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Overview

Actvt supports connecting to remote servers to monitor their performance in real-time alongside your local macOS system. This section provides complete setup instructions for monitoring remote Linux servers. Remote monitoring in Actvt works by:

  1. Installing Vector on your remote server to collect system metrics
  2. Configuring a WebSocket server to stream data securely on your remote server
  3. Setting up TLS encryption for secure communication
  4. Connecting from Actvt to view remote metrics in your dashboard

Architecture​

    ┌──────────────┐             ┌────────────────────────────────────┐
    │  Actvt       │             │ Remote Server                      │
    │  macOS       │◄────WSS────►│  Ubuntu/Linux   ┌─────────┐       │
    │   App        │             │                 │ Vector  │       │
    │              │             │  Modes:         └─────────┘       │
    └──────────────┘             │  • Standalone: 0.0.0.0:4096 (WSS) │
                                 │  • Proxy: nginx → /actvt (WSS)    │
                                 └────────────────────────────────────┘
        │                        │                        │
        ▼                        ▼                        ▼
    Dashboard              TLS Certificate         System Metrics
    Integration            WebSocket Server        CPU, Memory, GPU
    Real-time Data         Secure Connection       Network Activity

What You'll Monitor​

Once configured, you can monitor these metrics from your remote servers:

CPU Metrics

  • CPU utilization percentage

Memory Metrics

  • RAM usage and availability

GPU Metrics (NVIDIA only)

  • GPU utilization percentage

Installation Options​

The fastest way to set up your remote server is using our automated installation script:

curl -L https://actvt.io/install | bash

This single command will:

  • Detect your Linux distribution automatically
  • Install Vector and all dependencies
  • Configure system metrics collection
  • Set up TLS certificates with Let's Encrypt
  • Configure firewall rules
  • Start and enable the monitoring service

See Installation Modes for detailed explanation of auto-detection and mode selection.

Option 2: Manual Installation​

For advanced users who prefer manual control, follow the step-by-step guides below.

Setup Process​

Setting up remote monitoring manually involves several steps:

1. Prerequisites​

Verify your server meets the requirements and prepare your environment.

2. Vector Installation & Setup​

Install Vector data pipeline software and configure it for system monitoring.

3. TLS Configuration​

Set up SSL certificates for secure WebSocket connections.

4. Firewall Setup​

Configure firewalls based on your provider - see Provider-Specific Guides for detailed firewall instructions. In proxy mode, do not expose port 4096 publicly; nginx proxies WSS at /actvt over 443.

5. Provider-Specific Guides​

Specialized setup instructions for different cloud providers.

6. Troubleshooting​

Solve common issues and verify your setup is working correctly.

Supported Platforms​

Operating Systems​

  • Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Recommended)
  • Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
  • Debian 10/11
  • CentOS 7/8 (Basic support)
  • Amazon Linux 2

Hardware Requirements​

  • CPU: 1+ cores (2+ recommended)
  • RAM: 512MB minimum (1GB+ recommended)
  • Storage: 100MB for Vector installation
  • Network: Public IP or accessible endpoint

Security Considerations​

Transport Security

  • All connections use TLS 1.2+ encryption
  • WebSocket Secure (WSS) protocol
  • Certificate validation required
  • Optional mTLS (mutual TLS) for client certificate authentication

Network Security

  • In proxy mode, only ports 80/443 are exposed; Vector listens on 127.0.0.1
  • In standalone mode, port 4096 is exposed for WSS
  • Firewall rules can restrict source IPs
  • No inbound SSH required for monitoring
  • mTLS provides additional authentication layer

Data Security

  • No sensitive data transmitted
  • Only system performance metrics
  • No file system access or commands

Enhanced Security with mTLS

  • Require client certificates for connections
  • Prevent unauthorized access even with domain knowledge
  • Support for multiple client certificates
  • Certificate revocation capability
  • See mTLS Security Guide for details

Quick Start Checklist​

  • Ubuntu/Debian/CentOS server with public IP and root access
  • DNS A record pointing to server IP
  • Run curl -L https://actvt.io/install | bash
  • Add server in Actvt → Settings → Remote Servers

Vector typically uses less than 0.1% CPU and ~10-20MB RAM.