Skip to main content

Director

VirtualMetric Director™ is the orchestration and data processing engine of the DataStream platform. The vmetric-director executable runs the service itself, and also provides the command-line tools for configuration, validation, pipeline testing, data generation, device discovery, and diagnostics.

Synopsis

vmetric-director [OPTIONS]

Help output is mode-dependent. vmetric-director -h lists only the options valid outside a mode; a mode's own options are listed alongside it, e.g. vmetric-director -mode pipeline -h.

General Options

These options are valid outside a mode.

OptionDefaultDescription
-compare-version-Compare with specified version
-config-Apply a registration string and write the local configuration file
-config-path-Path to a single configuration file (skips recursive configuration folder scan)
-example-Show configuration examples
-export-Export destination or format. With -license, the report format (json, csv, md, license); with -mode cert, the output directory
-license-Show license information
-license-info-Show active airgapped license file
-path-Installation path when used with -service install; configuration path in pipeline and validation modes
-pfx2pem-Convert PFX certificate to PEM format
-validate-Validate configuration files. Equivalent to -mode validate
-version-Display version information

The argument to -config is a base64-encoded string of semicolon-separated fields — fleet instance, director ID, and token — issued when the Director is registered. It is decoded and written to the local configuration file.

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)
-service-name-Custom service name for installation
-stop-Stop the running process
-vpc-Display product code

-service and -agentless are mutually exclusive, as are -service and -background. Combining -service install with -path relocates the installation to the given path.

Modes

A mode is selected with -mode <name>, or with the equivalent shorthand option. Mode names are matched case-insensitively. Passing more than one mode option in a single invocation is not supported.

ModeShorthandPurpose
director-directorRun the orchestration service. This is the default
supervisor-supervisorRun the service watchdog
console-consoleTail the live console output
pipeline-pipelineExecute a pipeline against sample data
generator-generatorGenerate test data
validate-validateValidate the configuration files
sentinel-sentinelRun network discovery and monitoring
snmpwalk-snmpwalkPerform SNMP device discovery
dcr-dcrGenerate a Data Collection Rule
ocsf-ocsfGenerate an OCSF schema
cert-certShow the agent interface TLS certificate
capture-profile-capture-profileCapture a diagnostic profile bundle
update-updateRun the update process
restart-restartRestart the service via a detached child

The director, supervisor, validate, update, and restart modes take no options of their own. The remainder are detailed below.

Console

vmetric-director -mode console [OPTIONS]
OptionDefaultDescription
-agent-id0Device ID of the managed agent whose console to tail; 0 tails the Director
-debug-level3Set debug verbosity level (1-5)
-filter-Filter console output by keywords

The debug level is a threshold: entries at or below the given level are shown. The levels are 1 Error, 2 Warning, 3 Information, 4 Debug, and 5 Verbose.

Pipeline

vmetric-director -mode pipeline -name [pipeline_name] [OPTIONS]
OptionDefaultDescription
-definition_id-Pipeline definition identifier
-diff-Show differences between actual and expected output
-expected-Expected output file for validation
-extended-Show extended processing information
-input-Input data file or JSON string
-json-Export pipeline results as JSON
-name-Pipeline name for processing
-output-Output file for processed data
-output-stylebasicPipeline output display style (basic, extended, jsonl)
-visualize-Display pipeline processing visualization

This mode also accepts -path for the configuration path, and -filter and -validate from the general options.

Generator

vmetric-director -mode generator [OPTIONS]
OptionDefaultDescription
-address127.0.0.1:514Target address for generated data
-count1000Number of messages to generate
-duration300Total generation duration (seconds)
-filepath-File path for file-based operations
-interval1Interval between messages (seconds)
-messageVirtualMetric Test MessageMessage content
-now-Generate messages immediately
-protocolsyslogProtocol for data generation (syslog, tcp, udp, http, netflow, vmf)
-severityErrorSyslog severity level (Alert, Critical, Error, Warning, Notice, Information, Debug)

The following simulate the supported log streaming protocols:

  • Syslog:

    vmetric-director -mode generator -protocol syslog -address 127.0.0.1:514 -severity Error -message "Test Message" -count 1000 -interval 1 -duration 300
  • TCP:

    vmetric-director -mode generator -protocol tcp -address 127.0.0.1:9000 -message "Test Message" -count 1000 -interval 1 -duration 300
  • UDP:

    vmetric-director -mode generator -protocol udp -address 127.0.0.1:514 -message "Test Message" -count 1000 -interval 1 -duration 300
  • HTTP:

    vmetric-director -mode generator -protocol http -address http://127.0.0.1:8080/logs -message "Test Message" -count 1000 -interval 1 -duration 300
  • Netflow:

    vmetric-director -mode generator -protocol netflow -address 127.0.0.1:2055 -count 1000 -interval 1 -duration 300
  • VMF:

    vmetric-director -mode generator -protocol vmf -filepath input.json -message "Test Message" -count 1000 -interval 1 -duration 300

Sentinel

vmetric-director -mode sentinel [OPTIONS]
OptionDefaultDescription
-autodiscovery-Enable automatic network discovery
-auxiliary-Use auxiliary discovery tables
-basic-Use basic discovery tables

SNMP Walk

vmetric-director -mode snmpwalk -snmp-deviceid [device_id] -snmp-host [host] [OPTIONS]
OptionDefaultDescription
-snmp-community-SNMP community string
-snmp-deviceid-SNMP device identifier
-snmp-host-Target SNMP host address
-snmp-oid.1.3Starting OID for SNMP walk
-snmp-port161SNMP port number
-snmp-version2cSNMP version (1, 2c, 3)

-snmp-community applies to SNMP v1 and v2c only.

DCR

vmetric-director -mode dcr [OPTIONS]
OptionDefaultDescription
-dcr-description-Description of the Data Collection Rule
-dcr-name-Name of the Data Collection Rule
-table-names-Comma-separated list of table names to include

OCSF

vmetric-director -mode ocsf [OPTIONS]
OptionDefaultDescription
-max-depth-1Maximum depth for OCSF profile generation
-profiles-Comma-separated list of OCSF profiles to include
-schema-name-Name of the OCSF schema
-schema-version-Version of the OCSF schema

Certificate

vmetric-director -mode cert [-export directory]
OptionDefaultDescription
-export-Directory to write cert.pem and ca.pem to

Without -export, the certificate is printed. Auto-generated certificates only.

Capture Profile

vmetric-director -mode capture-profile [OPTIONS]
OptionDefaultDescription
-profile-duration60Capture duration in seconds (20-300)
-profile-output-Output directory or .zip path for the bundle; defaults to the current directory

Collects CPU, memory, and goroutine profiles from the running service into a single zip file.

Agent Installation

vmetric-director -install-command -device-id [device_id] -address [host:port] [OPTIONS]
OptionDefaultDescription
-address127.0.0.1:514Address the agent connects back to. Shared with the generator mode; the default is rejected here, so supply it explicitly
-device-id-Device ID the installation command is issued for
-device-token-Device token to embed in the installation command, when one is attached
-device-typelinuxAgent platform (linux, windows)
-install-command-Print the agent installation command for a device

The printed command carries the Director address, token, and device identity to the target host. See Agent for how the agent consumes it.

Option Index

Every option, with the section documenting it. Defaults and descriptions are given there, not here.

OptionDocumented under
-addressGenerator, Agent Installation
-agent-idConsole
-agentlessService Management
-autodiscoverySentinel
-auxiliarySentinel
-backgroundService Management
-basicSentinel
-capture-profileModes
-certModes
-compare-versionGeneral Options
-configGeneral Options
-config-pathGeneral Options
-consoleModes
-countGenerator
-dcrModes
-dcr-descriptionDCR
-dcr-nameDCR
-debug-levelConsole
-definition_idPipeline
-device-idAgent Installation
-device-tokenAgent Installation
-device-typeAgent Installation
-diffPipeline
-directorModes
-durationGenerator
-exampleGeneral Options
-expectedPipeline
-exportGeneral Options, Certificate
-extendedPipeline
-filepathGenerator
-filterConsole, Pipeline
-generatorModes
-infoService Management
-inputPipeline
-install-commandAgent Installation
-intervalGenerator
-jsonPipeline
-licenseGeneral Options
-license-infoGeneral Options
-max-depthOCSF
-messageGenerator
-modeModes
-namePipeline
-nowGenerator
-ocsfModes
-outputPipeline
-output-stylePipeline
-pathGeneral Options
-pfx2pemGeneral Options
-pipelineModes
-profile-durationCapture Profile
-profile-outputCapture Profile
-profilesOCSF
-protocolGenerator
-restartModes
-schema-nameOCSF
-schema-versionOCSF
-sentinelModes
-serviceService Management
-service-nameService Management
-severityGenerator
-snmp-communitySNMP Walk
-snmp-deviceidSNMP Walk
-snmp-hostSNMP Walk
-snmp-oidSNMP Walk
-snmp-portSNMP Walk
-snmp-versionSNMP Walk
-snmpwalkModes
-stopService Management
-supervisorModes
-table-namesDCR
-updateModes
-validateGeneral Options
-versionGeneral Options
-visualizePipeline
-vpcService Management