---
title: "Configure Kubernetes Monitoring with Helm chart | Grafana Cloud documentation"
description: "Introduction to configuring Kubernetes Monitoring with Grafana Kubernetes Monitoring Helm chart using Alloy, including available platforms and activating your Grafana Cloud account."
---

# Configure Kubernetes Monitoring with Helm chart

The deployment process using the Kubernetes Monitoring GUI works in conjunction with the most recent version of the [Grafana Kubernetes Monitoring Helm chart](https://github.com/grafana/k8s-monitoring-helm/tree/main/charts/k8s-monitoring). To learn how the Helm chart configuration works, refer to [Helm chart overview](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-infrastructure/kubernetes-monitoring/configuration/helm-chart/).

This method of deployment and using [Instrumentation Hub](/docs/grafana-cloud/get-started/inst-hub-setup/) are the two recommended methods. Use the Instrumentation Hub setup method when:

- Your platform is Linux/Kubernetes
- You want to get started quickly and then later refine your settings with Helm chart

## Available platforms

You can install Kubernetes Monitoring on these platforms:

Expand table

| Platform                                 | Notes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Kubernetes                               | Includes Kubernetes, Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) on Amazon Elastic Cloud Compute (EC2), Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), and Tanzu                                                                                                                                                     |
| Amazon EKS on AWS Fargate                | With this platform, [Node Exporter](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-infrastructure/kubernetes-monitoring/configuration/manage-configuration/#node-exporter) metrics are disabled. Instead, `kubelet` Resources are used to gather CPU and memory usage. Pod Logs are gathered via the Kubernetes API. |
| Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)           | N/A                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) Autopilot | With this platform, [Node Exporter](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-infrastructure/kubernetes-monitoring/configuration/manage-configuration/#node-exporter) metrics are disabled. Instead, `kubelet` Resources are used to gather CPU and memory usage. Pod Logs are gathered via the Kubernetes API. |
| IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service             | N/A                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| Red Hat OpenShift                        | N/A                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |

## Activate and send data from your account

To configure and use Kubernetes Monitoring, you must activate the product. Activation ensures you have access, and begins your [billing for usage](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-infrastructure/kubernetes-monitoring/host-hours-bill-k8s/). Next, you must send data to your account. To do so, complete the following steps:

1. Go to your Grafana Cloud account, and click **My Account**.
2. Select the stack where you want to install Kubernetes Monitoring.
3. Click **Details** next to the name of your stack.
4. At your stack page, click **Launch** to open Kubernetes Monitoring.
5. Click **Activate** to activate Kubernetes Monitoring.
6. At the Activate Kubernetes Monitoring dialog box, select the box and click **Activate**.
7. Click **Start sending data**.

Kubernetes Monitoring displays the **Cluster configuration** tab of the **Configuration** page.