Skip to content

Add link to quickstarts and other edits to Infra get started #2714

New issue

Have a question about this project? Sign up for a free GitHub account to open an issue and contact its maintainers and the community.

Sign up for GitHub

By clicking “Sign up for GitHub”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy statement. We’ll occasionally send you account related emails.

Already on GitHub? Sign in to your account

Merged
merged 3 commits into from
Aug 26, 2025
Merged

Add link to quickstarts and other edits to Infra get started #2714

Changes from all commits
Commits
Show all changes
3 commits
Select commit Hold shift + click to select a range
1a9a1d9
Add link to quickstarts
theletterf Aug 26, 2025
6edaff4
Merge branch 'main' into rewrite-infra-onboarding
theletterf Aug 26, 2025
f4e31e8
Merge branch 'main' into rewrite-infra-onboarding
theletterf Aug 26, 2025
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension
Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
37 changes: 18 additions & 19 deletions solutions/observability/infra-and-hosts/get-started-with-system-metrics.md
View file
Open in desktop
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -10,12 +10,13 @@ products:
- id: cloud-serverless
---

% Stateful get started is much more detailed, but I'm not sure it needs to be. I've considerably pared it down here, but we should go through the actual steps in here.

# Get started with system metrics [logs-metrics-get-started]

In this guide you’ll learn how to onboard system metrics data from a machine or server, then observe the data in Elastic Observability. This guide describes how to use a {{fleet}}-managed {{agent}}. To get started quickly with a standalone agent that does not require {{fleet}}, follow the steps described in the [quickstart](/solutions/observability/get-started/quickstart-monitor-hosts-with-elastic-agent.md).
In this guide you can learn how to onboard system metrics data from a machine or server using {{fleet}}-managed {{agent}}.

:::{tip}
To get started quickly without {{fleet}}, follow the steps described in the [quickstarts](/solutions/observability/get-started/quickstarts.md).
:::

## Prerequisites [logs-metrics-prereqs]

Expand All @@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ To follow the steps in this guide, you need an {{stack}} deployment that include

* {{es}} for storing and searching data
* {{kib}} for visualizing and managing data
* Kibana user with `All` privileges on {{fleet}} and Integrations. Since many Integrations assets are shared across spaces, users need the Kibana privileges in all spaces.
* Kibana user with `All` privileges on {{fleet}} and Integrations. Because many Integrations assets are shared across spaces, users need the Kibana privileges in all spaces.
* Integrations Server (included by default in every {{ech}} deployment)

To get started quickly, create an {{ech}} deployment and host it on AWS, GCP, or Azure. [Try it out for free](https://cloud.elastic.co/registration?page=docs&placement=docs-body).
Expand All @@ -46,8 +47,6 @@ The **Admin** role or higher is required to onboard system metrics data. To lear
::::




## Onboard system metrics data [add-system-integration]

::::{tab-set}
Expand All @@ -62,26 +61,26 @@ In this step, add the System integration to monitor host logs and metrics.

1. Find **Integrations** in the main menu or use the [global search field](/explore-analyze/find-and-organize/find-apps-and-objects.md).
2. In the query bar, search for **System** and select the integration to see more details about it.
3. Click **Add System**.
3. Select **Add System**.
4. Configure the integration name and optionally add a description. Make sure that **Collect logs from System instances** and **Collect metrics from System instances** are turned on.
5. Expand each configuration section to verify that the settings are correct for your host. For example, if you’re deploying {{agent}} on macOS hosts, you need to add a new path to the *System syslog logs* section by clicking **Add row** and specifying `/var/log/system.log`.
5. Expand each configuration section to verify that the settings are correct for your host. For example, if you're deploying {{agent}} on macOS hosts, you need to add a new path to the *System syslog logs* section by clicking **Add row** and specifying `/var/log/system.log`.

:::{image} /solutions/images/observability-kibana-agent-add-log-path.png
:alt: Configuration page for adding log paths to the {{agent}} System integration
:screenshot:
:::

6. Click **Save and continue**. This step takes a minute or two to complete. When it’s done, you’ll have an agent policy that contains a system integration policy for the configuration you just specified.
6. Select **Save and continue**. This step takes a minute or two to complete. When it's done, the new agent policy contains a system integration policy for the configuration you specified.

:::{image} /solutions/images/observability-kibana-system-policy.png
:alt: Configuration page for adding the {{agent}} System integration
:screenshot:
:::

7. In the popup, click **Add {{agent}} to your hosts** to open the **Add agent** flyout.
7. In the dialog, select **Add {{agent}} to your hosts** to open the **Add agent** flyout.

::::{tip}
If you accidentally close the popup, go to **{{fleet}} > Agents**, then click **Add agent** to access the flyout.
If you accidentally close the popup, go to **{{fleet}} > Agents**, then select **Add agent** to access the flyout.
::::

:::
Expand All @@ -91,12 +90,12 @@ In this step, add the System integration to monitor host logs and metrics.

1. [Create a new {{obs-serverless}} project](/solutions/observability/get-started.md), or open an existing one.
2. In your {{obs-serverless}} project, go to **Project Settings** → **Integrations**.
3. Type **System** in the search bar, then select the integration to see more details about it.
4. Click **Add System**.
3. Enter **System** in the search bar, then select the integration to see more details about it.
4. Select **Add System**.
5. Follow the in-product steps to install the System integration and deploy an {{agent}}. The sequence of steps varies depending on whether you have already installed an integration.

* When configuring the System integration, make sure that **Collect metrics from System instances** is turned on.
* Expand each configuration section to verify that the settings are correct for your host. For example, you may want to turn on **System core metrics** to get a complete view of your infrastructure.
* Expand each configuration section to verify that the settings are correct for your host. For example, you might want to turn on **System core metrics** to get a complete view of your infrastructure.

## Install and run an {{agent}} on your machine [add-agent-to-fleet]

Expand All @@ -105,7 +104,7 @@ The **Add agent** flyout has two options: **Enroll in {{fleet}}** and **Run stan
1. Skip the **Select enrollment token** step. The enrollment token you need is already selected.

::::{note}
The enrollment token is specific to the {{agent}} policy that you just created. When you run the command to enroll the agent in {{fleet}}, you will pass in the enrollment token.
The enrollment token is specific to the {{agent}} policy that you created. When you run the command to enroll the agent in {{fleet}}, you pass in the enrollment token.
::::

2. Download, install, and enroll the {{agent}} on your host by selecting your host operating system and following the **Install {{agent}} on your host** step.
Expand All @@ -115,14 +114,14 @@ The **Add agent** flyout has two options: **Enroll in {{fleet}}** and **Run stan
:screenshot:
:::

It takes about a minute for {{agent}} to enroll in {{fleet}}, download the configuration specified in the policy you just created, and start collecting data.
It takes about a minute for {{agent}} to enroll in {{fleet}}, download the configuration specified in the policy you created, and start collecting data.

Notice that you can also configure the integration to collect logs.

::::{note}
**What if {{agent}} is already running on my host?**
**What if {{agent}} is already running on the host?**

Do not try to deploy a second {{agent}} to the same system. You have a couple options:
Don't try to deploy a second {{agent}} to the same system. You have a couple options:

* **Use the System integration to collect system logs and metrics.** To do this, uninstall the standalone agent you deployed previously, then follow the in-product steps to install the System integration and deploy an {{agent}}.
* **Configure your existing standalone agent to collect metrics.** To do this, edit the deployed {{agent}}'s YAML file and add metric inputs to the configuration manually. Manual configuration is a time-consuming process. To save time, you can follow the in-product steps that describe how to deploy a standalone {{agent}}, and use the generated configuration as source for the input configurations that you need to add to your standalone config file.
Expand All @@ -140,7 +139,7 @@ After the agent is installed and successfully streaming metrics data, go to **In

## Next steps [observability-get-started-with-metrics-next-steps]

Now that you’ve added metrics and explored your data, learn how to onboard other types of data:
Now that you have added metrics and explored your data, learn how to onboard other types of data:

* [Get started with system logs](/solutions/observability/logs/get-started-with-system-logs.md)
* [Stream any log file](/solutions/observability/logs/stream-any-log-file.md)
Expand Down
Loading