node_processes_* metrics is missing in 0.18.1

[Nirmal Nath]

Host operating system: Linux f40d06280e9a 4.19.76-linuxkit #1 SMP Thu Oct 17 19:31:58 UTC 2019 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

node_exporter version: node_exporter, version 0.18.1 (branch: HEAD, revision: 3db7773)

build user: root@b50852a1acba
build date: 20190604-16:41:18
go version: go1.12.5

node_exporter command line flags: Nil

What did you do that produced an error? Check for the node_processor metrics which was added in #950

What did you expect to see?

$ curl -s localhost:9100/metrics | grep '^node_processes_pids '
node_processes_pids 159

What did you see instead?

$ curl -s localhost:9100/metrics | grep '^node_processes_pids '
$

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I have enabled it using.

sysctl -w kernel.perf_event_paranoid=-1

kernel.perf_event_paranoid = -1

curl -s localhost:9100/metrics | grep node_process

Do I have to add any additional command line flags?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can someone please help me?

[Brian Candler]

It's a disabled-by-default exporter:

https://github.com/prometheus/node_exporter/#disabled-by-default

Yes, you have to enable it with a command line flag.

https://github.com/prometheus/node_exporter/#collectors

Collectors are enabled by providing a --collector.<name> flag. Collectors that are enabled by default can be disabled by providing a --no-collector.<name> flag.

[Nirmal Nath]

Thank you so much,

Now my problem is half solved. The metric is showing the list of pid/threads of all the users. Can I get the threads of a specific user?

[Brian Candler]

Show an example?

If there is a label giving the username/userid, you can filter the query with promQL.

[Nirmal Nath]

There are no labels by default. 

eg: 

We have user 'xyz' and 'root'. PID's for xyz is 5 and for root is 15 and our metrics 'node_processes_pids' output is 20. I need to know only the PID of 'xyz'.

[Brian Candler]

Then the exporter doesn't appear to give separate metrics for pids broken down by user.  You could write some code to do this yourself (e.g. with "ps") and write out a file to be picked up by textfile_collector.

[Nirmal Nath]

Thanks a lot again. 

I didn't know about the textfile_collector. Read about it and its perfect for me. Added a script to populate the textfile_collector and now getting the metrics in prom. Thank you again. :)