Telegraf is an open-source server agent designed for collecting, processing, aggregating, and writing metrics. Developed by InfluxData, it is part of the InfluxDB time series database platform. Known for its simplicity and ease of use, Telegraf offers a plug-and-play architecture with an array of input, output, and processor plugins. This flexibility allows Telegraf to seamlessly gather metrics from a diverse set of sources and write them into InfluxDB, serving as a vital component in monitoring and observability stacks.
One of Telegraf's strengths is its ability to integrate with a wide range of tools and services, enhancing the capabilities of InfluxDB. It supports various data formats and network protocols, enabling integrations with common systems like databases, message queues, and web services. Some notable integrations include popular databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB, messaging systems like Kafka and MQTT, and cloud services from providers such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. Additionally, Telegraf can collect data from various sources like sensors, IoT devices, and virtual systems and applications, making it a versatile tool for comprehensive monitoring solutions in diverse IT environments. This post covers the top types of Telegraf input plugins.