Azure cloud metrics

  • Release version: Washingtondc
  • Updated February 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Azure Cloud Metrics

    Azure cloud metrics are essential for monitoring the performance of Azure resources, including virtual machines (VMs) and storage accounts. To start collecting these metrics, customers need to select which metrics to add to the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) and configure the necessary system settings, such as monitoring data transfer between resources.

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    Key Features

    • Preconfigured and Custom Policies: Customers can utilize preconfigured Azure policies or create their own for metric collection.
    • Active MID Server: An instance with an active MID Server and metric base is required for collecting metrics.
    • Agent Client Collector Framework: Installation of the Agent Client Collector Framework and Monitoring is necessary for functionality.
    • Proxy Agents: Proxy agents can be configured to monitor cloud-based CIs, with assigned credentials for policy access.
    • Supported Metrics: The system supports various metrics, including those from Azure Load Balancers, Gateways, Redis Cache, Storage Accounts, and Virtual Machines.

    Key Outcomes

    By effectively implementing Azure cloud metrics, customers can:

    • Monitor the performance and health of their Azure resources in real-time.
    • Ensure accurate tracking and reporting of metrics through the CMDB.
    • Customize metrics collection to meet specific operational needs.
    • Leverage insights from gathered data to optimize resource management and performance.

    Azure cloud metrics are gathered from Azure virtual machines (VMs) and Azure storage account policies. Collecting the cloud metrics enables you to Agent Client Collector monitor the performance of your Azure resources.

    Azure cloud metrics Overview

    To begin collecting Azure cloud metrics, you must select the metrics that you want to add to the CMDB and set the relevant system configurations. For example, you can monitor the number of bytes sent and received from Azure resources. For details, see Agent Client Collector for Visibility reference.

    Using Azure policies

    You can use preconfigured Azure policies for metric collection, or you can create your own Azure policies.

    When using a preconfigured policy, you do the following tasks:
    • Prepare an instance with an active MID Server and metric base.
    • Install Agent Client Collector Framework and Agent Client Collector Monitoring.
    • Run Discovery on the Azure cloud account to populate the CMDB with the configuration items (CIs) to be monitored.
    • Configure a proxy agent and assign credentials to the policy. Proxy agents monitor CIs for agents that are in the cloud. Credentials enable the agent to access the Azure policy.
    The policies available with the base system for you to activate and configure are described in the following table.
    Table 1. Azure policies available with base system
    Policy name Description Link to supported metrics
    Azure Load Balancer metrics Collects the metrics for the Azure load balancers. Supported metrics for Microsoft Load Balancers
    Azure Gateway metrics Collects the metrics for the Azure network gateway. Supported metrics for Microsoft Network Gateways
    Azure Redis Cache metrics Collects the metrics for the Azure Redis cache. Supported metrics for Microsoft Redis cache
    Azure Storage Account metrics Collects the metrics for the Azure storage accounts. Supported metrics for Microsoft storage accounts
    Azure Virtual Machine (VM) metrics Collects the metrics for the VMs, which help you monitor Azure VMs. Supported metrics for Microsoft virtual machines

    Specifying the CIs for metric collection

    When creating policies, you must include the CIs that you want to collect the metrics for in the CMDB. The CIs are typically populated during Discovery, which finds applications and devices on your network and updates the CMDB accordingly.

    When creating a policy, you must decide which CIs you want the policy to monitor. To enable monitoring CIs, you do the following tasks:
    1. Configure the Azure Metrics Collector check in the policy.
    2. Set the credentials for the Azure Metrics Collector check to enable retrieving metrics from Azure to the Agent Client Collector agent.
    3. Generate a .json file that specifies the list of resources to be monitored.
    4. Generate a .json file that specifies the list of metrics to be retrieved from monitored resources.
    For details on the Azure policies, see Create Azure policies for metrics collection.

    For details on the Azure Metrics Batch API, see the Metrics Batch API page.