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+<!--
+title: "Install Netdata on a Kubernetes cluster"
+description: "Use Netdata's Helm chart to bootstrap a Netdata monitoring and troubleshooting toolkit on your Kubernetes (k8s) cluster."
+custom_edit_url: https://github.com/netdata/netdata/edit/master/packaging/installer/methods/kubernetes.md
+-->
+
+# Install Netdata on a Kubernetes cluster
+
+This document details how to install Netdata on an existing Kubernetes (k8s) cluster. By following these directions, you
+will use Netdata's [Helm chart](https://github.com/netdata/helmchart) to bootstrap a Netdata deployment on your cluster.
+The Helm chart installs one parent pod for storing metrics and managing alarm notifications plus an additional child pod
+for every node in the cluster.
+
+Each child pod will collect metrics from the node it runs on, in addition to [compatible
+applications](https://github.com/netdata/helmchart#service-discovery-and-supported-services), plus any endpoints covered
+by our [generic Prometheus collector](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/agent/collectors/go.d.plugin/modules/prometheus),
+via [service discovery](https://github.com/netdata/agent-service-discovery/). Each child pod will also collect
+[cgroups](/collectors/cgroups.plugin/README.md),
+[Kubelet](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/agent/collectors/go.d.plugin/modules/k8s_kubelet), and
+[kube-proxy](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/agent/collectors/go.d.plugin/modules/k8s_kubeproxy) metrics from its node.
+
+To install Netdata on a Kubernetes cluster, you need:
+
+- A working cluster running Kubernetes v1.9 or newer.
+- The [kubectl](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/kubectl/overview/) command line tool, within [one minor version
+ difference](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/tools/install-kubectl/#before-you-begin) of your cluster, on an
+ administrative system.
+- The [Helm package manager](https://helm.sh/) v3.0.0 or newer on the same administrative system.
+
+The default configuration creates one `parent` pod, installed on one of your cluster's nodes, and a DaemonSet for
+additional `child` pods. This DaemonSet ensures that every node in your k8s cluster also runs a `child` pod, including
+the node that also runs `parent`. The `child` pods collect metrics and stream the information to the `parent` pod, which
+uses two persistent volumes to store metrics and alarms. The `parent` pod also handles alarm notifications and enables
+the Netdata dashboard using an ingress controller.
+
+## Install the Netdata Helm chart
+
+We recommend you install the Helm chart using our Helm repository. In the `helm install` command, replace `netdata` with
+the release name of your choice.
+
+```bash
+helm repo add netdata https://netdata.github.io/helmchart/
+helm install netdata netdata/netdata
+```
+
+> You can also install the Netdata Helm chart by cloning the
+> [repository](https://artifacthub.io/packages/helm/netdata/netdata#install-by-cloning-the-repository) and manually
+> running Helm against the included chart.
+
+### Post-installation
+
+Run `kubectl get services` and `kubectl get pods` to confirm that your cluster now runs a `netdata` service, one
+`parent` pod, and three `child` pods.
+
+You've now installed Netdata on your Kubernetes cluster. See how to [access the Netdata
+dashboard](#access-the-netdata-dashboard) to confirm it's working as expected, or see the next section to [configure the
+Helm chart](#configure-the-netdata-helm-chart) to suit your cluster's particular setup.
+
+## Configure the Netdata Helm chart
+
+Read up on the various configuration options in the [Helm chart
+documentation](https://github.com/netdata/helmchart#configuration) to see if you need to change any of the options based
+on your cluster's setup.
+
+To change a setting, use the `--set` or `--values` arguments with `helm install`, for the initial deployment, or `helm upgrade` to upgrade an existing deployment.
+
+```bash
+helm install --set a.b.c=xyz netdata netdata/netdata
+helm upgrade --set a.b.c=xyz netdata netdata/netdata
+```
+
+For example, to change the size of the persistent metrics volume on the parent node:
+
+```bash
+helm install --set parent.database.volumesize=4Gi netdata netdata/netdata
+helm upgrade --set parent.database.volumesize=4Gi netdata netdata/netdata
+```
+
+### Configure service discovery
+
+As mentioned in the introduction, Netdata has a [service discovery
+plugin](https://github.com/netdata/agent-service-discovery/#service-discovery) to identify compatible pods and collect
+metrics from the service they run. The Netdata Helm chart installs this service discovery plugin into your k8s cluster.
+
+Service discovery scans your cluster for pods exposed on certain ports and with certain image names. By default, it
+looks for its supported services on the ports they most commonly listen on, and using default image names. Service
+discovery currently supports [popular
+applications](https://github.com/netdata/helmchart#service-discovery-and-supported-services), plus any endpoints covered
+by our [generic Prometheus collector](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/agent/collectors/go.d.plugin/modules/prometheus).
+
+If you haven't changed listening ports, image names, or other defaults, service discovery should find your pods, create
+the proper configurations based on the service that pod runs, and begin monitoring them immediately after deployment.
+
+However, if you have changed some of these defaults, you need to copy a file from the Netdata Helm chart repository,
+make your edits, and pass the changed file to `helm install`/`helm upgrade`.
+
+First, copy the file to your administrative system.
+
+```bash
+curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/netdata/helmchart/master/charts/netdata/sdconfig/child.yml -o child.yml
+```
+
+Edit the new `child.yml` file according to your needs. See the [Helm chart
+configuration](https://github.com/netdata/helmchart#configuration) and the file itself for details.
+
+You can then run `helm install`/`helm upgrade` with the `--set-file` argument to use your configured `child.yml` file
+instead of the default, changing the path if you copied it elsewhere.
+
+```bash
+helm install --set-file sd.child.configmap.from.value=./child.yml netdata netdata/netdata
+helm upgrade --set-file sd.child.configmap.from.value=./child.yml netdata netdata/netdata
+```
+
+Your configured service discovery is now pushed to your cluster.
+
+## Access the Netdata dashboard
+
+Accessing the Netdata dashboard itself depends on how you set up your k8s cluster and the Netdata Helm chart. If you
+installed the Helm chart with the default `service.type=ClusterIP`, you will need to forward a port to the parent pod.
+
+```bash
+kubectl port-forward netdata-parent-0 19999:19999
+```
+
+You can now access the dashboard at `http://CLUSTER:19999`, replacing `CLUSTER` with the IP address or hostname of your
+k8s cluster.
+
+If you set up the Netdata Helm chart with `service.type=LoadBalancer`, you can find the external IP for the load
+balancer with `kubectl get services`, under the `EXTERNAL-IP` column.
+
+```bash
+kubectl get services
+NAME TYPE CLUSTER-IP EXTERNAL-IP PORT(S) AGE
+cockroachdb ClusterIP None <none> 26257/TCP,8080/TCP 46h
+cockroachdb-public ClusterIP 10.245.148.233 <none> 26257/TCP,8080/TCP 46h
+kubernetes ClusterIP 10.245.0.1 <none> 443/TCP 47h
+netdata LoadBalancer 10.245.160.131 203.0.113.0 19999:32231/TCP 74m
+```
+
+In the above example, access the dashboard by navigating to `http://203.0.113.0:19999`.
+
+## Claim a Kubernetes cluster's parent pod
+
+You can [claim](/claim/README.md) a cluster's parent Netdata pod to see its real-time metrics alongside any other nodes
+you monitor using [Netdata Cloud](https://app.netdata.cloud).
+
+> Netdata Cloud does not currently support claiming child nodes because the Helm chart does not allocate a persistent
+> volume for them.
+
+Ensure persistence is enabled on the parent pod by running the following `helm upgrade` command.
+
+```bash
+helm upgrade \
+ --set parent.database.persistence=true \
+ --set parent.alarms.persistence=true \
+ netdata netdata/netdata
+```
+
+Next, find your claiming script in Netdata Cloud by clicking on your Space's dropdown, then **Manage your Space**. Click
+the **Nodes** tab. Netdata Cloud shows a script similar to the following:
+
+```bash
+sudo netdata-claim.sh -token=TOKEN -rooms=ROOM1,ROOM2 -url=https://app.netdata.cloud
+```
+
+You will need the values of `TOKEN` and `ROOM1,ROOM2` for the command, which sets `parent.claiming.enabled`,
+`parent.claiming.token`, and `parent.claiming.rooms` to complete the parent pod claiming process.
+
+Run the following `helm upgrade` command after replacing `TOKEN` and `ROOM1,ROOM2` with the values found in the claiming
+script from Netdata Cloud. The quotations are required.
+
+```bash
+helm upgrade \
+ --set parent.claiming.enabled=true \
+ --set parent.claiming.token="TOKEN" \
+ --set parent.claiming.rooms="ROOM1,ROOM2" \
+ netdata netdata/netdata
+```
+
+The cluster terminates the old parent pod and creates a new one with the proper claiming configuration. You can see your
+parent pod in Netdata Cloud after a few moments. You can now [build new
+dashboards](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/cloud/visualize/dashboards) using the parent pod's metrics or run [Metric
+Correlations](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/cloud/insights/metric-correlations) to troubleshoot anomalies.
+
+![A parent Netdata pod in Netdata
+Cloud](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/1153921/94497340-c1f49880-01ab-11eb-97b2-6044537565af.png)
+
+## Update/reinstall the Netdata Helm chart
+
+If you update the Helm chart's configuration, run `helm upgrade` to redeploy your Netdata service, replacing `netdata`
+with the name of the release, if you changed it upon installation:
+
+```bash
+helm upgrade netdata netdata/netdata
+```
+
+## What's next?
+
+Read the [monitoring a Kubernetes cluster guide](/docs/guides/monitor/kubernetes-k8s-netdata.md) for details on the
+various metrics and charts created by the Helm chart and some best practices on real-time troubleshooting using Netdata.
+
+Check out our [infrastructure](/docs/quickstart/infrastructure.md) for details about additional k8s monitoring features,
+and learn more about [configuring the Netdata Agent](/docs/configure/nodes.md) to better understand the settings you
+might be interested in changing.
+
+To further configure Netdata for your cluster, see our [Helm chart repository](https://github.com/netdata/helmchart) and
+the [service discovery repository](https://github.com/netdata/agent-service-discovery/).
+
+[![analytics](https://www.google-analytics.com/collect?v=1&aip=1&t=pageview&_s=1&ds=github&dr=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fnetdata%2Fnetdata&dl=https%3A%2F%2Fmy-netdata.io%2Fgithub%2Fpackaging%2Finstaller%2Fmethods%2Fkubernetes&_u=MAC~&cid=5792dfd7-8dc4-476b-af31-da2fdb9f93d2&tid=UA-64295674-3)](<>)