How to format a metrics_csv file for a metrics index?

[jwillaime]

Hello,

I would like to know what kind of format does a CSV file need to follow in order to feed it to a metric index.

Does it need a header with the mandatory fields? Or do you put the fields inline with the data? Is there an example somewhere?

Also I would like to know which configuration should be applied to the universal forwarder to monitor this file and send the data to the metric indexer.

Thank you in advance!

[bsonposh · Accepted solution]

IFAICT
You are required to have metric_timestamp, metric_name and _value... dimensions are optional

sample format: process_object_guid is a dimension
"metric_timestamp","metric_name","_value","process_object_guid"
"1509997011","process.cpu.avg","2563454144","dbd1414b-378e-48bd-9735-bc2bab1e58fa"
"1509997011","process.cpu.min","2563454144","dbd1414b-378e-48bd-9735-bc2bab1e58fa"
"1509997011","process.cpu.max","2563454144","dbd1414b-378e-48bd-9735-bc2bab1e58fa"
"1509997011","process.cpu.last","2563454144","dbd1414b-378e-48bd-9735-bc2bab1e58fa"
"1509997011","process.ram.avg","2563454144","dbd1414b-378e-48bd-9735-bc2bab1e58fa"
"1509997011","process.ram.min","2563454144","dbd1414b-378e-48bd-9735-bc2bab1e58fa"
"1509997011","process.ram.max","2563454144","dbd1414b-378e-48bd-9735-bc2bab1e58fa"
"1509997011","process.ram.last","2563454144","dbd1414b-378e-48bd-9735-bc2bab1e58fa"
"1509997011","process.disk.avg","38750","dbd1414b-378e-48bd-9735-bc2bab1e58fa"
"1509997011","process.disk.min","38750","dbd1414b-378e-48bd-9735-bc2bab1e58fa"
"1509997011","process.disk.max","38750","dbd1414b-378e-48bd-9735-bc2bab1e58fa"
"1509997011","process.disk.last","38750","dbd1414b-378e-48bd-9735-bc2bab1e58fa”

Second part of the question:

On the Universal Forwarder (UF)

inputs.conf
[monitor:///opt/metrics_data]
index = metrics
sourcetype = metrics_csv

On the Indexer

indexes.conf
[metrics]
homePath = $SPLUNK_DB/metrics/db
coldPath = $SPLUNK_DB/metrics/colddb
thawedPath = $SPLUNK_DB/metrics/thaweddb
datatype = metric
maxTotalDataSizeMB = 512000

p.s. I submitted a docs bug for clarity.

[mattness]

This was a great example of a metrics input from a CSV file! We've added it to the metrics documentation:
http://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/7.0.0/Metrics/GetMetricsInOther#Example_of_a_CSV_file_me...

We have also updated this topic to clarify the CSV file format requirements for this kind of metrics input.