> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/observability/monitoring-service/dcd-how-tos/create-monitoring-pipeline.md).
# Create a Monitoring Pipeline
A monitoring pipeline refers to an instance of the Monitoring Service set up to receive, process, and store metric data from various sources.
To create a monitoring pipeline, follow these steps:
{% hint style="info" %}
**Prerequisite:** Ensure you have the corresponding permissions to create and manage the Monitoring Service. Only contract administrators, owners, and users with **Access and manage Monitoring** privileges can create a monitoring pipeline. For more information, see [Set User Privileges](/cloud/observability/monitoring-service/dcd-how-tos/set-privileges-monitoring-service.md).
{% endhint %}
1\. In the **DCD**, go to **Menu** > **Observability** > **Monitoring Service**.
2\. Click **Create monitoring pipeline** from the **Monitoring Service** overview page.
3\. Configure the following details for a monitoring pipeline:
* **Name:** Enter a name for the monitoring pipeline. The name is only for your reference and must not be unique. Example, `my-monitoring-pipeline`.
* **Location:** Select a location from the drop-down list to create the monitoring pipeline in that specific region. The location determines where your metrics will be processed and stored.
4\. Click **Create** to create a monitoring pipeline.
{% hint style="success" %}
**Result:** The monitoring pipeline is successfully created. An API key is provided which is needed to configure your metrics agent to send metrics to the pipeline's remote-write endpoint.
{% endhint %}
{% hint style="warning" %}
**Note:** Store the API key in a secure place. The key is only displayed on pipeline creation and cannot be retrieved afterwards.
{% endhint %}
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