# Common configuration changes The Netdata Agent requires no configuration upon installation to collect thousands of per-second metrics from most systems, containers, and applications, but there are hundreds of settings to tweak if you want to exercise more control over your monitoring platform. This document assumes familiarity with using [`edit-config`](/docs/configure/nodes.md) from the Netdata config directory. ## Change dashboards and visualizations The Netdata Agent's [local dashboard](/web/gui/README.md), accessible at `http://NODE:19999` is highly configurable. If you use Netdata Cloud for [infrastructure monitoring](/docs/quickstart/infrastructure.md), you will see many of these changes reflected in those visualizations due to the way Netdata Cloud proxies metric data and metadata to your browser. ### Increase the long-term metrics retention period Increase the values for the `page cache size` and `dbengine multihost disk space` settings in the [`[global]` section](/daemon/config/README.md#global-section-options) of `netdata.conf`. ```conf [global] page cache size = 128 # 128 MiB of memory for metrics storage dbengine multihost disk space = 4096 # 4GiB of disk space for metrics storage ``` Read our doc on [increasing long-term metrics storage](/docs/store/change-metrics-storage.md) for details, including a [calculator](/docs/store/change-metrics-storage.md#calculate-the-system-resources-RAM-disk-space-needed-to-store-metrics) to help you determine the exact settings for your desired retention period. ### Reduce the data collection frequency Change `update every` in the [`[global]` section](/daemon/config/README.md#global-section-options) of `netdata.conf` so that it is greater than `1`. An `update every` of `5` means the Netdata Agent enforces a _minimum_ collection frequency of 5 seconds. ```conf [global] update every = 5 ``` Every collector and plugin has its own `update every` setting, which you can also change in the `go.d.conf`, `python.d.conf`, `node.d.conf`, or `charts.d.conf` files, or in individual collector configuration files. If the `update every` for an individual collector is less than the global, the Netdata Agent uses the global setting. See the [enable or configure a collector](/docs/collect/enable-configure.md) doc for details. ### Disable a collector or plugin Turn off entire plugins in the [`[plugins]` section](/daemon/config/README.md#plugins-section-options) of `netdata.conf`. To disable specific collectors, open `go.d.conf`, `python.d.conf`, `node.d.conf`, or `charts.d.conf` and find the line for that specific module. Uncomment the line and change its value to `no`. ## Modify alarms and notifications Netdata's health monitoring watchdog uses hundreds of preconfigured health entities, with intelligent thresholds, to generate warning and critical alarms for most production systems and their applications without configuration. However, each alarm and notification method is completely customizable. ### Add a new alarm To create a new alarm configuration file, initiate an empty file, with a filename that ends in `.conf`, in the `health.d/` directory. The Netdata Agent loads any valid alarm configuration file ending in `.conf` in that directory. Next, edit the new file with `edit-config`. For example, with a file called `example-alarm.conf`. ```bash sudo touch health.d/example-alarm.conf sudo ./edit-config health.d/example-alarm.conf ``` Or, append your new alarm to an existing file by editing a relevant existing file in the `health.d/` directory. Read more about [configuring alarms](/docs/monitor/configure-alarms.md) to get started, and see the [health monitoring reference](/health/REFERENCE.md) for a full listing of options available in health entities. ### Configure a specific alarm Tweak existing alarms by editing files in the `health.d/` directory. For example, edit `health.d/cpu.conf` to change how the Agent responds to anomalies related to CPU utilization. To see which configuration file you need to edit to configure a specific alarm, [view your active alarms](/docs/monitor/view-active-alarms.md) in Netdata Cloud or the local Agent dashboard and look for the **source** line. For example, it might read `source 4@/usr/lib/netdata/conf.d/health.d/cpu.conf`. Because the source path contains `health.d/cpu.conf`, run `sudo edit-config health.d/cpu.conf` to configure that alarm. ### Disable a specific alarm Open the configuration file for that alarm and set the `to` line to `silent`. ```conf template: disk_fill_rate on: disk.space lookup: max -1s at -30m unaligned of avail calc: ($this - $avail) / (30 * 60) every: 15s to: silent ``` ### Turn of all alarms and notifications Set `enabled` to `no` in the [`[health]` section](/daemon/config/README.md#health-section-options) section of `netdata.conf`. ### Enable alarm notifications Open `health_alarm_notify.conf` for editing. First, read the [enabling notifications](/docs/monitor/enable-notifications.md#netdata-agent) doc for an example of the process using Slack, then click on the link to your preferred notification method to find documentation for that specific endpoint. ## Improve node security While the Netdata Agent is both [open and secure by design](https://www.netdata.cloud/blog/netdata-agent-dashboard/), we recommend every user take some action to administer and secure their nodes. Learn more about a few of the following changes in the [node security doc](/docs/configure/secure-nodes.md). ### Disable the local Agent dashboard (`http://NODE:19999`) If you use Netdata Cloud to visualize metrics, stream metrics to a parent node, or otherwise don't need the local Agent dashboard, disabling it reduces the Agent's resource utilization and improves security. Change the `mode` setting to `none` in the [`[web]` section](/web/server/README.md#configuration) of `netdata.conf`. ```conf [web] mode = none ``` ### Use access lists to restrict access to specific assets Allow access from only specific IP addresses, ranges of IP addresses, or hostnames using [access lists](/web/server/README.md#access-lists) and [simple patterns](/libnetdata/simple_pattern/README.md). See a quickstart to access lists in the [node security doc](/docs/configure/secure-nodes.md#restrict-access-to-the-local-dashboard). ### Stop sending anonymous statistics to Google Analytics Create a file called `.opt-out-from-anonymous-statistics` inside of your Netdata config directory to immediately stop the statistics script. ```bash sudo touch .opt-out-from-anonymous-statistics ``` Learn more about [why we collect anonymous statistics](/docs/anonymous-statistics.md). ### Change the IP address/port Netdata listens to Change the `default port` setting in the `[web]` section to a port other than `19999`. ```conf [web] default port = 39999 ``` Use the `bind to` setting to the ports other assets, such as the [running `netdata.conf` configuration](/docs/configure/nodes.md#see-an-agents-running-configuration), API, or streaming requests listen to. ## Reduce resource usage Read our [performance optimization guide](/docs/guides/configure/performance.md) for a long list of specific changes that can reduce the Netdata Agent's CPU/memory footprint and IO requirements. ## Organize nodes with host labels Beginning with v1.20, Netdata accepts user-defined **host labels**. These labels are sent during streaming, exporting, and as metadata to Netdata Cloud, and help you organize the metrics coming from complex infrastructure. Host labels are defined in the section `[host labels]`. For a quick introduction, read the [host label guide](/docs/guides/using-host-labels.md). The following restrictions apply to host label names: - Names cannot start with `_`, but it can be present in other parts of the name. - Names only accept alphabet letters, numbers, dots, and dashes. The policy for values is more flexible, but you can not use exclamation marks (`!`), whitespaces (` `), single quotes (`'`), double quotes (`"`), or asterisks (`*`), because they are used to compare label values in health alarms and templates. ## What's next? If you haven't already, learn how to [secure your nodes](/docs/configure/secure-nodes.md). As mentioned at the top, there are plenty of other You can also take what you've learned about node configuration to tweak the Agent's behavior or enable new features: - [Enable new collectors](/docs/collect/enable-configure.md) or tweak their behavior. - [Configure existing health alarms](/docs/monitor/configure-alarms.md) or create new ones. - [Enable notifications](/docs/monitor/enable-notifications.md) to receive updates about the health of your infrastructure. - Change [the long-term metrics retention period](/docs/store/change-metrics-storage.md) using the database engine. ### Related reference documentation - [Netdata Agent · Daemon](/health/README.md) - [Netdata Agent · Daemon configuration](/daemon/config/README.md) - [Netdata Agent · Web server](/web/server/README.md) - [Netdata Agent · Local Agent dashboard](/web/gui/README.md) - [Netdata Agent · Health monitoring](/health/REFERENCE.md) - [Netdata Agent · Notifications](/health/notifications/README.md) - [Netdata Agent · Simple patterns](/libnetdata/simple_pattern/README.md) [](<>)