Configure Exporter Targets

Overview

lmc_exporter exposes LMC shared-memory managed object data as Prometheus-compatible metrics. Target configuration controls which LMC root the exporter discovers, subscribes to, and renders during a scrape.

This article explains how to configure:

• single-target scraping
• preloaded multi-target scraping
• HTTP query routing with server_key, app, and instance

Use TOML configuration with --config for most deployments. A legacy flat target file is also supported for minimal multi-target setups.

Prerequisites

Before configuring targets, ensure that:

• lmc_exporter has been built successfully.
• The target LMC shared-memory roots are visible from the host running the exporter.
• You know the shared-memory server_key values for the targets you want to scrape.
• You know the application metric mapping to use, such as ads, adh, or ats.
• A valid license_file is configured for normal startup.
• HTTP scraping is enabled if Prometheus or curl will scrape the exporter.

A minimal HTTP-enabled configuration requires:

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_bind_address = "0.0.0.0"
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

How It Works

At startup, lmc_exporter creates a shared-memory server pool, discovers visible root handles, selects a matching root, subscribes to the target subtree, and renders metrics after the tracked objects and variables are ready.

The selected target is determined from:

When instance is omitted, the exporter resolves the selected root instance from the configured server_key at runtime.

Configuration Modes

context_id = "shmApp"
pool_name = "pool"

app = "ads"
server_keys = ["82"]

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_bind_address = "0.0.0.0"
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

lmc_exporter --config ./lmcExporterConfig.toml

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"

context_id = "shmApp"
pool_name = "pool"

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_bind_address = "0.0.0.0"
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "82"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "456"

[[targets]]
app = "adh"
server_key = "999"

lmc_exporter --config ./lmcExporterConfig.toml

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"

target app=ads server_key=82
target app=ads server_key=456

lmc_exporter --targets-config ./targets.conf --enable-metrics-http --metrics-port 9464

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"

Single-Target Scraping

Single-target mode uses the top-level target values in the TOML file.

Use this mode when:

• one exporter process maps to one primary application target
• the target can be selected from server_keys
• you do not need preloaded [[targets]] entries

Minimal Single-Target Configuration

context_id = "shmApp"
pool_name = "pool"

app = "ads"
server_keys = ["82"]

metrics_interval_seconds = 10
metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_bind_address = "0.0.0.0"
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

Add an Instance Hint

Use instance when multiple roots may be visible and you want to guide root selection.

app = "ads"
instance = "1"
server_keys = ["82"]

You can also use the full resolved root id:

app = "ads"
instance = "phoads01.1.ads"
server_keys = ["82"]

Limit the Target Scope

Use classes, seed_path_groups, or seed_paths to reduce the subscribed subtree and rendered metrics.

app = "ads"
server_keys = ["82"]

classes = ["ManagedProcess.SinkDist", "WSOCKServer"]
seed_path_groups = ["core", "sink_ripc"]
seed_paths = ["serviceGenerator.srcPrdServicePool"]

For ADS, the core group includes root-scoped variables.

Run Single-Target Mode from CLI

You can also configure a single target with CLI flags:

lmc_exporter --app ads --server-key 82 --enable-metrics-http --metrics-port 9464

With an instance hint:

lmc_exporter --app ads --instance phoads01.1.ads --server-key 82 --enable-metrics-http --metrics-port 9464

Multi-Target Scraping

Preloaded multi-target mode uses repeated [[targets]] tables. Each table defines one scrape target.

Each [[targets]] table supports:

Multi-Target TOML Example

context_id = "shmApp"
pool_name = "pool"

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_bind_address = "0.0.0.0"
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
instance = "1"
server_key = "82"
classes = ["ManagedProcess.SinkDist", "ConsumerDataStream"]
seed_path_groups = ["core", "users"]

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
instance = "1"
server_key = "456"
classes = ["SSLDispatcher", "ManagedSSLChannel"]
seed_paths = ["sourceApplicationPool"]

[[targets]]
app = "adh"
server_key = "999"
seed_path_groups = [
  "consumer_mqos_service_service",
  "mqos_service_attributes",
  "mqos_service_datastreams"
]

Query Routing

When multiple targets are configured, the HTTP endpoint uses query parameters to select which target to render.

The default metrics path is /metrics.

Route by server_key

Use server_key when you know the shared-memory server key for the target.

/metrics?server_key=82

Example:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"

This is the clearest routing method for multi-target deployments.

Route by app and instance

Use app and instance when you want to route by the resolved root identity after discovery.

/metrics?app=ads&instance=phoads01.1.ads

Example:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?app=ads&instance=phoads01.1.ads"

Disambiguate duplicate app and instance targets

If more than one target shares the same app and instance, add server_key.

/metrics?app=ads&instance=phoads01.1.ads&server_key=82

Example:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?app=ads&instance=phoads01.1.ads&server_key=82"

Metric Scopes with Target Routing

Metric scopes expose named subsets of the rendered Prometheus output. They are configured with repeated [[metric_scopes]] tables.

[[metric_scopes]]
name = "client_threads"
metrics = [
  "ads_client_session_thread_*"
]

[[metric_scopes]]
name = "process_health"
metrics = [
  "ads_managed_process_sink_dist_state",
  "ads_managed_process_sink_dist_process_id",
  "ads_shmem_mo_server_stats_num_clients"
]

A scope can be selected as a path segment:

/metrics/client_threads?server_key=82

Or as a query parameter:

/metrics?scope=client_threads&server_key=82

When multiple targets are configured, target routing is still required with scoped endpoints.

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics/process_health?server_key=82"

If a scoped endpoint is requested without enough target routing information in multi-target mode, the request fails with:

scope selected, but target routing still required when multiple targets are configured.

CLI Override Behavior

TOML values are loaded first. CLI flags override TOML values afterwards.

Common overrides include:

Examples

Single ADS Target

context_id = "shmApp"
pool_name = "pool"

app = "ads"
server_keys = ["82"]

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

Run:

lmc_exporter --config ./lmcExporterConfig.toml

Scrape:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"

Multiple ADS Targets

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "82"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "456"

Scrape each target separately:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"
curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=456"

Multiple Applications

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "82"

[[targets]]
app = "adh"
server_key = "999"

Scrape by server_key:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"
curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=999"

Scoped Multi-Target Scrape

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

[[metric_scopes]]
name = "process_health"
metrics = [
  "ads_managed_process_sink_dist_state",
  "ads_managed_process_sink_dist_process_id",
  "ads_shmem_mo_server_stats_num_clients"
]

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "82"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "456"

Scrape the scoped output for one target:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics/process_health?server_key=82"

Equivalent query-parameter form:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?scope=process_health&server_key=82"