Monitoring remote Linux networks with Remote Network Agents
IPNetwork Monitor now supports Remote Network Agents on Linux. This makes it possible to monitor servers and other network resources inside remote subnets that do not contain Windows-based machines. Linux agent packages are available for Ubuntu and RHEL-compatible distributions, making distributed monitoring easier to deploy in mixed environments.
If you are already using Remote Network Agents on Windows, the Linux build should feel familiar. The Linux agent provides functionality comparable to the Windows version in most scenarios, and the agent GUI is identical to the Windows one. By default, the agent is configured in Active mode, but Passive mode is also available for networks with stricter connectivity rules.
Installation and configuration
Linux agent packages can be installed with standard package tools. For example, Ubuntu uses apt, while RHEL-based systems use dnf. After installation, the agent service starts automatically and is enabled at boot. The service can be managed with standard systemctl commands, and agent logs are written to /var/log/ipnetwork-agent/.
To adjust settings, you can launch the agent GUI from the application menu or from the command line. From there, you can configure Active or Passive mode, communication ports, listening interface, SNMP trap and syslog receiver ports, and the Python interpreter path used by Python Script monitors.
Security and connectivity
The Linux Remote Network Agent automatically generates a self-signed certificate and secret key during installation, allowing it to establish TLS-protected connections. If needed, you can replace these with custom certificates.
In Active mode, the agent connects to the main IPNetwork Monitor service. In Passive mode, the agent listens for incoming connections from the main service instead. This can be useful when a remote network has stricter outbound connection policies.
Monitor support on Linux
Most distributed monitoring workflows are available on Linux, but several monitor types are not currently supported there. These include Resources over Windows/WMI, ODBC Database, MSSQL Database, Oracle Database, Web Transaction Monitor, Hyper-V hypervisor, and Windows Event Log.
If one of these monitor types is assigned to a Linux agent, it remains in the Down state, and the log explicitly indicates that the monitor type is not supported.
Using Linux agents in distributed monitoring
Once a Linux agent is connected and enabled, IPNetwork Monitor can group its hosts and monitors under a dedicated entry in the main view. You can then add monitors manually or use network discovery from the agent management panel, just as you would with other Remote Network Agents.
Conclusion
Linux support for Remote Network Agents makes distributed monitoring more practical in environments where Windows systems are not available at the remote site. If you would like step-by-step setup details, please see our Linux Remote Network Agent guide and the related release notes. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to contact us.