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Configure Alloy from the Configuration page

Use the Grafana Database Observability Configuration page to generate Grafana Alloy configuration or Kubernetes Monitoring Helm chart values. Choose Fleet Management to apply the configuration to enrolled collectors, or deploy the generated configuration with your own tools.

Fleet Management is the recommended setup path for most teams. It lets you manage Alloy configuration centrally, apply configuration to registered collectors, and monitor collector health without manually editing Alloy configuration files.

For more information about Fleet Management, refer to Introduction to Fleet Management.

Before you begin

Before you use the Configuration page setup flow, complete the database-specific setup for your environment:

You also need:

  • Grafana Alloy installed and running in an environment that can connect to your database.
  • For Fleet Management, the Alloy collector enrolled in Grafana Fleet Management.
  • Network connectivity between the Alloy collector and your database.
  • Database credentials with the required monitoring permissions.

Manage database configurations

Use the Setup tab on the Configuration page to add databases and manage configurations deployed through Fleet Management. The table lists these configurations, which you can edit or remove.

Manually configured databases don’t appear in this table, but you can find them in Telemetry status once Alloy starts sending telemetry.

Add a database

Click Add database to start the guided setup flow:

  1. Select your database engine and where it’s hosted.
  2. Choose how to manage the configuration:
    • Fleet Management: Grafana Cloud applies and manages the configuration on enrolled collectors.
    • Manual configuration: The wizard generates the configuration, and you deploy and manage it with your own tools.
  3. Choose where Alloy runs: Standalone Alloy or Kubernetes Monitoring Helm chart. Both options support Fleet Management and manual configuration.
  4. Enter the database connection details and specify where Alloy can access the monitoring credentials. For manual Helm configuration, enter the database host and Kubernetes Secret details. Otherwise, specify the connection string location.
  5. Review the database setup requirements and complete any remaining permission or database settings steps.

Continue with the deployment instructions for the options you selected.

Configure and deploy

Review the generated configuration and apply it using the method you selected.

Configure Alloy with Fleet Management

Use Fleet Management when you want Grafana Cloud to apply and manage the generated Alloy configuration on enrolled collectors. Refer to Introduction to Fleet Management.

After selecting Fleet Management, choosing where Alloy runs, and completing the setup steps:

  1. Review the generated Alloy configuration.
  2. Select the enrolled collector that can connect to your database.
  3. Deploy the configuration through Fleet Management.

After setup, Fleet Management applies the generated configuration to the selected Alloy collector. You can use Fleet Management to view collector health, update configuration, and troubleshoot configuration issues from Grafana Cloud.

Configure standalone Alloy manually

Use manual configuration when you want the wizard to generate an Alloy configuration file that you deploy with your own tools.

After selecting Manual configuration and Standalone Alloy and completing the setup steps:

  1. Review and copy or download the generated Alloy configuration.
  2. Add the generated snippet to your existing Alloy configuration. Ensure the Prometheus and Loki write components referenced by the snippet are defined.
  3. Apply the updated configuration with your deployment tools.
  4. Check the database in Telemetry status once Alloy starts sending telemetry.

Configure the Kubernetes Monitoring Helm chart manually

Use this path when you want the wizard to generate values for an existing Kubernetes Monitoring Helm release.

After selecting Manual configuration and Kubernetes Monitoring Helm chart and completing the setup steps:

  1. Review and copy or download the generated Helm values. Replace any remaining placeholders shown in the preview.
  2. Merge the generated integration settings into the top-level integrations section of your existing k8s-monitoring values.yaml.
  3. Confirm that the referenced Kubernetes Secret exists in the specified namespace and contains the username and password keys you configured. If needed, download and apply the Secret template provided by the wizard.
  4. Run your normal Helm upgrade for the release that manages the Alloy collector.
  5. Check the database in Telemetry status once Alloy starts sending telemetry.

Write configuration yourself

If you prefer to write the Alloy configuration or Helm values yourself instead of using the wizard, follow the manual configuration examples in the database-specific setup guide:

Next steps

After you connect a database, use the Configuration page to: