Cassandra

The Apache Cassandra source collects metrics and logs from Cassandra. Metrics are scraped over JMX using the OpenTelemetry JMX metrics JAR with the cassandra target system. Logs are read from Cassandra's system, debug, and garbage collection log files and parsed into structured records.

Supported Telemetry

Platform	Metrics	Logs	Traces
macOS	✓	✓
Linux	✓	✓
Windows	✓	✓

Prerequisites

Metrics (JMX)

• JMX remote access enabled on the Cassandra node, with a reachable JMX/RMI port (default 7199). By default Cassandra binds JMX to localhost only; enabling remote access requires changing LOCAL_JMX in cassandra-env.sh and is described in the Apache Cassandra monitoring documentation.
• The OpenTelemetry JMX metrics JAR present on the collector host (jar_path, default /opt/opentelemetry-java-contrib-jmx-metrics.jar).
• A Java runtime on the collector host to run the JMX metrics JAR.
• Network reachability from the collector to the Cassandra JMX/RMI port.

Logs

• The Cassandra node writing the log files you want to collect (system, debug, garbage collection).
• The collector running on the same host as Cassandra with read access to the log file paths.

Configuration

General

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
Choose Telemetry Type	Telemetry Selector	No	["Logs", "Metrics"]	Which signals to collect. Valid values: Logs, Metrics.

Logs

Shown when Telemetry Type includes Logs.

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
System Logs	Boolean	No	true	Enable collection of system logs.
System Log Path(s)	Strings	Yes	["/var/log/cassandra/system.log"]	File paths to system logs. Shown when System Logs is enabled.
Debug Logs	Boolean	No	true	Enable collection of debug logs.
Debug Log Path(s)	Strings	Yes	["/var/log/cassandra/debug.log"]	File paths to debug logs. Shown when Debug Logs is enabled.
Garbage Collection Logs	Boolean	No	true	Enable collection of garbage collection logs.
GC Log Path(s)	Strings	Yes	["/var/log/cassandra/gc.log"]	File paths to garbage collection logs. Shown when Garbage Collection Logs is enabled.

Metrics

Shown when Telemetry Type includes Metrics.

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
Address	String	No	localhost	IP address or hostname to scrape for Cassandra metrics.
Port	Integer	No	7199	Port to scrape for Cassandra metrics.

Advanced

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
Timezone	Timezone	No	UTC	The timezone to use when parsing timestamps. Shown when collecting Logs.
Start At	Enum: beginning, end	No	end	Start reading logs from beginning or end. Shown when collecting Logs.
Parse	Boolean	No	true	Parse the log fields into structured data. Shown when collecting Logs.
JMX Metrics Collection Jar Path	String	No	/opt/opentelemetry-java-contrib-jmx-metrics.jar	Full path to the JMX metrics jar. Shown when collecting Metrics.
Collection Interval	Integer	No	60	How often (seconds) to scrape for metrics. Shown when collecting Metrics.

Examples

Collect metrics and logs from a local Cassandra node

Collect JMX metrics from Cassandra on the default port and read the system, debug, and garbage collection logs from their default paths on the same host.

apiVersion: bindplane.observiq.com/v1
kind: Source
metadata:
  name: cassandra
spec:
  type: cassandra
  parameters:
    - name: telemetry_types
      value: ["Logs", "Metrics"]
    - name: address
      value: localhost
    - name: port
      value: 7199
    - name: enable_system_logs
      value: true
    - name: system_log_path
      value:
        - /var/log/cassandra/system.log
    - name: enable_debug_logs
      value: true
    - name: debug_log_path
      value:
        - /var/log/cassandra/debug.log
    - name: enable_gc_logs
      value: true
    - name: gc_log_path
      value:
        - /var/log/cassandra/gc.log

Metrics only from a remote node

Scrape JMX metrics from a remote Cassandra node every 30 seconds and disable log collection.

apiVersion: bindplane.observiq.com/v1
kind: Source
metadata:
  name: cassandra
spec:
  type: cassandra
  parameters:
    - name: telemetry_types
      value: ["Metrics"]
    - name: address
      value: 10.0.0.21
    - name: port
      value: 7199
    - name: collection_interval
      value: 30

Configuration Tips

• Log collection reads files on the local filesystem, so the collector must run on the same host as Cassandra. JMX metrics can be scraped remotely by setting Address and Port to a reachable JMX/RMI endpoint.
• The JMX metrics JAR and a Java runtime must be present on the collector host. If you store the JAR somewhere other than /opt/opentelemetry-java-contrib-jmx-metrics.jar, update the JMX Metrics Collection Jar Path.
• Set Start At to beginning to backfill existing log content on first run; leave it at end to only collect new entries.

Troubleshooting

Connection refused on the JMX port

Symptoms: metrics do not appear and the collector logs a connection error to the JMX/RMI port.

Solutions:

1. Confirm Cassandra has remote JMX enabled (by default it binds to localhost only) and the JMX/RMI port is reachable from the collector.
2. Verify Address and Port match the node's JMX endpoint and that any firewall allows traffic to the port.

Metrics fail to start

Symptoms: the JMX receiver fails to launch or reports a missing JAR.

Solutions:

1. Confirm the JMX metrics JAR exists at the path set in JMX Metrics Collection Jar Path on the collector host.
2. Confirm a Java runtime is installed and on the collector host.

No logs collected

Symptoms: log collection is enabled but no log records arrive.

Solutions:

1. Verify the log file paths exist and that the collector has read access to them.
2. Confirm the collector is running on the same host as Cassandra, since logs are read from the local filesystem.

Standalone Source

apiVersion: bindplane.observiq.com/v1
kind: Source
metadata:
  name: cassandra
spec:
  type: cassandra
  parameters:
    - name: telemetry_types
      value: ["Logs", "Metrics"]
    - name: address
      value: localhost
    - name: port
      value: 7199
    - name: jar_path
      value: /opt/opentelemetry-java-contrib-jmx-metrics.jar
    - name: collection_interval
      value: 60
    - name: enable_system_logs
      value: true
    - name: system_log_path
      value:
        - /var/log/cassandra/system.log
    - name: enable_debug_logs
      value: true
    - name: debug_log_path
      value:
        - /var/log/cassandra/debug.log
    - name: enable_gc_logs
      value: true
    - name: gc_log_path
      value:
        - /var/log/cassandra/gc.log
    - name: timezone
      value: UTC
    - name: start_at
      value: end
    - name: parse
      value: true

Related Resources

• Apache Cassandra monitoring documentation
• OpenTelemetry JMX Receiver