---
title: New Relic Distributions of the OpenTelemetry Collector
source: https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/nrdot/nrdot-collector
---

The New Relic Distribution of OpenTelemetry Collector (NRDOT) is a prebuilt distribution of the OpenTelemetry [Collector](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/collector/) supported by New Relic.
NRDOT is designed to work seamlessly with New Relic products and services, and it is the recommended way to collect, process, and export open telemetry data for use with New Relic.
New Relic provides a single distribution called `nrdot-collector` that is intended to work with numerous configurations, each integrating with New Relic ingest and drive domain-specific use cases.

Furthermore, advanced users can create custom distributions with additional components using [OCB](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/collector/custom-collector/) if the components [bundled in NRDOT](https://github.com/newrelic/nrdot-collector-releases/blob/main/distributions/nrdot-collector/manifest.yaml) do not cover their needs.

> #### 💡 TIP
>
> There are scenarios where you may want to deploy the collector in a less opinionated way, we recommend reading our documentation on [collector processing](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/opentelemetry/get-started/collector-processing/opentelemetry-collector-processing-intro) to understand how to configure the collector for your specific use case.

Before diving into one of our use cases, we recommend familiarizing yourself with the basic concepts of OpenTelemetry Collector to understand how our configurations are structured and how to customize them to your needs.

> #### 💡 TIP
>
> The NRDOT Collector supports [FIPS 140-3](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/fips/140-3/final) compliance. However, please note that this only applies to Docker images with the `-fips` suffix in the version tag (for example, `newrelic/nrdot-collector:1.12.0-fips`). This version uses BoringCrypto ([NIST Certificate](https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/cryptographic-module-validation-program/certificate/4735)) and ensure all TLS communications use approved cipher suites. For more information, refer to [NRDOT FIPS documentation](https://github.com/newrelic/nrdot-collector-releases/blob/main/fips/README.md).

## Deployments [#deployments]

The collector itself is a single binary that can be deployed in a variety of ways. The typical deployment strategies are:

-   As an agent: Deployed on the same host as the application.
-   As a gateway: Deployed as a central point for telemetry collection.

Each NRDOT use case comes with a specific deployment in mind, and while configurations can be customized to fit your needs, we recommend sticking with the recommendations in the respective documentation, unless you have a strong reason to diverge from them.

Additional information on deployment patterns can be found in the [OpenTelemetry Collector documentation](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/collector/deployment/).

## Installation [#installation]

In order to install NRDOT, start by selecting a [use case](https://github.com/newrelic/nrdot-collector-releases/tree/main/distributions/nrdot-collector#use-cases) and follow the corresponding instructions.

## Troubleshooting [#troubleshooting]

For troubleshooting steps, please refer to the troubleshooting section in our repository [nrdot-collector-release](https://github.com/newrelic/nrdot-collector-releases/blob/main/distributions/TROUBLESHOOTING.md).