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Installing Nodinite Log Agents

Nodinite gives you end-to-end logging of your integrations, either with one of the ready-to-use Log Agents or from your own code. Every Log Agent creates Log Events that reach the Log API; the Logging Service processes them, and your users search them in Log Views. This page explains that flow, how Log Agents get installed with Nodinite v7, and how you verify the first events.

  • ✅ Understand the synchronous and asynchronous logging patterns before you choose agents
  • ✅ Add Log Agents to your Environment in the Nodinite Portal and deploy them with the CLI
  • ✅ Verify the first Log Events and give each Log Agent a descriptive name

Understanding the Logging Flow

graph LR subgraph "Log sources" roAgent["fa:fa-box-archive Log Agents
Logic Apps, ..."] roDTA["fa:fa-database BizTalk Server
tracking database"] roCode["fa:fa-code Your own code
or log appender"] end roStore["fa:fa-inbox Intermediate store
queue, folder, or table"] roPickup["fa:fa-truck-pickup Pickup Service"] subgraph "Nodinite Core Services Server" roLogAPI["fa:fa-cloud-arrow-down Log API"] roLS["fa:fa-hard-drive Logging Service"] roWebAPI["fa:fa-cloud-sun Web API"] roWC["fa:fa-globe Web Client
Log Views"] end roLogDB[("fa:fa-database Log Databases")] roAgent -->|"Log Events"| roLogAPI roCode -->|"asynchronous (recommended)"| roStore roStore -->|"fetch"| roPickup roPickup -->|"REST, with retries"| roLogAPI roCode -.->|"synchronous REST"| roLogAPI roDTA -->|"Linked Server"| roLS roLogAPI -->|"store unprocessed"| roLogDB roLS -->|"process, extract Search Fields"| roLogDB roWebAPI --> roLogDB roWC --> roWebAPI style roAgent fill:#9E59BB,color:#fff style roCode fill:#9E59BB,color:#fff style roDTA fill:#9E59BB,color:#fff style roStore fill:#3F827B,color:#fff style roPickup fill:#E47528,color:#fff style roLogAPI fill:#2678BD,color:#fff style roLS fill:#E47528,color:#fff style roLogDB fill:#3F827B,color:#fff

Log sources (purple) send Log Events to the Log API (blue), directly or through an intermediate store (teal) and the Pickup Service (orange). The Log API stores them unprocessed in the Log Databases; the Logging Service also copies BizTalk Server tracking data over a Linked Server, and then extracts Search Fields. Users search the result in Log Views in the Web Client through the Web API.

Nodinite recommends the asynchronous pattern: your systems never wait for Nodinite, and the Pickup Service retries while the Log API is unavailable, for example during an update. See Asynchronous Logging for the options.

Key Components

Component Role in logging Installed by
Log Agents Create Log Events from an integration platform, each with its own Log Agent Value Id The Portal package, the Core Services (BizTalk Server), or an MSI on a remote host
Pickup Service Fetches Log Events from queues, folders, or tables and posts them to the Log API The Portal package (it is a Log Agent)
Log API Receives Log Events over REST Core Services
Logging Service Processes Log Events, extracts Search Fields, and creates the Log Databases Core Services
Log Views Let users search the events they are allowed to see, granted through Roles You, in the Web Client

Note

The CLI package doesn't create a Log Database. The Logging Service creates the first one when it starts for the first time, so start the Core Services before you expect Log Events to be stored.

Choose How Each Source Logs

Source How it reaches Nodinite Install anything?
BizTalk Server The Logging Service copies the tracking data over a Linked Server ❌ No, the agent is part of the Core Services package
Platform with its own Log Agent (for example Azure Logic Apps) The agent sends Log Events to the Log API ✅ Yes, the agent, added in the Portal
Platform with a log appender or your own code (Custom Logging) Writes JSON Log Events to an intermediate store; the Pickup Service delivers them ✅ Yes, the Pickup Service, added in the Portal
Your own code, synchronous Calls the Log API directly, see Log using REST ❌ No agent; your code waits for the Log API

The full list of Log Agents is on the Logging page.

Before You Install Log Agents

Install Log Agents with Nodinite v7

Nodinite v7 installs Log Agents from the same generated package as the Core Services. The Install Nodinite v7 Steps are the master for every field; the steps below show where Log Agents fit in.

Step 1: Add the Agents to a Server

In the Portal, open your Environment and go to Step 4: Servers. Under Agents on this server, add each Log Agent to the server that should run it.

Step 2: Configure Each Agent

In Step 5: Agents, expand each agent card and enter the Server, Port, Service domain, and Service account, plus the sections that agent shows, such as the agent database or Use gMSA. Give every agent a unique port.

Step 3: Download and Run the Package

  1. Download the package in Step 6: Review and Download.
  2. Extract it on the server and open PowerShell 7 as Administrator in the bundle root.
  3. Run the CLI as described in Step 7: Run the CLI Workflow: validate, then deploy-environment with --dry-run, then deploy-environment. To add one agent later, use install-agent.

Step 4: Verify the First Log Events

  1. Send a test message through the logged integration.
  2. Open a Log View in the Web Client and find the event.
  3. Open Administration → Log Agents. Nodinite creates the entry automatically on the first event with the name Not Set; rename it, for example BizTalk 2020 - PROD.
  4. Grant your Users access to the Log View through a Role.

Tip

An agent on a remote host that isn't part of the Portal package is installed with an MSI from Download and Update Agents.

Important

The v6 Install and Update Tool is deprecated, and Nodinite v6 is no longer supported. If you still run v6, follow Updating from v6 to v7.

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