Datadog Agent Installation & Impact – Windows TrueScan Systems

Datadog Agent Installation & Impact – Windows TrueScan Systems

1. Purpose

This document describes the installation steps, prerequisites, and expected system impact of deploying the Datadog Agent on Windows-based TrueScan devices, enabling monitoring and visibility within the Datadog platform.

1. Scope

• Applies to all Windows-based TrueScan systems
• Covers:
  • Prerequisites
  • Datadog Agent installation on Windows
  • Validation steps
  • Expected performance and operational impact
• Excludes application-level instrumentation unless explicitly enabled later

1. Overview

Each TrueScan device is represented as a Host in Datadog.
A host becomes visible once the Datadog Agent (Windows service) is installed and successfully communicates with Datadog.

The agent:

• Runs as a background Windows service
• Collects system-level metrics only by default
• Does not modify application code or system configuration

1. Prerequisites

4.1 Access & Permissions

• Local Administrator access on the Windows TrueScan system
• Datadog Administrator or Agent Install permissions
• Ability to download installers from the internet

4.2 System Requirements

4.3 Network Requirements

Ensure outbound connectivity to Datadog endpoints:

• *.datadoghq.com
• Port: 443 (HTTPS)

No inbound firewall rules are required.

1. Installation Steps (Windows)

5.1 Obtain Datadog API Key

1. Log in to Datadog
2. Navigate to Organization Settings → API Keys
3. Copy the API key (required during installation)

5.2 Download Datadog Agent (Windows)

1. Navigate to Integrations → Agent → Windows
2. Download the Datadog Agent MSI installer

5.3 Install Datadog Agent

1. Log in to the TrueScan system as Administrator
2. Run the downloaded .msi installer
3. When prompted:
   • Enter the Datadog API Key
   • Confirm Datadog site (datadoghq.com)
4. Complete the installation wizard

5.4 Agent Service Initialization

After installation:

• A Windows service named DatadogAgent is created
• Service starts automatically
• Agent begins sending metrics immediately

1. Verification & Validation

6.1 Verify Agent Service

1. Open Services (services.msc)
2. Confirm:
   • DatadogAgent → Status: Running
   • Startup Type: Automatic

6.2 Verify Agent Status (Command Line)

Open Command Prompt (Admin):

"C:\Program Files\Datadog\Datadog Agent\bin\agent.exe" status

Expected:

• Agent running
• No connectivity errors
• Metrics collection enabled

6.3 Verify Host in Datadog UI

1. Go to Infrastructure → Hosts
2. Search for the TrueScan hostname
3. Confirm:
   • Status: Up
   • OS: Windows
   • Metrics visible (CPU, Memory, Disk)

1. Expected Impact on Windows TrueScan Systems

7.1 Performance Impact

✔ Impact is negligible and suitable for production systems.

7.2 Security Impact

• Agent runs with least privilege
• Uses encrypted outbound communication
• No inbound ports opened
• No credential harvesting or keystroke monitoring

7.3 Application Impact

• No impact on TrueScan application behavior
• No restarts required post-installation
• No configuration files altered outside Datadog directories

1. Operational Considerations

Logging

• Agent logs stored under:
• C:\ProgramData\Datadog\logs\

Updates

• Agent updates are manual unless auto-update is enabled
• Updates do not require system reboot