Random

The Random input plugin generates random value samples using the device interface /dev/urandom. If that interface is unavailable, it uses a Unix timestamp as a value.

Configuration parameters

The plugin supports the following configuration parameters:

Key	Description	Default
Samples	Specifies the number of samples to generate. The default value of -1 generates unlimited samples.	-1
Interval_Sec	Specifies the interval between generated samples, in seconds.	1
Interval_Nsec	Specifies the interval between generated samples, in nanoseconds. This works in conjunction with Interval_Sec.	0
Threaded	Specifies whether to run this input in its own thread.	false

Get started

To start generating random samples, you can either run the plugin from the command line or through a configuration file.

Command line

Use the following command line options to generate samples.

fluent-bit -i random -o stdout

Configuration file

The following examples are sample configuration files for this input plugin:

fluent-bit.yaml

pipeline:
    inputs:
        - name: random
          samples: -1
          interval_sec: 1
          interval_nsec: 0

    outputs:
        - name: stdout
          match: '*'

fluent-bit.conf

[INPUT]
    Name          random
    Samples      -1
    Interval_Sec  1
    Interval_NSec 0

[OUTPUT]
    Name   stdout
    Match  *

Testing

After Fluent Bit starts running, it generates reports in the output interface:

$ fluent-bit -i random -o stdout

Fluent Bit v4.0.3
* Copyright (C) 2015-2025 The Fluent Bit Authors
* Fluent Bit is a CNCF sub-project under the umbrella of Fluentd
* https://fluentbit.io

______ _                  _    ______ _ _             ___  _____
|  ___| |                | |   | ___ (_) |           /   ||  _  |
| |_  | |_   _  ___ _ __ | |_  | |_/ /_| |_  __   __/ /| || |/' |
|  _| | | | | |/ _ \ '_ \| __| | ___ \ | __| \ \ / / /_| ||  /| |
| |   | | |_| |  __/ | | | |_  | |_/ / | |_   \ V /\___  |\ |_/ /
\_|   |_|\__,_|\___|_| |_|\__| \____/|_|\__|   \_/     |_(_)___/


[2025/07/01 14:44:47] [ info] [fluent bit] version=4.0.3, commit=f5f5f3c17d, pid=1
[2025/07/01 14:44:47] [ info] [storage] ver=1.5.3, type=memory, sync=normal, checksum=off, max_chunks_up=128
[2025/07/01 14:44:47] [ info] [simd    ] disabled
[2025/07/01 14:44:47] [ info] [cmetrics] version=1.0.3
[2025/07/01 14:44:47] [ info] [ctraces ] version=0.6.6
[2025/07/01 14:44:47] [ info] [input:mem:mem.0] initializing
[2025/07/01 14:44:47] [ info] [input:mem:mem.0] storage_strategy='memory' (memory only)
[2025/07/01 14:44:47] [ info] [sp] stream processor started
[2025/07/01 14:44:47] [ info] [engine] Shutdown Grace Period=5, Shutdown Input Grace Period=2
[2025/07/01 14:44:47] [ info] [output:stdout:stdout.0] worker #0 started
[0] random.0: [1475893654, {"rand_value"=>1863375102915681408}]
[1] random.0: [1475893655, {"rand_value"=>425675645790600970}]
[2] random.0: [1475893656, {"rand_value"=>7580417447354808203}]
[3] random.0: [1475893657, {"rand_value"=>1501010137543905482}]
[4] random.0: [1475893658, {"rand_value"=>16238242822364375212}]