# Observe

Use the [HTTP output plugin](https://docs.fluentbit.io/manual/4.1/data-pipeline/outputs/http) to flush your records [into Observe](https://docs.observeinc.com/en/latest/content/data-ingestion/forwarders/fluentbit.html). It issues a POST request with the data records in [MessagePack](http://msgpack.org) (or JSON) format.

## Configuration parameters

The following HTTP configuration parameters are relevant to Observe:

| Key           | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | Default                                   |
| ------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| `host`        | IP address or hostname of the Observe data collection endpoint. Replace `$(OBSERVE_CUSTOMER)` with your [Customer ID](https://docs.observeinc.com/en/latest/content/hints/CustomerId.html).                                            | `OBSERVE_CUSTOMER.collect.observeinc.com` |
| `port`        | TCP port to use when sending data to Observe.                                                                                                                                                                                          | `443`                                     |
| `tls`         | Specifies whether to use TLS.                                                                                                                                                                                                          | `on`                                      |
| `uri`         | Specifies the HTTP URI for Observe.                                                                                                                                                                                                    | `/v1/http/fluentbit`                      |
| `format`      | The data format to be used in the HTTP request body.                                                                                                                                                                                   | `msgpack`                                 |
| `header`      | The specific header that provides the Observe token needed to authorize sending data [into a data stream](https://docs.observeinc.com/en/latest/content/data-ingestion/datastreams.html?highlight=ingest%20token#create-a-datastream). | 'Authorization Bearer ${OBSERVE\_TOKEN}'  |
| `header`      | The specific header that instructs Observe how to decode incoming payloads.                                                                                                                                                            | `X-Observe-Decoder fluent`                |
| `compress`    | Sets the payload compression mechanism. Possible values: `gzip`, `false`.                                                                                                                                                              | `gzip`                                    |
| `tls.ca_file` | For Windows only: the path to the root cert.                                                                                                                                                                                           | *none*                                    |
| `workers`     | The number of [workers](https://docs.fluentbit.io/manual/4.1/administration/multithreading#outputs) to perform flush operations for this output.                                                                                       | `0`                                       |

### Configuration file

In your main configuration file append the following:

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="fluent-bit.yaml" %}

```yaml
pipeline:

  outputs:
    - name: http
      match: '*'
      host: my-observe-customer-id.collect.observeinc.com
      port: 443
      tls: on
      uri: /v1/http/fluentbit
      format: msgpack
      header:
        - 'Authorization     Bearer ${OBSERVE_TOKEN}'
        - 'X-Observe-Decoder fluent'
      compress: gzip
      # For Windows: provide path to root cert
      #tls.ca_file  C:\fluent-bit\isrgrootx1.pem
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="fluent-bit.conf" %}

```
[OUTPUT]
    name         http
    match        *
    host         my-observe-customer-id.collect.observeinc.com
    port         443
    tls          on

    uri          /v1/http/fluentbit

    format       msgpack
    header       Authorization     Bearer ${OBSERVE_TOKEN}
    header       X-Observe-Decoder fluent
    compress     gzip

    # For Windows: provide path to root cert
    #tls.ca_file  C:\fluent-bit\isrgrootx1.pem
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}