---
title: Unix monitoring integration
source: https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/infrastructure/host-integrations/host-integrations-list/unix-monitoring-integration
---

The Unix monitoring integration allows for system-level monitoring of Unix-based servers, such as AIX, Linux, macOS, and Solaris/SunOS, and reports data to New Relic.

![image of the New Relic Unix dashboard](https://docs.newrelic.com/images/infrastructure_screenshot-crop_unix-dashboard.webp "unix")

> #### 💡 TIP
>
> This integration is released as [open source on Github](https://github.com/newrelic/newrelic-unix-monitor). If you encounter any issues, please log them at (<https://github.com/newrelic/newrelic-unix-monitor/issues>).

## Install the integration [#install]

Follow the steps below to install the integration:

## Check compatability and requirements [#comp]

-   JDK 8 and above
-   AIX 7.0 and above
-   HP-UX 11.0 and above
-   Linux based-operating system
-   OSX / MacOS 10.9 ('Mavericks') and above
-   Solaris/SunOS 10.0 and above

## Download and prepare the integration [#download]

1.  Download the latest version of the Unix Monitor [from the GitHub repo](https://github.com/newrelic/newrelic-unix-monitor/releases/latest).
2.  Copy the integration to the Unix server that you want to monitor and then untar it:

    ```shell
    tar -xvzf <filename.tar.gz>
    ```

## Configure the integration [#configure-step]

1.  Open the config file `config/plugin.json`.
2.  Set [`account_id`](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/accounts/install-new-relic/account-setup/account-id) and `insights_insert_key` to your values. Edit the rest of the config file as needed (proxy, agent attributes, etc.).

    Here's an example of a complex configuration file. Yours will likely not use every config option available:

    ```json
    {
      "global": {
        "OS": "auto",
        "account_id": "YOUR_NEWRELIC_ID",
        "fedramp": "false",
        "insights_mode": {
          "insights_insert_key": "YOUR_INSIGHTS_INSERT_KEY",
          "insights_data_center": "US"
        },
        "proxy": {
          "proxy_host": "YOUR_PROXY_HOST",
          "proxy_port": 5443,
          "proxy_username": "YOUR_PROXY_USERNAME",
          "proxy_password": "YOUR_PROXY_PASSWORD"
        }
      },
      "agents": [
        {
          "name": "auto",
          "static": {
            "attribute1": "attribute1_value",
            "attribute2": 12345
          }
        }
      ]
    }
    ```

    You can find more information about all available config options at the bottom of this doc.

## Start the integration [#start-integration]

1.  Run `./pluginctl.sh start` from your terminal
2.  Check logs in the `logs` directory (or another directory you've configured)for errors.
3.  Data should now flow into your New Relic account and be visable in your infrastructure UI.

## Find your data [#find-data]

To easily find your Unix data, download our pre-built dashboard:

1.  Go to **[one.newrelic.com](https://one.newrelic.com/)** and click on **+ Integrations & Agents**.
2.  Click on **Dashboards** tab.
3.  In the search box, search for **Unix**.
4.  Click on the Unix dashboard to install it in your account.

## Integration configuration settings [#config-options]

The following sections explain all the configuration settings available:

### Global settings [#global]

-   `OS` (default: `auto`): Used to determine which commands to run and how to parse them. Leave set to `auto` to have the plugin figure that out (which normally works).
-   `account_id`: New Relic account ID. The 6 or 7 digit number in the URL when you're logged into the account of your choosing.
-   `fedramp`: A true or false string to indicate that the target is the New Relic Fedramp-authorized endpoint.
-   `insights_insert_key` (under `insights`): You must create an [Insights Insert key, as described here.](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/insights/insights-data-sources/custom-data/insert-custom-events-insights-api#register)
-   `insights_data_center` (under `insights`, default: `us`): If using the NR EU data center for your account, please change this to `eu` or `EU`. If using the NR JP data center, please change this to `jp` or `JP`. Otherwise, you can leave this alone or omit this setting entirely.

### Agent settings [#agent]

These settings are found in the `agents` object of your config file.

-   `name`: If set to `auto`, the plugin will use that server's hostname. Otherwise, sets the hostname and agentName to whatever is set here.
-   `static` (optional): An object containing static attributes (as name-value pairs) you want to appear in every event from this plugin. For example:

```json
"agents": [
  {
    "name": "auto",
    "static": {
      "data_center": "Antartica",
      "customer": "Penguins",
      "rank": 1
    }
  }
]
```

### Proxy settings [#proxy]

If using a proxy, the optional `proxy` object should be added to the `global` object in `plugin.json`.

-   The available attributes are: `proxy_host`, `proxy_port`, `proxy_username` and `proxy_password`.
-   The only attribute that is required in the `proxy` object is `proxy_host`.

## Credential obfuscation

For additional security, this integration supports obfuscated values for the attributes like insights_insert_key, proxy_username, proxy_password, and any other attributes under the parent attribute 'agents'. To do so, append  `_obfuscated` to the attribute name and provide  an obfuscated value that was produced by the [New Relic CLI](https://github.com/newrelic/newrelic-cli):

1.  Install the [New Relic CLI](https://github.com/newrelic/newrelic-cli#installation) on any supported platform. It doesn't need to be installed on the same host as the Unix integration. It is only used to generate the obfuscated keys, this integration handles deobfuscation independently.

2.  Generate your obfuscated credentials using the following CLI command:

    ```shell
    newrelic agent config obfuscate --key "OBSCURING_KEY" --value "CLEAR_TEXT_PROXY_PASSWORD"
    ```

    In this command, `OBSCURING_KEY` can be any value you want. You can point it at an existing environment variable:

    ```shell
    newrelic agent config obfuscate --key "YOUR_RANDOM_KEY!" --value "YOUR_PROXY_PASSWORD!"
    newrelic agent config obfuscate --key ${NEW_RELIC_CONFIG_OBSCURING_KEY} --value ${OUR_PROXY_PASSWORD}
    ```

3.  In the `proxy` object in `plugin.json`, populate the `proxy_username_obfuscated` and `proxy_password_obfuscated` attributes with the values returned by the CLI.

4.  In `pluginctl.sh`, uncomment the `NEW_RELIC_CONFIG_OBSCURING_KEY` variable, and set it to the same value or envrionment variable as you used in step 2 for `OBSCURING_KEY`.