> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.chronosphere.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Receive and aggregate metrics from StatsD

The Chronosphere Collector supports Graphite metrics and two methods of configuring
Graphite-related ingestion: StatsD or
[Carbon](/ingest/metrics-traces/collector/addl-metrics/carbon). To enable or make
changes to Graphite ingestion, contact [Chronosphere Support](/support).

StatsD sends unaggregated data to the Chronosphere Collector, which aggregates StatsD
metrics at a configurable interval and sends them to Chronosphere Observability Platform.

## Deploy the Chronosphere Collector

StatsD metrics libraries primarily send metrics using the User Datagram Protocol
(UDP), which sends packets with no handshakes, retries, acknowledgments, or other
reliability mechanisms. Using UDP to send data over the network increases the risk
of losing metrics data due to lost packets or other network issues. Keeping communication
on the same Kubernetes node reduces these issues because local UDP communication
is generally more stable.

### Install Collector as a Kubernetes DaemonSet

To install the Chronosphere Collector, follow the steps described in
[Kubernetes Collector installation to retrieve metrics](/ingest/metrics-traces/collector/install/kubernetes).

## Configure Chronosphere Collector for StatsD metrics

Perform the following steps to configure Chronosphere Collector for StatsD metrics.

1. Use the configuration in the
   [annotated manifest](https://storage.googleapis.com/chronosphere-release/latest/kubernetes/chronocollector.yaml)
   from
   [Kubernetes Collector installation to retrieve metrics](/ingest/metrics-traces/collector/install/kubernetes)
   as a starting point.

2. Enable StatsD mode using the `push.statsd.enabled` YAML collection in the Collector
   manifest:

   ```yaml theme={null}
   push:
     statsd:
       enabled: true
   ```

3. Configure additional [StatsD configuration options](#statsd-configuration-options)
   under the `push.statsd` YAML collection as necessary.

## StatsD configuration options

You can configure the following options in the Collector manifest for StatsD,
with the exception of those denoted in the following list as not configurable, which
appear in code configuration output but can't be overridden by changing their values.

* `enabled`: A Boolean option that determines whether to enable StatsD mode under
  the `push.statsd.enabled` YAML collection in the Chronosphere Collector configuration.
  Default: `true`.
* `listenAddress`: The address and port on which the server listens for connections.
  Point StatsD clients sending metrics to this address and port. Default: `0.0.0.0:3031`.
* `listenProtocol`: Defines whether to use `udp` or `tcp` protocols. Default: `udp`.
* `aggregation`: A YAML collection that defines how the Collector aggregates data
  samples.

  When Chronosphere Collector ingests a data sample, it aggregates the data based
  on the metric type and sends a single data point to Observability Platform that
  represents the sample for the defined `interval`. These aggregations reduce network
  egress and processed writes to Observability Platform.

  Chronosphere Collector aggregates data points based on the metric type as follows:

  * `counters` (not configurable): Sums all data point values for a time series
    and sends the `SUM` as a [`DELTA COUNTER`](/control/shaping/shape-metrics/types#delta-counter).
  * `gauges` (not configurable): Selects the `LAST` value for a time series in the
    interval.
  * `timers`: A YAML collection that defines the aggregation type of timers.

    By default, Chronosphere Collector doesn't aggregate timer values.
    Aggregation rules are required to aggregate timers at ingestion.

    * `aggregationType`: Defines how Chronosphere Collector aggregates timers.
      Default: `none`, which supports using Graphite to query metrics.

      Set this value to `histogram` to instead send a
      [`DELTA EXPONENTIAL HISTOGRAM`](/control/shaping/shape-metrics/types#delta-exponential-histograms)
      that can be queried only by using PromQL.
  * `interval`: Defines the amount of time before writing to Observability Platform.
    Use an interval value that aligns with your licensed persisted writes and
    cardinality ratio. A more frequent aggregation interval increases persisted writes.
    Default: `60s`.
  * `inactiveExpireAfter`: Determines the amount of time before Chronosphere Collector
    evicts unused aggregation keys from the local cache. Default: `2m`.

## Example configuration

The following example YAML collection lists all of the configuration options for
receiving StatsD metrics with Chronosphere Collector:

```yaml theme={null}
push:
  statsd:
    enabled: true
    listenAddress: 0.0.0.0:3031
    listenProtocol: udp
    aggregation:
      timers:
        # Valid values are "histogram" and "none"
        aggregationType: none
      interval: 60s
      inactiveExpireAfter: "2m"
```