about a VM's performance, without the need for downloading a full Support Bundle. It shouldn't be included in your regular backup exports and there is no import counterpart. If you contact us through {% data variables.contact.contact_ent_support %}, we may ask for this data to assist with troubleshooting.

### Usage

```shell
ssh -p 122 admin@[hostname] -- 'ghe-export-graphs' && scp -P 122 admin@[hostname]:~/graphs.tar.gz .
```

## Troubleshooting

### Central collectd server receives no data

{% data variables.product.prodname_enterprise %} ships with `collectd` version 5.x. `collectd` 5.x is not backwards compatible with the 4.x release series. Your central `collectd` server needs to be at least version 5.x to accept data sent from {% data variables.location.product_location %}.

For help with further questions or issues, visit {% data variables.contact.contact_ent_support %}.