# Connect Telegraf

Send Telegraf metrics to Nightingale with HTTP output and Prometheus Remote Write, then verify the stored data.

Last reviewed 2026-10-11

By the end of this page, your existing Telegraf will write metrics to the store used by Nightingale. The example targets **Telegraf 1.36.3 and Nightingale v9**. Nightingale writes received metrics to its embedded TSDB or a configured external store.

## Before you start[​](#before-you-start "Direct link to Before you start")

* Nightingale is running and reachable from the Telegraf host on port 17000.
* `[HTTP.APIForAgent].Enable` is `true`.
* Choose the [embedded TSDB](https://n9e.github.io/docs/install/embedded-tsdb.md) or configure an [external writer](https://n9e.github.io/docs/install/external-tsdb.md).

Keep your existing Telegraf installation. For a new installation, use the [official instructions](https://docs.influxdata.com/telegraf/v1/install/) rather than the old 1.20.4 download script.

## Configure the output[​](#configure-output "Direct link to Configure the output")

Merge this into `telegraf.conf` and replace the URL. `outputs.http` is the output plugin; `prometheusremotewrite` is its serialization format.

```
[agent]

interval = "15s"

flush_interval = "15s"



[[outputs.http]]

url = "http://127.0.0.1:17000/prometheus/v1/write"

method = "POST"

data_format = "prometheusremotewrite"

[outputs.http.headers]

Content-Type = "application/x-protobuf"

Content-Encoding = "snappy"

X-Prometheus-Remote-Write-Version = "0.1.0"



[[inputs.cpu]]

percpu = false

totalcpu = true

collect_cpu_time = false

report_active = true



[[inputs.mem]]
```

If Nightingale configures `[HTTP.APIForAgent.BasicAuth]`, add matching `username` and `password` inside `[[outputs.http]]`, **before** its headers table. Leave them out when authentication is disabled.

Review any default InfluxDB output already enabled in the file; an unrelated failing output can obscure the result. OpenTSDB remains a compatibility protocol, but its metric names differ. Check existing dashboards when switching formats.

## Verify collection and delivery[​](#verify "Direct link to Verify collection and delivery")

```
telegraf --config /etc/telegraf/telegraf.conf --test

telegraf --config /etc/telegraf/telegraf.conf --once
```

**Expected result**: `--test` shows CPU and memory samples; `--once` performs collection and delivery without authentication, routing or connection errors. `--test` alone does not test delivery.

In Nightingale's metrics explorer, select the destination store and query `cpu_usage_active`. You should see series with Telegraf tags. Then restart the existing service. An installation with the official systemd unit can use `sudo systemctl restart telegraf`.

Telegraf does not send Categraf heartbeat metadata. Receiving metrics does not grant the same target-registration or self-healing capabilities. See the [1.36.3 format documentation](https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/blob/v1.36.3/plugins/serializers/prometheusremotewrite/README.md) for Histogram and Summary batching limitations.

## Next[​](#next "Direct link to Next")

* [Data ingestion protocols](https://n9e.github.io/docs/reference/write-protocols.md)
* [Create your first alert](https://n9e.github.io/docs/alerting/first-rule.md)