Start the CloudWatch agent using the command line on Amazon EC2 Start the CloudWatch agent on an on-premises server

Starting the CloudWatch agent

You can start the CloudWatch agent using either Systems Manager Run Command or the command line.

For information about setting up the agent on a system that has security-enhanced Linux (SELinux) enabled, see Set up the CloudWatch agent with security-enhanced Linux (SELinux).

Start the CloudWatch agent using the command line on Amazon EC2

Follow these steps to use the command line to start the CloudWatch agent on on Amazon EC2.

For information about setting up the agent on a system that has security-enhanced Linux (SELinux) enabled, see Set up the CloudWatch agent with security-enhanced Linux (SELinux).

To use the command line to start the CloudWatch agent on on Amazon EC2

Copy the agent configuration file that you want to use to the server where you're going to run the agent. Note the pathname where you copy it to.
In this command, -a fetch-config causes the agent to load the latest version of the CloudWatch agent configuration file, and -s starts the agent.

Enter one of the following commands. Replace configuration-file-path with the path to the agent configuration file. This file is called config.json if you created it with the wizard, and might be called amazon-cloudwatch-agent.json if you created it manually.

On an EC2 instance running Linux, enter the following command.
```
sudo /opt/aws/amazon-cloudwatch-agent/bin/amazon-cloudwatch-agent-ctl -a fetch-config -m ec2 -s -c file:configuration-file-path
```
On an on-premises server running Linux, enter the following:
```
sudo /opt/aws/amazon-cloudwatch-agent/bin/amazon-cloudwatch-agent-ctl -a fetch-config -m onPremise -s -c file:configuration-file-path
```
On an EC2 instance running Windows Server, enter the following from the PowerShell console:
```
& "C:\Program Files\Amazon\AmazonCloudWatchAgent\amazon-cloudwatch-agent-ctl.ps1" -a fetch-config -m ec2 -s -c file:configuration-file-path
```
On an on-premises server running Windows Server, enter the following from the PowerShell console:
```
& "C:\Program Files\Amazon\AmazonCloudWatchAgent\amazon-cloudwatch-agent-ctl.ps1" -a fetch-config -m onPremise -s -c file:configuration-file-path
```

Start the CloudWatch agent on an on-premises server

Follow these steps to start the CloudWatch agent on an on-premises server.

To use SSM Agent to start the CloudWatch agent on an on-premises server

Open the Systems Manager console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/.
In the navigation pane, choose Run Command.

-or-

If the AWS Systems Manager home page opens, scroll down and choose Explore Run Command.
Choose Run command.
In the Command document list, select the button next to AmazonCloudWatch-ManageAgent.
In the Targets area, select the instance where you installed the agent.
In the Action list, choose configure.
In the Mode list, choose onPremise.
In the Optional Configuration Location box, enter the name of the agent configuration file that you created with the wizard and stored in the Parameter Store.
Choose Run.

The agent starts with the configuration you specified in the configuration file.

To use the command line to start the CloudWatch agent on an on-premises server

In this command, -a fetch-config causes the agent to load the latest version of the CloudWatch agent configuration file, and -s starts the agent.

Linux: If you saved the configuration file in the Systems Manager Parameter Store, enter the following:
```
sudo /opt/aws/amazon-cloudwatch-agent/bin/amazon-cloudwatch-agent-ctl -a fetch-config -m onPremise -s -c ssm:configuration-parameter-store-name
```
Linux: If you saved the configuration file on the local computer, enter the following command. Replace configuration-file-path with the path to the agent configuration file. This file is called config.json if you created it with the wizard, and might be called amazon-cloudwatch-agent.json if you created it manually.
```
sudo /opt/aws/amazon-cloudwatch-agent/bin/amazon-cloudwatch-agent-ctl -a fetch-config -m onPremise -s -c file:configuration-file-path
```
Windows Server: If you saved the agent configuration file in Systems Manager Parameter Store, enter the following from the PowerShell console:
```
& "C:\Program Files\Amazon\AmazonCloudWatchAgent\amazon-cloudwatch-agent-ctl.ps1" -a fetch-config -m onPremise -s -c ssm:configuration-parameter-store-name
```
Windows Server: If you saved the agent configuration file on the local computer, enter the following from the PowerShell console. Replace configuration-file-path with the path to the agent configuration file. This file is called config.json if you created it with the wizard, and might be called amazon-cloudwatch-agent.json if you created it manually.
```
& "C:\Program Files\Amazon\AmazonCloudWatchAgent\amazon-cloudwatch-agent-ctl.ps1" -a fetch-config -m onPremise -s -c file:configuration-file-path
```

Warning Javascript is disabled or is unavailable in your browser.

To use the Amazon Web Services Documentation, Javascript must be enabled. Please refer to your browser's Help pages for instructions.

Document Conventions

Configure information about related entities

Metrics collected by the CloudWatch agent