Installing the Gremlin Agent

In order to use Gremlin on your systems, you'll need to install the Gremlin Agent. The Gremlin Agent is an executable that you install onto the resources you wish to run tests on (i.e. hosts, containers, and Kubernetes clusters). The Gremlin Agent authenticates with Gremlin's backend servers (also called the Gremlin Control Plane), which then allows you to use the Gremlin web app, REST API, or CLI to view your systems and run tests.

Environment-specific instructions

Visit the page specific to the environment(s) you are working with for detailed instructions:

• Kubernetes
  • Helm (recommended for Kubernetes)
  • Manually via YAML files
  • OpenShift
• Virtual machines / bare metal
  • Linux
  • Windows
• Container runtimes
  • Docker standalone

Additional considerations

Installing Gremlin on an AWS VPC (configuring scurity groups and network ACLs)

Installing Gremlin to AWS (and similar firewalled systems) requires additional steps to allow network traffic to and from the Gremlin API. For details, see Installing Gremlin on AWS.

Note that these instructions only cover the Gremlin API. Webhooks and Health Checks use a different set of IP addresses, which you can find on their respective links.

Installing Gremlin alongside service meshes (e.g. Istio)

The Gremlin Agent can be safely installed alongside service meshes such as Istio. Gremlin orchestrates network tests without modifying your service mesh's rules or configuration through the use of sidecar containers. This diagram shows how Gremlin applies traffic filtering without modifying Istio:

Installing Gremlin behind a firewall

When using features like Health Checks and Webhooks, Gremlin requires you to specify an external endpoint. Normally, Gremlin expects these endpoints to be accessible over the public Internet, but there may be cases where you have an endpoint behind a firewall. For example, you may have a web application hosted in a private network and want to monitor its status using Health Checks. Gremlin provides a feature called Private Network Integrations, which lets you securely connect Gremlin to these private endpoints without exposing them to the public Internet. Visit the Private Network Integration documentation to learn how to get started.

Gremlin Agent Installation Directory Recommendations

Avoid installing the Agent on a network-based filesystem to prevent latency and connectivity issues. Installing on a locally mounted filesystem improves performance and reliability, and reduces the risk of data loss.

Authenticating Gremlin

Once you've installed the Gremlin Agent, continue to Authentication.