src/go/plugin/go.d/modules/postfix/integrations/postfix.md
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# Postfix
<img src="https://netdata.cloud/img/postfix.svg" width="150"/>
Plugin: go.d.plugin
Module: postfix
<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/maintained%20by-Netdata-%2300ab44" />
## Overview
This collector retrieves statistics about the Postfix mail queue using the [postqueue](https://www.postfix.org/postqueue.1.html) command-line tool.
It periodically executes the `postqueue -p` command. The collection interval is set to 10 seconds by default, but this can be configurable.
This collector is supported on all platforms.
This collector only supports collecting metrics from a single instance of this integration.
Postfix has internal access controls for the mail queue. By default, all users can view the queue. If your system has stricter controls, grant the `netdata` user access by adding it to `authorized_mailq_users` in the `/etc/postfix/main.cf `file. For more details, refer to the `authorized_mailq_users` setting in the [Postfix documentation](https://www.postfix.org/postconf.5.html).
### Default Behavior
#### Auto-Detection
The collector executes `postqueue -p` to get Postfix queue statistics.
#### Limits
The default configuration for this integration does not impose any limits on data collection.
#### Performance Impact
The default configuration for this integration is not expected to impose a significant performance impact on the system.
## Metrics
Metrics grouped by *scope*.
The scope defines the instance that the metric belongs to. An instance is uniquely identified by a set of labels.
### Per Postfix instance
These metrics refer to the entire monitored application.
This scope has no labels.
Metrics:
| Metric | Dimensions | Unit |
|:------|:----------|:----|
| postfix.qemails | emails | emails |
| postfix.qsize | size | KiB |
## Alerts
There are no alerts configured by default for this integration.
## Setup
### Prerequisites
No action required.
### Configuration
#### File
The configuration file name for this integration is `go.d/postfix.conf`.
You can edit the configuration file using the `edit-config` script from the
Netdata [config directory](/docs/netdata-agent/configuration/README.md#the-netdata-config-directory).
```bash
cd /etc/netdata 2>/dev/null || cd /opt/netdata/etc/netdata
sudo ./edit-config go.d/postfix.conf
```
#### Options
The following options can be defined globally: update_every.
<details open><summary>Config options</summary>
| Name | Description | Default | Required |
|:----|:-----------|:-------|:--------:|
| update_every | Data collection frequency. | 10 | no |
| binary_path | Path to the `postqueue` binary. If an absolute path is provided, the collector will use it directly; otherwise, it will search for the binary in directories specified in the PATH environment variable. | /usr/sbin/postqueue | yes |
| timeout | Timeout for executing the binary, specified in seconds. | 2 | no |
</details>
#### Examples
##### Custom binary path
The executable is not in the directories specified in the PATH environment variable.
<details open><summary></summary>
```yaml
jobs:
- name: custom_path
binary_path: /usr/local/sbin/postqueue
```
</details>
## Troubleshooting
### Debug Mode
**Important**: Debug mode is not supported for data collection jobs created via the UI using the Dyncfg feature.
To troubleshoot issues with the `postfix` collector, run the `go.d.plugin` with the debug option enabled. The output
should give you clues as to why the collector isn't working.
- Navigate to the `plugins.d` directory, usually at `/usr/libexec/netdata/plugins.d/`. If that's not the case on
your system, open `netdata.conf` and look for the `plugins` setting under `[directories]`.
```bash
cd /usr/libexec/netdata/plugins.d/
```
- Switch to the `netdata` user.
```bash
sudo -u netdata -s
```
- Run the `go.d.plugin` to debug the collector:
```bash
./go.d.plugin -d -m postfix
```
### Getting Logs
If you're encountering problems with the `postfix` collector, follow these steps to retrieve logs and identify potential issues:
- **Run the command** specific to your system (systemd, non-systemd, or Docker container).
- **Examine the output** for any warnings or error messages that might indicate issues. These messages should provide clues about the root cause of the problem.
#### System with systemd
Use the following command to view logs generated since the last Netdata service restart:
```bash
journalctl _SYSTEMD_INVOCATION_ID="$(systemctl show --value --property=InvocationID netdata)" --namespace=netdata --grep postfix
```
#### System without systemd
Locate the collector log file, typically at `/var/log/netdata/collector.log`, and use `grep` to filter for collector's name:
```bash
grep postfix /var/log/netdata/collector.log
```
**Note**: This method shows logs from all restarts. Focus on the **latest entries** for troubleshooting current issues.
#### Docker Container
If your Netdata runs in a Docker container named "netdata" (replace if different), use this command:
```bash
docker logs netdata 2>&1 | grep postfix
```