Activating the .NET agent
We are starting fresh with a 4.2 dynaTrace installation, and notice a dialog about "immediately activating the .net agent". What would be a valid scenario for checking this option?
I assume there is a bootstrap and java agent that comes by default to do some self monitoring on the dT Server but what makes the .NET agent something you want to run on your dT server.
Thanks in advance.
Frank Ober
Best Answer
Hi Frank
Excellent question. When installing the dynaTrace Agent (which comes with the full installer package) the installer will prompt the user whether the .NET Agent should be activated. What does this mean? Activation means that we set two global environment variables on that machine. COR_PROFILER and COR_ENABLE_PROFILING. These are two env-variables that Microsoft's CLR uses during startup of a .NET Process which allows us to load our .NET Agent into every .NET Process.
Now - if you are installing your dynaTrace Server you may not need to install the dynaTrace Agents (unless you also run your .NET application on the same machine). But - it will also do no harm to install the agent and checking this option. Even though our .NET Agent would then get loaded into your .NET Processes on that machine the Agents will do nothing unless you configure them with the .NET Agent Configuration Tool.
More information on .NET Agent Configuration: .NET Agent Configuration
And - to your last point: Yes - we do have built-in self-monitoring. You can look at these health values in the Deployment Dashboards
I hope this all makes sense.
Thanks Andy, if all you are doing is setting Microsoft's CLR environment variables this is perfect, there is no or minuscule overhead in that. I am always looking to limit unneeded overhead and of course this prompted the question.
I think adding this is prudent and worthwhile.
Yes you guys have good self-monitoring capability it is impressive.
Thank you!
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