This page includes details about using Helm charts to deploy the Cluster Agent. This is an alternative to using kubectl as described in:

Helm is a package manager for Kubernetes. Helm charts are a collection of files that describe a set of Kubernetes resources. The Cluster Agent Helm chart is a convenient method to deploy the Cluster Agent Operator and Cluster Agent.

Requirements

Cluster Agent version 20.6 and later
Controller version 20.6 and later
Cluster Agent Helm charts are compatible with Helm 3.0

Deployment Modes for Cluster Agent Helm chart

You can use deploymentModes configuration in a Cluster Agent Helm chart to support requests of multiple Cluster Agents in a cluster. The Cluster Agent Helm chart checks the configuration for issues and helps to avoid conflict when agents are not deployed in a consistent manner.

For example, if two Cluster Agents are deployed in a cluster, if one Cluster Agent is configured for auto-instrumentation, and the second Cluster Agent is not, there is a conflict. In this scenario, the second Cluster Agent checks for available namespaces. Because this second Cluster Agent is not configured to perform auto-instrumentation, the second Cluster Agent attempts to uninstrument the deployment that the first Cluster Agent is auto-instrumenting. This scenario results in an infinite loop.

The solution to this scenario is to provide update permissions to only one Cluster Agent in the cluster and provide read permissions to all the other Cluster Agents in the cluster. This enables all the agents to monitor the cluster, while a single Cluster Agent performs auto-instrumentation, without conflict.

You can deploy the Cluster Agent in two deployment modes:

MASTER
NAMESPACED

Master Deployment Mode for Cluster Agent Helm Chart

The MASTER deployment mode is the same as a normal Cluster Agent deployment using YAML files. Auto-instrumentation can only be enabled in the Master mode.

The deploymentMode for the first installation using the Helm chart must be MASTER. The MASTER mode is used to create all Custom Resources Definitions, (CRD), ClusterRoles, to install any sub-charts like metrics-server, and so on. These properties are not allowed in NAMESPACED mode. The MASTER mode is the default deployment mode and there can only be one MASTER Helm chart deployment.

The Cluster Agent Helm chart creates the following resources in MASTER mode:

Operator
Agent
ServiceAccounts (Optional)
Binds agent to read cluster role
Binds agent to update cluster role (If instrumentation is enabled)
Binds operator to namespace wide role
Secrets used by the agent

Namespaced Deployment Mode for Cluster Agent Helm Chart

The Cluster Agent monitors 1500 pods and 3000 containers (for 2 containers per pod) or 2250 pods and 2250 containers (for 1 container per pod). If you need to monitor more than the limit, you can deploy another Cluster Agent using the NAMESPACED mode. The NAMESPACED Deployment mode is the same as the MASTER deployment mode except that auto-instrumentation cannot be enabled in the NAMESPACED mode. The Helm chart displays an error if auto-instrumentation is enabled in the Namespaced mode.

The NAMESPACED mode can be used when one Cluster Agent has a different configuration than the other Cluster Agent such as, podFilter properties. The value of namespace configuration property should be different than the configuration property in MASTER or the other NAMESPACED mode.

The Helm chart creates the following resources in the NAMESPACED mode:

Operator
Agent
ServiceAccounts (Optional)
Binds agent to read cluster role
Binds operator to namespace wide role
Secrets used by the agent

Default Configuration Option

The Helm chart uses a values.yaml file to get default values for the Cluster Agent and Operator. You can override these values included as an argument to the Helm install/update commands. Here is an example configuration supported by Helm chart:

values.yaml

# Cluster agent deployment mode (MASTER | NAMESPACED)
deploymentMode: MASTER

# Docker images
imageInfo:
  agentImage: docker.io/appdynamics/cluster-agent
  agentTag: latest
  operatorImage: docker.io/appdynamics/cluster-agent-operator
  operatorTag: 0.5.2
  imagePullPolicy: Always                               # used for operator pod

# AppDynamics controller info (null VALUES TO BE PROVIDED BY THE USER)
controllerInfo:
  url: null
  account: null
  username: null
  password: null
  accessKey: null
  
  # SSL properties
  customSSLCert: null
  
  # Proxy config
  authenticateProxy: false
  proxyUrl: null
  proxyUser: null
  proxyPassword: null 

# RBAC config
createServiceAccount: true
agentServiceAccount: appdynamics-cluster-agent
operatorServiceAccount: appdynamics-operator

# Cluster agent config
clusterAgent:
  nsToMonitor:
    - default
  clusterMetricsSyncInterval: 60
  metadataSyncInterval: 60
  eventUploadInterval: 10
  httpClientTimeout: 30
  podBatchSize: 6
  imagePullSecret: ""
  containerProperties:
    containerBatchSize: 5
    containerParallelRequestLimit: 1
    containerRegistrationInterval: 120
  logProperties:
    logFileSizeMb: 5
    logFileBackups: 3
    logLevel: INFO
  metricProperties:
    metricsSyncInterval: 30
    metricUploadRetryCount: 2
    metricUploadRetryIntervalMilliSeconds: 5

# Pod filter config
podFilter: {}

# Instrumentation config
instrumentationConfig:
  enabled: false

# Agent pod specific properties
agentPod:
  nodeSelector: {}
  tolerations: []
  resources:
    limits:
      cpu: "1250m"
      memory: "300Mi"
    requests:
      cpu: "750m"
      memory: "150Mi"

# Operator pod specific properties
operatorPod:
  nodeSelector: {}
  tolerations: []
  resources:
    limits:
      cpu: 200m
      memory: 128Mi
    requests:
      cpu: 100m
      memory: 64Mi

# Subcharts boolean install switches
install:
  metrics-server: false

YML

Configuration Options

Config option	Description	Required
`deploymentMode`	Used for multiple cluster agent deployment in a single cluster	Optional
Image config options (Config options under `imageInfo` key in `values.yaml`)
`imageInfo.agentImage`	Cluster agent image address in format <registryUrl>/<registryAccount>/<project>	Optional (Defaults to the Docker Hub image)
`imageInfo.agentTag`	Cluster agent image tag/version	Optional (Defaults to latest)
`imageInfo.operatorImage`	Operator image address in format <registryUrl>/<registryAccount>/<project>	Optional (Defaults to the Docker Hub image)
`imageInfo.operatorTag`	Operator image tag/version	Optional (Defaults to latest)
`imageInfo.imagePullPolicy`	Image pull policy for the operator pod	Optional
Controller config options (Config options under `controllerInfo` key in `values.yaml`)
`controllerInfo.accessKey`	AppDynamics Controller accessKey	Required
`controllerInfo.account`	AppDynamics Controller account	Required
`controllerInfo.authenticateProxy`	true/false if the proxy requires authentication	Optional
`controllerInfo.customSSLCert`	Base64 encoding of PEM formatted SSL certificate	Optional
`controllerInfo.password`	AppDynamics Controller password	Required only when auto-instrumentation is enabled.
`controllerInfo.proxyPassword`	Password for proxy authentication	Optional
`controllerInfo.proxyUrl`	Proxy URL if the Controller is behind some proxy	Optional
`controllerInfo.proxyUser`	Username for proxy authentication	Optional
`controllerInfo.url`	AppDynamics Controller URL	Required
`controllerInfo.username`	AppDynamics Controller username	Required only when auto-instrumentation is enabled.
RBAC config
`agentServiceAccount`	Service account to be used by the Cluster Agent	Optional
`createServiceAccount`	Set to true if `ServiceAccounts` mentioned are to be created by Helm	Optional
`operatorServiceAccount`	Service account to be used by the AppDynamics Operator	Optional
Agent pod config
`agentPod.nodeSelector`	Kubernetes node selector field in the Cluster Agent pod spec	Optional
`agentPod.tolerations`	Kubernetes tolerations field in the Cluster Agent pod spec	Optional
`agentPod.resources`	Kubernetes CPU and memory resources in the Cluster Agent pod spec	Optional
Operator pod config
`operatorPod.nodeSelector`	Kubernetes node selector field in the AppDynamics Operator pod spec	Optional
`operatorPod.tolerations`	Kubernetes tolerations field in the AppDynamics Operator pod spec	Optional
`operatorPod.resources`	Kubernetes CPU and memory resources in the AppDynamics Operator pod spec	Optional
Install switches
`install.metrics-server`	True if metrics are to be installed. Metrics-server is installed in the same namespace as the agent.	Optional

Cluster Agent configuration, listed as Config under the clusterAgent key in values.yaml) and the Pod filter configuration listed as Config under the podFilter key in values.yaml) parameters are the same parameters mentioned in the Cluster Agent YAML file. See Configure the Cluster Agent.

The Instrumentation configuration options under instrumentationConfig key in the values.yaml parameters are the same parameters mentioned in Cluster Agent Configuration for Auto-Instrumentation.

Sensitive Values

These onfiguration options include sensitive data:

controllerInfo.password
controllerInfo.accessKey
controllerInfo.customSSLCert
controllerInfo.proxyPassword

Install the Cluster Agent using Helm Chart

Add the chart repository to Helm:

helm repo add appdynamics-charts https://appdynamics.github.io/appdynamics-charts

BASH

Create a configuration .yaml file. This YAML file overrides the default values in values.yaml and is used to install the agent in MASTER mode. For example:

user-values.yaml

deploymentMode: MASTER

imageInfo:
  agentImage: dtr.corp.appdynamics.com/sim/cluster-agent
  agentTag: latest
  operatorImage: docker.io/appdynamics/cluster-agent-operator
  operatorTag: latest
  imagePullPolicy: Always                             

controllerInfo:
  url: https://<controller-url>:443
  account: <appdynamics-controller-account>                   
  username: <appdynamics-controller-username>                          
  password: <appdynamics-controller-password>                                 
  accessKey: <appdynamics-controller-access-key>                          

agentServiceAccount: appdynamics-cluster-agent
operatorServiceAccount: appdynamics-operator

YML

Create a namespace. In this case, we're using ca-appdynamics:
```
kubectl create ns ca-appdynamics
```
BASH

Deploy Cluster Agent

helm install -f ./user-values.yaml "cluster-agent-1" appdynamics-charts/cluster-agent --namespace=ca-appdynamics

BASH

Install another Cluster Agent in the namespace ca2-appdynamics
```
kubectl create ns ca2-appdynamics
```
BASH

Create another configuration file or re-use the existing file

user-values-2.yaml

deploymentMode: NAMESPACED

imageInfo:
  agentImage: dtr.corp.appdynamics.com/sim/cluster-agent
  agentTag: latest
  operatorImage: docker.io/appdynamics/cluster-agent-operator
  operatorTag: latest
  imagePullPolicy: Always                             

controllerInfo:
  url: https://<controller-url>:443
  account: <appdynamics-controller-account>                   
  username: <appdynamics-controller-username>                          
  password: <appdynamics-controller-password>                                 
  accessKey: <appdynamics-controller-access-key>
agentServiceAccount: appdynamics-cluster-agent
operatorServiceAccount: appdynamics-operator


podFilter:
  blacklistedLabels:
    - l1: v1
    - l2: v2
  whitelistedLabels:
    - l1: v1
    - l2: v2

YML

Install a second Cluster Agent

helm install -f ./user-values-2.yaml "cluster-agent-2" appdynamics-charts/cluster-agent --namespace=ca2-appdynamics

BASH

Examples

These examples display various features of this Helm chart:

Use the Cluster Agent Helm Chart to Enable Custom SSL

user-values.yaml

deploymentMode: MASTER
 
imageInfo:
  agentImage: dtr.corp.appdynamics.com/sim/cluster-agent
  agentTag: latest
  operatorImage: docker.io/appdynamics/cluster-agent-operator
  operatorTag: latest
  imagePullPolicy: Always                            
 
controllerInfo:
  url: https://<controller-url>:443
  account: <appdynamics-controller-account>                   
  username: <appdynamics-controller-username>                          
  password: <appdynamics-controller-password>                                 
  accessKey: <appdynamics-controller-access-key>

  #=====
  customSSLCert: "<base64 of PEM formatted cert>"
  #=====
 
agentServiceAccount: appdynamics-cluster-agent-ssl     # Can be any valid name
operatorServiceAccount: appdynamics-operator-ssl       # Can be any valid name

YML

helm install -f ./user-values.yaml "cluster-agent-custom-ssl" appdynamics-charts/cluster-agent --namespace ca-appdynamics

BASH

Use the Cluster Agent Helm Chart to Enable Instrumentation

user-values.yaml

deploymentMode: MASTER
 
imageInfo:
  agentImage: dtr.corp.appdynamics.com/sim/cluster-agent
  agentTag: latest
  operatorImage: docker.io/appdynamics/cluster-agent-operator
  operatorTag: latest
  imagePullPolicy: Always                            
 
controllerInfo:
  url: https://<controller-url>:443
  account: <appdynamics-controller-account>                   
  username: <appdynamics-controller-username>                          
  password: <appdynamics-controller-password>                                 
  accessKey: <appdynamics-controller-access-key> 
  customSSLCert: "<base64 of PEM formatted cert>"
 
agentServiceAccount: appdynamics-cluster-agent-ssl     # Can be any valid name
operatorServiceAccount: appdynamics-operator-ssl       # Can be any valid name   

#=====
instrumentationConfig:
  enabled: true
  defaultEnv: JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS
  instrumentationMethod: Env
  nsToInstrumentRegex: apm1
  defaultAppName: sample-app
  defaultCustomConfig: "-Dhello -Dhi -Daloha"
  numberOfTaskWorkers: 3
  imagePullPolicy: Always
  netvizInfo:
    bciEnabled: true
    port: 3892
  instrumentationRules:
    - matchString: npm-demo
      namespaceRegex: apm
      appNameLabel: hello
      customAgentConfig: "-Dhola"
      appName: sample-app-rule
      tierName: TIER_ONE
      env: JAVA_OPTS
      instrumentContainer: first
      runAsUser: 100
      runAsGroup: 100
      netvizInfo:
        bciEnabled: false
        port: 3000
	- namespaceRegex: books
      matchString: openmct
      language: nodejs
      imageInfo:
        image: "docker.io/appdynamics/nodejs:20.6.0"
        agentMountPath: /opt/appdynamics
      analyticsHost: <hostname of the Analytics Agent>
      analyticsPort: 443
      analyticsSslEnabled: true
#=====

YML

helm install -f ./user-values.yaml "cluster-agent-instrumentation" appdynamics-charts/cluster-agent --namespace ca-appdynamics

BASH

Use the Cluster Agent Helm Chart to Enable the Proxy Controller

Without authentication:

user-values.yaml

deploymentMode: MASTER
 
imageInfo:
  agentImage: dtr.corp.appdynamics.com/sim/cluster-agent
  agentTag: latest
  operatorImage: docker.io/appdynamics/cluster-agent-operator
  operatorTag: latest
  imagePullPolicy: Always                            
 
controllerInfo:
  url: https://<controller-url>:443
  account: <appdynamics-controller-account>                   
  username: <appdynamics-controller-username>                          
  password: <appdynamics-controller-password>                                 
  accessKey: <appdynamics-controller-access-key>
  
  #=====
  proxyUrl: http://proxy-url.appd-controller.com
  #=====
 
agentServiceAccount: appdynamics-cluster-agent-ssl     # Can be any valid name
operatorServiceAccount: appdynamics-operator-ssl       # Can be any valid name

YML

helm install -f ./user-values.yaml "cluster-agent" appdynamics-charts/cluster-agent --namespace ca-appdynamics

BASH

With authentication:

user-values.yaml

deploymentMode: MASTER
 
imageInfo:
  agentImage: dtr.corp.appdynamics.com/sim/cluster-agent
  agentTag: latest
  operatorImage: docker.io/appdynamics/cluster-agent-operator
  operatorTag: latest
  imagePullPolicy: Always                            
 
controllerInfo:
  url: https://<controller-url>:443
  account: <appdynamics-controller-account>                   
  username: <appdynamics-controller-username>                          
  password: <appdynamics-controller-password>                                 
  accessKey: <appdynamics-controller-access-key>
  
  #=====
  authenticateProxy: true 
  proxyUrl: http://proxy-url.appd-controller.com
  proxyUser: hello
  proxyPassword: world
  #=====

agentServiceAccount: appdynamics-cluster-agent-ssl     # Can be any valid name
operatorServiceAccount: appdynamics-operator-ssl       # Can be any valid name

YML

Use the Cluster Agent Helm Chart to Install metrics-server

user-values.yaml

deploymentMode: MASTER
 
imageInfo:
  agentImage: dtr.corp.appdynamics.com/sim/cluster-agent
  agentTag: latest
  operatorImage: docker.io/appdynamics/cluster-agent-operator
  operatorTag: latest
  imagePullPolicy: Always                            
 
controllerInfo:
  url: https://<controller-url>:443
  account: <appdynamics-controller-account>                   
  username: <appdynamics-controller-username>                          
  password: <appdynamics-controller-password>                                 
  accessKey: <appdynamics-controller-access-key>
 
agentServiceAccount: appdynamics-cluster-agent-ssl     # Can be any valid name
operatorServiceAccount: appdynamics-operator-ssl       # Can be any valid name

#=====================
install:
  metrics-server: true
#=====================

YML

helm install -f ./user-values.yaml "cluster-agent" appdynamics-charts/cluster-agent --namespace ca-appdynamics

BASH

Setting install.metrics-server installs metrics-server in the namespace with the --namespace flag, which is in the same namespace as that of Cluster Agent. By default, metrics-server is not installed.

Use the Cluster Agent Helm Chart to add nodeSelector and tolerations

user-values.yaml

deploymentMode: MASTER
 
imageInfo:
  agentImage: dtr.corp.appdynamics.com/sim/cluster-agent
  agentTag: latest
  operatorImage: docker.io/appdynamics/cluster-agent-operator
  operatorTag: latest
  imagePullPolicy: Always                            
 
controllerInfo:
  url: https://<controller-url>:443
  account: <appdynamics-controller-account>                   
  username: <appdynamics-controller-username>                          
  password: <appdynamics-controller-password>                                 
  accessKey: <appdynamics-controller-access-key> 
 
agentServiceAccount: appdynamics-cluster-agent-ssl     # Can be any valid name
operatorServiceAccount: appdynamics-operator-ssl       # Can be any valid name

#=====================
agentPod:
  nodeSelector:
    nodeLabelKey: nodeLabelValue
  tolerations:
    - effect: NoExecute
      operator: Equal
      key: key1
      value: val1
      tolerationSeconds: 11

operatorPod:
  nodeSelector:
    nodeLabelKey: nodeLabelValue
    anotherNodeLabel: anotherNodeLabel
  tolerations:
    - operator: Exists
      key: key1
#=====================

YML

helm install -f ./user-values.yaml "cluster-agent" appdynamics-charts/cluster-agent --namespace ca-appdynamics

BASH

Update the Cluster Agent

# You can edit the configuration file or pass the parameters directly through CLI using --set 
# For example:
helm upgrade -f ./<updated config file>.yaml "cluster-agent" appdynamics-charts/cluster-agent --set imageInfo.agentTag=20.6.0 --namespace=ca-appdynamics

# imageInfo.agentTag can also be updated in the values yaml file instead of passing via CLI

BASH

Best practices

We recommend using multiple values.yaml files for sensitive values. Each values file follows the structure of the default values.yaml to easily share files with non-sensitive configuration properties and keep sensitive values safe. Here is a default example for values.yaml file:

User-values.yaml file example

user-values.yaml

deploymentMode: MASTER
 
imageInfo:
  agentImage: dtr.corp.appdynamics.com/sim/cluster-agent
  agentTag: latest
  operatorImage: docker.io/appdynamics/cluster-agent-operator
  operatorTag: latest
  imagePullPolicy: Always                            
 
controllerInfo:
  url: https://<controller-url>:443
  account: <appdynamics-controller-account>                   
  username: <appdynamics-controller-username>                          
  password: <appdynamics-controller-password>                                 
  accessKey: <appdynamics-controller-access-key>
 
agentServiceAccount: appdynamics-cluster-agent-ssl     # Can be any valid name
operatorServiceAccount: appdynamics-operator-ssl       # Can be any valid name

YML

user-values-sensitive.yaml

controllerInfo:
  password: welcome
  accessKey: abc-def-ghi-1516

YML

helm install -f ./user-values.yaml -f ./user-values-sensitive.yaml "cluster-agent" appdynamics-charts/cluster-agent --namespace ca-appdynamics

BASH

Download PDF

Deploy the Cluster Agent with Helm Charts

Master Deployment Mode for Cluster Agent Helm Chart

Namespaced Deployment Mode for Cluster Agent Helm Chart

Default Configuration Option

Configuration Options

Sensitive Values

Install the Cluster Agent using Helm Chart

Examples

Use the Cluster Agent Helm Chart to Enable Custom SSL

Use the Cluster Agent Helm Chart to Enable Instrumentation

Use the Cluster Agent Helm Chart to Enable the Proxy Controller

Use the Cluster Agent Helm Chart to Install metrics-server

Use the Cluster Agent Helm Chart to add nodeSelector and tolerations

Update the Cluster Agent

Best practices