---
title: ''
description: Telegraf plugin for collecting metrics from PowerDNS Recursor
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/telegraf/v1/input-plugins/powerdns_recursor/
estimated_tokens: 1947
product: Telegraf Controller
version: v1
publisher: InfluxData
canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/telegraf/v1/input-plugins/powerdns_recursor/
date: '2026-05-21T20:10:18+02:00'
lastmod: '2026-05-21T20:10:18+02:00'
---

==========

* Telegraf v1.11.0+

[Plugin source](https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/tree/v1.39.0/plugins/inputs/powerdns_recursor/)[Download configuration](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/influxdata/telegraf/refs/tags/v1.39.0/plugins/inputs/powerdns_recursor/sample.conf)

# PowerDNS Recursor Input Plugin

This plugin gathers metrics from [PowerDNS Recursor](https://www.powerdns.com/powerdns-recursor)instances using the unix control-sockets.

> [!Note]
> Telegraf will need read and write access to the control socket and the`socket_dir`.

**Introduced in:** Telegraf v1.11.0**Tags:** server**OS support:** all

## Global configuration options

Plugins support additional global and plugin configuration settings for tasks
such as modifying metrics, tags, and fields, creating aliases, and configuring
plugin ordering. See [CONFIGURATION.md](/telegraf/v1/configuration/#plugins) for more details.

## Configuration

```toml
# Read metrics from one or many PowerDNS Recursor servers
[[inputs.powerdns_recursor]]
  ## Path to the Recursor control socket.
  unix_sockets = ["/var/run/pdns_recursor.controlsocket"]

  ## Directory to create receive socket.  This default is likely not writable,
  ## please reference the full plugin documentation for a recommended setup.
  # socket_dir = "/var/run/"
  ## Socket permissions for the receive socket.
  # socket_mode = "0666"

  ## The version of the PowerDNS control protocol to use. You will have to
  ## change this based on your PowerDNS Recursor version, see below:
  ## Version 1: PowerDNS <4.5.0
  ## Version 2: PowerDNS 4.5.0 - 4.5.11
  ## Version 3: PowerDNS >=4.6.0
  ## By default this is set to 1.
  # control_protocol_version = 1
```

### Newer PowerDNS Recursor versions

By default, this plugin is compatible with PowerDNS Recursor versions older
than `4.5.0`. If you are using a newer version then you’ll need to adjust the`control_protocol_version` configuration option based on your version. For
versions between `4.5.0` and `4.5.11` set it to `2` and for versions `4.6.0`and newer set it to `3`. If you don’t, you will get an `i/o timeout` or a`protocol wrong type for socket` error.

### Permissions

Telegraf will need read/write access to the control socket and to the`socket_dir`. PowerDNS will need to be able to write to the `socket_dir`.

The setup described below was tested on a Debian Stretch system and may need
adapted for other systems.

First change permissions on the controlsocket in the PowerDNS recursor
configuration, usually in `/etc/powerdns/recursor.conf`:

```sh
socket-mode = 660
```

Then place the `telegraf` user into the `pdns` group:

```sh
usermod telegraf -a -G pdns
```

Since `telegraf` cannot write to to the default `/var/run` socket directory,
create a subdirectory and adjust permissions for this directory so that both
users can access it.

```sh
mkdir /var/run/pdns
chown root:pdns /var/run/pdns
chmod 770 /var/run/pdns
```

## Metrics

* powerdns\_recursor
  * tags:
    * server

  * fields:
    * all-outqueries
    * answers-slow
    * answers0-1
    * answers1-10
    * answers10-100
    * answers100-1000
    * auth-zone-queries
    * auth4-answers-slow
    * auth4-answers0-1
    * auth4-answers1-10
    * auth4-answers10-100
    * auth4-answers100-1000
    * auth6-answers-slow
    * auth6-answers0-1
    * auth6-answers1-10
    * auth6-answers10-100
    * auth6-answers100-1000
    * cache-entries
    * cache-hits
    * cache-misses
    * case-mismatches
    * chain-resends
    * client-parse-errors
    * concurrent-queries
    * dlg-only-drops
    * dnssec-queries
    * dnssec-result-bogus
    * dnssec-result-indeterminate
    * dnssec-result-insecure
    * dnssec-result-nta
    * dnssec-result-secure
    * dnssec-validations
    * dont-outqueries
    * ecs-queries
    * ecs-responses
    * edns-ping-matches
    * edns-ping-mismatches
    * failed-host-entries
    * fd-usage
    * ignored-packets
    * ipv6-outqueries
    * ipv6-questions
    * malloc-bytes
    * max-cache-entries
    * max-mthread-stack
    * max-packetcache-entries
    * negcache-entries
    * no-packet-error
    * noedns-outqueries
    * noerror-answers
    * noping-outqueries
    * nsset-invalidations
    * nsspeeds-entries
    * nxdomain-answers
    * outgoing-timeouts
    * outgoing4-timeouts
    * outgoing6-timeouts
    * over-capacity-drops
    * packetcache-entries
    * packetcache-hits
    * packetcache-misses
    * policy-drops
    * policy-result-custom
    * policy-result-drop
    * policy-result-noaction
    * policy-result-nodata
    * policy-result-nxdomain
    * policy-result-truncate
    * qa-latency
    * query-pipe-full-drops
    * questions
    * real-memory-usage
    * resource-limits
    * security-status
    * server-parse-errors
    * servfail-answers
    * spoof-prevents
    * sys-msec
    * tcp-client-overflow
    * tcp-clients
    * tcp-outqueries
    * tcp-questions
    * throttle-entries
    * throttled-out
    * throttled-outqueries
    * too-old-drops
    * udp-in-errors
    * udp-noport-errors
    * udp-recvbuf-errors
    * udp-sndbuf-errors
    * unauthorized-tcp
    * unauthorized-udp
    * unexpected-packets
    * unreachables
    * uptime
    * user-msec
    * x-our-latency
    * x-ourtime-slow
    * x-ourtime0-1
    * x-ourtime1-2
    * x-ourtime16-32
    * x-ourtime2-4
    * x-ourtime4-8
    * x-ourtime8-16

## Example Output

```text
powerdns_recursor,server=/var/run/pdns_recursor.controlsocket all-outqueries=3631810i,answers-slow=36863i,answers0-1=179612i,answers1-10=1223305i,answers10-100=1252199i,answers100-1000=408357i,auth-zone-queries=4i,auth4-answers-slow=44758i,auth4-answers0-1=59721i,auth4-answers1-10=1766787i,auth4-answers10-100=1329638i,auth4-answers100-1000=430372i,auth6-answers-slow=0i,auth6-answers0-1=0i,auth6-answers1-10=0i,auth6-answers10-100=0i,auth6-answers100-1000=0i,cache-entries=296689i,cache-hits=150654i,cache-misses=2949682i,case-mismatches=0i,chain-resends=420004i,client-parse-errors=0i,concurrent-queries=0i,dlg-only-drops=0i,dnssec-queries=152970i,dnssec-result-bogus=0i,dnssec-result-indeterminate=0i,dnssec-result-insecure=0i,dnssec-result-nta=0i,dnssec-result-secure=47i,dnssec-validations=47i,dont-outqueries=62i,ecs-queries=0i,ecs-responses=0i,edns-ping-matches=0i,edns-ping-mismatches=0i,failed-host-entries=21i,fd-usage=32i,ignored-packets=0i,ipv6-outqueries=0i,ipv6-questions=0i,malloc-bytes=0i,max-cache-entries=1000000i,max-mthread-stack=33747i,max-packetcache-entries=500000i,negcache-entries=100019i,no-packet-error=0i,noedns-outqueries=73341i,noerror-answers=25453808i,noping-outqueries=0i,nsset-invalidations=2398i,nsspeeds-entries=3966i,nxdomain-answers=3341302i,outgoing-timeouts=44384i,outgoing4-timeouts=44384i,outgoing6-timeouts=0i,over-capacity-drops=0i,packetcache-entries=78258i,packetcache-hits=25999027i,packetcache-misses=3100179i,policy-drops=0i,policy-result-custom=0i,policy-result-drop=0i,policy-result-noaction=3100336i,policy-result-nodata=0i,policy-result-nxdomain=0i,policy-result-truncate=0i,qa-latency=6553i,query-pipe-full-drops=0i,questions=29099363i,real-memory-usage=280494080i,resource-limits=0i,security-status=1i,server-parse-errors=0i,servfail-answers=304253i,spoof-prevents=0i,sys-msec=1312600i,tcp-client-overflow=0i,tcp-clients=0i,tcp-outqueries=116i,tcp-questions=133i,throttle-entries=21i,throttled-out=13296i,throttled-outqueries=13296i,too-old-drops=2i,udp-in-errors=4i,udp-noport-errors=2918i,udp-recvbuf-errors=0i,udp-sndbuf-errors=0i,unauthorized-tcp=0i,unauthorized-udp=0i,unexpected-packets=0i,unreachables=1708i,uptime=167482i,user-msec=1282640i,x-our-latency=19i,x-ourtime-slow=642i,x-ourtime0-1=3095566i,x-ourtime1-2=3401i,x-ourtime16-32=201i,x-ourtime2-4=304i,x-ourtime4-8=198i,x-ourtime8-16=24i 1533903879000000000
```