Enabling optional features

Run and configure BeeInstana data store with Operator

For self-hosted Instana environments on Kubernetes with large metric loads, you should deploy BeeInstana by using the BeeInstana operator. See the documentation for using BeeInstana on Kubernetes.

Configuration for the core

Now the BeeInstana data pipeline must be added to the operator Core spec, and the following feature flags must be enabled. The main feature flag feature.beeinstana.infra.metrics.enabled activates new components and a set of features based on them.

apiVersion: instana.io/v1beta2
kind: Core
metadata:
  name: instana-core
  namespace: core
spec:
...
  datastoreConfigs:
    beeInstanaConfig:
      clustered: true
      authEnabled: true
      hosts:
        - <beeinstana_operator_service>
  ...
  featureFlags:
    - name: feature.beeinstana.infra.metrics.enabled
      enabled: true
  ...

In addition, you can enable Native histogram metric support (public preview).

To enable the native histogram metric feature, set these feature flags:

...
featureFlags:
  - name: feature.beeinstana.infra.metrics.enabled
    enabled: true
  - name: feature.beeinstana.histograms.enabled
    enabled: true
...

In addition, the credentials for the BeeInstana cluster or host must be configured in the core secret as follows:

...
datastoreConfigs:
  ...
  beeinstanaConfig:
    user: beeinstana-user
    password: <SECRET_PASSWORD>
  ...  
...

Using instana-console data store host

If instana-console is used as the database backend, a dual-host installation is recommended, with a second Clickhouse instance on another host. For this purpose, the second host needs to be set up with a settings.hcl file as follows:

type      = "dual-clickhouse"
host_name = "<IP-accessible-from-the-k8s-cluster>"

dir {
  metrics    = "" // data dir for metrics
  traces     = "/mnt/traces" // data dir for log data
  data       = "/mnt/data" // data dir for any other data
  logs       = "/var/log/instana" // log dir
}

docker_repository {
  base_url = "artifact-public.instana.io"
  username = "_"
  password = "<Your-agent-key>"
}

By default, the logging data is stored in the existing ClickHouse cluster. A separate ClickHouse cluster must be configured for the distribution of the data from Application Analytics and Logging.

Using Clickhouse operator cluster

In this scenario, set up another Clickhouse cluster according to the operator instructions.

Operator Core spec

On the operator side, the Core spec needs two Clickhouse entries and the feature flag feature.logging.enabled.

apiVersion: instana.io/v1beta2
kind: Core
metadata:
  name: instana-core
  namespace: core
spec:
...
  clickhouseConfigs:
    - clusterName: local
      authEnabled: true
      hosts:
        - <application_ch_cluster>
      schemas:
        - application
    - clusterName: local
      authEnabled: true
      hosts:
        - <logs_ch_cluster>
      schemas:
        - logs
  ...
  featureFlags:
    - name: feature.logging.enabled
      enabled: true
  ...

In addition, configure the credentials for the new Clickhouse cluster or host in the core secret as follows:

...
datastoreConfigs:
  ...
  clickhouseConfigs:
    - user: clickhouse-application-user
      password: <USER_GENERATED_PASSWORD>
      adminUser: clickhouse-application-user
      adminPassword: <USER_GENERATED_PASSWORD>
      schemas:
        - application
    - user: clickhouse-logs-user
      password: <USER_GENERATED_PASSWORD>
      adminUser: clickhouse-logs-user
      adminPassword: <USER_GENERATED_PASSWORD>
      schemas:
        - logs
  ...    
...

Enable automation framework components by using feature flag

To enable automation framework components, update the featureFlags section in the core.yaml file as shown in the following example:

...
featureFlags:
  - name:  feature.automation.enabled
    enabled: true
...    

For more information about this feature, see Managing automation.

Configure external storage for Synthetic monitoring

Before enabling Synthetic monitoring, configure two external storage configurations in the storageConfigs section in the Core spec (synthetics, syntheticsKeystore).

By default, the data stored in the Synthetics storage configuration is retained for 60 days. To modify the retention for Synthetic monitoring, see Synthetic monitoring data retention.

Currently, GCloud and S3 or compatible Buckets are supported, and the file system is based on a multi read/write persistent volume.

For more information about storageConfigs spec for synthetics, see storageConfigs

Enable the feature flag for Synthetic monitoring components

To enable Synthetic monitoring components, set the following feature flag under the featureFlags configuration in the Core spec.

...
featureFlags:
    - name: feature.synthetics.enabled
      enabled: true
...      

Configure external storage for uploading the JavaScript source maps

You can upload JavaScript source mapping files for private websites monitoring with Instana SaaS. Before uploading JavaScript source maps, you need to configure external storage in the storageConfigs section in the Core spec. The following are the 3 options for storing JavaScript source maps:

• S3 (or compatible)
• Google Cloud Storage
• Filesystem

For more information about StorageConfigs spec for End-User Monitoring (EUM) source maps, see StorageConfigs.

SAP

To enable the SAP platform dashboard, set the following configuration in the core.yaml file:

apiVersion: instana.io/v1beta2
kind: Core
metadata:
  name: instana-core
  namespace: core
spec:
  ...
  featureFlags:
    - name: feature.sap.enabled
      enabled: true
  ...

Pivotal Cloud Foundry (PCF)

To enable the PCF platform dashboard, set as follows in the core.yaml file:

apiVersion: instana.io/v1beta2
kind: Core
metadata:
  name: instana-core
  namespace: core
spec:
  ...
  featureFlags:
    - name: feature.pcf.enabled
      enabled: true
  ...

VMware vSphere

To enable the VMware vSphere platform dashboard, set as follows in the core.yaml file:

apiVersion: instana.io/v1beta2
kind: Core
metadata:
  name: instana-core
  namespace: core
spec:
  ...
  featureFlags:
    - name: feature.vsphere.enabled
      enabled: true
  ...

Nutanix

To enable the Nutanix platform dashboard, set the core.yaml file as follows:

apiVersion: instana.io/v1beta2
kind: Core
metadata:
  name: instana-core
  namespace: core
spec:
  ...
  featureFlags:
    - name: feature.nutanix.enabled
      enabled: true
  ...

OpenStack

To enable the OpenStack platform dashboard, set as follows in the core.yaml file:

apiVersion: instana.io/v1beta2
kind: Core
metadata:
  name: instana-core
  namespace: core
spec:
  ...
  featureFlags:
    - name: feature.openstack.enabled
      enabled: true
  ...

IBM Power HMC

To enable the IBM Power HMC platform dashboard, set as follows in the core.yaml file:

apiVersion: instana.io/v1beta2
kind: Core
metadata:
  name: instana-core
  namespace: core
spec:
  ...
  featureFlags:
    - name: feature.phmc.enabled
      enabled: true
  ...

IBM Power VC

To enable the IBM Power VC platform dashboard, set as follows in the core.yaml file:

apiVersion: instana.io/v1beta2
kind: Core
metadata:
  name: instana-core
  namespace: core
spec:
  ...
  featureFlags:
    - name: feature.powervc.enabled
      enabled: true
  ...

IBM Z HMC

To enable the IBM Z HMC platform dashboard, set as follows in the core.yaml file:

apiVersion: instana.io/v1beta2
kind: Core
metadata:
  name: instana-core
  namespace: core
spec:
  ...
  featureFlags:
    - name: feature.zhmc.enabled
      enabled: true
  ...

Enabling the feature flag for Business monitoring components

To enable Business monitoring components, set the following feature flag under the featureFlags configuration in the core.yaml file:

...
featureFlags:
    - name: feature.business.observability.enabled
      enabled: true
...      

Enabling the feature flag for the Get answers button

In the core.yaml file, to enable the Get answers button, set the following feature flag in the featureFlags configuration:

...
featureFlags:
    - name: feature.assistme.enabled
      enabled: true
...