Using Thanos for Long-Term Metrics

Introduction

Thanos is an open-source project that provides a set of components to create a highly available and scalable metrics system. It is designed to work seamlessly with Prometheus, extending its capabilities for long-term storage and global querying.

What is Thanos?

Thanos is essentially a set of components that can be used to scale Prometheus metrics collection and storage across multiple clusters and regions. Key features include:

• Long-term storage capabilities for Prometheus metrics.
• Global query view across multiple Prometheus instances.
• High availability and reliability.

Thanos Architecture

The architecture of Thanos consists of several components:

Installation

To install Thanos, follow these steps:

1. Download the Thanos binaries from the Thanos releases page.
2. Extract the binaries and add them to your PATH.
3. Run the following command to start the Thanos Sidecar:

thanos sidecar --prometheus.url=http://localhost:9090 --objstore.config=

Configuration

Thanos requires configuration for both the Sidecar and Store Gateway. Here is an example configuration for an S3 bucket:

type: S3
config:
  bucket: "my-thanos-bucket"
  endpoint: "s3.amazonaws.com"
  access_key: ""
  secret_key: ""

Ensure you replace placeholders with actual values.

Best Practices

To effectively use Thanos for long-term metrics, consider the following best practices:

• Use object storage that is reliable and cost-effective.
• Regularly monitor your Thanos components to ensure they are functioning correctly.
• Utilize the Thanos Compactor to manage storage effectively.
• Implement proper access controls to secure your metrics data.

FAQ