Install - vFunction Monolithic and OpenTelemetry Agents on Linux .NET Core Agent running on a Container

Overview

Microsoft .NET Applications have a limitation that only one Agent can be hooked into the Application at a time. To work around this limitation, the Datadog Multiplexer can be used as the Base Agent. This Datadog Multiplexer includes a configuration file that allows you to define two additional .NET Agents to run simultaneously on the Application without conflict.

At a high level, you’ll need to:

  1. Download and install the two .NET Agents you want to run simultaneously
  2. Download the Datadog Multiplexer
  3. Configure the Datadog Multiplexer for the two .NET Agents you want to run simultaneously
  4. Add the vendor-specific environment variables for the two .NET Agents you want to run
  5. Add the generic .NET Agent environment variables to run the Datadog Multiplexer
  6. Restart the Application

.NET Core Compatibility

vFunction supports C# .NET Core version 3.x and .NET 6.x, 7.x and 8.x applications.

Installation Wizard

To help with the installation process, vFunction offers an Installation Wizard. This Wizard provides additional information about the Prerequisites as well as steps for deploying the vFunction Agent to your environment.

Please contact support@vfunction.com or your vFunction Contact(s) for the password to start using this Wizard.

Installation

  1. Download the vFunction .NET Linux Agent, e.g. vfunction-controller-sudo-less-installation.v4.0.1585.tgz
  2. Download the Multiplexer Agent
  3. Download the Multiplexer’s Config File
  4. Modify the loader-otel-vf.conf following the directions in the Comments
  5. Download the sample Dockerfile
  6. Modify the Dockerfile following the directions in the Comments
  7. Modify the Dockerfile to ensure that Application’s Executable is copied onto the Docker Build Machine
  8. On the Docker Build Machine, create a directory for vFunction. Add the vfunction-controller-sudo-less-installation.tgz to this folder
  9. On the Docker Build Machine, create a directory for Datadog. Add the Datadog.Trace.ClrProfiler.Native.so and loader-otel-vf.conf to this folder
  10. Build the Dockerfile
  11. Run the Docker Container
  12. Start Learning in the VF Server UI for both the Monolithic and Distributed Applications
  13. Test the Application to confirm functionality and validate learning results

Updated on 24 Mar 2025