Install on Windows Server

Deploy CollectorCtrl on Windows Server 2016+ with native Windows Service integration. Both the Management Server and Supervisor run as persistent Windows Services managed by the Service Control Manager (SCM).

Prerequisites

• Windows Server 2016 or later
• Administrator privileges
• OpenTelemetry Collector binary (otelcol.exe) available
• Ports 4320 and 4321 available

Part 1: Install the Management Server

Step 1: Download the Installer

Download CollectorCtrl_Setup.exe from the releases page.

Step 2: Run the Installer

1. Right-click CollectorCtrl_Setup.exe and select Run as Administrator
2. Choose installation directory (default: C:\Program Files\CollectorCtrl)
3. Select database engine:
   • SQLite — zero configuration, single-file database (good for testing, < 500 agents)
   • PostgreSQL — enter your connection DSN for production
4. Complete the wizard

The installer automatically registers a Windows Service named CollectorCtrlServer and starts it.

Step 3: Verify the Service

Open Services (services.msc) and confirm CollectorCtrlServer is Running.

Step 4: Access the Dashboard

Open your browser and navigate to:

https://localhost:4321

Or use your server's IP/hostname if accessing remotely:

https://YOUR_SERVER_IP:4321

Default credentials:

• Username: admin
• Password: admin

⚠️ Change the default password immediately after first login.

Part 2: Install the Supervisor Agent

Repeat these steps on every server where you want to manage an OpenTelemetry Collector.

Step 1: Download the Supervisor Installer

Download CollectorCtrl_Supervisor_Setup.exe from the releases page.

Step 2: Run the Installer

1. Right-click CollectorCtrl_Supervisor_Setup.exe and select Run as Administrator
2. Server Connection Page:
   • Server OpAMP Endpoint: Enter your CollectorCtrl server's OpAMP URL
     • Example: wss://192.168.1.10:4320/v1/opamp
     • Use ws:// for unencrypted or wss:// for TLS
3. Collector Configuration Page:
   • OpenTelemetry Collector Binary: Select the path to your otelcol.exe
     • Default: C:\Program Files\otelcol\otelcol.exe
   • Initial Config (optional): Select an initial YAML config if you have one
4. Complete the wizard

The installer:

• Writes supervisor.yaml to C:\Program Files\CollectorCtrl Supervisor\
• Registers the CollectorCtrlSupervisor Windows Service
• Starts the service automatically

Step 3: Verify the Agent Appears in the Dashboard

Within 30 seconds, the agent should appear in the Fleet Overview at https://YOUR_SERVER_IP:4321.

Part 3: Manual Service Registration (Alternative)

If you prefer command-line or need to deploy via Group Policy/SCCM:

# Create the service
PS >New-Service -Name "CollectorCtrlSupervisor" \-BinaryPathName '"C:\Program Files\CollectorCtrl Supervisor\supervisor.exe" --config "C:\Program Files\CollectorCtrl Supervisor\supervisor.yaml"' \-DisplayName "CollectorCtrl Supervisor" \-StartupType Automatic
# Start the service
PS >Start-Service -Name "CollectorCtrlSupervisor"
# Verify
PS >Get-Service -Name "CollectorCtrlSupervisor"

Configuration Reference

Default Paths

supervisor.yaml Template

server:
  endpoint: 'wss://YOUR_SERVER_IP:4320/v1/opamp'
  token: 'YOUR_API_TOKEN'
  tls:
    insecure_skip_verify: true

capabilities:
  reports_effective_config: true
  reports_own_metrics: true
  reports_own_logs: true
  reports_own_traces: true
  reports_health: true
  accepts_remote_config: true
  reports_remote_config: true
  accepts_restart_command: true
  accepts_packages: true

agent:
  executable: 'C:\Program Files\OpenTelemetry Collector\otelcol.exe'
  passthrough_logs: true
  config_files:
    - 'C:\Program Files\OpenTelemetry Collector\config.yaml'

storage:
  directory: 'C:\ProgramData\CollectorCtrlSupervisor\storage'

telemetry:
  logs:
    level: info
    output_paths:
      - 'C:\ProgramData\CollectorCtrlSupervisor\supervisor.log'

Note: Escape backslashes in YAML as \\ or use forward slashes.

Firewall Requirements

Ensure the following ports are open:

No inbound ports need to be opened on agent machines — they connect outbound to the server.

Troubleshooting

Next Steps

• Create your first Fleet Policy
• Upgrade agents remotely
• Set up SSO