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Scrape downpipes backup-health metrics into Dynatrace

Dynatrace reads downpipes’ backup-health metrics through the Prometheus /metrics scrape, not the direct OTLP push. Dynatrace’s OTLP metrics API accepts protobuf only and rejects the JSON body this engine sends, so the push route does not reach it. The scrape route does, through either an ActiveGate Prometheus extension or an OpenTelemetry Collector.

Either route is genuine configuration rather than a zero-effort connect. Dynatrace needs a YAML extension mapping or a Collector pipeline, and the ActiveGate or the Collector has to be running to do the scraping.

What you need

  • A Dynatrace environment with either an ActiveGate that can run a Prometheus extension, or an OpenTelemetry Collector you run that exports to Dynatrace.
  • Owner access to the downpipes console to mint a read-only metrics token.

Set it up

  1. In the console, open Integrations, choose this vendor’s tile, and mint a read-only token in the metrics scrape scope there. Copy the secret once; note the metrics URL shown next to it, which is your console origin plus /metrics.
  2. Pick a collection route. For the ActiveGate route, write a Prometheus extension: a YAML mapping that names the endpoint URL, carries the bearer token, and selects the downpipe_* series to keep. For the Collector route, run an OpenTelemetry Collector with a prometheus receiver pointed at the endpoint and a Dynatrace exporter.
  3. Deploy the extension to an ActiveGate, or start the Collector, and confirm the downpipe_* metrics arrive in Dynatrace.
  4. Build the staleness condition on downpipe_backup_last_success_timestamp_seconds against each downpipe’s own cadence budget.
  5. If Cloudflare Access fronts your console hostname, an unattended scrape is turned away at the edge before the engine ever sees the bearer, whatever credential it carries. Carve a path-scoped Access exemption over /metrics before pointing the ActiveGate extension or the Collector at it. The full remedy is on the /metrics endpoint.

Good to know

  • This is real setup work, not a zero-effort connect. Budget for either a YAML extension mapping on an ActiveGate or an OpenTelemetry Collector pipeline, plus keeping that agent running.
  • The direct OTLP push does not help here, because Dynatrace’s OTLP metrics API rejects JSON and takes protobuf only while this engine sends JSON. The per-vendor OTLP table is on OTLP metrics push, and the full scrape mechanics are on the /metrics endpoint.

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