ntpq and Sumo Logic Integration

Input and output integration overview

The ntpq plugin collects standard metrics related to the Network Time Protocol (NTP) by executing the ntpq command. It gathers essential information about the synchronization state of the local machine with remote NTP servers, providing valuable insights into timekeeping accuracy and network performance.

The Sumo Logic plugin is designed to facilitate the sending of metrics from Telegraf to Sumo Logic’s HTTP Source. By utilizing this plugin, users can analyze their metric data in the Sumo Logic platform, leveraging various output data formats.

Integration details

ntpq

The ntpq Telegraf plugin provides a way to gather metrics from the Network Time Protocol (NTP) by querying the NTP server using the ntpq executable. This plugin collects a variety of metrics related to the synchronization status with remote NTP servers, including delay, jitter, offset, polling frequency, and reachability. These metrics are crucial for understanding the performance and reliability of time synchronization efforts in systems that rely on accurate timekeeping. NTP plays a vital role in networked environments, enabling synchronized clocks across devices which is essential for logging, coordination of activities, and security protocols. Through this plugin, users can monitor the effectiveness of their time synchronization processes, making it easier to identify issues related to network delays or misconfigurations, thus ensuring that systems remain in sync and operate efficiently.

Sumo Logic

This plugin facilitates the transmission of metrics to Sumo Logic’s HTTP Source, employing specified data formats for HTTP messages. Telegraf, which must be version 1.16.0 or higher, can send metrics encoded in several formats, including graphite, carbon2, and prometheus. These formats correspond to different content types recognized by Sumo Logic, ensuring that the metrics are correctly interpreted for analysis. Integration with Sumo Logic allows users to leverage a comprehensive analytics platform, enabling rich visualizations and insights from their metric data. The plugin provides configuration options such as setting URLs for the HTTP Metrics Source, choosing the data format, and specifying additional parameters like timeout and request size, which enhance flexibility and control in data monitoring workflows.

Configuration

ntpq

[[inputs.ntpq]]
  ## Servers to query with ntpq.
  ## If no server is given, the local machine is queried.
  # servers = []

  ## If false, set the -n ntpq flag. Can reduce metric gather time.
  ## DEPRECATED since 1.24.0: add '-n' to 'options' instead to skip DNS lookup
  # dns_lookup = true

  ## Options to pass to the ntpq command.
  # options = "-p"

  ## Output format for the 'reach' field.
  ## Available values are
  ##   octal   --  output as is in octal representation e.g. 377 (default)
  ##   decimal --  convert value to decimal representation e.g. 371 -> 249
  ##   count   --  count the number of bits in the value. This represents
  ##               the number of successful reaches, e.g. 37 -> 5
  ##   ratio   --  output the ratio of successful attempts e.g. 37 -> 5/8 = 0.625
  # reach_format = "octal"

Sumo Logic

[[outputs.sumologic]]
  ## Unique URL generated for your HTTP Metrics Source.
  ## This is the address to send metrics to.
  # url = "https://events.sumologic.net/receiver/v1/http/"

  ## Data format to be used for sending metrics.
  ## This will set the "Content-Type" header accordingly.
  ## Currently supported formats:
  ## * graphite - for Content-Type of application/vnd.sumologic.graphite
  ## * carbon2 - for Content-Type of application/vnd.sumologic.carbon2
  ## * prometheus - for Content-Type of application/vnd.sumologic.prometheus
  ##
  ## More information can be found at:
  ## https://help.sumologic.com/03Send-Data/Sources/02Sources-for-Hosted-Collectors/HTTP-Source/Upload-Metrics-to-an-HTTP-Source#content-type-headers-for-metrics
  ##
  ## NOTE:
  ## When unset, telegraf will by default use the influx serializer which is currently unsupported
  ## in HTTP Source.
  data_format = "carbon2"

  ## Timeout used for HTTP request
  # timeout = "5s"

  ## Max HTTP request body size in bytes before compression (if applied).
  ## By default 1MB is recommended.
  ## NOTE:
  ## Bear in mind that in some serializer a metric even though serialized to multiple
  ## lines cannot be split any further so setting this very low might not work
  ## as expected.
  # max_request_body_size = 1000000

  ## Additional, Sumo specific options.
  ## Full list can be found here:
  ## https://help.sumologic.com/03Send-Data/Sources/02Sources-for-Hosted-Collectors/HTTP-Source/Upload-Metrics-to-an-HTTP-Source#supported-http-headers

  ## Desired source name.
  ## Useful if you want to override the source name configured for the source.
  # source_name = ""

  ## Desired host name.
  ## Useful if you want to override the source host configured for the source.
  # source_host = ""

  ## Desired source category.
  ## Useful if you want to override the source category configured for the source.
  # source_category = ""

  ## Comma-separated key=value list of dimensions to apply to every metric.
  ## Custom dimensions will allow you to query your metrics at a more granular level.
  # dimensions = ""
</code></pre>

Input and output integration examples

ntpq

1. Network Time Monitoring Dashboard: Utilize the ntpq plugin to create a centralized monitoring dashboard for tracking the reliability and performance of network time synchronization across multiple servers. By visualizing metrics such as delay and jitter, system administrators can quickly identify which servers are providing accurate time versus those with significant latency issues, ensuring that all systems remain synchronized effectively.

2. Automated Alert System for Time Drift: Implement an automated alert system that leverages ntpq metrics to notify operations teams when time drift exceeds acceptable thresholds. By analyzing the offset and jitter values, the system can trigger alerts if any remote NTP server is out of sync, allowing for swift remediation actions to maintain time accuracy across critical infrastructure.

3. Comparative Analysis of Time Sources: Use the ntpq plugin to perform a comparative analysis of different NTP servers over time. By querying multiple NTP sources and monitoring their metrics, organizations can evaluate the performance and reliability of their time sources, making informed decisions about which NTP servers to configure as primary or secondary in their environments.

4. Historical Performance Tracking for NTP: Gather historical performance data on various NTP servers using the ntpq plugin, enabling long-term trend analysis for timekeeping accuracy. This can help organizations identify patterns or recurring issues related to specific servers, informing future decisions about infrastructure changes or adjustments related to time synchronization strategies.

Sumo Logic

1. Real-Time System Monitoring Dashboard: Utilize the Sumo Logic plugin to continuously feed performance metrics from your servers into a Sumo Logic dashboard. This setup allows tech teams to visualize system health and load in real-time, enabling quicker identification of any performance bottlenecks or system failures through detailed graphs and metrics.

2. Automated Alerting System: Configure the plugin to send metrics that trigger alerts in Sumo Logic for specific thresholds such as CPU usage or memory consumption. By setting up automated alerts, teams can proactively address issues before they escalate into critical failures, significantly improving response times and overall system reliability.

3. Cross-System Metrics Aggregation: Integrate multiple Telegraf instances across different environments (development, testing, production) and funnel all metrics to a central Sumo Logic instance using this plugin. This aggregation enables comprehensive analysis across environments, facilitating better monitoring and informed decision-making across the software development lifecycle.

4. Custom Metrics with Dimensions Tracking: Use the Sumo Logic plugin to send customized metrics that include dimensions identifying various aspects of your infrastructure (e.g., environment, service type). This granular tracking allows for more tailored analytics, enabling your team to dissect performance across different application layers or business functions.

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