What Data Does the Server Scout Agent Collect?

The Server Scout agent is designed to collect only the essential system metrics needed for effective server monitoring whilst maintaining your privacy and security. This article provides a complete breakdown of what data is collected and, equally importantly, what is not collected.

Always-Collected Metrics

These core performance metrics are collected every 5 seconds (Fast tier) by default:

• CPU usage percentage - including user, system, and idle time breakdown
• Memory usage - used and available memory in GB
• Swap usage - swap utilisation in GB
• Primary disk mount usage - storage utilisation percentage for your main filesystem
• Network activity - RX and TX bytes on the primary network interface
• System load - 1-minute load average
• Process count - total number of running processes

These metrics provide the fundamental visibility needed to monitor your server's health and performance without any configuration required.

Optional Metrics (Available When Enabled)

Server Scout can collect additional detailed metrics when enabled in your dashboard:

Advanced CPU Metrics

• CPU I/O wait percentage
• CPU steal percentage (for virtualised environments)
• CPU temperature readings

Extended System Load

• 5-minute and 15-minute load averages
• Context switches per second
• Running and blocked process counts

Enhanced Disk Monitoring

• Multi-mount disk usage for all mounted filesystems
• Per-mount inode usage percentages
• Read-only filesystem detection
• Disk I/O read and write statistics

Network Diagnostics

• Network interface error counts
• TCP connection count

System Health Indicators

• systemd service status monitoring (up to 16 configurable services)
• NTP synchronisation status
• Kernel entropy levels
• OOM (Out of Memory) kill counter
• Zombie process count

Process Analysis

• Top 3 processes by CPU usage
• Top 3 processes by memory usage

System Maintenance

• Pending package updates count
• Reboot required status detection
• System uptime in seconds

Daily System Information

Once per day, Server Scout collects basic system identification data:

• Hostname
• Operating system name and version
• Kernel version
• CPU model and core count
• Total RAM capacity
• Primary network interface name
• Private IP address
• MAC address of primary interface

This information helps identify your servers in the dashboard and provides context for the performance metrics.

What is NOT Collected

Server Scout is designed with privacy by default. The agent explicitly does not collect:

• No file contents - no reading of configuration files, logs, or user data
• No application data - no database contents, web files, or application-specific information
• No user data - no personal information about server users or their activities
• No credentials - no passwords, API keys, or authentication tokens
• No logs - no system logs, application logs, or user activity logs
• No outbound connections - no monitoring of what your server connects to
• No environment variables - no access to shell environments or application configurations
• No personal information - no data about individuals using the server

Data Collection Tiers

Server Scout uses a 5-tier collection system to optimise performance:

• Fast (5 seconds) - critical metrics like CPU, memory, disk usage
• Medium (30 seconds) - network statistics and process counts
• Slow (5 minutes) - system health checks and service status
• Glacial (1 hour) - maintenance indicators and detailed diagnostics
• Daily (24 hours) - system identification and inventory data

Privacy and Security Implications

All data collected by Server Scout consists exclusively of server performance metrics and basic system identification. No sensitive application data, user information, or file contents ever leave your server.

The lightweight bash agent operates with minimal system impact (<3 MB RAM, <100ms CPU per cycle) and uses SHA-256 verification to ensure integrity. All data transmission uses TLS encryption, and data is stored on EU-hosted infrastructure with encryption at rest.

This design ensures you get comprehensive server monitoring whilst maintaining complete privacy for your applications and users.