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How to Monitor a Linux VPS with Sysdig

A practical guide to enrolling a Linux VPS in Sysdig Monitor, choosing eBPF or the kernel-module driver, opening port 6443, and fixing common setup failures.
Length12 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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The most direct way to monitor a Linux VPS with Sysdig is to enroll the host through Sysdig Monitor’s agent wizard. Sign in as an administrator, open Integrations > Sysdig Agent > Linux, enter host tags, copy the generated installation snippet, and run it on the VPS. Before running anything, confirm that the server has a supported Linux distribution, kernel 3.10 or later, a Sysdig agent access key, and outbound TCP port 6443 open to the regional collector.

You can also install the agent through Debian or Ubuntu packages when you need more control over repositories, kernel headers, and driver settings. The universal eBPF driver is recommended on kernels 5.8 and newer; older kernels generally use the kernel-module driver. Sysdig’s console and documentation may use the names classic agent and Host Shield, so labels can differ slightly from the path shown here.

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What Sysdig monitoring adds to a Linux VPS

A VPS is normally a remote Linux server with no local operator watching its processes, network activity, or system state. Sysdig monitoring adds an agent to that host so the server can report into your Sysdig account. The agent is the component you install; the web console is where you create the account entry, generate the installer, and later identify the enrolled host.

For a single VPS, the important decision is not which dashboard to open first. It is how to enroll the machine reliably: use the quick-start wizard for the shortest path, or use a package-based installation when you need to control the repository, kernel headers, and driver configuration yourself. Both approaches still depend on the same basic access, operating-system, kernel, and network prerequisites.

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Check these prerequisites before installation

Sysdig access and an agent key

You need a Sysdig account with administrator rights to create an agent integration and an agent access key for the installation. The key is sensitive: treat it like a credential, keep it out of shell history and tickets where possible, and regenerate it through your organization’s normal procedure if it is exposed.

A supported Linux distribution

The documented examples include Debian 10 and newer, Ubuntu 18 and newer, CentOS 7 and newer, and RHEL 7 and newer. Other distributions may also be supported, but the exact list can change. Confirm your VPS distribution against the current Sysdig agent documentation before selecting a package or running the wizard’s script.

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Kernel 3.10 or later

The minimum kernel version stated for the Linux agent is 3.10. Check the running kernel, not only the distribution release, because VPS images can use a provider-supplied kernel that differs from the version normally associated with the operating system. On a shell, uname -r displays the running version. A kernel that meets the minimum does not automatically mean every driver is available; driver selection is covered below.

Outbound TCP port 6443

The VPS must be able to make outbound connections on TCP port 6443 to the regional Sysdig collector. Check both layers of filtering: the firewall configured inside the VPS and any provider-level firewall or security-group policy. An allow rule in only one layer is not enough if the other layer blocks the connection.

Choose an installation path

Use the quick-start path unless you have a reason to manage the agent as a package. The package route has more preparation but exposes repository and driver settings. A standalone binary, container, or Kubernetes DaemonSet is a separate deployment style associated with Host Shield and should be chosen only when that form matches how the host is managed.

Path Effort Customisation available during setup Kernel consideration
Quick Start wizard Fastest Choose Linux, enter tags, and run the generated snippet Still requires a supported Linux kernel and a compatible driver
Debian or Ubuntu package installation More preparation Kernel headers, trusted GPG key, apt repository, agent package, and driver setting in /etc/default/dragent Lets you select the eBPF or kernel-module driver explicitly
Standalone binary, container, or Kubernetes DaemonSet for Host Shield Depends on the deployment form Configuration is handled by the binary, container, or DaemonSet definition Verify the current Host Shield and driver requirements for that form

Install with the Sysdig Quick Start wizard

This is the shortest route for a conventional Linux VPS. The wizard creates an account entry and supplies a command or script containing the enrollment details needed by the agent.

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  1. Sign in as an administrator. Open Sysdig Monitor with an account that can manage integrations.
  2. Open the integration page. Go to Integrations > Sysdig Agent. If your console uses a slightly different label, look for the Linux agent integration; the documentation may call the component the classic agent.
  3. Select Linux. Choose the Linux host option rather than a container-only or Kubernetes-specific option.
  4. Enter tags. Add the tags you want attached to the VPS, using the documented key:value pattern. Examples include role:webserver and location:europe. Confirm the accepted syntax in the live console because the tag-format detail can change.
  5. Copy the generated snippet. Use the complete snippet produced for your account and region. Do not substitute a command copied from another host or an old guide, because the access key and collector details are account-specific.
  6. Run it on the VPS. Connect to the server through your normal administrative shell, review the generated content, and execute it with the privileges requested by the installer. Keep the terminal output until the host appears in Sysdig Monitor.

The wizard is convenient because it supplies the integration-specific values. It does not remove the need to check the operating system, kernel, and outbound network path first. If the script stops with a driver or connectivity error, use the troubleshooting branches later in this guide instead of repeatedly rerunning it unchanged.

Install through Debian or Ubuntu packages

Choose the package route when the VPS is managed through an operating-system package process, when you need repeatable configuration, or when you must select the driver in a file rather than accept the wizard’s defaults. The sequence below describes the required stages without replacing the current repository URLs or package names; those values should come from the live Sysdig instructions for your account and distribution.

  1. Confirm the distribution and release. The documented examples include Debian 10 or newer and Ubuntu 18 or newer. Verify that your exact release is supported before adding a repository.
  2. Install matching kernel headers. The agent’s kernel integration needs headers corresponding to the running kernel. If the VPS provider supplies a custom kernel, make sure matching headers are available; otherwise the driver build or load can fail even when the distribution itself is supported.
  3. Trust Sysdig’s signing key. Add the GPG key using the current official procedure. Do not copy a key or repository definition from an old third-party tutorial.
  4. Add the Sysdig apt repository. Use the repository definition for the correct distribution and release. A repository for a different release can install incompatible dependencies or leave the agent unavailable.
  5. Install the agent package. Install the package named in the current Sysdig documentation, then inspect the installed configuration before starting the service.
  6. Set the driver in /etc/default/dragent. Select the universal eBPF driver for a Linux kernel 5.8 or newer when the current support matrix permits it. Select the kernel-module driver for older kernels. Preserve the syntax supplied by Sysdig’s package documentation.
  7. Start and enable the agent using the service method documented for your package. Keep the service output available for the first verification pass. If the package reports a missing header, unsupported kernel, or driver-load error, correct that prerequisite before changing unrelated settings.

The package method is more controllable than the wizard, but it also creates more places for a mismatch: release codename, signing key, repository, headers, package version, and driver. Record each choice so another administrator can reproduce the installation on a replacement VPS.

Select the correct Linux driver

Universal eBPF on kernel 5.8 and newer

Sysdig recommends the universal eBPF driver for Linux kernel 5.8 and above. eBPF support is therefore the preferred starting point on a modern VPS, provided the current Sysdig compatibility information accepts the exact kernel build and provider image.

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Kernel module on older kernels

For older supported kernels, use the kernel-module driver. The minimum agent requirement is kernel 3.10, so a server can meet the minimum while still needing the module rather than eBPF. Do not infer that a 3.10 kernel supports the eBPF path simply because the agent itself supports that kernel version.

Where the package installation records the choice

On the package-based route, the driver is set in /etc/default/dragent. Change only the driver setting required by the current Sysdig instructions, then restart the agent using the service procedure for the installed package. If the wizard selected a driver automatically, inspect the resulting configuration before overriding it.

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Use tags to identify the VPS

Tags become the human-readable identity attached to the host. A practical scheme describes both the function and the location, such as role:webserver and location:europe. Add tags before running the generated snippet so the host enters the account with the intended classification.

Keep keys stable across machines. For example, use the same role key for every web server and the same location key for every regional grouping, rather than inventing a new spelling for each VPS. Avoid placing secrets, private tokens, or customer data in tags; they are identification labels, not a secure storage mechanism.

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The key:value pattern is shown in the agent setup material, but its exact validation rules should be checked in the current console. If a tag is rejected, remove punctuation that the form does not accept and confirm whether the interface expects one tag per field or a comma-separated list.

Open and verify the network path

The agent needs outbound TCP 6443 to the regional collector. This is an egress requirement, not an instruction to expose an inbound monitoring port on the VPS. Leave inbound access closed unless another service genuinely needs it.

  1. Check the VPS firewall. Review the host firewall’s outbound policy and allow TCP 6443 to the collector destination used by your Sysdig region.
  2. Check the provider firewall. Review the cloud or hosting control panel for an egress restriction that could override the host rule.
  3. Check DNS and routing. The server must resolve and route to the regional collector named by the generated setup. A successful login to the VPS does not prove that collector traffic can leave it.
  4. Run the installer again only after the path is open. Preserve the original error so you can tell whether the failure changed from a network timeout to an authentication or driver problem.

A third-party GitHub repository named Creased/sysdig-agent references TCP port 6666 and older distribution versions. Those details should not override the official setup path described by the current Sysdig account and documentation. For this installation, use the documented collector port 6443.

Confirm that the VPS enrolled successfully

After the installer completes, return to the Sysdig Monitor integration or host view and look for the VPS using the tags you entered. The exact navigation and status wording can change, and the documentation’s “classic” agent and “Host Shield” names may not match every console label.

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  • Confirm that the host appears under the expected Linux agent integration.
  • Check that the displayed tags match the key:value values entered during setup.
  • Compare the host’s kernel version with the driver you selected.
  • Review the installer or service output for an access-key, repository, header, or connection error.
  • Allow for the agent’s initial enrollment interval before deciding that the host is missing, but do not treat a prolonged absence as normal.

If the host appears without the expected tags, correct the tag configuration through the supported agent configuration method rather than creating a second host entry. Duplicate installations can make it difficult to identify which process is sending data.

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Troubleshoot the common failure branches

The installer cannot reach Sysdig

Start with outbound TCP 6443. Check both the VPS firewall and the provider firewall, then verify that the generated setup points to the correct regional collector. If the network path is open but the error remains, check the access key and account region before changing the driver.

The distribution is rejected

Compare the exact release with the current supported list. Debian 10+, Ubuntu 18+, CentOS 7+, and RHEL 7+ are documented examples, but a derivative distribution or an end-of-life release may not be accepted. Do not force a package intended for another release; use a supported image or the deployment form documented for your environment.

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The kernel is too old

A kernel below 3.10 does not meet the stated minimum. Upgrade the VPS kernel if your provider and workload permit it, or move the agent to a supported host image. If the kernel is 3.10 or newer but below 5.8, use the kernel-module driver rather than trying to force universal eBPF.

The eBPF driver fails on a modern kernel

Kernel version alone is not a complete compatibility test. Confirm that the running kernel is actually 5.8 or newer, that required headers or provider capabilities are present, and that the current Sysdig support matrix covers the build. If eBPF remains incompatible, use the supported kernel-module option or choose a supported kernel image.

The package cannot build or load its driver

Missing or mismatched kernel headers are a common first check on the package path. Verify that the headers correspond to the output of uname -r, then inspect the package and service output for the precise failure. Reinstalling the same package without correcting the header or kernel mismatch will not solve the underlying problem.

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The host is connected but hard to find

Search by the tags entered in the wizard and verify spelling, capitalization, and separators. A tag such as role:webserver is not necessarily equivalent to a differently capitalized or punctuated variant. If the console’s labels differ from the documentation, use the Linux agent integration associated with the account rather than assuming the host failed to enroll.

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You copied an old command

Discard snippets from old blog posts or repositories and generate a fresh one from Integrations > Sysdig Agent. Collector ports, supported releases, package names, and console labels can change. The generated snippet is tied to the account and region that will receive the VPS data.

Operate the installation safely after enrollment

Protect the access key

Limit who can view the key, avoid pasting it into public issue trackers, and remove temporary copies from shared terminals. If the key is exposed, follow your organization’s rotation process and enroll the agent with the replacement credential.

Keep the driver decision documented

Record the kernel version, selected driver, distribution release, and installation path for each VPS. This short record prevents a future administrator from switching a working kernel-module setup to eBPF without checking compatibility.

Review changes before upgrades

Kernel upgrades can change the driver requirement even when the distribution release stays the same. Before rebooting a production VPS, verify that the new kernel has matching headers and that the selected driver remains supported. After the reboot, confirm that the host still appears in Sysdig Monitor.

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Use one supported deployment model per host

Do not install the package agent and a separate containerized or standalone agent on the same VPS unless Sysdig explicitly documents that combination. Multiple collectors can produce duplicate host identities and make troubleshooting ambiguous.

A repeatable checklist for a new VPS

  1. Confirm administrator access to Sysdig Monitor and obtain an agent access key.
  2. Identify the VPS distribution and running kernel with the host’s normal administrative tools.
  3. Verify that the distribution is supported and the kernel is 3.10 or newer.
  4. Open outbound TCP 6443 through both the VPS firewall and the provider firewall.
  5. Choose the Quick Start wizard, package installation, or the documented Host Shield deployment form.
  6. For a quick start, use Integrations > Sysdig Agent > Linux, enter key:value tags, and run the generated snippet.
  7. For packages, install matching kernel headers, trust Sysdig’s GPG key, add the correct apt repository, install the agent package, and set the driver in /etc/default/dragent.
  8. Use universal eBPF on kernel 5.8 or newer when supported; use the kernel-module driver on older kernels.
  9. Confirm the host and tags in Sysdig Monitor, then retain the installation output and configuration record.

When to choose each approach

Choose the wizard when one administrator needs to enroll a conventional VPS quickly and the generated setup matches the host. Choose packages when configuration management, repository trust, kernel headers, and explicit driver selection are part of your operating process. Choose a standalone binary, container, or Kubernetes DaemonSet only when you are deliberately deploying Host Shield in that form and have checked its current requirements.

The essential outcome is a supported Linux agent with a compatible driver and a working outbound path to the regional collector. Once those three pieces are correct, tags and console labels determine how easily your team can identify the VPS later.

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