The Analytics Agent is not required to capture Transaction Analytics. This topic discusses the requirements to use this "agentless" configuration of Analytics. 

In this context, "agentless" refers to the configuration of Transaction Analytics without an Analytics Agent. An app server agent, such as the Java Agent, is still required to use this feature.

Agentless Analytics Overview

If you only capture Transaction Analytics for Java applications, you can configure Transaction Analytics without a dedicated Analytics Agent. In this deployment model, Analytics retrieves data directly from your app agent. The data is then reported to the Events Service and later the Controller. Therefore, no separate Analytics Agent is required.

Known Issues - Transaction Analytics without an Analytics Agent (Agentless Analytics)

If you upgrade to Java Agent version 4.5.15 and later and currently use Transaction Analytics, Agentless Analytics is automatically enabled. You may notice unusual behavior related to two known issues:

  • High CPU usage
  • Blocked firewall requests

See Troubleshooting Analytics Issues for more information on these issues.

Requirements

Make sure you meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Sufficient Transaction Analytics licenses

  • Java Agent version 4.5.15 and later 
  • Controller version 4.5.16 and later (SaaS or On-premises) 

Some deployments have different requirements to use agentless Transaction Analytics and connect the Java Agent to the Events Service. If your deployment uses any of the features listed below, follow the instructions to get started:

The table below provides a summary of agentless Analytics support:

Minimum Controller VersionMinimum Java Agent VersionAgentless Analytics Support
4.5.164.5.15Generally available
4.5.17Supports proxy authentication with encrypted credentials
4.5.174.5.18Supports license rules configured in the Java Agent

Existing Analytics Agents

After upgrading to the minimum agent and Controller requirements, you no longer need the Analytics Agent. However, you do not need to remove any Analytics Agents currently running. AppDynamics recommends that you maintain existing Analytics Agents until you see Transaction Analytics in the Controller. 

Agentless Transaction Analytics does not duplicate data from the Analytics Agent.  When you upgrade your Java Agent and Controller, existing Analytics Agents stop reporting data. 

SaaS vs On-Premises Deployments

Agentless Analytics is available for both SaaS and on-premises deployments. All configuration requirements are identical for both deployment types. 

Connect App Agents to the Events Service

For most deployments, communication between the Java Agent and Events Service occurs automatically as long as you have the correct agent version. See the appropriate documentation to ensure your deployment can connect to the Events Service.

Identify Internal Events Service Endpoints 

AppDynamics uses connection URLs to connect the Events Service to the Controller and app agents. The URL used for the Controller-Events Service connection may be different than the URL used for the app agent-Events Service connection. For example, SaaS deployments use internal URLs for the Controller-Events Service connection. 

If your deployment uses different URLs for each connection, you need to provide the Controller-Events Service URL as an administrator property. This allows your app agent to find the Events Service endpoint. 

To connect the app agent to an internal Events Service URL:

  1. Log in to the administration console: 
    http:<controller-hostname>:8080/controller/admin.jsp or https:<controller-hostname>:45/controller/admin.jsp
  2. On the Controller Settings page, navigate to the analytics.agentless.event.service.url property and input your Controller-Events Service endpoint. 
  3. Press Save. 

Connection Ports

For SaaS-based installations, the connection between the Java Agent and the Events Service in the cloud takes place over ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS). For on-premises installations, the port on which the Events Service receives data from the Java Agent is configured during installation.

If you have network policies that may prevent this connection, such as firewalls, you need to configure the policies to connect with the Events Service. See Troubleshooting Analytics Issues for more information. 

Enable SSL

See Enable SSL for the Java Agent if you use a custom trust store for the Java Agent.  

Proxy Connection

See Java Agent Configuration Properties if your proxy connection encrypts agent credentials.

Proxy Authentication with Encrypted Credentials

If you encrypt credentials for proxy authentication, you need Java Agent 4.5.17 and later and Controller 4.5.17 and later.  

License Rules

If you created license rules for the Java Agent, you need Java Agent 4.5.18 and later and Controller 4.5.17 and later. 

Adjust Configuration Properties

The Java Agent can be configured to handle higher loads if necessary. Contact AppDynamics Support to tune these properties. 

Disable Agentless Analytics

See Troubleshooting Analytics Issues to disable agentless Analytics.