New Relic Infrastructure: Full Guide

Struggling to keep up with the health of your tech? Infrastructure monitoring can feel like a never-ending task. Every day, teams wrestle with the complexity of cloud, on-premise, and hybrid environments. They need clear views into what’s working, what’s slow, and what’s about to break. This is where a tool like New Relic Infrastructure steps in. It can turn this chaos into clear and useful data. You’ll get a hold of your systems and know how they perform.

This article is your deep dive into New Relic Infrastructure. It will show you how to use it well. Whether you’re just starting or want to refine your set up, this guide has you covered. You’ll learn to monitor your servers, containers, and cloud services with ease. It’s time to move past the guessing game and into data-driven decisions.

What is New Relic Infrastructure?

New Relic Infrastructure is a monitoring tool. It offers a clear view of your whole infrastructure. Think of it as a control room for your tech. It pulls data from your systems, showing how they are doing. With it, you can watch servers, containers, and cloud services all from one spot. This makes it easier to find and fix issues fast.

The tool is not just about tracking if something is up or down. It gives you deep insights. You can see how resources are used, spot trends, and plan for the future. This means less downtime and more smooth sailing for your business. It can help teams work smarter and keep users happy.

Key Benefits of New Relic Infrastructure

Why use New Relic Infrastructure? It packs a bunch of helpful features, that can make your work life easier. Let’s look at some key benefits:

• Full Visibility: Get a clear look at every part of your set up. See how each piece works with the rest. This top-to-bottom view helps you find trouble spots quick.
• Real-Time Data: Data flows in fast. See what’s going on as it happens. This means you can fix issues right away and keep things running smooth.
• Easy-to-Use Interface: The tool is built to be clear. You don’t have to be a tech wiz to use it. It makes data easy to grasp, even for complex systems.
• Custom Alerts: Set alerts that fit your needs. Know when key metrics go out of line. This means you’ll hear about problems before they cause big trouble.
• Integration with Other Tools: It works well with other tools you may use. This way you can pull data from many sources and work as one.
• Scalable: As your setup grows, the tool grows with it. It keeps working well no matter how big or complex your tech gets.
• Cost-Effective: It helps you use your resources in a smart way. You can spot where you may be overspending or wasting resources. This keeps costs down.
• Improved Collaboration: It helps teams see and work from the same data. This makes communication easy and fixes problems fast.

These benefits make it more than just a monitor. It’s a tool that helps you work better. It keeps your systems healthy, and your teams working as one.

Core Features of New Relic Infrastructure

New Relic Infrastructure comes with a wide range of features. These features make it a strong tool for monitoring. Here is a look at some core parts of the tool:

Infrastructure Overview

The tool gives a single view of your entire system. It helps you see the big picture. You get a list of all your hosts, containers, and cloud services. You can see their current state and key stats at a glance. It helps you to grasp the overall health of your tech.

Host Monitoring

Host monitoring helps you dig into each server’s performance. You can track things like CPU use, memory, disk space, and network traffic. It helps you find servers that are acting slow. It can also help spot trends, so you can plan for the future. With this, you’ll know if your servers need more resources.

Container Monitoring

Containers are a big part of modern tech. This tool lets you watch them close. It tracks how your containers use CPU, memory, and network. It helps find issues fast and make sure your apps work as they should. This gives you a good look at your container setup.

Cloud Service Monitoring

For cloud users, the tool helps track services like AWS, Azure, and GCP. It keeps tabs on databases, storage, and other key services. You get a clear view of cloud costs and performance. This can help keep your cloud spend in check, and your apps up and running.

Metric Collection

Metric collection is at the heart of what the tool does. It grabs all sorts of data from your systems. This can be CPU use, network traffic, or custom data. It stores this data and makes it easy to view. The wide data scope gives you a complete picture of how your tech is doing.

Custom Dashboards

The tool lets you make your own dashboards. Here you can show the data that is key to you. You can pick from many types of charts and graphs. This makes it easy to keep an eye on what matters most. This means you only see the data that makes the most sense for you and your team.

Alerting System

The alerting system is there to warn you about issues. You can set alerts based on specific stats. This way, you’ll know right away if something goes out of line. It helps you jump on problems fast before they get out of hand.

Integrations

The tool is built to work with many other tools you may use. This includes things like Slack, PagerDuty, and other monitoring systems. This helps you bring data from many sources into one view. It lets you work in one place without switching tools.

These core features work as one to give a strong view of your tech. They help you keep track of how things are doing, find issues quick, and make data-backed choices.

How to Set Up New Relic Infrastructure

Setting up New Relic Infrastructure is not hard. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you up and running:

Step 1: Create a New Relic Account

If you don’t already have one, first, you need to sign up for a New Relic account. Go to the New Relic website and choose a plan that suits your needs. They often have free tiers for you to test it out. Make an account with your business email. Then, you can log in and go to the next step.

Step 2: Install the Infrastructure Agent

The agent is a key piece of the tool. It’s a bit of software that grabs data from your systems. You’ll need to put it on each server or container you want to track.

1. Find the Agent: Log in to your New Relic account. Go to the “Infrastructure” section. Then, find the agent download.
2. Choose the Right Agent: Select the agent that goes with your operating system (like Linux or Windows).
3. Follow the Instructions: New Relic gives clear steps on how to install the agent. This will mean running some commands in your terminal.
4. Set up your License Key: The agent needs your license key to link to your New Relic account.
5. Start the Agent: After you install it, you need to start the agent to begin gathering data.

Step 3: Configure the Agent

The agent works with its base config, but sometimes you need to tweak it. You can set what data to pull, how often, and other options.

1. Find the Config File: The config file is usually in the agent’s folder. Look for a file like newrelic-infra.yml.
2. Edit the Config: Use a text editor to make changes. You can set up custom data, set resource use limits, and other things.
3. Save and Restart: Save the config file. Then, restart the agent to make the changes take effect.

Step 4: Add Integrations

New Relic Infrastructure works well with other tools. You can add integrations to see data from other sources.

1. Go to Integrations: Log in to your New Relic account. Go to the “Integrations” area.
2. Pick the Ones You Need: Find the integrations you want to use, like AWS, Azure, or other tools.
3. Follow the Set Up: New Relic will give you clear steps on how to connect each integration. This will usually mean adding some API keys or other access methods.

Step 5: Set Up Custom Dashboards

Dashboards let you watch your data in a visual way. You can make your own dashboards to see the things that are key to your work.

1. Go to Dashboards: Log in to your New Relic account. Go to the “Dashboards” section.
2. Make a New Dashboard: Click on “New Dashboard” to begin.
3. Add Charts and Graphs: Pick from many types of charts to show your data. Drag and drop these to your dashboard.
4. Set Up Data Sources: Tell each chart where to pull its data. Pick the metrics you want to track.
5. Save Your Dashboard: Save the dashboard and make it easy to find. You can even share them with others.

Step 6: Configure Alerts

Alerts are a big part of monitoring. They will warn you when something goes wrong. It helps you jump on problems fast.

1. Go to Alerts: Log in to your New Relic account. Go to the “Alerts” section.
2. Make a New Alert: Set a new alert based on the metrics that are key.
3. Set the Conditions: Tell the system what values will set off the alert. This could be high CPU, low disk space, or other things.
4. Set Alert Channels: Pick how you want to get the alerts, like email or Slack.

Step 7: Start Monitoring

With everything set up, it’s time to start watching your systems. Look over your dashboards, check alerts, and keep your systems healthy. Check often and fix issues as they arise.

By using this step-by-step guide, you can set up New Relic Infrastructure and begin watching your systems with ease.

Best Practices for Using New Relic Infrastructure

To get the most out of New Relic Infrastructure, here are some best practices to keep in mind:

• Start With a Clear Plan: Know what you want to track. Focus on key metrics that will help you reach your goals. This keeps you from being buried in useless data.
• Use Custom Metrics: Grab your own custom data that is specific to your systems. This gives a clearer view of your operations.
• Set Clear Alert Policies: Set up alerts based on key metrics. Pick when to send alerts. This makes sure you hear about real issues only.
• Name Things Clearly: Make sure your servers, containers, and alerts are named well. This makes it easier to find things and know what they are.
• Group Your Systems: Group things that go together. This makes it easy to see how each piece affects the rest. This aids in seeing big trends and spotting issues.
• Make Use of Custom Dashboards: Tailor dashboards to the needs of your teams. Show them the data that is most key to them.
• Do Regular Audits: Check your setup often. Make sure your data is still key and that your alerts are still useful. This makes sure the tool helps you grow.
• Teach Your Team: Make sure your team knows how to use the tool. Show them how to read data and fix issues. This helps everyone work better.
• Keep Your Agents Up To Date: Update your agents often. This will make sure you get the latest features and fixes.
• Use Integrations: Make use of the integrations to pull data from many sources. This will give you a more complete view of your system.

These practices help you work with the tool in a better way. They aid you to track your systems well and get real value from it.

Advanced Techniques for New Relic Infrastructure

Once you are at ease with the basic use of New Relic Infrastructure, it’s time to explore some advanced techniques that can enhance your monitoring capabilities:

Custom Attributes

Custom attributes let you add extra data to your monitoring. This helps give extra context to your metrics. For example, you can add things like app version, environment, or customer ID to your data. This can help find and fix issues easier.

Infrastructure Events

Infrastructure events let you send special events to New Relic. These could be things like deployments, config changes, or other key events. These events can be put on your charts to show when they happened. This helps you find links between events and changes in performance.

Using NRQL

NRQL (New Relic Query Language) is a tool that lets you ask hard questions of your data. You can write queries to pull very specific info. It’s more powerful than the standard views. It helps find hidden trends and make clear data reports. This will give you the insights you need to make data-backed choices.

Synthetic Monitoring

Synthetic monitoring helps you check your apps from a user’s view. You can use it to test pages and API calls often. This lets you know if your apps are working well, from the user’s point of view. It’s another view that you can use to find and fix issues before they cause trouble.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

IaC helps you set up and handle your infrastructure with code, not by hand. You can use tools like Terraform or CloudFormation to make your New Relic setup part of your code. This way you can set up new systems faster and make sure all your setups are the same.

Machine Learning and AI

New Relic uses machine learning to spot issues and show patterns. It can learn from your data to find odd activity. This helps you be aware of issues earlier, before they cause a large impact.

Using APIs

The New Relic APIs let you work with data in a programmatic way. You can pull data, set up alerts, and change things with code. This means you can make integrations and set up custom workflows.

Deep Dive Analysis

Use the tool’s data to do a deep dive on areas of concern. Find the root causes of issues. Use all the metrics and tools to track issues to the end. This helps you fix the real problems, not just the symptoms.

Cross-Platform Monitoring

Use New Relic to watch systems that span many clouds and on-premise environments. This helps get a full view of all your tech. This helps you handle complexity and make sure all your pieces work well together.

These advanced methods can change how you monitor your tech. It can change it from basic watch to an advanced, proactive process.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with the best planning, you might hit some snags. Here are some common issues you might come across when using New Relic Infrastructure and how to address them:

Agent Not Reporting Data

If the agent is not sending data to New Relic, here are a few things to check:

• Check the Agent: Make sure the agent is running on the host. Look at the logs for errors.
• Check Your License Key: Be sure the agent’s license key is set up right.
• Check Network Access: Make sure the agent can reach New Relic’s servers. Check firewall rules.
• Check the Config: Be sure the config file is right. There may be typos or wrong settings.
• Restart the Agent: After any changes, restart the agent.

Incorrect Data

If data seems wrong, take a look at these things:

• Check the Metrics: Make sure you have selected the metrics that you are looking for.
• Check the Data Sources: Be sure the data is coming from the right sources.
• Check the Config: Check the agent’s config for wrong or odd settings.
• Check the API Calls: If using API calls, check the data you are sending.
• Check Units and Scaling: Be sure the tool shows units right and scales the data the way you expect.

Alert Issues

If you get too many alerts or miss important ones:

• Check Alert Conditions: Be sure the alert conditions are set right. Are they too tight or too loose?
• Check Alert Channels: Make sure alerts are going to the right places.
• Adjust Thresholds: Set alert thresholds that fit your needs. Adjust them as you learn more about your systems.
• Group Alerts: Set up alerts for groups of systems. This stops alert storms.
• Use Custom Queries: Set up more complex alert conditions using NRQL.

Dashboard Issues

If dashboards do not show data right:

• Check Data Sources: Make sure each chart uses the right data source.
• Check Time Range: Make sure the time range you choose makes sense.
• Check the Charts: Pick the chart types that show your data well.
• Check the Filters: Make sure the right filters are set.
• Check the Permissions: Be sure you have the right access to see the dashboards.

Integration Issues

If integrations do not work:

• Check API Keys: Make sure the API keys are right and up to date.
• Check Permissions: Be sure the integration has the right access.
• Check the Setup: Follow New Relic’s guide to be sure you set up the integration right.
• Check the Logs: Look for error messages in New Relic or the integration logs.

Performance Issues

If New Relic feels slow or uses too many resources:

• Adjust Data Collection: Set the amount of data you collect. This helps keep things light.
• Check Agent Resource Use: Check the agent’s resource use. It may be using too much CPU or memory.
• Update the Agent: Be sure the agent is up to date. The latest version often has performance fixes.
• Check the Network: Network problems can slow things down. Check your network connection.

By going through these steps, you can find and fix common issues. The key is to be patient and methodic, taking things step by step to find the root cause.

New Relic Infrastructure Use Cases

New Relic Infrastructure can be used in many ways. It fits well into different areas of tech and different sizes of teams. Let’s take a look at some use cases:

Monitoring Web Servers

You can use it to watch key things about your web servers. This includes CPU use, memory, and network traffic. This can make sure your sites run smooth and quick. It helps you find servers that are acting slow and fix them fast.

Watching Databases

It also lets you keep tabs on your databases. This means the metrics of things like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB. It can help you spot slow queries and optimize performance. It helps keep your apps running well.

Container Monitoring

With it, you can watch containers in Kubernetes, Docker, or other platforms. It can show how containers use CPU, memory, and network. This helps keep your container based apps working well.

Cloud Infrastructure Management

If you use cloud services like AWS, Azure, or GCP, this tool helps keep watch over them. It helps you watch storage, databases, and compute resources. It helps keep cloud costs down and make sure everything is working smooth.

Application Performance Management

You can use New Relic Infrastructure along with other New Relic tools. It can help watch both the infrastructure and the apps. This gives a clear look at how your whole system is doing, from the server to the user’s screen.

Network Monitoring

It can help watch network traffic between different parts of your systems. It helps find network problems and fix them fast. This makes sure your apps have a stable network connection.

Security Monitoring

It also helps with some security monitoring. You can watch systems for odd activity and changes. This helps find security risks and fix them before they cause harm.

Log Management

You can link New Relic Infrastructure to log systems. This way you can watch logs alongside metrics. It helps give a full view of what is going on in your systems. It also makes it easier to debug.

Alerting and Notification

The tool also helps set up custom alerts and notifications. This way you are told of issues as they happen. This makes sure you react quick to problems before they become large issues.

Real Time Data Analysis

You can pull real-time data for your systems. You can use this data to make data-backed choices. It also helps you plan for the future and spot trends.

These use cases show how strong and adaptable New Relic Infrastructure is. It can help monitor all types of systems, at all sizes.

New Relic Infrastructure Pricing and Plans

New Relic offers many pricing plans for different needs. Their plans are built to be flexible, so you can pick the best one for your needs. Here is a look at some common options:

Free Tier

New Relic has a free tier that lets you try the tool out and see if it fits your needs. This tier has limits but it’s good to get a feel for the tool. It can help teams get started with monitoring.

Standard Plan

The Standard plan has more features than the free tier. It’s built for smaller teams or those who are just starting. It has basic monitoring and some advanced features.

Pro Plan

The Pro plan has even more features for larger teams. It offers full infrastructure monitoring, custom alerts, and advanced reporting. This plan works for teams that need deep insight into complex systems.

Enterprise Plan

The Enterprise plan is built for very large businesses with complex needs. It has full features, better support, and custom pricing. This plan is for large businesses that need top-level monitoring.

Pricing Factors

The price of New Relic Infrastructure depends on a few factors:

• Number of Hosts: The number of servers you track affects the price.
• Data Ingestion: The amount of data you send to the tool can affect the price.
• Features Used: More advanced features cost more.
• Support Level: Higher levels of support cost more.
• Contract Terms: Yearly contracts can have lower prices.

How to Pick a Plan

To pick the right plan:

1. Know Your Needs: Think about what you want to track. Think about what data you want and the team size.
2. Try the Free Tier: Test the tool out with the free tier to see if it suits your needs.
3. Check Plan Features: Look over what features each plan has and if they work for your goals.
4. Think About Costs: Be sure to choose a plan that fits your budget.
5. Start Small: Begin with a lower tier and grow as you need.

New Relic also has custom pricing for large clients. Contact them to set up a pricing structure that fits your needs.

New Relic Infrastructure vs. Competitors

Many monitoring tools are in the market. New Relic Infrastructure stands out for its broad scope and easy use. Let’s see how it stacks up against some of its competitors:

New Relic Infrastructure vs. Datadog

• New Relic: A full monitoring tool with lots of features and tools. Good for many different tech setups.
• Datadog: A strong tool with many integrations. A bit complex but powerful for advanced use.
• Key Differences: Datadog is stronger in data analysis while New Relic is easier to use, and it is also more user-friendly.
• Use Case: Pick Datadog for in-depth data needs. Go with New Relic for broad, easy-to-use monitoring.

New Relic Infrastructure vs. Prometheus

• New Relic: A full SaaS with easy setup and a wide view.
• Prometheus: A powerful open-source tool that is also hard to set up and use.
• Key Differences: New Relic is simpler to use but does not give you as much control as Prometheus.
• Use Case: Use New Relic when you need an easier way and you do not need full control. Use Prometheus when you need deep control and have the know-how.

New Relic Infrastructure vs. Grafana

• New Relic: A full monitoring tool with a focus on easy data use.
• Grafana: A strong tool for making custom charts and is often used with Prometheus.
• Key Differences: Grafana is just a display tool while New Relic is the full package.
• Use Case: Use New Relic for a full tool. Use Grafana when you need custom views from other data tools.

New Relic Infrastructure vs. Dynatrace

• New Relic: Broad scope with a user-friendly design.
• Dynatrace: Strong at app monitoring, has a higher price point.
• Key Differences: Dynatrace is stronger in app performance, New Relic is easy and user-friendly.
• Use Case: Pick Dynatrace for app performance focus. Pick New Relic for a balance of features and cost.

New Relic Infrastructure vs. Nagios

• New Relic: A modern tool that uses the cloud with a simple view.
• Nagios: A tool with lots of custom options, but it is complex to use.
• Key Differences: New Relic is easier to use while Nagios is complex, more traditional.
• Use Case: Pick New Relic for its cloud-ready approach. Pick Nagios if you need full control.

New Relic Infrastructure vs. SolarWinds

• New Relic: It focuses on cloud and a large scope, user-friendly, modern monitoring.
• SolarWinds: Strong in network monitoring and is known for local setups.
• Key Differences: New Relic is cloud-ready and user-friendly while SolarWinds is for local set ups and can be complex.
• Use Case: Pick New Relic for cloud. Pick SolarWinds for on-premise needs.

When you pick a tool, you must think about your specific needs, team size, and budget. Test out the tools to see which one fits your situation.

The Future of New Relic Infrastructure

New Relic Infrastructure is always being made better. Here’s a look at what the future might hold:

More AI and Machine Learning

The future will see more AI features built in. The tool can learn from your data to find odd activity. This can help predict issues early. It can also make recommendations to help keep your systems healthy.

Better Integrations

Expect to see more ways it will work with other tools. This will help get data from more sources and put it all into one view. It helps tie together your entire system.

Improved Automation

More automation is on the way. This means less work will need to be done by hand. The tool can take care of tasks on its own. This can free up teams to work on other important projects.

Focus on User Experience

It will keep getting easier to use. It will be easier for all kinds of teams to get value. This means it will be simpler to see what’s happening and make smart choices.

Enhanced Cloud Support

Cloud tech keeps changing so the tool will keep up with it. Expect better support for AWS, Azure, and GCP, plus new cloud platforms. This makes it good for many different cloud setups.

Stronger Security

Expect to see security features added. This helps you watch for threats and fix them fast. It will keep your system safer.

Customization

It will become easier to customize. You can tweak the tool to fit your needs. This means dashboards and alerts can be set up in many ways.

Data Analysis

The data analysis tools will get better. It will be easier to find trends and insights. This helps you make the most of your data and improve your systems.

Cost Optimization

Tools will be added to help you keep costs down. The tool will help you see where you can save money, and use resources in a better way.

These future trends show New Relic Infrastructure will keep growing. It will continue to be a key tool for teams who need to watch their tech and keep it in good shape.

Should You Use New Relic Infrastructure?

New Relic Infrastructure offers a strong and versatile solution for tech monitoring. Its many features, ease of use, and broad reach make it a tool to think about. But, is it the right tool for you? Here’s how to decide:

The Pros

• Easy to Use: The tool is built to be easy to use. The layout is clear and many users find it simple to get going.
• Wide Scope: It can track servers, containers, and cloud tools. It offers a top-to-bottom view of your tech.
• Real-Time Data: It gives data fast. It helps you jump on problems right away and fix them fast.
• Customization: You can make dashboards and alerts that fit your needs. This makes it simple to see the data that is key to you.
• Integrations: It works well with many other tools. It helps pull data from different sources into a single view.
• Scalable: It grows with you. It works well no matter how big or complex your setup gets.

The Cons

• Cost: It can be costly, mainly at higher levels.
• Complexity: Although user-friendly, advanced features can feel complex.
• Learning Curve: New teams need time to learn the many ways to use the tool.
• Not for All Needs: It is not always the best fit for very specific needs. Some other tools may fit better.

Who Should Use New Relic Infrastructure?

• Teams Who Need a Full View: If you need to see all your systems, this tool is a good fit.
• Teams Who Value Ease of Use: If you want a tool that is simple to learn and use, this is good choice.
• Teams Who Want Strong Monitoring: If you need a tool that gives strong monitoring features, this is an option.
• Teams With Diverse Systems: If you have a mix of servers, containers, and cloud services, this can work well.
• Teams That Are Growing: If you have a growing team or system, it is built to grow with you.

Who Might Not Need New Relic Infrastructure?

• Teams With Very Small Budgets: If you have little money to spend on a tool, there may be other choices that fit your budget better.
• Teams With Very Specific Needs: If your needs are very specific, there may be tools that fit them better.
• Teams Who Want Full Control: If you need a large amount of control over your monitoring setup, you may want a tool that is more open-source.
• Teams With Very Simple Needs: If you only need basic monitoring, there are other options.

If you need a strong and simple way to watch your tech, you should think about using New Relic Infrastructure. It helps you stay aware of your systems and make data-backed choices. You must know your own needs and budget, then test to see if it is the right fit.