New Relic's Synthetics monitoring is a powerful tool for proactively monitoring the availability and performance of your web applications and APIs. By simulating real user traffic, Synthetics can help you identify and resolve issues before they impact your users.
In this article, we'll walk you through the steps of setting up Synthetics monitoring in New Relic. We'll cover everything you need to know, from creating your first monitor to configuring alerts and notifications.
Once you've completed these steps, you'll have a comprehensive Synthetics monitoring system in place that will help you keep your web applications and APIs running smoothly.
how to get synthetics monitoring to work in new relic
Follow these steps to set up Synthetics monitoring in New Relic:
- Create a New Relic account.
- Install the New Relic Synthetics agent.
- Create a Synthetics monitor.
- Configure monitor settings.
- Set up alerts and notifications.
- Validate your monitor.
- Monitor your results.
- Troubleshoot issues.
Once you've completed these steps, you'll have a comprehensive Synthetics monitoring system in place that will help you keep your web applications and APIs running smoothly.
Create a New Relic account.
To use Synthetics monitoring, you'll need to create a New Relic account. This is a free and easy process that takes just a few minutes.
- Go to the New Relic website.
In your web browser, go to https://newrelic.com and click the "Sign Up" button.
- Enter your information.
Fill out the form with your name, email address, and a password. You'll also need to select a region for your account.
- Activate your account.
New Relic will send you an activation email. Click the link in the email to activate your account.
- Log in to New Relic.
Once your account is activated, you can log in to New Relic using the email address and password you created.
Now that you have a New Relic account, you can start setting up Synthetics monitoring.
Install the New Relic Synthetics agent.
Once you have a New Relic account, you need to install the New Relic Synthetics agent on the server or VM where you want to monitor your application or API.
- Download the agent.
Log in to New Relic and go to the Synthetics page. Click the "Download Agent" button and select the appropriate agent for your operating system.
- Install the agent.
Follow the instructions in the New Relic documentation to install the agent. The installation process will vary depending on your operating system.
- Configure the agent.
Once the agent is installed, you need to configure it to connect to your New Relic account. You can do this by editing the agent's configuration file.
- Restart the agent.
After you have configured the agent, you need to restart it in order for the changes to take effect.
Once the agent is installed and configured, it will start collecting data about your application or API. This data will be sent to New Relic, where you can view it in the Synthetics dashboard.
Create a Synthetics monitor.
Now that you have installed the New Relic Synthetics agent, you can create a monitor to start monitoring your application or API.
- Choose a monitor type.
New Relic Synthetics offers a variety of monitor types, including website monitors, API monitors, and browser monitors. Choose the type of monitor that best suits your needs.
- Configure the monitor.
Once you have selected a monitor type, you need to configure the monitor settings. This includes things like the URL of the application or API you want to monitor, the frequency of the checks, and the criteria for success.
- Save the monitor.
Once you have configured the monitor, click the "Save" button to save the monitor.
- Activate the monitor.
After you have saved the monitor, you need to activate it in order for it to start collecting data. To activate the monitor, click the "Activate" button.
Once the monitor is activated, it will start collecting data about your application or API. This data will be sent to New Relic, where you can view it in the Synthetics dashboard.
Configure monitor settings.
When you configure a Synthetics monitor, there are a number of settings that you can adjust to customize the monitor to your specific needs.
Some of the most important settings include:
- Monitor name: This is the name of the monitor. It should be something that is easy to remember and identify.
- Monitor type: This is the type of monitor that you are creating. New Relic Synthetics offers a variety of monitor types, including website monitors, API monitors, and browser monitors.
- URL: This is the URL of the application or API that you want to monitor.
- Frequency: This is how often the monitor will check the application or API. You can choose from a variety of frequencies, ranging from every minute to once per day.
- Timeout: This is the amount of time that the monitor will wait for a response from the application or API before considering the check to be a failure.
- Success criteria: This is the criteria that the monitor will use to determine whether a check is successful or not. For example, you could specify that the monitor should consider a check to be successful if the response code is 200.
In addition to these settings, there are a number of other settings that you can configure, such as:
- Locations: This is the list of locations from which the monitor will check the application or API. You can choose from a variety of locations around the world.
- Notifications: This is the list of people who will be notified if the monitor fails. You can specify email addresses, phone numbers, and Slack channels.
- Alerts: This is the list of alerts that will be triggered if the monitor fails. You can specify different alerts for different types of failures.
By carefully configuring the monitor settings, you can ensure that the monitor is collecting the data that you need and that you are being notified in a timely manner if there is a problem.
Set up alerts and notifications.
Once you have created a Synthetics monitor, you need to set up alerts and notifications so that you can be notified if the monitor fails.
To set up alerts and notifications:
- Log in to New Relic and go to the Synthetics page.
- Click on the name of the monitor that you want to configure.
- Click on the "Alerts & Notifications" tab.
- In the "Alerts" section, you can configure the following settings:
- Alert condition: This is the condition that will trigger the alert. For example, you could specify that an alert should be triggered if the monitor fails three times in a row.
- Alert severity: This is the severity of the alert. You can choose from four levels of severity: critical, high, medium, and low.
- Alert recipients: This is the list of people who will be notified when the alert is triggered. You can specify email addresses, phone numbers, and Slack channels.
- Notification method: This is the method that will be used to send the notification. You can choose from email, SMS, or Slack.
- Notification recipients: This is the list of people who will receive the notification. You can specify email addresses, phone numbers, and Slack channels.
Once you have set up alerts and notifications, you will be notified if the monitor fails. This will help you to quickly identify and resolve any problems with your application or API.
Validate your monitor.
Once you have created and configured a Synthetics monitor, it is important to validate the monitor to ensure that it is working properly.
To validate your monitor:
- Log in to New Relic and go to the Synthetics page.
- Click on the name of the monitor that you want to validate.
- Click on the "Validate" button.
- The monitor will run a series of checks to validate its configuration. If any errors are found, they will be displayed on the screen.
- If no errors are found, the monitor will be considered to be valid.
It is important to validate your monitor regularly to ensure that it is still working properly. This is especially important after making any changes to the monitor's configuration.
Here are some additional tips for validating your Synthetics monitors:
- Use a variety of devices and browsers to test your monitor.
- Test your monitor from different locations around the world.
- Use different types of data to test your monitor, such as text, images, and videos.
- Monitor the results of your checks over time to identify any trends or patterns.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your Synthetics monitors are accurate and reliable.
Monitor your results.
Once you have set up and validated your Synthetics monitors, you need to monitor the results to ensure that your application or API is performing as expected.
To monitor your results:
- Log in to New Relic and go to the Synthetics page.
- Click on the name of the monitor that you want to view.
- The monitor's dashboard will display a variety of information, including:
- The status of the monitor (up or down)
- The number of checks that have been performed
- The number of checks that have failed
- The response time of the checks
- The waterfall chart of the checks
By monitoring the results of your Synthetics monitors, you can quickly identify any problems with your application or API. This will help you to quickly resolve any issues and ensure that your application or API is always available and performing at its best.
Here are some additional tips for monitoring your Synthetics results:
- Set up alerts and notifications so that you are notified if there is a problem with your monitor.
- Regularly review the results of your monitors to identify any trends or patterns.
- Use the data from your monitors to improve the performance and reliability of your application or API.
By following these tips, you can ensure that you are getting the most out of your Synthetics monitors.
Troubleshoot issues.
If you are having problems with your Synthetics monitors, there are a few things you can do to troubleshoot the issue:
- Check the status of the monitor.
The first thing you should do is check the status of the monitor. If the monitor is down, it will not be able to collect any data. - View the monitor's results.
Once you have checked the status of the monitor, you should view the monitor's results. This will help you to identify the specific problem that is causing the monitor to fail. - Check the monitor's configuration.
If you are unable to identify the problem by viewing the monitor's results, you should check the monitor's configuration. Make sure that the monitor is configured correctly and that all of the required fields are filled in. - Contact New Relic support.
If you are still unable to resolve the issue, you can contact New Relic support for assistance. New Relic support is available 24/7 and can help you to troubleshoot the issue and get your monitor working properly.
Here are some additional tips for troubleshooting Synthetics monitors:
- Use the New Relic Synthetics Troubleshooting Guide to help you identify and resolve common problems.
- Enable verbose logging for the Synthetics agent. This will help you to identify any errors that are being generated by the agent.
- Use a tool like Chrome DevTools to debug the requests that are being made by the Synthetics agent.
By following these tips, you can quickly and easily troubleshoot any problems with your Synthetics monitors.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about how to get Synthetics monitoring to work in New Relic:
Question 1: What is Synthetics monitoring?
Answer 1: Synthetics monitoring is a tool that allows you to proactively monitor the availability and performance of your web applications and APIs.
Question 2: How do I create a New Relic account?
Answer 2: To create a New Relic account, go to the New Relic website and click the "Sign Up" button. Enter your information and click the "Create Account" button.
Question 3: How do I install the New Relic Synthetics agent?
Answer 3: To install the New Relic Synthetics agent, log in to New Relic and go to the Synthetics page. Click the "Download Agent" button and select the appropriate agent for your operating system. Follow the instructions in the New Relic documentation to install the agent.
Question 4: How do I create a Synthetics monitor?
Answer 4: To create a Synthetics monitor, log in to New Relic and go to the Synthetics page. Click the "Create Monitor" button and select the type of monitor that you want to create. Configure the monitor settings and click the "Save" button.
Question 5: How do I set up alerts and notifications?
Answer 5: To set up alerts and notifications, log in to New Relic and go to the Synthetics page. Click on the name of the monitor that you want to configure. Click on the "Alerts & Notifications" tab and configure the alert and notification settings. Click the "Save" button to save your changes.
Question 6: How do I validate my monitor?
Answer 6: To validate your monitor, log in to New Relic and go to the Synthetics page. Click on the name of the monitor that you want to validate. Click on the "Validate" button. The monitor will run a series of checks to validate its configuration. If any errors are found, they will be displayed on the screen.
Question 7: How do I monitor my results?
Answer 7: To monitor your results, log in to New Relic and go to the Synthetics page. Click on the name of the monitor that you want to view. The monitor's dashboard will display a variety of information, including the status of the monitor, the number of checks that have been performed, the number of checks that have failed, the response time of the checks, and the waterfall chart of the checks.
These are just a few of the most frequently asked questions about Synthetics monitoring in New Relic. For more information, please consult the New Relic documentation or contact New Relic support.
In addition to the FAQ, here are a few tips for getting the most out of Synthetics monitoring:
Tips
Here are a few tips for getting the most out of Synthetics monitoring in New Relic:
Tip 1: Use a variety of monitor types.
Synthetics monitoring offers a variety of monitor types, including website monitors, API monitors, and browser monitors. Use a variety of monitor types to get a comprehensive view of the performance of your application or API.
Tip 2: Configure your monitors carefully.
When you configure your Synthetics monitors, take the time to carefully consider the settings. This includes things like the frequency of the checks, the timeout, and the success criteria. By configuring your monitors carefully, you can ensure that you are collecting the data that you need and that you are being notified in a timely manner if there is a problem.
Tip 3: Set up alerts and notifications.
One of the most important things you can do is to set up alerts and notifications for your Synthetics monitors. This will ensure that you are notified if there is a problem with your application or API. You can configure alerts and notifications to be sent via email, SMS, or Slack.
Tip 4: Monitor your results regularly.
Once you have set up your Synthetics monitors, it is important to monitor the results regularly. This will help you to identify any trends or patterns. You can use the data from your monitors to improve the performance and reliability of your application or API.
By following these tips, you can get the most out of Synthetics monitoring and ensure that your application or API is always available and performing at its best.
By following the steps and tips outlined in this article, you can easily set up and use Synthetics monitoring in New Relic to proactively monitor the availability and performance of your web applications and APIs.
Conclusion
In this article, we have covered the steps on how to get Synthetics monitoring to work in New Relic. We have also provided some tips for getting the most out of Synthetics monitoring.
By following the steps and tips in this article, you can easily set up and use Synthetics monitoring to proactively monitor the availability and performance of your web applications and APIs. This will help you to identify and resolve issues before they impact your users.
Synthetics monitoring is a valuable tool for any organization that relies on web applications and APIs. By using Synthetics monitoring, you can ensure that your applications and APIs are always available and performing at their best.
We encourage you to sign up for a free New Relic account and try Synthetics monitoring for yourself. You may be surprised at how much it can help you improve the performance and reliability of your web applications and APIs.