# LinkMesh collector fleet evaluation checklist

Use this with a representative test group before expanding to production.
Product capabilities and supported versions: https://docs.linkmesh.io/

## Define a useful outcome
- [ ] Name the service owner and the person approving the evaluation.
- [ ] Record collector count, runtimes, versions and operating systems.
- [ ] Choose a goal: less manual configuration, lower ingest volume, controlled egress, or more flexible routing.
- [ ] Agree success thresholds, observation period and rollback owner before changing traffic.

## Connect one collector
- [ ] Install LinkMesh in the intended network zone.
- [ ] Check TLS, token handling and supported collector versions.
- [ ] Use the correct remote configuration mechanism: otelcol-contrib / OpAMP or Grafana Alloy / remotecfg.
- [ ] Retain the previous collector configuration securely.
- [ ] Verify both the collector's reported status and real telemetry at the destination.

## Validate a configuration change
- [ ] Apply the change to a test collector or small group.
- [ ] Compare records and bytes over equivalent workloads and time windows.
- [ ] Check required attributes, timestamps, service names, sampling and dropped telemetry.
- [ ] Test dashboard and alert inputs, not just pipeline throughput.
- [ ] Check that secrets and sensitive fields do not reach an unintended destination.
- [ ] Avoid sending duplicate production records to the same billable destination.

## Validate failure and recovery
- [ ] Restore the previous configuration and confirm the data path recovers.
- [ ] Test temporary loss of the management connection.
- [ ] Test collector restart and destination failure separately.
- [ ] Inspect retry, queue and disk behaviour for your collector configuration.
- [ ] Record backup, recovery and update responsibilities.

## Decide whether to expand
- [ ] Document the result and unresolved limitations.
- [ ] For ingest reduction, confirm the contract charges for the volume you removed: fewer bytes do not guarantee a smaller fixed bill.
- [ ] Include infrastructure and operating effort as well as licensing in the evaluation.
- [ ] Expand by environment or group only after the agreed observation period.

Start with up to 25 collectors free: https://linkmesh.io/install/
Review current pricing: https://linkmesh.io/pricing/
Send a technical enquiry: https://linkmesh.io/contact/