‍Netdata is a powerful server monitoring tool that provides real-time visualization and monitoring of various server metrics. With its interactive web interface, system administrators can gain valuable insights into CPU usage, RAM usage, load, disk usage, and much more. In this tutorial, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of installing Netdata with Nginx on Alma Linux 8, allowing you to effectively monitor your server’s performance and health.

Prerequisites

Before we begin the installation process, there are a few prerequisites that need to be met:

• A server running Alma Linux 8.
• A valid domain name pointed to your server’s IP address.
• Root access to the server.

Install Required Dependencies

To install Netdata, we first need to install some required dependencies. Open a terminal session and run the following command to install the EPEL repository and other necessary packages:

dnf install epel-release -y
dnf install git libuuid-devel autoconf automake pkgconfig zlib-devel curl findutils libmnl gcc make -y

Once the installation is complete, we can proceed to the next step.

Install Netdata

By default, Netdata is not included in the Alma Linux default repository, so we will need to install it from the source. Follow the steps below to install Netdata:

1. Download the latest version of Netdata from the Git repository using the following command:

git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/netdata/netdata.git --depth=100

2. Once the download is complete, navigate to the netdata directory and install the required dependencies by running the following command:

cd netdata
./packaging/installer/install-required-packages.sh --non-interactive --dont-wait netdata

3. Install additional packages by running the following command:

dnf --enablerepo=powertools install libuv-devel

4. Run the Netdata installation script to start the installation process:

./netdata-installer.sh

5. Press the Enter key to proceed with the installation. Netdata will be installed at various locations, such as /usr/sbin/netdata for the daemon, /etc/netdata for configuration files, and /usr/share/netdata for web files.
6. Start the Netdata service and enable it to start on boot:

systemctl start netdata
systemctl enable netdata

7. Verify the status of the Netdata service by running the following command:

systemctl status netdata

If everything is set up correctly, you should see that the service is active and running.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Netdata on your Alma Linux 8 server.

Configure Firewall

To ensure that Netdata is accessible from external networks, we need to configure the firewall to allow incoming connections on ports 19999 and 80. If you are using firewalld, run the following commands:

firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=19999/tcp
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=80/tcp
firewall-cmd --reload

With the firewall rules in place, Netdata will now be accessible through the specified ports.

Configure Nginx as a Reverse Proxy for Netdata

To add an extra layer of security and enhance the accessibility of Netdata, we can configure Nginx as a reverse proxy. Follow the steps below to set up Nginx:

1. Install Nginx and the required tools by running the following command:

dnf install nginx httpd-tools -y

2. Generate a password file to secure access to Netdata with the following command:

htpasswd -c /etc/nginx/.htpasswd netadmin

3. Set the password for the netadmin user.
4. Create an Nginx virtual host configuration file using your preferred text editor:

nano /etc/nginx/conf.d/netdata.conf

5. Add the following configuration to the file:

upstream backend {
server 127.0.0.1:19999;
keepalive 64;
}

server {
listen 80;
server_name your-domain.com;

location / {
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Host $host;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Server $host;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
proxy_pass http://backend;
proxy_http_version 1.1;
proxy_pass_request_headers on;
proxy_set_header Connection "keep-alive";
proxy_store off;
auth_basic "Private Property";
auth_basic_user_file /etc/nginx/.htpasswd;
}
}

6. Save the file and exit the text editor.
7. Verify the Nginx configuration for any syntax errors:

nginx -t

8. If there are no errors, restart the Nginx service:

systemctl restart nginx

Now, Nginx is configured as a reverse proxy for Netdata, providing an additional layer of security and allowing access to Netdata through port 80.

Access Netdata Dashboard

You can now access the Netdata dashboard through your web browser. Open your preferred browser and enter the URL http://your-domain.com. You will be prompted to enter the username and password you set up earlier.

Once logged in, you will have access to the Netdata dashboard, where you can monitor various server metrics in real-time.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have covered the step-by-step process of installing Netdata with Nginx on Alma Linux 8. By following these instructions, you can effectively monitor your server’s performance and gain valuable insights into its health and resource usage.

Netdata, combined with Nginx as a reverse proxy, provides a secure and user-friendly interface for monitoring your server metrics. With real-time visualization and comprehensive data analysis, you can make informed decisions to optimize your server’s performance.

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Christian Wells