NATS

Publish observability data to subjects on the NATS messaging system

status: beta delivery: best effort acknowledgements: yes egress: stream state: stateless
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Configuration

Example configurations 

{
  "sinks": {
    "my_sink_id": {
      "type": "nats",
      "inputs": [
        "my-source-or-transform-id"
      ],
      "url": "nats://demo.nats.io",
      "subject": "{{ host }}",
      "acknowledgements": null,
      "encoding": {
        "codec": "json"
      },
      "healthcheck": null
    }
  }
}
[sinks.my_sink_id]
type = "nats"
inputs = [ "my-source-or-transform-id" ]
url = "nats://demo.nats.io"
subject = "{{ host }}"

  [sinks.my_sink_id.encoding]
  codec = "json"

---
sinks:
  my_sink_id:
    type: nats
    inputs:
      - my-source-or-transform-id
    url: nats://demo.nats.io
    subject: "{{ host }}"
    acknowledgements: null
    encoding:
      codec: json
    healthcheck: null

{
  "sinks": {
    "my_sink_id": {
      "type": "nats",
      "inputs": [
        "my-source-or-transform-id"
      ],
      "url": "nats://demo.nats.io",
      "subject": "{{ host }}",
      "connection_name": "vector",
      "buffer": null,
      "acknowledgements": null,
      "encoding": {
        "codec": "json"
      },
      "healthcheck": null,
      "tls": null,
      "auth": null
    }
  }
}
[sinks.my_sink_id]
type = "nats"
inputs = [ "my-source-or-transform-id" ]
url = "nats://demo.nats.io"
subject = "{{ host }}"
connection_name = "vector"

  [sinks.my_sink_id.encoding]
  codec = "json"

---
sinks:
  my_sink_id:
    type: nats
    inputs:
      - my-source-or-transform-id
    url: nats://demo.nats.io
    subject: "{{ host }}"
    connection_name: vector
    buffer: null
    acknowledgements: null
    encoding:
      codec: json
    healthcheck: null
    tls: null
    auth: null

acknowledgements

common optional object
Controls how acknowledgements are handled by this sink. When enabled, all connected sources that support end-to-end acknowledgements will wait for the destination of this sink to acknowledge receipt of events before providing acknowledgement to the sending source. These settings override the global acknowledgement settings.

acknowledgements.enabled

common optional bool
Controls if all connected sources will wait for this sink to deliver the events before acknowledging receipt.
default: false

auth

optional object
Configuration for how Vector should authenticate to NATS.

auth.credentials_file

optional object
Credentials file auth options. Required if auth.strategy=credentials_file.
auth.credentials_file.path
optional string literal
Path to credentials file
Examples 
"/etc/nats/nats.creds"

auth.nkey

optional object
NKey auth options. Required if auth.strategy=nkey.
auth.nkey.nkey
optional string literal
User string representing nkey public key
Examples 
"UDXU4RCSJNZOIQHZNWXHXORDPRTGNJAHAHFRGZNEEJCPQTT2M7NLCNF4"
auth.nkey.seed
optional string literal
Seed string representing nkey private key
Examples 
"SUACSSL3UAHUDXKFSNVUZRF5UHPMWZ6BFDTJ7M6USDXIEDNPPQYYYCU3VY"

auth.strategy

optional string literal enum
The strategy used to authenticate with the NATS server. See https://docs.nats.io/running-a-nats-service/configuration/securing_nats/auth_intro. For TLS Client Certiificate Auth, use the TLS configuration.
Enum options
OptionDescription
credentials_fileCredentials file authentication: https://docs.nats.io/running-a-nats-service/configuration/securing_nats/auth_intro/jwt
nkeyNkey authentication: https://docs.nats.io/running-a-nats-service/configuration/securing_nats/auth_intro/nkey_auth
tokenToken authentication: https://docs.nats.io/running-a-nats-service/configuration/securing_nats/auth_intro/tokens
user_passwordUsername and password authentication: https://docs.nats.io/running-a-nats-service/configuration/securing_nats/auth_intro/username_password
default: user_password

auth.token

optional object
Token auth options. Required if auth.strategy=token.
auth.token.value
optional string literal
token
Examples 
"secret-token"

auth.user_password

optional object
User password auth options. Required if auth.strategy=user_password.
auth.user_password.password
optional string literal
password
Examples 
"nats-password"
auth.user_password.username
optional string literal
username
Examples 
"nats-user"

buffer

optional object

Configures the sink specific buffer behavior.

More information about the individual buffer types, and buffer behavior, can be found in the Buffering Model section.

buffer.max_events

common optional uint
The maximum number of events allowed in the buffer.
Relevant when: type = "memory"
default: 500 (events)

buffer.max_size

required uint
The maximum size of the buffer on the disk. Must be at least ~256 megabytes (268435488 bytes).
Relevant when: type = "disk"
Examples 
268435488

buffer.type

common optional string literal enum
The type of buffer to use.
Enum options
OptionDescription
disk

Events are buffered on disk.

This is less performant, but more durable. Data that has been synchronized to disk will not be lost if Vector is restarted forcefully or crashes.

Data is synchronized to disk every 500ms.

memory

Events are buffered in memory.

This is more performant, but less durable. Data will be lost if Vector is restarted forcefully or crashes.

default: memory

buffer.when_full

optional string literal enum
The behavior when the buffer becomes full.
Enum options
OptionDescription
block

Waits for capacity in the buffer.

This will cause backpressure to propagate to upstream components, which can cause data to pile up on the edge.

drop_newest

Drops the event without waiting for capacity in the buffer.

The data is lost. This should only be used when performance is the highest priority.

default: block

connection_name

optional string literal
A name assigned to the NATS connection.
Examples 
"foo"
"API Name Option Example"
default: vector

encoding

required object
Configures the encoding specific sink behavior.

encoding.codec

required string literal enum
The encoding codec used to serialize the events before outputting.
Enum options
OptionDescription
jsonJSON encoded event.
textThe message field from the event.
Examples 
"json"
"text"

encoding.except_fields

optional [string]
Prevent the sink from encoding the specified fields.

encoding.only_fields

optional [string]
Makes the sink encode only the specified fields.

encoding.timestamp_format

optional string literal enum
How to format event timestamps.
Enum options
OptionDescription
rfc3339Formats as a RFC3339 string
unixFormats as a unix timestamp
default: rfc3339

healthcheck

common optional object
Health check options for the sink.

healthcheck.enabled

common optional bool
Enables/disables the healthcheck upon Vector boot.
default: true

inputs

required [string]

A list of upstream source or transform IDs. Wildcards (*) are supported.

See configuration for more info.

Array string literal
Examples 
[
  "my-source-or-transform-id",
  "prefix-*"
]

subject

required string template
The NATS subject to publish messages to.
Note: This parameter supports Vector's template syntax, which enables you to use dynamic per-event values.
Examples 
"{{ host }}"
"foo"
"time.us.east"
"time.*.east"
"time.\u003e"
"\u003e"

tls

optional object
Configures the TLS options for outgoing connections.

tls.alpn_protocols

optional [string]
Sets the list of supported ALPN protocols, which are used during negotiation with peer. Prioritized in the order they are defined.

tls.ca_file

optional string literal
Absolute path to an additional CA certificate file, in DER or PEM format (X.509), or an inline CA certificate in PEM format.
Examples 
"/path/to/certificate_authority.crt"

tls.crt_file

common optional string literal
Absolute path to a certificate file used to identify this connection, in DER or PEM format (X.509) or PKCS#12, or an inline certificate in PEM format. If this is set and is not a PKCS#12 archive, key_file must also be set.
Examples 
"/path/to/host_certificate.crt"

tls.key_file

common optional string literal
Absolute path to a private key file used to identify this connection, in DER or PEM format (PKCS#8), or an inline private key in PEM format. If this is set, crt_file must also be set.
Examples 
"/path/to/host_certificate.key"

tls.key_pass

optional string literal
Pass phrase used to unlock the encrypted key file. This has no effect unless key_file is set.
Examples 
"${KEY_PASS_ENV_VAR}"
"PassWord1"

tls.verify_certificate

optional bool
If true (the default), Vector will validate the TLS certificate of the remote host. Specifically the issuer is checked but not CRLs (Certificate Revocation Lists).
default: true

tls.verify_hostname

optional bool
If true (the default), Vector will validate the configured remote host name against the remote host’s TLS certificate. Do NOT set this to false unless you understand the risks of not verifying the remote hostname.
default: true

url

required string literal
The NATS URL to connect to. The url must take the form of nats://server:port.
Examples 
"nats://demo.nats.io"
"nats://127.0.0.1:4222"

Telemetry

Metrics

link

buffer_byte_size

gauge
The number of bytes current in the buffer.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.

buffer_discarded_events_total

counter
The number of events dropped by this non-blocking buffer.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.

buffer_events

gauge
The number of events currently in the buffer.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.

buffer_received_event_bytes_total

counter
The number of bytes received by this buffer.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.

buffer_received_events_total

counter
The number of events received by this buffer.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.

buffer_sent_event_bytes_total

counter
The number of bytes sent by this buffer.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.

buffer_sent_events_total

counter
The number of events sent by this buffer.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.

component_received_event_bytes_total

counter
The number of event bytes accepted by this component either from tagged origins like file and uri, or cumulatively from other origins.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
container_name optional
The name of the container from which the data originated.
file optional
The file from which the data originated.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
mode optional
The connection mode used by the component.
peer_addr optional
The IP from which the data originated.
peer_path optional
The pathname from which the data originated.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.
pod_name optional
The name of the pod from which the data originated.
uri optional
The sanitized URI from which the data originated.

component_received_events_count

histogram

A histogram of the number of events passed in each internal batch in Vector’s internal topology.

Note that this is separate than sink-level batching. It is mostly useful for low level debugging performance issues in Vector due to small internal batches.

component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
container_name optional
The name of the container from which the data originated.
file optional
The file from which the data originated.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
mode optional
The connection mode used by the component.
peer_addr optional
The IP from which the data originated.
peer_path optional
The pathname from which the data originated.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.
pod_name optional
The name of the pod from which the data originated.
uri optional
The sanitized URI from which the data originated.

component_received_events_total

counter
The number of events accepted by this component either from tagged origins like file and uri, or cumulatively from other origins.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
container_name optional
The name of the container from which the data originated.
file optional
The file from which the data originated.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
mode optional
The connection mode used by the component.
peer_addr optional
The IP from which the data originated.
peer_path optional
The pathname from which the data originated.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.
pod_name optional
The name of the pod from which the data originated.
uri optional
The sanitized URI from which the data originated.

events_discarded_total

counter
The total number of events discarded by this component.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.
reason
The type of the error

events_in_total

counter
The number of events accepted by this component either from tagged origins like file and uri, or cumulatively from other origins. This metric is deprecated and will be removed in a future version. Use component_received_events_total instead.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
container_name optional
The name of the container from which the data originated.
file optional
The file from which the data originated.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
mode optional
The connection mode used by the component.
peer_addr optional
The IP from which the data originated.
peer_path optional
The pathname from which the data originated.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.
pod_name optional
The name of the pod from which the data originated.
uri optional
The sanitized URI from which the data originated.

processed_bytes_total

counter
The number of bytes processed by the component.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
container_name optional
The name of the container from which the bytes originate.
file optional
The file from which the bytes originate.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
mode optional
The connection mode used by the component.
peer_addr optional
The IP from which the bytes originate.
peer_path optional
The pathname from which the bytes originate.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.
pod_name optional
The name of the pod from which the bytes originate.
uri optional
The sanitized URI from which the bytes originate.

processed_events_total

counter
The total number of events processed by this component. This metric is deprecated in place of using component_received_events_total and component_sent_events_total metrics.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.

processing_errors_total

counter
The total number of processing errors encountered by this component. This metric is deprecated in favor of component_errors_total.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
error_type
The type of the error
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.

send_errors_total

counter
The total number of errors sending messages.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.

utilization

gauge
A ratio from 0 to 1 of the load on a component. A value of 0 would indicate a completely idle component that is simply waiting for input. A value of 1 would indicate a that is never idle. This value is updated every 5 seconds.
component_id
The Vector component ID.
component_kind
The Vector component kind.
component_name
Deprecated, use component_id instead. The value is the same as component_id.
component_type
The Vector component type.
host optional
The hostname of the system Vector is running on.
pid optional
The process ID of the Vector instance.

How it works

Health checks

Health checks ensure that the downstream service is accessible and ready to accept data. This check is performed upon sink initialization. If the health check fails an error will be logged and Vector will proceed to start.

Require health checks

If you’d like to exit immediately upon a health check failure, you can pass the --require-healthy flag:

vector --config /etc/vector/vector.toml --require-healthy

Disable health checks

If you’d like to disable health checks for this sink you can set the healthcheck option to false.

nats.rs

The nats source/sink uses nats.rs under the hood.

State

This component is stateless, meaning its behavior is consistent across each input.

Transport Layer Security (TLS)

Vector uses OpenSSL for TLS protocols due to OpenSSL’s maturity. You can enable and adjust TLS behavior using the tls.* options.
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