Enable or disable BIG-IP metrics collection

Overview

Use Metrics Opt-Out to enable or disable scheduled BIG-IP metrics collection across your F5 Insight deployment. Collection is enabled by default, and your selection is saved across collector restarts.

Setting Behavior
Enabled Collects metrics from configured BIG-IP devices.
Disabled Stops new BIG-IP metrics collection for all devices after the collector restarts.

This setting doesn’t remove devices or delete historical metrics. Previously collected data remains available according to retention policies. Re-enabling collection resumes new samples; it doesn’t backfill the disabled period.

Note

This is a global setting, not a per-device or per-module control. It doesn’t disable AI Data Fabric (AIDF) integration or other telemetry.

Before you begin

  • Sign in with an Administrator account or a role permitted to view and update OTel settings.
  • Make sure the collector is healthy and, when enabling collection, that BIG-IP devices are configured and reachable.
  • Plan for a collector restart:
    • A restart can briefly interrupt other telemetry pipelines.
    • Disabling collection affects dashboards and alerts that depend on fresh BIG-IP metrics.

Change metrics collection

  1. Navigate to System Management > OTel Collector > Metrics Opt-Out.
  2. On the BIG-IP Metrics Collection page, set Enable BIG-IP Metrics Collection:
    • Turn off to stop collection for all BIG-IP devices.
    • Turn on to resume collection.
  3. Wait for the Metrics configuration updated successfully message.
  4. Allow the OTel collector restart to complete.

The change saves automatically — there’s no separate Save button.

Important

The success message confirms that the setting was saved, not that the collector restart completed. Verify collection behavior before considering the change complete.

Verify the change

  1. Reload the page and confirm that the switch retains your selection.
  2. Check collector health under System Management > Infrastructure > OTel Collector Overview.
  3. Check sample timestamps for a previously reporting BIG-IP metric:
    • Disabled: After the restart and any in-flight data have settled, no new samples should appear.
    • Enabled: New samples should appear after the configured collection interval.

Previously collected metrics remain visible after you disable collection. Use a past time range to view retained data. An old dashboard value doesn’t indicate ongoing collection.

Use the REST API

Authenticate with the F5 Insight API using credentials that have OTel permissions.

Method Endpoint Purpose
GET /api/otel/metrics/config Read metrics_enabled and updated_at.
PUT /api/otel/metrics/config Save the setting and request a collector restart.

Example: disable metrics collection

PUT /api/otel/metrics/config
Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer <TOKEN>

{
  "metrics_enabled": false
}

Example: enable metrics collection

PUT /api/otel/metrics/config
Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer <TOKEN>

{
  "metrics_enabled": true
}

The value must be a Boolean. A successful response returns the saved setting and update timestamp. Verify collection as described in Verify the change.

Troubleshooting

Issue Cause Resolution
Setting fails to save Insufficient permissions or the backend service is unavailable. Verify that your account has Administrator or OTel management permissions. Check that the F5 Insight backend is healthy under System Management > Infrastructure.
Collection doesn’t match the saved setting The OTel collector didn’t restart successfully after the setting change. Check the collector restart status and logs under System Management > Infrastructure > OTel Collector Overview. If the collector failed to restart, retry the setting change.
No new metrics after enabling collection BIG-IP devices aren’t reachable, or collection credentials are invalid. Verify device connectivity from F5 Insight (HTTPS, port 443). Check that device credentials are valid. Confirm that the collector has restarted and is healthy.
Old metrics still visible after disabling Previously collected data remains available according to retention policies. This is expected behavior. Use a recent time range to confirm that no new samples are appearing. Old values don’t indicate ongoing collection.
Dashboards show stale data after disabling Dashboards display the most recent available data, which may be from before collection was disabled. This is expected. Dashboard visualizations update when new data arrives. With collection disabled, values remain at their last collected state until the data expires per retention policy.

If an issue persists, contact F5 Support and include a support bundle. See Generate a support bundle.