> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getcollate.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Local Ingestion Agent

> Deploy the Collate Local Ingestion Agent to run metadata ingestion inside your own infrastructure, without exposing your network to external connections.

# Local Ingestion Agent

<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/16-2l9EYBE9DjlHepPKTpVFvashMy1buu/preview" width="800" height="450" frameBorder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowFullScreen />

The Local Ingestion Agent lets you securely push metadata from your own infrastructure into Collate — without exposing your internal systems or relying on additional server infrastructure. It's the right choice when you need to run connectors on-premises and want to be up and running from your local system.

Unlike the Hybrid Ingestion Runner, the Local Ingestion Agent doesn't require a Kubernetes cluster or any cloud infrastructure — just Docker.

With the Local Ingestion Agent, you can:

* Set up ingestion workflows from a UI.
* Run end-to-end metadata extraction workflows: metadata, profiling, lineage, usage, dbt, auto-classification, and data quality.

<Note>
  **Before you start**: Contact [Collate support](mailto:free-tier-support@getcollate.io) to get your Docker credentials before setting up the Local Ingestion Agent.
</Note>

## Setting Up the Collate Ingestion Agent

Follow these steps to install, connect, and configure the Local Ingestion Agent on your machine.

### Step 1: Install and Start the Agent

You need Docker installed on your laptop. Run the following commands:

1. Authenticate with the Docker registry using the credentials provided by Collate support. For example, the following command shows the registry URL specific to AWS provided by Collate:

   ```shell theme={null}
   docker login --username AWS -p eyJwY... 118146679784.dkr.ecr.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com
   ```

2. Run the Docker image to start the Local Agent:

   ```shell theme={null}
   docker run -it --rm -p 8001:8001 -e CL_BASE_DIR='/collate/collate-local-webserver/' -v ./.collate:/collate/collate-local-webserver/.collate 118146679784.dkr.ecr.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/collate-customers-local-ingestion:<collate-version>
   ```

   <Note>
     Replace `<collate-version>` with your Collate instance version. For example, `1.11.1`.
   </Note>

### Step 2: Connect the Agent to Collate

Generate a JWT token from your Collate instance and use it to authenticate the agent.

1. In your web browser, navigate to `http://localhost:8001` to open the local agent UI.
2. Enter your Collate platform URL (for example, `https://<your-company>.getcollate.io/api`).
3. In your Collate instance, navigate to **Settings** > **Bots** and click  **Add Bot**.
4. Enter **Email**, **Display Name**, **Token Expiration**, and **Description**, then click **Create**.
5. Assign the appropriate roles – typically **DefaultBotPolicy** and **Ingestion Bot Policy**.
6. Copy and save the JWT token for later use.
   <img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/FoWk7SLqRmOEe_Qd/public/images/getting-started/jwt-token.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=FoWk7SLqRmOEe_Qd&q=85&s=3c2f18d994bdb777cd3b0557973d5a3e" alt="JWT Token" width="2990" height="1370" data-path="public/images/getting-started/jwt-token.png" />

### Step 3: Add a New Service

Add a data service in the Local Collate UI and verify the connection before running ingestion.

1. Navigate to **Settings** > **Services** and select your service type (for example, Databases).
2. Click **+ Add New Service** and choose your connector type, then click **Next**.
3. Enter the unique **Name** and **Description**, then click **Next**.
4. Fill the connection details.
5. Click **Test Connection** to verify the connection is successful.

### Step 4: Verify Ingested Data

Confirm that metadata from your data source is now visible in the Collate platform.

1. Return to the Collate platform at `https://<your-company>.getcollate.io` and refresh the database services page. Your new service will appear there now.
2. Verify that the ingested metadata, including schemas, tables, and column details, is available.

### Step 5: Configure Metadata Ingestion

After your agent is connected and your service is set up, proceed to [Step 2 - Configure Metadata Ingestion](/getting-started/ingest-metadata) to schedule your first ingestion pipeline.

## Troubleshooting

### Cannot connect to a data source on Windows when running via WSL/Docker

If the Local Ingestion Agent is running inside Docker on WSL and your data source
(for example, SQL Server) is installed on the Windows host, using `localhost` or
`127.0.0.1` as the hostname will fail — inside a Docker container these addresses
refer to the container itself, not the Windows machine.

Use `host.docker.internal` as the hostname instead.

### Connection tested successfully but not appearing in the services list

If you clicked **Test Connection** and it passed but the service does not appear in the connection list, the service was likely tested from the form without being saved.

**Fix**: Go back to **Settings** > **Services**, click **+ Add New Service**, complete all the steps, and make sure to save the service before testing the connection.

## Additional Features

The Collate Ingestion Agent supports various ingestion workflows, allowing you to:

* **Generate YAML Configurations**: Download YAML files for external scheduling.
* **Manage Ingestion Types**: Run metadata, profiling, lineage, usage, and other workflows as needed.
* **Monitor Progress**: View logs and monitor real-time ingestion activity.