---
title: Install and configure the Prometheus agent on Kubernetes clusters
source: https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/infrastructure/prometheus-integrations/install-configure-prometheus-agent/install-prometheus-agent
---

New Relic's Prometheus agent is a thin wrapper on top of Prometheus server to run it in agent mode. With this integration, you can create a YAML configuration file used by Prometheus that's ready to send metrics to New Relic.

Learn more about the solution from [its repository](https://github.com/newrelic/newrelic-prometheus-configurator).

## Install the Prometheus agent [#install-agent]

You can install the Prometheus agent either as part of the Kubernetes integration or on its own.

### Alongside the Kubernetes integration [#kubernetes-install]

You can install our [Kubernetes integration](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/kubernetes-pixie/kubernetes-integration/get-started/introduction-kubernetes-integration) to get a full observability of your Kubernetes clusters, which includes the Prometheus agent.

1.  Install our Kubernetes integration. See how to install it [here](/install/kubernetes).

    > #### 💡 TIP
    >
    > We also offer manual instructions for [deploying our integration using Helm](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/kubernetes-pixie/kubernetes-integration/installation/install-kubernetes-integration-using-helm).
    >
    > You need to enable the Prometheus agent by setting the `newrelic-prometheus-agent.enabled=true` option.

2.  To ensure the integration has been configured correctly, go to **[one.newrelic.com](https://one.newrelic.com) > All capabilities > Query your data**, and run this NRQL query to see if data has been reported:

    ```sql
    FROM Metric SELECT count(*) WHERE collector.name = 'prometheus-agent' 
    AND cluster_name = 'YOUR_CLUSTER_NAME' SINCE 1 hour ago
    ```

> #### 💡 TIP
>
> If you don't see your data right away, wait for a few seconds. Data may take some time to make it to New Relic.

### Standalone installation [#prometheus-install]

If you don't need the Kubernetes integration, you can install the Prometheus agent on its own.

1.  Install the [Prometheus Agent](https://github.com/newrelic/newrelic-prometheus-configurator#readme) by running:
    ```shell
    helm repo add newrelic-prometheus https://newrelic.github.io/newrelic-prometheus-configurator
    helm upgrade --install newrelic newrelic-prometheus/newrelic-prometheus-agent -f YOUR_CUSTOM_VALUES.yaml
    ```

2.  To ensure the integration has been configured correctly, go to **[one.newrelic.com](https://one.newrelic.com) > All capabilities > Query your data**, and run this NRQL query to see if data has been reported:

    ```sql
    FROM Metric SELECT count(*) WHERE collector.name = 'prometheus-agent' 
    SINCE 1 hour ago
    ```

## Install the Prometheus agent dashboard [#io-dashboard]

Regardless of whether you installed the Kubernetes integration or only the Prometheus agent, we also give you a curated dashboard for self-metrics with performance and health information, and also metrics volume sent.

With this dashboard, you get meaningful insights about your Prometheus metrics and your Prometheus agent, such as:

-   Samples sent by Source
-   Unique metrics by Source
-   Time series by Source
-   Time series by Metric (Cardinality)
-   Memory and CPU consumption
-   Targets Failed to scrape
-   Total Instances by cluster

Install the [dashboard for the Prometheus agent](https://newrelic.com/instant-observability/prometheus-agent) in your New Relic account.

![Quickstart dashboard for the Prometheus agent](https://docs.newrelic.com/images/infrastructure_screenshot-crop_prometheus-io-dashboard.webp "Quickstart dashboard for the Prometheus agent")

Install the quickstart containing the [dashboard for the Prometheus agent](https://newrelic.com/instant-observability/prometheus-agent).