When instrumenting an app that runs on a Java application server with a Java agent, you must add the javaagent path to the JVM arguments. The way to do this differs from server to server.

You can add the javaagent argument at the end of the standalone configuration file:

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# Add to standalone.conf
JAVA_OPTS="$JAVA_OPTS -javaagent:/path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar"

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rem Add to standalone.conf.bat
set "JAVA_OPTS=%JAVA_OPTS% -javaagent:<Drive>:\path\to\opentelemetry-javaagent.jar"

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To define the path to the Java agent, use the -javaagent argument:

java -javaagent:/path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar -jar start.jar

If you use the jetty.sh file to start Jetty, add the following line to the \<jetty_home\>/bin/jetty.sh file:

JAVA_OPTIONS="${JAVA_OPTIONS} -javaagent:/path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar"

If you use the start.ini file to define JVM arguments, add the javaagent argument after the --exec option:

#===========================================================
# Sample Jetty start.ini file
#-----------------------------------------------------------
--exec
-javaagent:/path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar

Add the path to the Java agent using the asadmin tool:

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<server_install_dir>/bin/asadmin create-jvm-options "-javaagent\:/path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar"

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<server_install_dir>\bin\asadmin.bat create-jvm-options '-javaagent\:<Drive>\:\\path\\to\\opentelemetry-javaagent.jar'

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You can also add the -javaagent argument from the Admin Console. For example:

1. Open the GlassFish Admin Console at http://localhost:4848.
2. Go to Configurations > server-config > JVM Settings.
3. Select JVM Options > Add JVM Option.
4. Enter the path to the agent: -javaagent:/path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar
5. Save and restart the server.

Make sure that the domain.xml file in your domain directory contains a <jmv-options> entry for the agent.

Add the path to the Java agent to your startup script. The configuration method depends on your installation:

For package-managed installations (apt-get/yum), add to /etc/tomcat*/tomcat*.conf:

JAVA_OPTS="$JAVA_OPTS -javaagent:/path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar"

For download installations, create or modify <tomcat>/bin/setenv.sh (Linux) or <tomcat>/bin/setenv.bat (Windows):

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# Add to <tomcat_home>/bin/setenv.sh
CATALINA_OPTS="$CATALINA_OPTS -javaagent:/path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar"

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rem Add to <tomcat_home>\bin\setenv.bat
set CATALINA_OPTS=%CATALINA_OPTS% -javaagent:"<Drive>:\path\to\opentelemetry-javaagent.jar"

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For Windows service installations, use <tomcat>/bin/tomcat*w.exe to add -javaagent:<Drive>:\path\to\opentelemetry-javaagent.jar to the Java Options under the Java tab.

Add the path to the Java agent to your domain startup script:

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# Add to <domain_home>/bin/startWebLogic.sh
export JAVA_OPTIONS="$JAVA_OPTIONS -javaagent:/path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar"

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rem Add to <domain_home>\bin\startWebLogic.cmd
set JAVA_OPTIONS=%JAVA_OPTIONS% -javaagent:"<Drive>:\path\to\opentelemetry-javaagent.jar"

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For managed server instances, add the -javaagent argument using the admin console.

Add the path to the Java agent to the jvm.options file. For a single server, edit ${server.config.dir}/jvm.options, and for all servers, edit ${wlp.install.dir}/etc/jvm.options:

-javaagent:/path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar

Restart the server after saving the file.

Open the WebSphere Admin Console and follow these steps:

1. Navigate to Servers > Server type > WebSphere application servers.
2. Select the server.
3. Go to Java and Process Management > Process Definition.
4. Select Java Virtual Machine.
5. In Generic JVM arguments, enter the path to the agent: -javaagent:/path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar.
6. Save the configuration and restart the server.

The Java agent includes predefined JMX metrics configurations for several popular application servers, but these are not enabled by default. To enable collection of the predefined metrics, specify a list of targets as the value for the otel.jmx.target.system system property. For example:

$ java -javaagent:path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar \
     -Dotel.jmx.target.system=jetty,tomcat \
     ... \
     -jar myapp.jar

The following are known application server values for otel.jmx.target.system:

• jetty
• tomcat
• wildfly

For a list of metrics extracted from each application server, select the previous name, or refer to Additional details and customization capabilities.