> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.aethir.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.aethir.com/aethir-cloud/aethir-cloud-host/operational-requirements-for-cloud-hosts/hostagent.md).

# HostAgent

To seamlessly integrate your bare metal machines into Aethir Cloud and start monetizing your idle compute power, we use a lightweight, secure utility called **HostAgent**.This document outlines what HostAgent is, how it operates, the exact telemetry it collects, and why it is completely safe to run in the background of your infrastructure.<br>

#### What is HostAgent?

**HostAgent** is the core runtime engine of Aethir's global compute system. It is a lightweight, secure background service, with the primary purpose to transform distributed, independent physical machines into **standardized and measurable compute units**. By running HostAgent, your machine becomes a fully integrated server on Aethir Cloud, **immediately generating revenue for you and ready to be rented.**<br>

#### What Does HostAgent Do?

HostAgent acts as the secure bridge between your machine and Aethir Cloud System. Its core responsibilities include:

* **Device Fingerprinting & Authentication:** It scans your hardware to generate a unique, tamper-proof device fingerprint. It features deep environment recognition to verify that the node is a genuine bare metal machine.
* **Operational Resilience:** HostAgent is designed to be completely hands-off. It features automatic self-restarts, network disconnection recovery, and auto-upgrades.
* **Node Management**: It enables necessary infrastructure coordination, including network speed and connectivity reporting, SSH management, and availability recovery mechanisms
* **High-Precision Revenue Enablement:** By continuously reporting verified availability and performance metrics, HostAgent ensures your machine earns accurate revenue for remaining online and available for Cloud Customer rentals, generating transparent rewards and service fees when allocated to service orders.

<br>

#### What Data is Collected?

HostAgent operates on a secure WebSocket (`wss://`) protocol. Data collection is strictly categorized into two phases: **Initialization** (when the agent starts) and **Heartbeat** (continuous, periodic telemetry).<br>

1. **Initialization Data (Collected on Startup/Reconnect)**

When HostAgent initializes, it registers the machine with our platform by taking a comprehensive snapshot of the hardware and system environment.

<table><thead><tr><th width="180.45703125">Category</th><th width="305.90234375">Data Collected</th><th>Purpose</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>System Info</td><td>OS type, version, kernel, startup time, timezone, virtualization environment (e.g., bare metal, docker).</td><td>Ensuring OS compatibility and uptime tracking.</td></tr><tr><td>Motherboard &#x26; BIOS</td><td>BIOS vendor, version, UUID, baseboard serial, and manufacturer.</td><td>Hardware validation.</td></tr><tr><td>CPU Specifications</td><td>Processor count, architecture, physical/logical cores, base speed, CPU ID.</td><td>Workload matching and capability assessment.</td></tr><tr><td>GPU Specifications</td><td>Model, manufacturer, VRAM, PCIe Bus ID, driver version, GPU UUID.</td><td>Crucial for AI workload scheduling and routing.</td></tr><tr><td>Memory &#x26; Storage</td><td>Total RAM, RAM speed/type, disk sizes, SSD/HDD classification, disk serials/interfaces.</td><td>Resource allocation and storage verification.</td></tr><tr><td>Network &#x26; Access</td><td>NIC speeds, MAC addresses, IPv4/IPv6, NAT type, public IP, and SSH configuration keys.</td><td>Enabling secure platform connectivity and remote management.</td></tr></tbody></table>

<br>

2. **Heartbeat Data (Collected Periodically in the Background)**

To maintain the connection and monitor node health, HostAgent sends two types of periodic heartbeats: a lightweight "keep-alive" ping, and a "status report".The status report collects: **Resource Usage** (CPU and GPU utilization, RAM utilization, Disk capacity usage), and **GPU Telemetry** (Temperature, Fan speed) **to ensure transparent rental verification, platform stability. and SLA assurance.**<br>

#### What HostAgent Does NOT Access

HostAgent:

* Does **not** access client application data
* Does **not** scan user files
* Does **not** inspect workload content
* Does **not** collect personal or business data
* Does **not** exfiltrate arbitrary filesystem content
* Does **not** perform packet inspection of workload traffic

It operates strictly at the infrastructure telemetry layer.<br>

#### Why HostAgent is Safe and Necessary?

HostAgent is architected with strict boundaries to ensure the safety and privacy of your data:

1. **Strictly Hardware and System-Level:** HostAgent only queries system registries, hardware APIs (like `nvidia-smi`), and baseline OS metrics. **It does not index, read, or access user files, personal data, or proprietary datasets stored on your drives.**
2. **No Deep Packet Inspection:** The agent monitors network adapter speeds and IP configurations to ensure connectivity, but it does not intercept or inspect the traffic/payloads flowing through your network.
3. **Encrypted Transmission:** All telemetry and command data are transmitted over industry-standard secure WebSockets (`wss://`). Data cannot be intercepted in transit.

\
**HostAgent**’s continuous background operation is the **cornerstone of network integrity** - ensuring strict SLA compliance, verifying bare-metal authenticity, and eliminating fraudulent nodes. It is engineered for **zero-friction isolation**, guaranteeing absolute protection for your application performance, client data confidentiality, active workloads, and storage integrity.<br>


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