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PERCONA MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT DOCUMENTATION

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Prerequisites for PMM Server

Before installing PMM Server, ensure your environment meets these requirements.

Quick requirements checklist

✓ Hardware: CPU with SSE4.2 support, 4+ cores, 8+ GB RAM, 100+ GB storage
✓ OS: Modern 64-bit Linux or container platform (Docker/Podman/Kubernetes)
✓ Network: Ports 80/443 accessible to PMM Clients and users
✓ Container runtime: Docker 17.03+ or Podman (for containerized deployments)
✓ Storage: Persistent storage solution for data retention

System requirements

PMM Server requirements scale with the number of monitored nodes:

Hardware specifications by deployment size

  • CPU: 4 cores with SSE4.2 support
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Storage: 100 GB
  • Use cases: Development, small businesses, initial deployments
  • CPU: 8-16 cores with SSE4.2 support
  • Memory: 16-32 GB RAM
  • Storage: 200+ GB
  • Use cases: Production environments, mid-sized companies

w1 - CPU: 16+ cores with SSE4.2 support - Memory: 32+ GB RAM - Storage: 500+ GB - Use cases: Large enterprises, mission-critical database fleets

For detailed sizing calculations, see Hardware and system requirements.

Architecture requirements

  • CPU: Must support SSE4.2 instruction set (required for Query Analytics)
  • x86_64: Native support for optimal performance
  • ARM64: Supported via Docker emulation using --platform linux/amd64

Storage planning

PMM Server stores metrics data, requiring persistent storage:

  • Storage type: Use persistent volumes (Docker volumes, cloud storage or host directories)
  • Capacity planning: nodes × retention_period_in_weeks × 1 GB
  • Quick estimate: number_of_nodes × 4 GB for default 30-day retention
  • Performance: SSD recommended for better I/O performance

Network connectivity

PMM Server requires these network connections:

Connection Port Purpose Required
Users > PMM Server 443 (HTTPS) Web interface access Essential
Users > PMM Server 80 (HTTP) Web interface (insecure) Optional
PMM Clients > PMM Server 443/80 Metrics reporting Essential
PMM Server > Internet 443 Updates, telemetry Optional

For complete port specifications, see Network and firewall requirements.

Deployment-specific prerequisites

Choose your deployment method and ensure it meets these specific requirements:

Version requirements:

  • Docker version 17.03 or higher
  • CPU with x86-64-v2 support

System resources:

  • Recommended: 2+ CPU cores, 4+ GB RAM, 100+ GB disk space

Optional but recommended:

  • Watchtower for UI-based updates
  • Docker Compose for multi-container setups

Security considerations for Watchtower:

  • Limit Watchtower’s access to Docker network or localhost
  • Configure network to ensure only PMM Server is exposed externally
  • Secure Docker socket access for Watchtower
  • Place both Watchtower and PMM Server on the same Docker network

Version requirements:

  • Recent Podman version with systemd support
  • Rootless Podman configuration

System configuration:

  • Allow non-root users to bind to privileged ports (port 443)
  • Podman socket enabled for Watchtower integration
  • systemd user services enabled

Required setup commands:

# Configure privileged port access
echo "net.ipv4.ip_unprivileged_port_start=443" | sudo tee /etc/sysctl.d/99-pmm.conf
sudo sysctl -p /etc/sysctl.d/99-pmm.conf

# Enable Podman socket
systemctl --user enable --now podman.socket

Security advantages:

  • Enhanced security isolation with rootless containers
  • Better systemd integration for service management
  • Fine-grained permission control

Cluster requirements:

  • Kubernetes 1.19+ with supported version
  • kubectl configured to communicate with your cluster

Helm requirements:

  • Helm v3 installed and configured
  • Access to Percona Helm charts repository

Storage requirements:

  • Storage driver with snapshot support (for backups)
  • Dynamic provisioning capability
  • Persistent Volume support

Production considerations:

  • Separate PMM Server from monitored systems
  • High availability configuration for continuous monitoring
  • Workload separation through node configurations and affinity rules

Hypervisor compatibility:

  • VMware ESXi 6.0+, Workstation 12.0+, Fusion 10.0+
  • VirtualBox 6.0+

VM specifications (default):

  • OS: Oracle Linux 9.3
  • CPU: 1 (adjustable after deployment)
  • Memory: 4096 MB (adjustable after deployment)
  • Disk 1: 40 GB (system)
  • Disk 2: 400 GB (data)

Network access:

  • Outbound internet access for updates (optional)
  • Access to monitored database instances
  • Access from client browsers to PMM web interface

Security note:

  • Default users: admin/admin and root/percona
  • Must change default passwords immediately after installation

Security considerations

SSL/TLS certificates

  • Self-signed: PMM Server generates these automatically
  • Custom certificates: Prepare SSL certificates for production deployments
  • Certificate authority: Consider using trusted CA certificates for public access

Access control

  • Admin credentials: Plan initial admin username/password strategy
  • Default passwords: Change immediately (especially for OVA deployment)
  • User management: Consider integration with existing authentication systems
  • Network security: Plan firewall rules and network segmentation

Data protection

  • Backup strategy: Plan for PMM Server data backup and recovery
  • Encryption: Consider encryption for data at rest and in transit
  • Compliance: Ensure deployment meets organizational security requirements

Before you install

Complete these preparation steps:

  1. Choose deployment method based on your environment and requirements
  2. Prepare infrastructure (servers, storage, networking)
  3. Plan capacity using sizing guidelines above
  4. Configure security (certificates, firewall rules, access controls)
  5. Prepare persistent storage for data retention
  6. Install required tools (Docker/Podman/Helm/kubectl as needed)
  7. Document configuration for maintenance and disaster recovery

Next steps

After confirming your environment meets these prerequisites:

  1. Choose your deployment method based on your infrastructure

  2. Install PMM Server using your selected method:

  3. Docker installation

  4. Podman installation
  5. Kubernetes/Helm installation
  6. Virtual Appliance deployment
  7. Configure security settings for production use
  8. Install PMM Clients on systems you want to monitor