The following options can be defined globally: update_every, autodetection_retry.
Option
Description
Default
Required
update_every
Data collection frequency.
10
no
autodetection_retry
Autodetection retry interval (seconds). Set 0 to disable.
0
no
binary_path
Path to nvidia_smi binary. The default is “nvidia_smi” and the executable is looked for in the directories specified in the PATH environment variable.
nvidia_smi
no
timeout
The maximum duration, in seconds, to wait for an nvidia-smi command to complete. This setting applies differently based on the collector’s mode. Loop Mode: In loop mode, the timeout primarily determines how long to wait for the initial nvidia-smi execution. If the initial query takes longer than the timeout, the collector may report an error. For systems with multiple GPUs, the initial load time can sometimes be significant (e.g., 5-10 seconds). Regular Mode: If the collector is in regular mode, the timeout specifies how long to wait for each individual nvidia-smi execution.
10
no
loop_mode
When enabled, nvidia-smi is executed continuously in a separate thread using the -l option.
yes
no
via UI
Configure the nvidia_smi collector from the Netdata web interface:
Go to Nodes.
Select the node where you want the nvidia_smi data-collection job to run and click the :gear: (Configure this node). That node will run the data collection.
The Collectors → Jobs view opens by default.
In the Search box, type nvidia_smi (or scroll the list) to locate the nvidia_smi collector.
Click the + next to the nvidia_smi collector to add a new job.
Fill in the job fields, then click Test to verify the configuration and Submit to save.
Test runs the job with the provided settings and shows whether data can be collected.
If it fails, an error message appears with details (for example, connection refused, timeout, or command execution errors), so you can adjust and retest.
via File
The configuration file name for this integration is go.d/nvidia_smi.conf.
The file format is YAML. Generally, the structure is:
There are no alerts configured by default for this integration.
Troubleshooting
Debug Mode
Important: Debug mode is not supported for data collection jobs created via the UI using the Dyncfg feature.
To troubleshoot issues with the nvidia_smi collector, run the go.d.plugin with the debug option enabled. The output
should give you clues as to why the collector isn’t working.
Navigate to the plugins.d directory, usually at /usr/libexec/netdata/plugins.d/. If that’s not the case on
your system, open netdata.conf and look for the plugins setting under [directories].
cd /usr/libexec/netdata/plugins.d/
Switch to the netdata user.
sudo -u netdata -s
Run the go.d.plugin to debug the collector:
./go.d.plugin -d -m nvidia_smi
To debug a specific job:
./go.d.plugin -d -m nvidia_smi -j jobName
Getting Logs
If you’re encountering problems with the nvidia_smi collector, follow these steps to retrieve logs and identify potential issues:
Run the command specific to your system (systemd, non-systemd, or Docker container).
Examine the output for any warnings or error messages that might indicate issues. These messages should provide clues about the root cause of the problem.
System with systemd
Use the following command to view logs generated since the last Netdata service restart:
journalctl _SYSTEMD_INVOCATION_ID="$(systemctl show --value --property=InvocationID netdata)" --namespace=netdata --grep nvidia_smi
System without systemd
Locate the collector log file, typically at /var/log/netdata/collector.log, and use grep to filter for collector’s name:
grep nvidia_smi /var/log/netdata/collector.log
Note: This method shows logs from all restarts. Focus on the latest entries for troubleshooting current issues.
Docker Container
If your Netdata runs in a Docker container named “netdata” (replace if different), use this command:
docker logs netdata 2>&1 | grep nvidia_smi
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