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+<!--
+title: "Step 3. Monitor more than one system with Netdata"
+date: 2020-05-01
+custom_edit_url: https://github.com/netdata/netdata/edit/master/docs/guides/step-by-step/step-03.md
+-->
+
+# Step 3. Monitor more than one system with Netdata
+
+The Netdata agent is _distributed_ by design. That means each agent operates independently from any other, collecting
+and creating charts only for the system you installed it on. We made this decision a long time ago to [improve security
+and performance](step-01.md).
+
+You might be thinking, "So, now I have to remember all these IP addresses, and type them into my browser
+manually, to move from one system to another? Maybe I should just make a bunch of bookmarks. What's a few more tabs
+on top of the hundred I have already?"
+
+We get it. That's why we built [Netdata Cloud](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/cloud/), which connects many distributed
+agents for a seamless experience when monitoring an entire infrastructure of Netdata-monitored nodes.
+
+![Animated GIF of Netdata
+Cloud](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/1153921/80828986-1ebb3b00-8b9b-11ea-957f-2c8d0d009e44.gif)
+
+## What you'll learn in this step
+
+In this step of the Netdata guide, we'll talk about the following:
+
+- [Why you should use Netdata Cloud](#why-use-netdata-cloud)
+- [Get started with Netdata Cloud](#get-started-with-netdata-cloud)
+- [Navigate between dashboards with Visited Nodes](#navigate-between-dashboards-with-visited-nodes)
+
+## Why use Netdata Cloud?
+
+Our [Cloud documentation](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/cloud/) does a good job (we think!) of explaining why Cloud
+gives you a ton of value at no cost:
+
+> Netdata Cloud gives you real-time visibility for your entire infrastructure. With Netdata Cloud, you can run all your
+> distributed Agents in headless mode _and_ access the real-time metrics and insightful charts from their dashboards.
+> View key metrics and active alarms at-a-glance, and then seamlessly dive into any of your distributed dashboards
+> without leaving Cloud's centralized interface.
+
+You can add as many nodes and team members as you need, and as our free and open source Agent gets better with more
+features, new collectors for more applications, and improved UI, so will Cloud.
+
+## Get started with Netdata Cloud
+
+Signing in, onboarding, and connecting your first nodes only takes a few minutes, and we have a [Get started with
+Cloud](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/cloud/get-started) guide to help you walk through every step.
+
+Or, if you're feeling confident, dive right in.
+
+<p><a href="https://app.netdata.cloud" className="button button--lg">Sign in to Cloud</a></p>
+
+When you finish that guide, circle back to this step in the guide to learn how to use the Visited Nodes feature on
+top of Cloud's centralized web interface.
+
+## Navigate between dashboards with Visited Nodes
+
+To add nodes to your visited nodes, you first need to navigate to that node's dashboard, then click the **Sign in**
+button at the top of the dashboard. On the screen that appears, which states your node is requesting access to your
+Netdata Cloud account, sign in with your preferred method.
+
+Cloud redirects you back to your node's dashboard, which is now connected to your Netdata Cloud account. You can now see the menu populated by a single visited node.
+
+![An Agent's dashboard with the Visited nodes
+menu](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/1153921/80830383-b6ba2400-8b9d-11ea-9eb2-379c7eccd22f.png)
+
+If you previously went through the Cloud onboarding process to create a Space and War Room, you will also see these
+alongside your visited nodes. You can click on your Space or any of your War Rooms to navigate to Netdata Cloud and
+continue monitoring your infrastructure from there.
+
+![A Agent's dashboard with the Visited nodes menu, plus Spaces and War
+Rooms](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/1153921/80830382-b6218d80-8b9d-11ea-869c-1170b95eeb4a.png)
+
+To add other visited nodes, navigate to their dashboard and sign in to Cloud by clicking on the **Sign in** button. This
+process connects that node to your Cloud account and further populates the menu.
+
+Once you've added more than one node, you can use the menu to switch between various dashboards without remembering IP
+addresses or hostnames or saving bookmarks for every node you want to monitor.
+
+![Switching between dashboards with Visited
+nodes](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/1153921/80831018-e158ac80-8b9e-11ea-882e-1d82cdc028cd.gif)
+
+## What's next?
+
+Now that you have a Netdata Cloud account with a connected node (or a few!) and can navigate between your dashboards with
+Visited nodes, it's time to learn more about how you can configure Netdata to your liking. From there, you'll be able to
+customize your Netdata experience to your exact infrastructure and the information you need.
+
+[Next: The basics of configuring Netdata &rarr;](step-04.md)
+
+