Integrating AppDynamics with .NET 8 on Linux: A Practical Guide

Application performance monitoring (APM) is essential for maintaining robust, reliable, and high-performing software systems. As more .NET applications migrate towards Linux environments, ensuring seamless integration with monitoring solutions like AppDynamics becomes crucial. In this blog post, we’ll use a practical example from my own GitHub project (dotnet-appdynamics-sample) to demonstrate exactly how you can integrate AppDynamics with a .NET 8 application running on Linux.

Why AppDynamics with .NET 8 on Linux?

.NET 8 has brought significant improvements in performance, reliability, and developer productivity, particularly when hosted on Linux containers. Leveraging AppDynamics for performance monitoring helps you to:

Identify performance bottlenecks proactively
Optimize user experiences by monitoring real-time user sessions
Reduce downtime by diagnosing and resolving problems swiftly
Ensure compliance and gain actionable insights through continuous monitoring

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure you have the following ready:

.NET 8 SDK installed
Docker environment configured (if deploying as a container)
Valid AppDynamics Controller URL and Access Key (from AppDynamics SaaS or on-prem deployment)

Step-by-Step Integration

1. Create or Clone the .NET 8 Application

For demonstration, I’ve created a sample app you can directly clone:

bashCopyEditgit clone https://github.com/ravibaghel/dotnet-appdynamics-sample.git
cd dotnet-appdynamics-sample

2. Obtain and Configure the AppDynamics Agent

Download the latest .NET Linux agent from your AppDynamics controller’s download section.
Extract the downloaded agent archive and ensure it’s accessible to your application.

3. Set Up AppDynamics Environment Variables

Configure these critical environment variables before running your app:

bashCopyEditexport CORECLR_ENABLE_PROFILING=1
export CORECLR_PROFILER="{57e1aa68-2229-41aa-9931-a6e93bbc64d8}"
export CORECLR_PROFILER_PATH="/path/to/appdynamics-agent/libappdprofiler.so"

# AppDynamics Controller details
export APPDYNAMICS_CONTROLLER_HOST_NAME="your-controller-url"
export APPDYNAMICS_CONTROLLER_PORT="443"
export APPDYNAMICS_CONTROLLER_SSL_ENABLED=true
export APPDYNAMICS_AGENT_ACCOUNT_NAME="your-account-name"
export APPDYNAMICS_AGENT_ACCOUNT_ACCESS_KEY="your-access-key"
export APPDYNAMICS_AGENT_APPLICATION_NAME=".NET 8 Sample App"
export APPDYNAMICS_AGENT_TIER_NAME="WebTier"
export APPDYNAMICS_AGENT_NODE_NAME="Node1"

Replace placeholder values with your actual AppDynamics details.

4. Running the .NET Application with AppDynamics Monitoring

Run your application using:

bashCopyEditdotnet run

Alternatively, deploy via Docker for consistency:

Dockerfile example:

dockerfileCopyEditFROM mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/aspnet:8.0
WORKDIR /app
COPY . .
ENV CORECLR_ENABLE_PROFILING=1 \
    CORECLR_PROFILER="{57e1aa68-2229-41aa-9931-a6e93bbc64d8}" \
    CORECLR_PROFILER_PATH="/appdynamics-agent/libappdprofiler.so" \
    APPDYNAMICS_CONTROLLER_HOST_NAME="your-controller-url" \
    APPDYNAMICS_CONTROLLER_PORT="443" \
    APPDYNAMICS_CONTROLLER_SSL_ENABLED="true" \
    APPDYNAMICS_AGENT_ACCOUNT_NAME="your-account-name" \
    APPDYNAMICS_AGENT_ACCOUNT_ACCESS_KEY="your-access-key" \
    APPDYNAMICS_AGENT_APPLICATION_NAME=".NET 8 Sample App" \
    APPDYNAMICS_AGENT_TIER_NAME="WebTier" \
    APPDYNAMICS_AGENT_NODE_NAME="Node1"
ENTRYPOINT ["dotnet", "dotnet-appdynamics-sample.dll"]

5. Verify Integration

Log into your AppDynamics Controller dashboard.
Navigate to “Applications” → “.NET 8 Sample App”.
You should see your application node listed, along with real-time performance data.

Best Practices

Consistent Tagging: Clearly name your Application, Tier, and Node for better organization.
Secure Secrets: Always use secure methods to store credentials (e.g., environment-specific secrets management).
Resource Monitoring: Regularly review AppDynamics reports for proactive improvements.

Common Troubleshooting

If your application doesn’t appear on the dashboard:

Verify the Controller URL and Access Key.
Ensure firewall settings allow outbound communication.
Check application logs and agent logs for clues.

Conclusion

Integrating AppDynamics with .NET 8 on Linux not only enhances your application’s reliability but also enables you to proactively manage performance. By following this practical example, you now have a clear pathway to enhance observability and reliability in your .NET applications.

Feel free to explore and fork the sample project at ravibaghel/dotnet-appdynamics-sample.