| 1 | <!--startmeta |
| 2 | custom_edit_url: "https://github.com/netdata/netdata/edit/master/docs/network-flows/installation.md" |
| 3 | sidebar_label: "Installation" |
| 4 | learn_status: "Published" |
| 5 | learn_rel_path: "Network Flows" |
| 6 | keywords: ['installation', 'package', 'netdata-plugin-netflow', 'setup'] |
| 7 | endmeta--> |
| 8 | |
| 9 | <!-- markdownlint-disable-file --> |
| 10 | |
| 11 | # Installation |
| 12 | |
| 13 | The netflow plugin is **packaged separately from the main Netdata Agent**. You install it on the same host where Netdata runs, after Netdata itself is in place. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | The package name is **`netdata-plugin-netflow`** on both Debian and RPM distributions. It is not installed by the standard `netdata` package or by the netdata-updater on its own — you have to install it explicitly on native-package systems. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | The static install (the kickstart `--static-only` path) bundles the plugin automatically. If you used the kickstart installer with the static option, no extra step is needed. |
| 18 | |
| 19 | ## Prerequisites |
| 20 | |
| 21 | - A working Netdata Agent on the host that will receive flow data. |
| 22 | - That host must be reachable on UDP from your routers and switches (default port `2055`). |
| 23 | - Linux. The plugin is Linux-only. |
| 24 | |
| 25 | ## Install on Debian / Ubuntu / Mint |
| 26 | |
| 27 | ```bash |
| 28 | sudo apt update |
| 29 | sudo apt install netdata-plugin-netflow |
| 30 | sudo systemctl restart netdata |
| 31 | ``` |
| 32 | |
| 33 | ## Install on RHEL / Fedora / CentOS / Rocky / Alma |
| 34 | |
| 35 | ```bash |
| 36 | sudo dnf install netdata-plugin-netflow |
| 37 | sudo systemctl restart netdata |
| 38 | ``` |
| 39 | |
| 40 | (`yum install` works on older systems where `dnf` isn't present.) |
| 41 | |
| 42 | ## Install on openSUSE |
| 43 | |
| 44 | ```bash |
| 45 | sudo zypper install netdata-plugin-netflow |
| 46 | sudo systemctl restart netdata |
| 47 | ``` |
| 48 | |
| 49 | ## Static install (kickstart) |
| 50 | |
| 51 | If you installed Netdata using: |
| 52 | |
| 53 | ```bash |
| 54 | wget -O /tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh https://get.netdata.cloud/kickstart.sh && \ |
| 55 | sh /tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh --static-only |
| 56 | ``` |
| 57 | |
| 58 | …the netflow plugin is already installed under `/opt/netdata/usr/libexec/netdata/plugins.d/netflow-plugin`. No extra step. |
| 59 | |
| 60 | To verify: |
| 61 | |
| 62 | ```bash |
| 63 | ls /opt/netdata/usr/libexec/netdata/plugins.d/netflow-plugin |
| 64 | ``` |
| 65 | |
| 66 | ## Source build |
| 67 | |
| 68 | Building from source requires a Rust toolchain (rustc + cargo, version 1.83 or later). When CMake detects Rust, the plugin is built and installed alongside the rest of Netdata. |
| 69 | |
| 70 | ```bash |
| 71 | git clone https://github.com/netdata/netdata.git |
| 72 | cd netdata |
| 73 | sudo ./netdata-installer.sh |
| 74 | ``` |
| 75 | |
| 76 | **Caveat:** source builds do **not** include the stock GeoIP / IP-intelligence database files. Packaged 32-bit installs ship the stock MMDB payload but do not include `topology-ip-intel-downloader`. The plugin starts fine without cache files, but country, city, and AS-name fields will be empty until you run the downloader once on an install that includes it: |
| 77 | |
| 78 | ```bash |
| 79 | sudo /usr/sbin/topology-ip-intel-downloader |
| 80 | ``` |
| 81 | |
| 82 | This populates `/var/cache/netdata/topology-ip-intel/` with the DB-IP-based MMDB files. The plugin auto-detects the cache copy on its next 30-second poll. See the [Enrichment Intel Downloader page](/docs/network-flows/intel-downloader.md) for the refresh tool and the [DB-IP integration card](/src/crates/netflow-plugin/integrations/db-ip_ip_intelligence.md) for cadence and license details. |
| 83 | |
| 84 | ## IP intelligence defaults |
| 85 | |
| 86 | | Item | Behaviour | |
| 87 | |---|---| |
| 88 | | Native packages | Ship stock DB-IP ASN and Geo MMDB files under `/usr/share/netdata/topology-ip-intel/`. | |
| 89 | | Source builds | Do not include stock MMDB files; run the downloader once if you want GeoIP / ASN enrichment. | |
| 90 | | Fresh copies | The downloader writes to `/var/cache/netdata/topology-ip-intel/`, which takes precedence over the stock files. | |
| 91 | | Refresh schedule | Netdata does not install a timer or cron job for the downloader. Schedule it yourself if freshness matters. | |
| 92 | |
| 93 | ## What gets installed |
| 94 | |
| 95 | | Path | Purpose | |
| 96 | |---|---| |
| 97 | | `/usr/libexec/netdata/plugins.d/netflow-plugin` | The plugin binary (mode 0750, root:netdata) | |
| 98 | | `/usr/sbin/topology-ip-intel-downloader` | Helper for refreshing the GeoIP / IP-intel MMDBs; not included in packaged 32-bit installs | |
| 99 | | `/usr/lib/netdata/conf.d/netflow.yaml` | Stock configuration (read-only reference; copy to `/etc/netdata/netflow.yaml` to customise) | |
| 100 | | `/usr/lib/netdata/conf.d/topology-ip-intel.yaml` | IP-intel downloader configuration | |
| 101 | | `/usr/share/netdata/topology-ip-intel/topology-ip-asn.mmdb` | Stock ASN database (DB-IP) | |
| 102 | | `/usr/share/netdata/topology-ip-intel/topology-ip-geo.mmdb` | Stock geographic database (DB-IP) | |
| 103 | |
| 104 | (Paths assume native packages. Static installs put everything under `/opt/netdata/`.) |
| 105 | |
| 106 | ## Verify the plugin is running |
| 107 | |
| 108 | After installation and restart: |
| 109 | |
| 110 | ```bash |
| 111 | sudo journalctl --namespace netdata --since "5 minutes ago" | grep -E 'netflow|listener' |
| 112 | ``` |
| 113 | |
| 114 | You should see entries indicating that the plugin loaded its config and that the UDP listener bound to its port. |
| 115 | |
| 116 | Quick sanity check: |
| 117 | |
| 118 | ```bash |
| 119 | sudo ss -unlp | grep 2055 |
| 120 | ``` |
| 121 | |
| 122 | A line for `netflow-plugin` confirms the listener is up. |
| 123 | |
| 124 | ## Open Netdata to confirm |
| 125 | |
| 126 | Open the Netdata UI in your browser. Click the **Live** tab in the top navigation; **Network Flows** appears in the Functions list on the right (see [Live tab](/docs/dashboards-and-charts/live-tab.md)). Selecting it opens the Sankey + Table view. The plugin's operational charts also appear under the standard charts page in the `netflow` family. |
| 127 | |
| 128 | If Network Flows doesn't appear under Live, or the view is empty: |
| 129 | |
| 130 | - Check that the plugin process is running: `pgrep -fa netflow-plugin`. |
| 131 | - Check Netdata Cloud SSO: Functions require authenticated access to the agent's space. |
| 132 | - See [Troubleshooting](/docs/network-flows/troubleshooting.md). |
| 133 | |
| 134 | ## Configuring flow sources |
| 135 | |
| 136 | Installing the plugin enables it. To actually see flow data, you need to configure a router, switch, or software exporter to send NetFlow / IPFIX / sFlow datagrams to this host's UDP port 2055. |
| 137 | |
| 138 | That's the next step: |
| 139 | |
| 140 | - [Quick Start](/docs/network-flows/quick-start.md) — A 15-minute path to your first flow data. |
| 141 | - [Flow Protocols / NetFlow](/src/crates/netflow-plugin/integrations/netflow.md) — Vendor configurations for NetFlow. |
| 142 | - [Flow Protocols / IPFIX](/src/crates/netflow-plugin/integrations/ipfix.md) — Vendor configurations for IPFIX. |
| 143 | - [Flow Protocols / sFlow](/src/crates/netflow-plugin/integrations/sflow.md) — Vendor configurations for sFlow. |
| 144 | |
| 145 | ## Uninstall |
| 146 | |
| 147 | ```bash |
| 148 | # Debian / Ubuntu |
| 149 | sudo apt remove netdata-plugin-netflow |
| 150 | |
| 151 | # RHEL / Fedora / CentOS / Rocky / Alma |
| 152 | sudo dnf remove netdata-plugin-netflow |
| 153 | |
| 154 | # openSUSE |
| 155 | sudo zypper remove netdata-plugin-netflow |
| 156 | ``` |
| 157 | |
| 158 | Remove the configuration if you also want to clean up: |
| 159 | |
| 160 | ```bash |
| 161 | sudo rm /etc/netdata/netflow.yaml /etc/netdata/topology-ip-intel.yaml |
| 162 | ``` |
| 163 | |
| 164 | The flow journals at `/var/cache/netdata/flows/` and `/var/cache/netdata/topology-ip-intel/` are not removed by the package manager. Delete them manually if you want to reclaim the disk: |
| 165 | |
| 166 | ```bash |
| 167 | sudo rm -rf /var/cache/netdata/flows /var/cache/netdata/topology-ip-intel |
| 168 | ``` |
| 169 | |
| 170 | (Warning: this deletes all your historical flow data.) |
| 171 | |
| 172 | ## What's next |
| 173 | |
| 174 | - [Quick Start](/docs/network-flows/quick-start.md) — Configure your first source and see traffic in the dashboard. |
| 175 | - [Configuration](/docs/network-flows/configuration.md) — Tune the listener, retention, and enrichment. |
| 176 | - [Troubleshooting](/docs/network-flows/troubleshooting.md) — When something doesn't work. |