System Monitoring Setup Guide

Overview

System monitoring involves continuously tracking the performance, health, and security of a computer system to ensure it operates efficiently. Effective monitoring typically includes:

• Resource Utilization (CPU, memory, storage, network)

• Performance Metrics (response times, throughput)

• Health Checks (service uptime, connectivity)

• Logs and Alerts

• Security Monitoring

This guide describes how to enable monitoring for an OpenMRS server for DRC, using Prometheus, Grafana, and a Prometheus metrics exporter.

Prerequisites

On the Monitoring Server

Use a dedicated machine separate from the OpenMRS server. Ensure the following are installed:

• Docker

• Docker Swarm

• Prometheus (for metrics collection and storage)

• Grafana (for dashboards and visualization)

On the OpenMRS Server

Install a Prometheus exporter, such as:

• Node Exporter – recommended for system-level metrics

Exporters expose system or application metrics in a format that Prometheus can scrape.

Setup Instructions

1. Prepare the Monitoring Server

Set up a dedicated server that will run Grafana, Prometheus, and a reverse proxy.
Do not run these services on the same machine as OpenMRS.

2. Install Grafana & Prometheus

Grafana provides visualization and dashboards, while Prometheus collects and stores metrics.

For a quick setup, clone the DIGI monitoring repository:

git clone https://github.com/DIGI-UW/digi-monitoring.git

The repository includes ready-to-use configuration for:

• Reverse proxy

• Prometheus

• Grafana

3. Start the Monitoring Stack

Inside the repository directory, run:

This script deploys:

• Reverse proxy

• Prometheus

• Grafana

About the Reverse Proxy:
It provides an additional security layer and hides internal service endpoints from external access.

4. Install a Metrics Exporter on the OpenMRS Server

To allow Prometheus to collect metrics, install a system metrics exporter.

Recommended: Node Exporter

Run the following on the OpenMRS server:

Node Exporter typically listens on port 9100.

5. Configure Prometheus to Scrape the Exporter

On the monitoring server, open the Prometheus configuration file:

prometheus.yml

Add a scrape job for the OpenMRS server:

scrape_configs:

• job_name: 'openmrs-server'

    static_configs:

• targets: ['<OPENMRS_SERVER_IP>:9100']   # Node Exporter port

After saving the file, restart Prometheus or redeploy the monitoring stack to apply changes.

6. Validate the Setup

Perform the following checks:

A. Exporter Metrics

Visit:

http://<OPENMRS_SERVER_IP>:9100/metrics

B. Prometheus UI

Visit:

http://<MONITORING_SERVER_IP>:9090

C. Grafana Dashboard

Visit:

http://<MONITORING_SERVER_IP>:3000

(Default login: admin:admin, unless changed.)

From Grafana, you may import dashboards for:

• Node Exporter

• Application-level metrics (if applicable)

Conclusion

After completing the setup, your monitoring environment will:

• Collect metrics from the OpenMRS server

• Store time-series data in Prometheus

• Display visual dashboards in Grafana

• Provide insights into system performance, health, and availability

This monitoring setup ensures proactive detection of issues and supports reliable operation of the OpenMRS platform.