Passed Exam Today C1000-189

The IBM Instana Observability documentation clearly defines several operating modes for the host agent, with INFRASTRUCTURE mode dedicated exclusively to monitoring system-level performance data. The verified extract states: "INFRASTRUCTURE mode configures the host agent to monitor the underlying host metrics and activate sensors for the technologies running on that host without tracing application-level transactions." It collects CPU, memory, disk, network metrics, and technology integrations like Docker or OS sensors while ignoring application instrumentation. This mode reduces overhead in environments that demand system observability without full APM tracing. APM mode, conversely, extends to application traces and requests. Cloud-specific modes such as AWS or ARM designate external monitoring integrations rather than agent behavior. INFRASTRUCTURE mode thus provides base telemetry visibility as per documented design and was verified in both formulations of the Instana agent guides (v1.0.277, v1.0.307).

According to IBM Instana Observability (v1.0.307 and earlier), stanctl cluster backup is a built-in utility and command-line tool to back up system state and operational data from an Instana cluster. The verified procedure reads: "stanctl cluster backup saves configuration, operational state, and selected monitoring data into an archive file located in the current working directory." This archive is designed for disaster recovery and migration, containing all crucial files needed for restoring Instana to a consistent state. Disk snapshots (A) are separate and handled by storage appliances. Option B describes pre-backup preparation rather than the actual result. Remote backup (C) operations require remote execution configuration and are not part of the default cluster backup. Thus, D is correct as per documentation, which emphasizes bringing together all cluster backup data in a portable .tar or .zip archive for safe storage or transfer.

The primary configuration file specifying Instana server connection parameters for the host agent is com.instana.agent.main.sender.Server.cfg. The IBM documentation affirms: "The Server.cfg file inside the agent’s configuration directory defines backend connection endpoints, ports, and security tokens to communicate with the Instana backend or cluster installation." This file is referenced on agent startup and dictates host-server routing, clustering, authentication, and TLS endpoints. Other config files control agent properties or log shipping, not backend connectivity. Editing Server.cfg is the recommended method for specifying on-premises, private cloud, or SaaS endpoints for all monitored agents.

IBM Instana documentation is explicit: some action definitions, including default and built-in (such as Ansible) actions supplied by the platform, cannot be manually deleted by users or admins. It states: "Default Actions—including Ansible integration actions pre-defined by Instana—are protected from manual deletion to ensure availability and platform integrity." This ensures that core automation integrations remain functional and the baseline for remediations, regardless of user error or misconfiguration. Custom or imported actions can be removed, but defaults—tagged as such in the UI—are non-removable, safeguarding operational continuity and maintaining standardized integrations across manual and automated workflows. Active status or name presence does not impact deletion ability; it is the default/built-in status (D) that enforces this lock.