Best Practices for Practitioners: Collector Installation and Configuration
Community ManagerOverview
The LogicMonitor Collector is a Software as a Service (SaaS) that collects the data required for IT infrastructure monitoring in the LM Envision platform. Installed on Linux and/or Windows servers, it gathers performance metrics from selected devices across an organization's IT stack, whether it’s on-prem, off-prem, or in the cloud, using standard monitoring protocols. Unlike traditional monitoring approaches, a single Collector can monitor hundreds of devices without requiring individual agent installations on each resource.
The Collector's core strength lies in its proprietary built-in intelligence that automatically recognizes device types and applies pre-configured Modules that define precise monitoring parameters specified to that device or platform. By encrypting collected data and transmitting it securely to LogicMonitor's servers via SSL, the Collector provides a flexible and centralized approach to infrastructure monitoring. This unique design allows organizations to strategically place Collectors within their network, enabling comprehensive performance visibility while minimizing monitoring overhead and complexity, with its monitoring capacity adapting to the device or service complex resources and specific metrics being collected.
Key Principles
LogicMonitor Collector deployment is guided by principles of efficiency, scalability, and intelligent monitoring:
- Centralized SaaS monitoring through strategic collector placement
- Simplified device discovery and metric collection
- Minimal performance impact on monitored resources
- Secure, encrypted data transmission
Using the LogicMonitor Collector
Recommended for:
- Complex IT infrastructures with multiple network segments
- Organizations requiring comprehensive, centralized monitoring
- Environments with diverse device types and monitoring requirements
Not recommended for:
- Extremely small environments with few devices
- Networks with strict segmentation preventing central data collection
- Environments with severe network connectivity limitations
Recommended Installation Best Practices
Collector Placement and Sizing
- Install collectors close to or within the same network segments as monitored resources
- Choose servers that function as syslog or DNS servers for optimal placement
- Select the appropriate collector size based on the expected monitoring load
- Consider memory and system resources when sizing collectors
- Avoid monitoring resources across vast internet connections, firewalls, or through NAT gateways
- Keep in mind Windows collectors can monitor BOTH window and Linux devices while Linux collectors can only monitor Linux devices
Recommended Disk Space
- New installation: ~500 MiB
- Logs: Up to 800 MiB
- Temporary files: <1500 MiB
- Report cache: <500 MiB
- NetFlow (if enabled): Up to 30 GiB
- Total recommended: <3.5 GiB (without NetFlow)
Network and Security Configuration
- Ensure outgoing HTTPS (port 443) connectivity to LogicMonitor servers
- Configure unrestricted monitoring protocol (ex: SNMP, WMI, JDBC)
- Use proxy servers if direct internet connectivity is restricted
- Implement NTP synchronization for accurate time reporting
- Configure firewall rules to allow necessary collector communications
Windows Collector Installation
- Recommended installation methods:
- Interactive Install Shield Wizard
- PowerShell silent installation
- Can be downloaded direct or bootstrap via CDN
- Service account considerations:
- For monitoring Windows systems in the same domain: Use domain account with local admin permissions
- For monitoring systems in different domains: Use local administrator account
- Ensure "Log on as a service" permissions are granted
Linux Collector Installation
- Prerequisites:
- Bourne shell
- sudo package installed (for non-root installations)
- vim-common package (for xxd binary in newer versions)
- Recommended installation user: Default logicmonitor user
- Use executable permissions and install via binary
Container Deployment
- Supported Kubernetes services:
- Microsoft Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
- Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)
- Google Kubernetes Service (GKS)
- Limitations:
- Full package installation only
- Linux-based collectors cannot monitor Windows WMI
Performance and Optimization
- Monitor collector performance metrics regularly
- Tune collector size and configuration based on monitoring load
- Disable Standalone Script Engine (SSE) if memory is constrained
- Implement proper log and temporary file management
- Use container deployments for Kubernetes environments
Best Practices Checklist
✅ Select strategically located servers for collector installation
✅ Choose the appropriate collector size based on expected monitoring load
✅ Configure reliable network connectivity and firewall rules
✅ Use non-root users for Linux collector installations
✅ Implement NTP time synchronization
✅ Monitor collector performance metrics
✅ Regularly update collectors to the latest stable versions
✅ Set collector “Down” notification chains for proper collector down alerting
Monitoring and Validation
- Verify collector connection in LogicMonitor portal after installation
- Monitor collector CPU utilization, disk usage, and performance metrics
- Periodically review collector logs for potential issues
- Validate data collection accuracy and completeness
- Utilize and test collector failover and redundancy configurations
Conclusion
LogicMonitor Collectors provide a powerful, flexible approach to infrastructure monitoring, enabling organizations to gain comprehensive visibility with minimal operational overhead. By following best practices in placement, configuration, and ongoing management, IT teams can create a robust monitoring strategy that adapts to evolving infrastructure needs.
Successful collector deployment requires careful planning, ongoing optimization, and a thorough understanding of your specific infrastructure requirements. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your monitoring approach will ensure continued effectiveness and performance.
Additional Resources
Installing Collectors in Silent Mode
Installing the Collector in a Container
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