Configure Exporter Targets

Overview

lmc_exporter exposes LMC shared-memory managed object data as Prometheus-compatible metrics. Target configuration controls which LMC root the exporter discovers, subscribes to, and renders during a scrape.

This article explains how to configure:

single-target scraping
preloaded multi-target scraping
HTTP query routing with server_key, app, and instance

Use TOML configuration with --config for most deployments. A legacy flat target file is also supported for minimal multi-target setups.

Use TOML unless you specifically need the legacy --targets-config format. TOML can define runtime defaults, HTTP settings, metric scopes, and preloaded scrape targets in one file.

Prerequisites

Before configuring targets, ensure that:

lmc_exporter has been built successfully.
The target LMC shared-memory roots are visible from the host running the exporter.
You know the shared-memory server_key values for the targets you want to scrape.
You know the application metric mapping to use, such as ads, adh, or ats.
A valid license_file is configured for normal startup.
HTTP scraping is enabled if Prometheus or curl will scrape the exporter.

A minimal HTTP-enabled configuration requires:

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_bind_address = "0.0.0.0"
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

How It Works

At startup, lmc_exporter creates a shared-memory server pool, discovers visible root handles, selects a matching root, subscribes to the target subtree, and renders metrics after the tracked objects and variables are ready.

The selected target is determined from:

How It Works
Configuration value	Purpose
`server_key` or `server_keys`	Identifies the shared-memory server key used to discover a target root.
`app`	Selects the application-specific metric mapping set, such as `ads`, `adh`, or `ats`.
`instance`	Optional root-selection hint. It can be a full resolved root id or the `instance_no` segment when roots follow `hostname.instance_no.application` naming.
`variable`	Optional descendant variable path to highlight.
`classes`	Optional app-specific class aliases that limit subscribed and rendered metrics.
`seed_path_groups`	Optional named app-specific filter groups that limit subscription and rendered metrics.
`seed_paths`	Optional raw seed-path prefixes that limit subscription and rendered metrics.

When instance is omitted, the exporter resolves the selected root instance from the configured server_key at runtime.

The HTTP endpoint returns 503 until the requested target subtree has completed its initial sync. After a target is ready, the exporter serves the rendered snapshot for that target.

Configuration Modes

Use single-target mode when one exporter process should scrape one logical target selection from the top-level TOML values.

Single-target mode is active when the TOML file has no [[targets]] entries.

context_id = "shmApp"
pool_name = "pool"

app = "ads"
server_keys = ["82"]

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_bind_address = "0.0.0.0"
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

Run the exporter:

lmc_exporter --config ./lmcExporterConfig.toml

Scrape the target:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"

Use preloaded multi-target mode when one exporter process should serve multiple scrape targets.

Multi-target mode is active when the TOML file contains one or more [[targets]] tables.

context_id = "shmApp"
pool_name = "pool"

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_bind_address = "0.0.0.0"
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "82"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "456"

[[targets]]
app = "adh"
server_key = "999"

Run the exporter:

lmc_exporter --config ./lmcExporterConfig.toml

Scrape a specific target by server_key:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"

Use the legacy flat target format only when you need a minimal target-only registry.

Create targets.conf:

target app=ads server_key=82
target app=ads server_key=456

Run the exporter with HTTP scraping enabled:

lmc_exporter --targets-config ./targets.conf --enable-metrics-http --metrics-port 9464

Scrape a target:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"

Single-Target Scraping

Single-target mode uses the top-level target values in the TOML file.

Use this mode when:

one exporter process maps to one primary application target
the target can be selected from server_keys
you do not need preloaded [[targets]] entries

Minimal Single-Target Configuration

context_id = "shmApp"
pool_name = "pool"

app = "ads"
server_keys = ["82"]

metrics_interval_seconds = 10
metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_bind_address = "0.0.0.0"
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

Add an Instance Hint

Use instance when multiple roots may be visible and you want to guide root selection.

app = "ads"
instance = "1"
server_keys = ["82"]

You can also use the full resolved root id:

app = "ads"
instance = "phoads01.1.ads"
server_keys = ["82"]

Limit the Target Scope

Use classes, seed_path_groups, or seed_paths to reduce the subscribed subtree and rendered metrics.

app = "ads"
server_keys = ["82"]

classes = ["ManagedProcess.SinkDist", "WSOCKServer"]
seed_path_groups = ["core", "sink_ripc"]
seed_paths = ["serviceGenerator.srcPrdServicePool"]

For ADS, the core group includes root-scoped variables.

Run Single-Target Mode from CLI

You can also configure a single target with CLI flags:

lmc_exporter --app ads --server-key 82 --enable-metrics-http --metrics-port 9464

With an instance hint:

lmc_exporter --app ads --instance phoads01.1.ads --server-key 82 --enable-metrics-http --metrics-port 9464

Multi-Target Scraping

Preloaded multi-target mode uses repeated [[targets]] tables. Each table defines one scrape target.

Each [[targets]] table supports:

Multi-Target Scraping
Key	Required	Description
`app`	Yes	Application metric mapping set for the target.
`server_key`	Yes	Shared-memory server key for the target.
`instance`	No	Optional root-selection hint.
`variable`	No	Optional descendant variable path to highlight.
`classes`	No	Optional app-specific class aliases.
`seed_path_groups`	No	Optional app-specific filter groups.
`seed_paths`	No	Optional raw seed-path prefixes.

Multi-Target TOML Example

context_id = "shmApp"
pool_name = "pool"

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_bind_address = "0.0.0.0"
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
instance = "1"
server_key = "82"
classes = ["ManagedProcess.SinkDist", "ConsumerDataStream"]
seed_path_groups = ["core", "users"]

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
instance = "1"
server_key = "456"
classes = ["SSLDispatcher", "ManagedSSLChannel"]
seed_paths = ["sourceApplicationPool"]

[[targets]]
app = "adh"
server_key = "999"
seed_path_groups = [
  "consumer_mqos_service_service",
  "mqos_service_attributes",
  "mqos_service_datastreams"
]

Duplicate app + instance targets are allowed when the server_key differs. In that case, include server_key in scrape queries to disambiguate the target.

Query Routing

When multiple targets are configured, the HTTP endpoint uses query parameters to select which target to render.

The default metrics path is /metrics.

Route by server_key

Use server_key when you know the shared-memory server key for the target.

/metrics?server_key=82

Example:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"

This is the clearest routing method for multi-target deployments.

Route by app and instance

Use app and instance when you want to route by the resolved root identity after discovery.

/metrics?app=ads&instance=phoads01.1.ads

Example:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?app=ads&instance=phoads01.1.ads"

Disambiguate duplicate app and instance targets

If more than one target shares the same app and instance, add server_key.

/metrics?app=ads&instance=phoads01.1.ads&server_key=82

Example:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?app=ads&instance=phoads01.1.ads&server_key=82"

Metric Scopes with Target Routing

Metric scopes expose named subsets of the rendered Prometheus output. They are configured with repeated [[metric_scopes]] tables.

[[metric_scopes]]
name = "client_threads"
metrics = [
  "ads_client_session_thread_*"
]

[[metric_scopes]]
name = "process_health"
metrics = [
  "ads_managed_process_sink_dist_state",
  "ads_managed_process_sink_dist_process_id",
  "ads_shmem_mo_server_stats_num_clients"
]

A scope can be selected as a path segment:

/metrics/client_threads?server_key=82

Or as a query parameter:

/metrics?scope=client_threads&server_key=82

When multiple targets are configured, target routing is still required with scoped endpoints.

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics/process_health?server_key=82"

If a scoped endpoint is requested without enough target routing information in multi-target mode, the request fails with:

scope selected, but target routing still required when multiple targets are configured.

CLI Override Behavior

TOML values are loaded first. CLI flags override TOML values afterwards.

Common overrides include:

CLI Override Behavior
CLI flag	Effect
`--metrics-port 9564`	Overrides `metrics_port`.
`--debug`	Enables debug logging even if `debug = false` in TOML.
`--instance ...`	Switches to single-target mode and clears TOML `[[targets]]`.
`--server-key ...`	Switches to single-target mode and clears TOML `[[targets]]`.
`--targets-config ...`	Uses the legacy flat target file instead of TOML targets.

Passing --instance or --server-key on the command line overrides TOML target configuration and switches the exporter to single-target mode.

Examples

Single ADS Target

context_id = "shmApp"
pool_name = "pool"

app = "ads"
server_keys = ["82"]

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

Run:

lmc_exporter --config ./lmcExporterConfig.toml

Scrape:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"

Multiple ADS Targets

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "82"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "456"

Scrape each target separately:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"
curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=456"

Multiple Applications

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "82"

[[targets]]
app = "adh"
server_key = "999"

Scrape by server_key:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=82"
curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?server_key=999"

Scoped Multi-Target Scrape

metrics_http_enabled = true
metrics_port = 9464
metrics_path = "/metrics"

license_file = "./scratch/example.lic"

[[metric_scopes]]
name = "process_health"
metrics = [
  "ads_managed_process_sink_dist_state",
  "ads_managed_process_sink_dist_process_id",
  "ads_shmem_mo_server_stats_num_clients"
]

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "82"

[[targets]]
app = "ads"
server_key = "456"

Scrape the scoped output for one target:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics/process_health?server_key=82"

Equivalent query-parameter form:

curl "http://127.0.0.1:9464/metrics?scope=process_health&server_key=82"

Services

Documentation

Technical support

LMC Exporter

Configure Exporter Targets

Overview

Prerequisites

How It Works

Configuration Modes

Single-Target Scraping

Minimal Single-Target Configuration

Add an Instance Hint

Limit the Target Scope

Run Single-Target Mode from CLI

Multi-Target Scraping

Multi-Target TOML Example

Query Routing

Route by server_key

Route by app and instance

Disambiguate duplicate app and instance targets

Metric Scopes with Target Routing

CLI Override Behavior

Examples

Single ADS Target

Multiple ADS Targets

Multiple Applications

Scoped Multi-Target Scrape