- Article
This article details the different methods to install, uninstall, update, and configure Azure Monitor Agent on Azure virtual machines, scale sets, and Azure Arc-enabled servers.
Important
Azure Monitor Agent requires at least one data collection rule (DCR) to begin collecting data after it's installed on the client machine. Depending on the installation method you use, a DCR may or may not be created automatically. If not, then you need to configure data collection following the guidance at Collect data with Azure Monitor Agent.
Prerequisites
See the following articles for prerequisites and other requirements for Azure Monitor Agent:
- Azure Monitor Agent supported operating systems and environments
- Azure Monitor Agent requirements
- Azure Monitor Agent network configuration
Important
Installing, upgrading, or uninstalling Azure Monitor Agent won't require a machine restart.
Installation options
The following table lists the different options for installing Azure Monitor Agent on Azure VMs and Azure Arc-enabled servers. The Azure Arc agent must be installed on any machines not in Azure before Azure Monitor Agent can be installed.
| Installation method | Description |
|---|---|
| VM extension | Use any of the methods below to use the Azure extension framework to install the agent. This method does not create a DCR, so you must create at least one and associate it with the agent before data collection will begin. |
| Create a DCR | When you create a DCR in the Azure portal, Azure Monitor Agent is installed on any machines that are added as resources for the DCR. The agent will begin collecting data defined in the DCR immediately. |
| VM insights | When you enable VM insights on a machine, Azure Monitor Agent is installed, and a DCR is created that collects a predefined set of data. You shouldn't modify this DCR, but you can create additional DCRs to collect other data. |
| Container insights | When you enable Container insights on a Kubernetes cluster, a containerized version of Azure Monitor Agent is installed in the cluster, and a DCR is created that immediately begins collecting data. You can modify this DCR using guidance at Configure data collection and cost optimization in Container insights using data collection rule. |
| Client installer | Installs the agent by using a Windows MSI installer for Windows 10 and Windows 11 clients. |
| Azure Policy | Use Azure Policy to automatically install the agent on Azure virtual machines and Azure Arc-enabled servers and automatically associate them with required DCRs. |
Note
To send data across tenants, you must first enable Azure Lighthouse.Cloning a machine with Azure Monitor Agent installed is not supported. The best practice for these situations is to use Azure Policy or an Infrastructure as a code tool to deploy AMA at scale.
Install agent extension
This section provides details on installing Azure Monitor Agent using the VM extension.
- Portal
- PowerShell
- Azure CLI
- Resource Manager template
Use the guidance at Collect data with Azure Monitor Agent to install the agent using the Azure portal and create a DCR to collect data.
Uninstall
- Portal
- PowerShell
- Azure CLI
- Resource Manager template
To uninstall Azure Monitor Agent by using the Azure portal, go to your virtual machine, scale set, or Azure Arc-enabled server. Select the Extensions tab and select AzureMonitorWindowsAgent or AzureMonitorLinuxAgent. In the dialog that opens, select Uninstall.
Update
Note
The recommendation is to enable Automatic Extension Upgrade to update installed extensions to the stable version across all regions. A version is not automatically rolled out until it meets a high quality bar which can take as long as 5 weeks after the initial release. Upgrades are issued in batches, so you may see some of your virtual machines, scale-sets or Arc-enabled servers get upgraded before others. If you need to upgrade an extension immediately, you may use the manual instructions below.
- Portal
- PowerShell
- Azure CLI
- Resource Manager template
To perform a one-time update of the agent, you must first uninstall the existing agent version. Then install the new version as described.
We recommend that you enable automatic update of the agent by enabling the Automatic Extension Upgrade feature. Go to your virtual machine or scale set, select the Extensions tab and select AzureMonitorWindowsAgent or AzureMonitorLinuxAgent. In the dialog that opens, select Enable automatic upgrade.
Configure (Preview)
Data Collection Rules (DCRs) serve as a management tool for Azure Monitor Agent (AMA) on your machine. The AgentSettings DCR can be used to configure AMA parameters like DisQuotaInMb, ensuring your agent is tailored to your specific monitoring needs.
Note
Important considerations to keep in mind when working with the AgentSettings DCR:
- The AgentSettings DCR can only be configured via template deployment.
- AgentSettings is always it's own DCR and can't be added an existing one.
- For proper functionality, both the machine and the AgentSettings DCR must be located in the same region.
Supported parameters
The AgentSettings DCR currently supports configuring the following parameters:
| Parameter | Description | Valid values |
|---|---|---|
MaxDiskQuotaInMB | Defines the amount of disk space used by the Azure Monitor Agent log files and cache. | 1000-50000 (in MB) |
TimeReceivedForForwardedEvents | Changes WEF column in the Sentinel WEF table to use TimeReceived instead of TimeGenerated data | 0 or 1 |
Setting up AgentSettings DCR
- Portal
- PowerShell
- Azure CLI
- Resource Manager template
Currently not supported.
Next steps
Create a data collection rule to collect data from the agent and send it to Azure Monitor.
