---
title: Charmhub | Deploy Generic Exporter using Charmhub - The Open Operator Collection
description: Deploy the latest version of Generic Exporter on any cloud.
url: https://charmhub.io/generic-exporter-operator/docs/integrate-with-cos
---

# Generic Exporter

[Iurii Kondrakov](https://charmhub.io/publisher/deezzir "View all packages from Iurii Kondrakov")

* [Iurii Kondrakov](https://charmhub.io/publisher/deezzir "View all packages from Iurii Kondrakov")

Platform:

24.04

22.04

dev/edge 58

```
juju deploy generic-exporter-operator --channel dev/edge
```

[Learn to deploy on juju >](https://juju.is/docs/juju/manage-applications)

---

#### Relevant links

* [Homepage](https://charmhub.io/velero-operator)

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#### Contacts

* [Submit a bug](https://github.com/canonical/generic-exporter-operator/issues)

---

Share your thoughts on this charm with the community on discourse.

[Join the discussion](https://discourse.charmhub.io/)

# Integrate with COS

This guide explains how to integrate the Generic Exporter operator with the [Canonical Observability Stack (COS)](https://charmhub.io/topics/canonical-observability-stack) by using the [Opentelemetry Collector](https://charmhub.io/opentelemetry-collector) machine charm as the telemetry collector.

## [Requirements](https://charmhub.io/generic-exporter-operator/docs/integrate-with-cos#p-40631-requirements)

* A Juju controller managing:
  + A **machine model** where your principal application, the Generic Exporter operator, and the Opentelemetry Collector machine charm will run.
  + A **Kubernetes model** where COS Lite (Prometheus, Loki, Grafana, etc.) is deployed.
* COS Lite up and running according to the COS documentation.
* Your principal application and the Generic Exporter operator are already deployed and related (as in the tutorial).

## [Deploy COS Lite](https://charmhub.io/generic-exporter-operator/docs/integrate-with-cos#p-40631-deploy-cos-lite)

Follow the official COS Lite documentation to deploy COS on a Kubernetes cluster (for example, MicroK8s):

* [Install MicroK8s and deploy COS Lite](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/observability/track-2/tutorial/installation/cos-lite-microk8s-sandbox/)
* Ensure you use the offers overlay to enable cross-model relations, as described in the COS documentation.

This will give you a model (for example, `cos`) containing `prometheus-k8s`, `loki-k8s`, `grafana-k8s`, `alertmanager-k8s`, `catalogue-k8s` and `traefik-k8s`.

## [Deploy Opentelemetry Collector (machine)](https://charmhub.io/generic-exporter-operator/docs/integrate-with-cos#p-40631-deploy-opentelemetry-collector-machine)

In your **machine model**, deploy the Opentelemetry Collector machine charm:

```
juju switch applications
juju deploy opentelemetry-collector --channel=2/stable
```

Relate the Opentelemetry Collector to your principal application (if appropriate) so it can collect host-level metrics and logs. For a simple `ubuntu` principal:

```
juju integrate opentelemetry-collector ubuntu
```

Opentelemetry Collector will run as a subordinate on the same machines as your principal units.

## [Relate Generic Exporter to Opentelemetry Collector](https://charmhub.io/generic-exporter-operator/docs/integrate-with-cos#p-40631-relate-generic-exporter-to-opentelemetry-collector)

The Generic Exporter operator uses the `cos-agent` relation and the `cos_agent` library to forward metrics and alert rules to the Opentelemetry Collector.

Relate the applications:

```
juju integrate generic-exporter-operator opentelemetry-collector
```

This informs Opentelemetry Collector about:

* The scrape job (target address, port, path) for the exporter
* The on-disk directory where alert rule files are written (for example, `/run/node-exporter-0/alerts.yaml`)

The Opentelemetry Collector, in turn, forwards metrics and alerts to COS Lite via `prometheus_remote_write` and `loki_push_api` relations, per the COS integration tutorial.

## [Relate Opentelemetry Collector to COS](https://charmhub.io/generic-exporter-operator/docs/integrate-with-cos#p-40631-relate-opentelemetry-collector-to-cos)

From the **Kubernetes model** running COS Lite, expose Opentelemetry Collector’s remote write and logging interfaces as offers, or follow the standard “instrument machine charms” tutorial to connect Opentelemetry Collector to COS Lite:

For example:

```
# In the COS model
juju switch cos
juju offer prometheus-k8s:receive-remote-write prom-remote-write
juju offer loki-k8s:logging loki-logging

# In the machine model
juju switch applications
juju consume <controller>/cos.prom-remote-write
juju consume <controller>/cos.loki-logging
juju integrate opentelemetry-collector prom-remote-write
juju integrate cpentelemetry-collector loki-logging
```

Refer to the latest COS Lite and Opentelemetry Collector machine documentation for the exact relation names and topology.

## [Verify metrics and alerts in COS](https://charmhub.io/generic-exporter-operator/docs/integrate-with-cos#p-40631-verify-metrics-and-alerts-in-cos)

Once all relations are established:

1. Confirm that all units are `active`:

   ```
   juju status
   ```
2. In the COS Grafana dashboard:
   * Search for a Prometheus job corresponding to the app name you chose (for example, `node-exporter`).
   * Confirm that the alert rules you attached (see next how-to) appear under **Alerting → Rules**, with topology labels derived from the exporter and principal charms.

If metrics or alerts do not appear, check:

* The Generic Exporter unit status (it may be `Blocked` if the metrics endpoint is not reachable).
* Opentelemetry Collector relations to COS Lite (`juju status opentelemetry-collector`).

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