title:Monitoring Linux host metrics with the node exporter
title:Monitoring Linux host metrics with the Node Exporter
---
---
# Monitoring Linux host metrics with the node exporter
# Monitoring Linux host metrics with the Node Exporter
The Prometheus [**node exporter**](https://github.com/prometheus/node_exporter) exposes a wide variety of hardware- and kernel-related metrics.
The Prometheus [**Node Exporter**](https://github.com/prometheus/node_exporter) exposes a wide variety of hardware- and kernel-related metrics.
In this guide, you will:
In this guide, you will:
* Start up a node exporter on `localhost`
* Start up a Node Exporter on `localhost`
* Start up a Prometheus instance on `localhost` that's configured to scrape metrics from the running node exporter
* Start up a Prometheus instance on `localhost` that's configured to scrape metrics from the running Node Exporter
NOTE: While the Prometheus node exporter is for *nix systems, there is a [WMI exporter](https://github.com/martinlindhe/wmi_exporter) for Windows that serves an analogous purpose.
NOTE: While the Prometheus Node Exporter is for *nix systems, there is a [WMI exporter](https://github.com/martinlindhe/wmi_exporter) for Windows that serves an analogous purpose.
## Installing and running the node exporter
## Installing and running the Node Exporter
The Prometheus node exporter is a single static binary that you can install [via tarball](#tarball-installation). You can [download](/downloads#node_exporter) page, extract it, and run it:
The Prometheus Node Exporter is a single static binary that you can install [via tarball](#tarball-installation). You can [download](/downloads#node_exporter) page, extract it, and run it:
Success! The node exporter is now exposing metrics that Prometheus can scrape, including a wide variety of system metrics further down in the output (prefixed with `node_`). To view those metrics (along with help and type information):
Success! The Node Exporter is now exposing metrics that Prometheus can scrape, including a wide variety of system metrics further down in the output (prefixed with `node_`). To view those metrics (along with help and type information):
Your locally running Prometheus instance needs to be properly configured in order to access node exporter metrics. The following [`scrape_config`](../prometheus/latest/configuration/configuration/#<scrape_config>) block will tell Prometheus that scrape from the node exporter via `localhost:9100`:
Your locally running Prometheus instance needs to be properly configured in order to access Node Exporter metrics. The following [`scrape_config`](../prometheus/latest/configuration/configuration/#<scrape_config>) block will tell Prometheus that scrape from the Node Exporter via `localhost:9100`:
```yaml
```yaml
scrape_configs:
scrape_configs:
...
@@ -84,13 +84,13 @@ Once Prometheus is installed you can start it up, using the `--config.file` flag
...
@@ -84,13 +84,13 @@ Once Prometheus is installed you can start it up, using the `--config.file` flag
./prometheus --config.file=./prometheus.yml
./prometheus --config.file=./prometheus.yml
```
```
## Exploring node exporter metrics through the Prometheus expression browser
## Exploring Node Exporter metrics through the Prometheus expression browser
Now that Prometheus is scraping metrics from a running node exporter instance, you can explore those metrics using the Prometheus UI (aka the [expression browser](/docs/visualization/expression-browser)). Navigate to `localhost:9090/graph` in your browser and use the main expression bar at the top of the page to enter expressions, which looks like this:
Now that Prometheus is scraping metrics from a running Node Exporter instance, you can explore those metrics using the Prometheus UI (aka the [expression browser](/docs/visualization/expression-browser)). Navigate to `localhost:9090/graph` in your browser and use the main expression bar at the top of the page to enter expressions, which looks like this:
![](/assets/prometheus-expression-bar.png)
![](/assets/prometheus-expression-bar.png)
Metrics specific to the node exporter are prefixed with `node_` and include metrics like `node_cpu_seconds_total` and `node_exporter_build_info`.
Metrics specific to the Node Exporter are prefixed with `node_` and include metrics like `node_cpu_seconds_total` and `node_exporter_build_info`.
Click on the links below to see some example metrics:
Click on the links below to see some example metrics: