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Version: 1.3.0

CLI: Agent

Overview​

VirtualMetric Agent™ is a lightweight data collection and synchronization component designed to work in distributed environments. It provides agent-based data collection capabilities, cluster synchronization, and management connectivity for enterprise deployments. The agent can operate independently or as part of a larger VirtualMetric infrastructure.

Synopsis​

vmetric-agent [OPTIONS]

Options​

The following command line options are available.

General Options​

OptionDefaultDescription
-compare-version-Compare with specified version
-config-Run configuration wizard
-example-Show usage examples
-path-Specify configuration file or directory path
-read-Read configuration (reserved for future use)
-validate-Validate configuration files
-version-Display version information

Mode Options​

OptionDefaultDescription
-console-Run in console mode
-modeagentOperating mode (agent, supervisor, console, update)
-supervisor-Run in supervisor mode
-update-Run update process

Service Management​

OptionDefaultDescription
-agentless-Run without installing as a service
-background-Run in background mode
-info-Display service information
-service-Service operation (install, uninstall, start, stop, restart)
-test-Run in test mode
-vpc-Display product code

Console Options​

OptionDefaultDescription
-debug-level-Set debug verbosity level (1-5)
-filter-Filter console output by keywords

Synchronization Options​

OptionDefaultDescription
-cluster-sync-Run cluster synchronization with specified interval
-manager-sync-Run manager synchronization with specified interval

Control Options​

OptionDefaultDescription
-stopfalseStop running agent process

Operating Modes​

Agent Mode (Default)​

The primary operating mode for data collection and processing.

  • Basic Usage:

    vmetric-agent

  • Run as Service:

    vmetric-agent -service=install
    vmetric-agent -service=start

  • Run in Background:

    vmetric-agent -background

  • Agentless Mode:

    vmetric-agent -agentless

Supervisor Mode​

Manages and monitors other VirtualMetric components.

  • Basic Usage:

    vmetric-agent -mode=supervisor

  • Supervisor as Service:

    vmetric-agent -mode=supervisor -service=install
    vmetric-agent -mode=supervisor -service=start

Console Mode​

Interactive mode for monitoring and debugging.

  • Basic Console:

    vmetric-agent -mode=console

  • Filtered Console Output:

    vmetric-agent -mode=console -filter="error"

  • Debug Level Console:

    vmetric-agent -mode=console -debug-level=3

Update Mode​

Handles software updates and maintenance.

  • Run Update:

    vmetric-agent -mode=update

Service Management​

Installation and Setup​

  • Install Agent Service:

    vmetric-agent -service=install

  • Install with Custom Path:

    vmetric-agent -path=<vm_root>/Agent/config -service=install

  • Uninstall Service:

    vmetric-agent -service=uninstall

Service Control​

  • Start Service:

    vmetric-agent -service=start

  • Stop Service:

    vmetric-agent -service=stop

  • Restart Service:

    vmetric-agent -service=restart

  • Check Service Status:

    vmetric-agent -info

Process Management​

  • Stop Running Agent:

    vmetric-agent -stop

Configuration Management​

Configuration Wizard​

  • Run Configuration Setup:

    vmetric-agent -config=setup

  • Configure with Template:

    vmetric-agent -config=template-name

Configuration Validation​

  • Validate Configuration Files:

    vmetric-agent -validate

  • Validate Specific Path:

    vmetric-agent -path=/path/to/config -validate

Synchronization Features​

Cluster Synchronization​

Synchronizes data and state across cluster nodes.

  • Run Cluster Sync (30-second intervals):

    vmetric-agent -cluster-sync=30

  • Run Cluster Sync (5-minute intervals):

    vmetric-agent -cluster-sync=300

Manager Synchronization​

Synchronizes with central management systems.

  • Run Manager Sync (1-minute intervals):

    vmetric-agent -manager-sync=60

  • Run Manager Sync (10-minute intervals):

    vmetric-agent -manager-sync=600

Monitoring and Debugging​

Console Monitoring​

  • Real-time Log Monitoring:

    vmetric-agent -mode=console

  • Filter Specific Events:

    vmetric-agent -mode=console -filter="agent"

  • High-Detail Debug Monitoring:

    vmetric-agent -mode=console -debug-level=5

Service Information​

  • Display Service Details:

    vmetric-agent -info

  • Get Product Code:

    vmetric-agent -vpc

Common Usage Patterns​

Basic Deployment​

  • Standard Agent Installation:

    Install and start the agent service

    vmetric-agent -service=install
    vmetric-agent -service=start

    Verify installation

    vmetric-agent -info

Development and Testing​

  • Test Configuration:

    vmetric-agent -validate -path=./test-config.yml

  • Run in Test Mode:

    vmetric-agent -test -agentless

  • Debug with Console:

    vmetric-agent -mode=console -debug-level=4 -filter="test"

Distributed Environment Setup​

  • Primary Agent Node:

    vmetric-agent -service=install
    vmetric-agent -service=start

  • Secondary Agent with Cluster Sync:

    vmetric-agent -agentless -cluster-sync=60

  • Supervisor Node:

    vmetric-agent -mode=supervisor -service=install
    vmetric-agent -mode=supervisor -service=start

Maintenance Operations​

  • Update Agent:

    vmetric-agent -mode=update

  • Graceful Shutdown:

    vmetric-agent -stop

  • Service Restart:

    vmetric-agent -service=stop
    vmetric-agent -service=start

Integration Scenarios​

With VirtualMetric Director​

  • Agent with Director Coordination:

    Start Director first

    vmetric-director -service=start

    Start Agent in coordination mode

    vmetric-agent -manager-sync=120

Cluster Configuration​

  • Master Agent Node:

    vmetric-agent -service=install
    vmetric-agent -service=start

  • Worker Agent Nodes:

    vmetric-agent -agentless -cluster-sync=30 -manager-sync=300

High Availability Setup​

  • Primary Agent:

    vmetric-agent -service=install
    vmetric-agent -service=start

  • Backup Agent:

    vmetric-agent -mode=supervisor -service=install
    vmetric-agent -mode=supervisor -service=start

Troubleshooting​

Service Issues​

  • Check Service Status:

    vmetric-agent -info

  • Debug Service Problems:

    vmetric-agent -mode=console -debug-level=5

  • Restart Service:

    vmetric-agent -service=stop
    vmetric-agent -service=start

Configuration Issues​

  • Validate Configuration:

    vmetric-agent -validate

  • Reconfigure Agent:

    vmetric-agent -config=reset

Connectivity Issues​

  • Test Cluster Communication:

    vmetric-agent -cluster-sync=10 -agentless

  • Debug Manager Connection:

    vmetric-agent -manager-sync=30 -mode=console -debug-level=3

Performance Issues​

  • Monitor Agent Performance:

    vmetric-agent -mode=console -filter="performance"

  • Run Performance Test:

    vmetric-agent -test -mode=console

Advanced Configuration​

Custom Service Names​

When installing with custom configurations:

vmetric-agent -path=/custom/config -service=install

Background Processing​

  • Silent Background Operation:

    vmetric-agent -background

Multi-Instance Deployment​

  • Instance 1 (Primary):

    vmetric-agent -service=install

  • Instance 2 (Supervisor):

    vmetric-agent -mode=supervisor -service=install

Security Considerations​

Service Permissions​

Ensure the agent service runs with appropriate permissions for:

  • Network access
  • File system access
  • Registry access (Windows)
  • Process management

Configuration Security​

  • Secure configuration files with appropriate file permissions
  • Use encrypted communication for cluster synchronization
  • Implement access controls for management interfaces

Version Information​

  • Check Current Version:

    vmetric-agent -version

  • Compare Versions:

    vmetric-agent -compare-version=2.1.0

  • Show Usage Examples:

    vmetric-agent -example