Linux Machine Sensors are software tools and utilities used to monitor and measure physical components such as temperature, fan speed, voltage and current of a Linux computer system. These sensors are typically used to detect potential problems or to alert administrators to an issue with the system. They can also be used to track resource usage and performance.
The prerequisite for monitoring Linux Machine Sensors with Netdata is to have Netdata installed on your system.
Netdata auto discovers hundreds of services, and for those it doesn’t turning on manual discovery is a one line configuration. For more information on configuring Netdata for Linux Machine Sensors monitoring please read the collector documentation.
You should now see the Sensors section on the Overview tab in Netdata Cloud already populated with charts about all the metrics you care about.
Netdata has a public demo space (no login required) where you can explore different monitoring use-cases and get a feel for Netdata.
Temperature is an important metric to track when monitoring the health of a Linux machine. If the temperature of the system rises too high, it can cause the system to overheat and malfunction. Monitoring the temperature of the system can help identify potential problems before they become serious, as well as track trends in temperature over time.
Fans are used to help keep the system cool by circulating air. Monitoring the fan speed can help identify problems with the fan itself, as well as the cooling system. If the fan speed is too low, it may indicate an issue with the fan or the cooling system, and should be investigated.
Voltage is a measure of the electrical potential between two points. Monitoring the voltage of the system can help identify potential problems with the power supply, as well as track trends in voltage over time.
Current is a measure of the amount of electrical current flowing through a system. Monitoring the current of the system can help identify potential problems with the power supply, as well as track trends in current over time.