<!--startmeta
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meta_yaml: "https://github.com/netdata/netdata/edit/master/src/collectors/perf.plugin/metadata.yaml"
sidebar_label: "CPU performance"
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learn_rel_path: "Collecting Metrics/Collectors/Operating Systems"
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# CPU performance


<img src="https://netdata.cloud/img/bolt.svg" width="150"/>


Plugin: perf.plugin
Module: perf.plugin

<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/maintained%20by-Netdata-%2300ab44" />

## Overview

This collector monitors CPU performance metrics about cycles, instructions, migrations, cache operations and more.

It uses syscall (2) to open a file descriptor to monitor the perf events.

This collector is only supported on the following platforms:

- Linux

This collector supports collecting metrics from multiple instances of this integration, including remote instances.

It needs setuid to use the necessary syscall to collect perf events. Netdata sets the permission during installation time.

### Default Behavior

#### Auto-Detection

This integration doesn't support auto-detection.

#### Limits

The default configuration for this integration does not impose any limits on data collection.

#### Performance Impact

The default configuration for this integration is not expected to impose a significant performance impact on the system.

## Setup


### Prerequisites

#### Install perf plugin

If you are [using our official native DEB/RPM packages](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/master/packaging/installer/UPDATE.md#determine-which-installation-method-you-used), make sure the `netdata-plugin-perf` package is installed.


#### Enable the perf plugin

The plugin is disabled by default because the number of PMUs is usually quite limited and it is not desired to allow Netdata to struggle silently for PMUs, interfering with other performance monitoring software.

To enable it, use `edit-config` from the Netdata [config directory](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/master/docs/netdata-agent/configuration/README.md), which is typically at `/etc/netdata`, to edit the `netdata.conf` file.

```bash
cd /etc/netdata   # Replace this path with your Netdata config directory, if different
sudo ./edit-config netdata.conf
```

Change the value of the `perf` setting to `yes` in the `[plugins]` section. Save the file and restart the Netdata Agent with `sudo systemctl restart netdata`, or the [appropriate method](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/master/docs/netdata-agent/start-stop-restart.md) for your system.



### Configuration

#### Options

You can get the available options running:

```bash
/usr/libexec/netdata/plugins.d/perf.plugin  --help
````


<details open><summary>Config options</summary>



| Option | Description | Default | Required |
|:-----|:------------|:--------|:---------:|
| update every | Data collection frequency. | 1 | no |
| command options | Command options that specify charts shown by the plugin. `cycles`, `instructions`, `branch`, `cache`, `bus`, `stalled`, `migrations`, `alignment`, `emulation`, `L1D`, `L1D-prefetch`, `L1I`, `LL`, `DTLB`, `ITLB`, `PBU`. | 1 | yes |


</details>



#### via File

The configuration file name for this integration is `netdata.conf`.
Configuration for this specific integration is located in the `[plugin:perf]` section within that file.

The file format is a modified INI syntax. The general structure is:

```ini
[section1]
    option1 = some value
    option2 = some other value

[section2]
    option3 = some third value
```
You can edit the configuration file using the [`edit-config`](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/master/docs/netdata-agent/configuration/README.md#edit-configuration-files) script from the
Netdata [config directory](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/master/docs/netdata-agent/configuration/README.md#locate-your-config-directory).

```bash
cd /etc/netdata 2>/dev/null || cd /opt/netdata/etc/netdata
sudo ./edit-config netdata.conf
```

##### Examples

###### All metrics

Monitor all metrics available.

```yaml
[plugin:perf]
    command options = all

```
###### CPU cycles

Monitor CPU cycles.

<details open><summary>Config</summary>

```yaml
[plugin:perf]
    command options = cycles

```
</details>



## Alerts

There are no alerts configured by default for this integration.


## Metrics

Metrics grouped by *scope*.

The scope defines the instance that the metric belongs to. An instance is uniquely identified by a set of labels.



### Per CPU performance instance

These metrics refer to the entire monitored application.

This scope has no labels.

Metrics:

| Metric | Dimensions | Unit |
|:------|:----------|:----|
| perf.cpu_cycles | cpu, ref_cpu | cycles/s |
| perf.instructions | instructions | instructions/s |
| perf.instructions_per_cycle | ipc | instructions/cycle |
| perf.branch_instructions | instructions, misses | instructions/s |
| perf.cache | references, misses | operations/s |
| perf.bus_cycles | bus | cycles/s |
| perf.stalled_cycles | frontend, backend | cycles/s |
| perf.migrations | migrations | migrations |
| perf.alignment_faults | faults | faults |
| perf.emulation_faults | faults | faults |
| perf.l1d_cache | read_access, read_misses, write_access, write_misses | events/s |
| perf.l1d_cache_prefetch | prefetches | prefetches/s |
| perf.l1i_cache | read_access, read_misses | events/s |
| perf.ll_cache | read_access, read_misses, write_access, write_misses | events/s |
| perf.dtlb_cache | read_access, read_misses, write_access, write_misses | events/s |
| perf.itlb_cache | read_access, read_misses | events/s |
| perf.pbu_cache | read_access | events/s |



## Troubleshooting

### Debug Mode

You can run `perf.plugin` with the debug option enabled to troubleshoot issues with it. The output should give you clues as to why the collector isn't working.

- Navigate to the `plugins.d` directory, usually at `/usr/libexec/netdata/plugins.d/`. If that's not the case on your system, open `netdata.conf` and look for the `plugins` setting under `[directories]`.

  ```bash
  cd /usr/libexec/netdata/plugins.d/
  ```

- Switch to the `netdata` user.

  ```bash
  sudo -u netdata -s
  ```

- Run the `perf.plugin` in debug mode:

  ```bash
  ./perf.plugin 1 all debug
  ```



