--- title: "Set up self-managed MySQL | Database Observability documentation" description: "Set up Database Observability for MySQL using Grafana Alloy and send telemetry to Grafana Cloud." --- > For a curated documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt). For the complete documentation index, see [llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt). # Set up self-managed MySQL Set up Database Observability with Grafana Cloud to collect telemetry from MySQL using Grafana Alloy. You configure your database and Alloy to forward telemetry to Grafana Cloud. If you already use the MySQL integration, Database Observability extends it with query-level telemetry collected by the `database_observability.mysql` Alloy component. ## What you’ll achieve In this article, you: - Configure MySQL for monitoring. - Configure Grafana Alloy with the Database Observability components. - Forward telemetry to Grafana Cloud. - Verify that telemetry appears in Database Observability. ## Setup steps Setting up Database Observability for self-managed MySQL has three steps: 1. [**Set up your database**](#set-up-your-database): Prepare MySQL so Alloy can collect from it. 2. [**Configure Grafana Alloy**](#configure-grafana-alloy): Configure how Alloy collects telemetry and sends it to Grafana Cloud. Self-managed MySQL supports a few methods to choose from. 3. [**Verify telemetry in Grafana Cloud**](#verify-telemetry-in-grafana-cloud): Check telemetry status and confirm that query metrics appear in Database Observability. ## Before you begin To complete this setup, you need: - A self-managed MySQL 8.0 or later database. - Permission to modify your MySQL configuration. - Permission to restart MySQL if configuration changes require it. - A MySQL admin user that can create users and grant privileges. - A planned [Grafana Alloy](/docs/grafana-cloud/observe-and-act/send-data/alloy/) deployment location with network access to the MySQL host. Estimated setup time: 20-40 minutes, excluding any required maintenance window for restarting MySQL. > Note > > Alloy should connect directly to the database host. Avoid connecting Alloy to the database through a load balancer or connection pooler as it would limit Alloy’s ability to collect accurate telemetry. ## Set up your database In this step, you’ll prepare MySQL for monitoring by enabling Performance Schema, creating a monitoring user, and granting the permissions Database Observability needs. Complete this before configuring Alloy. Without it, Alloy can connect to your database, but it won’t be able to collect the telemetry required for Database Observability. ### Configure MySQL settings Enable Performance Schema and related query capture settings in your MySQL configuration. How you configure these values depends on your MySQL deployment and operating system. If you change a startup-only variable, restart MySQL before continuing. #### Required settings Expand table | Setting | Value | Notes | |------------------------------------------|--------|-------------------------------| | `performance_schema` | `ON` | Requires restart when changed | | `max_digest_length` | `4096` | Requires restart when changed | | `performance_schema_max_digest_length` | `4096` | Requires restart when changed | | `performance_schema_max_sql_text_length` | `4096` | Requires restart when changed | #### Update MySQL configuration Add or update these settings in your MySQL server configuration file, for example, `my.cnf` or `mysqld.cnf`: ini ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```ini [mysqld] performance-schema=ON max-digest-length=4096 performance-schema-max-digest-length=4096 performance-schema-max-sql-text-length=4096 ``` ### Create a monitoring user and grant required privileges Create the `db-o11y` user and grant base privileges: SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql CREATE USER 'db-o11y'@'%' IDENTIFIED BY ''; GRANT PROCESS, REPLICATION CLIENT ON *.* TO 'db-o11y'@'%'; GRANT SELECT ON performance_schema.* TO 'db-o11y'@'%'; ``` Replace *<DB\_O11Y\_PASSWORD>* with a secure password for the `db-o11y` MySQL user. Alloy must connect as this same user. If you use a name other than `db-o11y`, replace it in every later step, including the disable-tracking SQL. #### Grant object privileges Grant access to specific schemas when you want detailed information: SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql GRANT SELECT, SHOW VIEW ON .* TO 'db-o11y'@'%'; ``` Replace *<SCHEMA\_NAME>* with the name of the schema you want to monitor. Alternatively, if you’re unsure which specific schemas need access, grant broader read access to all schemas: SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql GRANT SELECT, SHOW VIEW ON *.* TO 'db-o11y'@'%'; ``` ### Enable Performance Schema consumers Database Observability uses `Performance Schema` consumers to collect CPU time, query samples, and wait events. These consumers must be enabled before Alloy can collect complete query telemetry. Choose one of the following: #### Option 1: Let Alloy manage consumers automatically (recommended) Use this method if you want to prepare the database so Alloy can automatically re-enable the required `Performance Schema` consumers after your database restarts. To prepare the database for this method, grant the monitoring user permission to update `Performance Schema` consumers: SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql GRANT UPDATE ON performance_schema.setup_consumers TO 'db-o11y'@'%'; ``` Later, when you configure Alloy, enable automatic `Performance Schema` consumer management in the Alloy configuration. #### Option 2: Enable consumers manually Use this method if you don’t want Alloy to modify `Performance Schema` settings. Check whether the required consumers are enabled: SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql SELECT NAME, ENABLED FROM performance_schema.setup_consumers WHERE NAME IN ( 'events_statements_cpu', 'events_waits_current', 'events_waits_history' ); ``` Enable any disabled consumers: SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql UPDATE performance_schema.setup_consumers SET ENABLED = 'YES' WHERE NAME IN ( 'events_statements_cpu', 'events_waits_current', 'events_waits_history' ); ``` These consumers disable when your database restarts. If you use this method, re-enable them after each restart. ### Disable tracking of monitoring user queries Database Observability uses `Performance Schema` to collect query telemetry. If `Performance Schema` tracks the `db-o11y` monitoring user, Alloy’s own collection queries can appear in Database Observability as database workload. Choose one of the following: #### Option 1: Let Alloy manage actor tracking automatically (recommended) Use this method if you want to prepare the database so Alloy can automatically disable tracking for the monitoring user after MySQL restarts. To prepare the database for this method, grant the monitoring user permission to update `Performance Schema` actors: SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql GRANT INSERT, UPDATE ON performance_schema.setup_actors TO 'db-o11y'@'%'; ``` Later, when you configure Alloy, enable automatic `Performance Schema` actor management in the Alloy configuration. #### Option 2: Disable tracking manually Use this method if you don’t want Alloy to modify `Performance Schema` actor settings. Check whether a `setup_actors` row already exists for the monitoring user: SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql SELECT * FROM performance_schema.setup_actors WHERE USER = 'db-o11y'; ``` If no row is returned, add one: SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql INSERT INTO performance_schema.setup_actors (HOST, USER, ROLE, ENABLED, HISTORY) VALUES ('%', 'db-o11y', '%', 'NO', 'NO'); ``` If a row exists, disable instrumentation and history for it: SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql UPDATE performance_schema.setup_actors SET ENABLED = 'NO', HISTORY = 'NO' WHERE USER = 'db-o11y'; ``` `setup_actors` settings reset when MySQL restarts. If you use this method, re-apply this configuration after each restart. > Tip > > If you disable tracking or enable consumers manually on self-managed MySQL, you can automate re-applying them after each restart with MySQL’s `init_file` startup option. ### Verify user privileges Verify that the user exists and has the expected privileges: SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql SHOW GRANTS FOR 'db-o11y'@'%'; ``` Confirm the output includes grants equivalent to: - `PROCESS, REPLICATION CLIENT ON *.*` - `SELECT ON performance_schema.*` - `SELECT, SHOW VIEW ON .*`, or `SELECT, SHOW VIEW ON *.*` if you granted broader read access - `UPDATE ON performance_schema.setup_consumers`, if you chose Alloy-managed `Performance Schema` consumers - `INSERT, UPDATE ON performance_schema.setup_actors`, if you chose Alloy-managed `Performance Schema` actor tracking ### Verify MySQL settings Verify that the settings were applied correctly: SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'performance_schema'; ``` Expected result: Value is `ON`. SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'performance_schema_max_digest_length'; ``` Expected result: Value is `4096`. SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'performance_schema_max_sql_text_length'; ``` Expected result: Value is `4096`. SQL ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```sql SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'max_digest_length'; ``` Expected result: Value is `4096`. ### Database setup checkpoint Continue to Alloy configuration only after these conditions are true: - `performance_schema` is `ON`. - `performance_schema_max_digest_length`, `performance_schema_max_sql_text_length`, and `max_digest_length` are set to `4096`. - `SHOW GRANTS FOR 'db-o11y'@'%';` includes the required monitoring and object privileges, plus the optional `Performance Schema` grants for any settings you chose Alloy to manage. - The required `Performance Schema` consumers are enabled, or Alloy has privileges to manage them automatically. - Tracking is disabled for the `db-o11y` monitoring user, or Alloy has privileges to manage actor tracking automatically. - The `db-o11y` monitoring user can connect from the network where Alloy will run. - Any configuration changes that required a restart have been applied and the MySQL restart is complete. After these checks pass, MySQL is ready for Database Observability. Next, configure Alloy so it can collect telemetry from the database and send it to Grafana Cloud. ## Configure Grafana Alloy After you set up your database, choose how to configure Alloy. **Pick one:** 1. [**Configuration page (recommended)**](#option-1-configure-alloy-from-the-database-observability-configuration-page-recommended): Database Observability generates the Alloy configuration for you. Then let **Fleet Management** apply it to an enrolled collector, or choose **Manual Configuration** to download the generated file and deploy it yourself. Best for most teams. 2. [**Kubernetes Monitoring Helm chart**](#option-2-configure-alloy-with-the-grafana-kubernetes-monitoring-helm-chart): Set `databaseObservability.enabled` in your `values.yaml`. Best for teams already running Alloy through the k8s-monitoring Helm chart. 3. [**Custom configuration file (advanced)**](#option-3-configure-alloy-with-a-custom-configuration-file-advanced): Write the Alloy configuration yourself. Best for full control, custom components or relabeling, or environments the other paths don’t cover. ### Make sure you’re on a supported Alloy version Alloy `1.17.0` or later is required for Database Observability. Find the latest stable version on [Docker Hub](https://hub.docker.com/r/grafana/alloy/tags). To update, refer to the [Alloy release notes](https://github.com/grafana/alloy/releases). > Note > > New to Alloy? > > [Grafana Alloy](/docs/grafana-cloud/observe-and-act/send-data/alloy/introduction/) is an open source collector that sends your data to Grafana Cloud. Database Observability needs it to collect metrics and query telemetry from your database. > > If you don’t have it installed, refer to [Install Grafana Alloy](/docs/grafana-cloud/observe-and-act/send-data/alloy/set-up/install/) before you continue. ### Option 1: Configure Alloy from the Database Observability Configuration page (recommended) Start here for most deployments. The Configuration page (**Configuration** > **Setup**) generates the Alloy configuration for you, then lets you choose how to deploy it: - **Fleet Management**: Grafana Cloud deploys the configuration to an enrolled Alloy collector and manages it for you, so you don’t edit or ship config files by hand. Best if you want to manage collectors centrally and monitor their health from Grafana Cloud. Refer to [Introduction to Fleet Management](/docs/grafana-cloud/send-data/fleet-management/introduction/). - **Manual Configuration**: Download the generated configuration and deploy it with your own tooling. Best if you can’t use Fleet Management or you already manage Alloy deployment yourself. > Tip > > If you chose Alloy-managed Performance Schema consumers or actor tracking during database setup, use **Manual Configuration** and add the automatic management settings before you deploy the generated Alloy configuration. If you use **Fleet Management** and can’t edit the generated configuration, manage these settings manually during database setup. To start the guided setup flow: 1. Open **Database Observability** in Grafana Cloud. 2. Go to **Configuration**. 3. Open **Setup**. 4. Click **Add database**. 5. Select your database engine. 6. Follow the setup flow and choose **Fleet Management** or **Manual Configuration** when prompted. For an overview of setup methods and what appears in the **Setup** tab, refer to [Configure Alloy from the Configuration page](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/database-observability/configure/fleet-management-integration/). ### Option 2: Configure Alloy with the Grafana Kubernetes Monitoring Helm chart Use this method if you already manage Alloy with the k8s-monitoring Helm chart. This path configures Alloy outside the Database Observability setup flow in Grafana Cloud. Extend your `values.yaml` and set `databaseObservability.enabled` to `true` within the MySQL integration. > Tip > > If you chose Alloy-managed Performance Schema consumers or actor tracking during database setup, add the optional management values shown after the main example. YAML ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```yaml integrations: collector: alloy-singleton mysql: instances: - name: jobLabel: integrations/db-o11y exporter: enabled: true collectors: perfSchemaEventsStatements: enabled: true dataSource: host: auth: usernameKey: passwordKey: databaseObservability: enabled: true secret: create: false name: namespace: mysql logs: enabled: true labelSelectors: app.kubernetes.io/instance: ``` Replace the placeholders: - `INSTANCE_NAME`: Name for this database instance in Kubernetes. - `DB_HOST`: Hostname or IP address of the database. - `DB_USERNAME_SECRET_KEY`: Kubernetes secret key that holds the database username, for example, `username`. The value must be the monitoring user you created and granted privileges to, for example, `db-o11y`. - `DB_PASSWORD_SECRET_KEY`: Kubernetes secret key containing database password. To let Alloy keep the required Performance Schema consumers enabled and disable tracking of the monitoring user automatically, add these values to the same `databaseObservability` block: YAML ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```yaml databaseObservability: # ... allowUpdatePerformanceSchemaSettings: true collectors: querySamples: autoEnableSetupConsumers: true setupActors: autoUpdateSetupActors: true ``` To see the full set of values, refer to the k8s-monitoring Helm chart [documentation](https://github.com/grafana/k8s-monitoring-helm/blob/main/charts/k8s-monitoring/charts/feature-integrations/docs/integrations/mysql.md#database-observability) or the [example configuration](https://github.com/grafana/k8s-monitoring-helm/tree/main/charts/k8s-monitoring/docs/examples/features/database-observability/mysql). ### Option 3: Configure Alloy with a custom configuration file (advanced) Use this method if you manage Alloy configuration outside Grafana Cloud or need custom relabeling. This path configures Alloy outside the Database Observability setup flow in Grafana Cloud. #### Add the MySQL configuration blocks Add these blocks to Alloy. Replace *<DB\_NAME>*. Create a `local.file` with the Data Source Name string, for example, `:@tcp(:)/`: Alloy ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```alloy local.file "mysql_secret_" { filename = "/var/lib/alloy/mysql_secret_" is_secret = true } prometheus.exporter.mysql "mysql_" { data_source_name = local.file.mysql_secret_.content enable_collectors = ["perf_schema.eventsstatements"] perf_schema.eventsstatements { limit = 100 text_limit = 0 } } database_observability.mysql "mysql_" { data_source_name = local.file.mysql_secret_.content forward_to = [loki.relabel.database_observability_mysql_.receiver] targets = prometheus.exporter.mysql.mysql_.targets // OPTIONAL: enable these settings if you chose Alloy-managed Performance // Schema consumers or actor tracking during database setup. allow_update_performance_schema_settings = true // Requires UPDATE on performance_schema.setup_consumers. query_samples { auto_enable_setup_consumers = true } // Requires INSERT and UPDATE on performance_schema.setup_actors. setup_actors { auto_update_setup_actors = true } // OPTIONAL: provide additional information specific to the cloud provider // that hosts the database to enable infrastructure observability features. // For Azure and Google Cloud SQL examples, refer to the platform setup guides. cloud_provider { aws { arn = "" } } } loki.relabel "database_observability_mysql_" { forward_to = [loki.write.logs_service.receiver] // OPTIONAL: add any additional relabeling rules // (must be consistent with rules in "discovery.relabel") rule { target_label = "instance" replacement = "" } rule { target_label = "" replacement = "" } } discovery.relabel "database_observability_mysql_" { targets = database_observability.mysql.mysql_.targets rule { target_label = "job" replacement = "integrations/db-o11y" } // OPTIONAL: add any additional relabeling rules // (must be consistent with rules in "loki.relabel") // OPTIONAL: relabel `instance` to `dsn` before overwriting `instance`; // the `dsn` label is used in the integration with the knowledge graph rule { source_labels = ["instance"] target_label = "dsn" } rule { target_label = "instance" replacement = "" } rule { target_label = "" replacement = "" } } prometheus.scrape "database_observability_mysql_" { targets = discovery.relabel.database_observability_mysql_.output forward_to = [prometheus.remote_write.metrics_service.receiver] } ``` Replace the placeholders: - `DB_NAME`: Database name Alloy uses in component identifiers (appears in component names and secret filenames). - `AWS_RDS_DB_ARN`: Amazon RDS database ARN for cloud provider integration (optional). For Azure or Google Cloud SQL, refer to the [Azure MySQL](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/database-observability/set-up/mysql/azure/) or [Cloud SQL MySQL](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/database-observability/set-up/mysql/cloudsql/) setup guides. - `INSTANCE_LABEL`: Value that sets the `instance` label on logs and metrics (optional). - `CUSTOM_LABEL_1`, `CUSTOM_VALUE_1`: Optional custom label key and value you attach to logs and metrics. - Secret file content DSN example: `DB_USER:DB_PASSWORD@tcp(DB_HOST:DB_PORT)/`. - `DB_USER`: The monitoring user you created and granted privileges to, for example, `db-o11y`. Don’t connect as a different administrator or application user. - `DB_PASSWORD`: Password for the database user. - `DB_HOST`: Hostname or IP address of the database. - `DB_PORT`: Database port number. Find more about the options supported by the `database_observability.mysql` component in the [reference](/docs/grafana-cloud/send-data/alloy/reference/components/database_observability/database_observability.mysql/) documentation. #### Add Prometheus and Loki write configuration Add the Prometheus remote write and Loki write configuration. From Grafana Cloud, open your stack to get the URLs and generate API tokens: Alloy ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```alloy prometheus.remote_write "metrics_service" { endpoint { url = sys.env("GCLOUD_HOSTED_METRICS_URL") basic_auth { password = sys.env("GCLOUD_RW_API_KEY") username = sys.env("GCLOUD_HOSTED_METRICS_ID") } } } loki.write "logs_service" { endpoint { url = sys.env("GCLOUD_HOSTED_LOGS_URL") basic_auth { password = sys.env("GCLOUD_RW_API_KEY") username = sys.env("GCLOUD_HOSTED_LOGS_ID") } } } ``` Replace the placeholders: - `GCLOUD_HOSTED_METRICS_URL`: Your Grafana Cloud Prometheus remote write URL. - `GCLOUD_HOSTED_METRICS_ID`: Your Grafana Cloud Prometheus instance ID (username). - `GCLOUD_HOSTED_LOGS_URL`: Your Grafana Cloud Loki write URL. - `GCLOUD_HOSTED_LOGS_ID`: Your Grafana Cloud Loki instance ID (username). - `GCLOUD_RW_API_KEY`: Grafana Cloud API token with write permissions. ## Verify telemetry in Grafana Cloud After Alloy starts, verify that Database Observability is receiving telemetry. 1. In Grafana Cloud, open **Database Observability**. 2. Go to **Configuration**. 3. Select your database instance. 4. Confirm that telemetry status checks pass. 5. Open **Queries Overview** and confirm that query metrics appear. After telemetry appears, the database instance should be visible and Queries Overview should show query metrics. Additional data such as query samples, wait events, schema details, and explain plans becomes available as Alloy collects it and as the database engine supports it. Telemetry can take a few minutes to appear. For detailed status checks, refer to [Verify telemetry status](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/database-observability/configure/verify-telemetry-status/). ## Troubleshoot first-run issues If data doesn’t appear after setup: - If the database instance doesn’t appear in Database Observability, check Alloy connectivity and labels. - If telemetry status checks fail, use the Configuration page to identify the failed requirement. - If query metrics appear but samples, wait events, or explain plans are missing, check database privileges and Performance Schema settings. - If Alloy can’t connect to the database, check network and firewall settings, DNS, and the monitoring user’s host restrictions. For detailed guidance, refer to [Troubleshoot Alloy](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/database-observability/troubleshoot/alloy/) or [Troubleshoot MySQL](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/database-observability/troubleshoot/mysql/). ## Next steps - [View query performance](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/database-observability/monitor/view-query-performance/) - [Find your application’s queries](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/database-observability/monitor/find-application-queries/) - [Link traces and queries](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/database-observability/monitor/link-traces/) - [Analyze explain plans](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/database-observability/investigate/analyze-explain-plans/)