netdata/netdata

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# OpenVPN


<img src="https://netdata.cloud/img/openvpn.svg" width="150"/>


Plugin: go.d.plugin
Module: openvpn

<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/maintained%20by-Netdata-%2300ab44" />

## Overview

This collector monitors OpenVPN servers.

It uses OpenVPN [Management Interface](https://openvpn.net/community-resources/management-interface/) to collect metrics.




This collector is supported on all platforms.

This collector supports collecting metrics from multiple instances of this integration, including remote instances.


### Default Behavior

#### Auto-Detection

This integration doesn't support auto-detection.

#### 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 OpenVPN instance

These metrics refer to the entire monitored application.

This scope has no labels.

Metrics:

| Metric | Dimensions | Unit |
|:------|:----------|:----|
| openvpn.active_clients | clients | clients |
| openvpn.total_traffic | in, out | kilobits/s |

### Per user

These metrics refer to the VPN user.

Labels:

| Label      | Description     |
|:-----------|:----------------|
| username | VPN username |

Metrics:

| Metric | Dimensions | Unit |
|:------|:----------|:----|
| openvpn.user_traffic | in, out | kilobits/s |
| openvpn.user_connection_time | time | seconds |



## Alerts

There are no alerts configured by default for this integration.


## Setup

### Prerequisites

#### Enable in go.d.conf.

This collector is disabled by default. You need to explicitly enable it in [go.d.conf](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/master/src/go/collectors/go.d.plugin/config/go.d.conf).

From the documentation for the OpenVPN Management Interface:
> Currently, the OpenVPN daemon can at most support a single management client any one time.

It is disabled to not break other tools which use `Management Interface`.



### Configuration

#### File

The configuration file name for this integration is `go.d/openvpn.conf`.


You can edit the configuration file using the `edit-config` script from the
Netdata [config directory](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/master/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/openvpn.conf
```
#### Options

The following options can be defined globally: update_every, autodetection_retry.


<details><summary>Config options</summary>

| Name | Description | Default | Required |
|:----|:-----------|:-------|:--------:|
| update_every | Data collection frequency. | 1 | no |
| autodetection_retry | Recheck interval in seconds. Zero means no recheck will be scheduled. | 0 | no |
| address | Server address in IP:PORT format. | 127.0.0.1:7505 | yes |
| timeout | Connection, read, and write timeout duration in seconds. The timeout includes name resolution. | 1 | no |
| per_user_stats | User selector. Determines which user metrics will be collected. |  | no |

</details>

#### Examples

##### Basic

A basic example configuration.

<details><summary>Config</summary>

```yaml
jobs:
  - name: local
    address: 127.0.0.1:7505

```
</details>

##### With user metrics

Collect metrics of all users.

<details><summary>Config</summary>

```yaml
jobs:
  - name: local
    address: 127.0.0.1:7505
    per_user_stats:
      includes:
        - "* *"

```
</details>

##### Multi-instance

> **Note**: When you define multiple jobs, their names must be unique.

Collecting metrics from local and remote instances.


<details><summary>Config</summary>

```yaml
jobs:
  - name: local
    address: 127.0.0.1:7505

  - name: remote
    address: 203.0.113.0:7505

```
</details>



## Troubleshooting

### Debug Mode

To troubleshoot issues with the `openvpn` 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 openvpn
  ```