Kernel and Redis Integration

Input and output integration overview

The Kernel plugin collects various statistics about the Linux kernel, including context switches, page usage, and entropy availability.

The Redis plugin enables users to send metrics collected by Telegraf directly to Redis. This integration is ideal for applications that require robust time series data storage and analysis.

Integration details

Kernel

The Kernel plugin is designed exclusively for Linux systems and gathers essential kernel statistics that are not covered by other plugins. It primarily focuses on the metrics available in /proc/stat, as well as the entropy available from /proc/sys/kernel/random/entropy_avail. Additional functionalities include the capture of Kernel Samepage Merging (KSM) data and Pressure Stall Information (PSI), requiring Linux kernel version 4.20 or later. This plugin provides a comprehensive look into system behaviors, enabling better understanding and optimization of resource management and usage. The metrics it collects are critical for monitoring system health and performance.

Redis

The Redis Telegraf plugin is designed for writing metrics to RedisTimeSeries, a specialized Redis database module for time series data. This plugin facilitates the integration of Telegraf with RedisTimeSeries, allowing for the efficient storage and retrieval of timestamped data. With RedisTimeSeries, users can take advantage of enhanced capabilities for managing time series data, including aggregated views and range queries. The plugin offers various configuration options to enable the flexibility needed to connect securely to your Redis database, including support for Authentication, Timeouts, data type conversions, and TLS configurations. The underlying technology leverages Redis’ efficiency and scalability, making it an excellent choice for high-volume metric environments, where real-time processing is essential.

Configuration

Kernel

[[inputs.kernel]]
  ## Additional gather options
  ## Possible options include:
  ## * ksm - kernel same-page merging
  ## * psi - pressure stall information
  # collect = []

Redis

[[outputs.redistimeseries]]
  ## The address of the RedisTimeSeries server.
  address = "127.0.0.1:6379"

  ## Redis ACL credentials
  # username = ""
  # password = ""
  # database = 0

  ## Timeout for operations such as ping or sending metrics
  # timeout = "10s"

  ## Enable attempt to convert string fields to numeric values
  ## If "false" or in case the string value cannot be converted the string
  ## field will be dropped.
  # convert_string_fields = true

  ## Optional TLS Config
  # tls_ca = "/etc/telegraf/ca.pem"
  # tls_cert = "/etc/telegraf/cert.pem"
  # tls_key = "/etc/telegraf/key.pem"
  # insecure_skip_verify = false

Input and output integration examples

Kernel

1. Memory Optimization through KSM: Utilize the KSM capabilities of this plugin to monitor memory usage patterns in your applications and dynamically adjust the memory allocation strategy based on shared page usage metrics. By analyzing the data collected, you can identify opportunities for consolidating memory and optimizing performance without manual intervention.

2. Real-time System Health Monitoring: Integrate the metrics collected by the Kernel plugin into a real-time dashboard that visualizes key kernel statistics including context switches, interrupts, and entropy availability. This setup allows system administrators to proactively respond to performance issues before they escalate into critical failures, ensuring smooth operation of Linux servers.

3. Enhanced Anomaly Detection: Combine the data from this plugin with machine learning models to predict and detect anomalies in kernel behavior. By continuously monitoring metrics like process forking rates and entropy levels, you can implement an adaptive alerting system that triggers on performance anomalies, allowing for quick responses to potential issues.

4. Resource Usage Patterns Analysis: Use the Pressure Stall Information collected by the plugin to analyze resource usage patterns over time and identify potential bottlenecks under load conditions. By adjusting application performance based on the PSI metrics, you can improve overall resource management and maintain service reliability under varying workloads.

Redis

1. Monitoring IoT Sensor Data: Utilize the Redis Telegraf plugin to collect and store data from IoT sensors in real-time. By connecting the plugin to a RedisTimeSeries database, users can analyze trends in temperature, humidity, or other environmental factors. The ability to query historical sensor data efficiently will aid in predictive maintenance and help in resource management.

2. Financial Market Data Aggregation: Employ this plugin to track and store time-sensitive financial data from various sources. By sending metrics to Redis, financial institutions can aggregate and analyze market trends or price changes over time, providing them with actionable insights derived from reliable time series analytics.

3. Application Performance Monitoring (APM): Implement the Redis plugin for gathering application performance metrics such as response times and CPU usage. Users can visualize their application’s performance over time with RedisTimeSeries, allowing them to identify bottlenecks and optimize resource allocation swiftly.

4. Energy Consumption Tracking: Leverage this plugin to monitor energy usage in buildings over time. By integrating with smart meters and sending data to RedisTimeSeries, municipalities or enterprises can analyze energy consumption patterns, helping to implement energy-saving measures and sustainability practices.

Feedback

Thank you for being part of our community! If you have any general feedback or found any bugs on these pages, we welcome and encourage your input. Please submit your feedback in the InfluxDB community Slack.