Splunk Search

How to create a custom macro / function inside the search query?

dzhariy
Explorer

In the query below, for each host, I am searching for its performance data for each value for past 5 minutes.
The expected output is the following:

Open screenshot

See screenshot

I have solved this problem using 4 joins… But that made the source code large and ugly…
Is there any way I can optimize the size of the query below?
Can a define a custom macro inside the query and call it several times with different parameters instead of copy-pasting the code?

index=perfmon host=lena  counter="% Processor Time" earliest=-1m  
   | fields host,counter,Value  
     | eval ValueR_1m_Ago = round(Value, 2) 
     | eval HostUpperCase = upper(host) 
   | convert ctime(_time) as Time_1m_Ago 
   | fields HostUpperCase, counter, ValueR_1m_Ago, Time_1m_Ago  

| join  HostUpperCase 
[search index=perfmon host=lena  counter="% Processor Time" earliest=-2m latest=-1m  
   | fields host,counter,Value  
     | eval ValueR_2m_Ago = round(Value, 2) 
     | eval HostUpperCase = upper(host) 
   | convert ctime(_time) as Time_2m_Ago 
   | fields HostUpperCase, ValueR_2m_Ago, Time_2m_Ago ]  

| join HostUpperCase 
[search index=perfmon host=lena  counter="% Processor Time" earliest=-3m latest=-2m  
   | fields host,counter,Value  
     | eval ValueR_3m_Ago = round(Value, 2) 
     | eval HostUpperCase = upper(host) 
   | convert ctime(_time) as Time_3m_Ago 
   | fields HostUpperCase, ValueR_3m_Ago, Time_3m_Ago ] 

| join HostUpperCase 
[search index=perfmon host=lena  counter="% Processor Time" earliest=-4m latest=-3m  
   | fields host,counter,Value  
     | eval ValueR_4m_Ago = round(Value, 2) 
     | eval HostUpperCase = upper(host) 
   | convert ctime(_time) as Time_4m_Ago 
   | fields HostUpperCase, ValueR_4m_Ago, Time_4m_Ago ]  

| join HostUpperCase 
[search index=perfmon host=lena  counter="% Processor Time" earliest=-5m latest=-4m  
   | fields host,counter,Value  
     | eval ValueR_5m_Ago = round(Value, 2) 
     | eval HostUpperCase = upper(host) 
   | convert ctime(_time) as Time_5m_Ago 
   | fields HostUpperCase, ValueR_5m_Ago, Time_5m_Ago ]  
| DEDUP HostUpperCase
| sort -ValueR_1m_Ago
| table HostUpperCase 
        ,counter 
        ,ValueR_1m_Ago 
        ,Time_1m_Ago 
        ,ValueR_2m_Ago 
        ,ValueR_3m_Ago 
        ,ValueR_4m_Ago 
        ,ValueR_5m_Ago
1 Solution

MuS
SplunkTrust
SplunkTrust

Hi dzhariy,

looking at your search I was wondering how this could be done by using a stats and some eval tricks and guess what, I found a way to do this 🙂

Let me show you a run everywhere search (assuming you got the permission to search the index=_internal😞

index=_internal earliest=-5min@min sourcetype=splunkd | bucket _time span=1min | stats last(_time) AS last_time count AS per_min_count by _time, host, sourcetype 
| eval 5min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-6min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-5min@min")) , per_min_count ,"0") 
| eval 4min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-5min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-4min@min")) , per_min_count ,"0") 
| eval 3min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-4min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-3min@min")) , per_min_count ,"0")
| eval 2min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-3min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-2min@min")) , per_min_count ,"0")
| eval 1min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-2min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-1min@min")) , per_min_count ,"0")
| eval current_count = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-1min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-0min@min")) , per_min_count ,"0")
| stats max(last_time) AS _time, values(host) AS host, values(sourcetype) AS sourcetype, max(current_count) AS current_count, max(1min_ago) AS 1min_ago, max(2min_ago) AS 2min_ago, max(3min_ago) AS 3min_ago, max(4min_ago) AS 4min_ago, max(5min_ago) AS 5min_ago

This will produce a table like this, which matches your result:
alt text

Now let me try to adapt this to your search and something like this should work:

index=perfmon host=lena  counter="% Processor Time" earliest=-5min@min
| bucket _time span=1min 
| stats last(_time) AS last_time max(exact(Value)) AS Value by _time, host, counter
| eval 5min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-6min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-5min@min")) , Value ,"0") 
| eval 4min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-5min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-4min@min")) , Value ,"0") 
| eval 3min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-4min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-3min@min")) , Value ,"0")
| eval 2min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-3min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-2min@min")) , Value ,"0")
| eval 1min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-2min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-1min@min")) , Value ,"0")
| eval current_count = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-1min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-0min@min")) , Value ,"0")
| stats max(last_time) AS _time, values(host) AS host, values(counter) AS counter, max(current_count) AS current_count, max(1min_ago) AS 1min_ago, max(2min_ago) AS 2min_ago, max(3min_ago) AS 3min_ago, max(4min_ago) AS 4min_ago, max(5min_ago) AS 5min_ago

The above search is untested due to missing windows events, so if there is any mistake in the search - adapt it to your needs 🙂

hope this helps ...

cheers, MuS

View solution in original post

MuS
SplunkTrust
SplunkTrust

Hi dzhariy,

looking at your search I was wondering how this could be done by using a stats and some eval tricks and guess what, I found a way to do this 🙂

Let me show you a run everywhere search (assuming you got the permission to search the index=_internal😞

index=_internal earliest=-5min@min sourcetype=splunkd | bucket _time span=1min | stats last(_time) AS last_time count AS per_min_count by _time, host, sourcetype 
| eval 5min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-6min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-5min@min")) , per_min_count ,"0") 
| eval 4min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-5min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-4min@min")) , per_min_count ,"0") 
| eval 3min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-4min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-3min@min")) , per_min_count ,"0")
| eval 2min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-3min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-2min@min")) , per_min_count ,"0")
| eval 1min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-2min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-1min@min")) , per_min_count ,"0")
| eval current_count = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-1min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-0min@min")) , per_min_count ,"0")
| stats max(last_time) AS _time, values(host) AS host, values(sourcetype) AS sourcetype, max(current_count) AS current_count, max(1min_ago) AS 1min_ago, max(2min_ago) AS 2min_ago, max(3min_ago) AS 3min_ago, max(4min_ago) AS 4min_ago, max(5min_ago) AS 5min_ago

This will produce a table like this, which matches your result:
alt text

Now let me try to adapt this to your search and something like this should work:

index=perfmon host=lena  counter="% Processor Time" earliest=-5min@min
| bucket _time span=1min 
| stats last(_time) AS last_time max(exact(Value)) AS Value by _time, host, counter
| eval 5min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-6min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-5min@min")) , Value ,"0") 
| eval 4min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-5min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-4min@min")) , Value ,"0") 
| eval 3min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-4min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-3min@min")) , Value ,"0")
| eval 2min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-3min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-2min@min")) , Value ,"0")
| eval 1min_ago = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-2min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-1min@min")) , Value ,"0")
| eval current_count = if(last_time > exact(relative_time(now(),"-1min@min")) AND last_time <= exact(relative_time(now(),"-0min@min")) , Value ,"0")
| stats max(last_time) AS _time, values(host) AS host, values(counter) AS counter, max(current_count) AS current_count, max(1min_ago) AS 1min_ago, max(2min_ago) AS 2min_ago, max(3min_ago) AS 3min_ago, max(4min_ago) AS 4min_ago, max(5min_ago) AS 5min_ago

The above search is untested due to missing windows events, so if there is any mistake in the search - adapt it to your needs 🙂

hope this helps ...

cheers, MuS

dzhariy
Explorer

Hi MuS,
Thank you. I have executed your original query for splunkd, and looks like it is working.
As you warned, the query for perfomon is not working “out of the box” 😉 However, I believe, the general idea of your query is the way to go for me: I just need more time to figure out why it returns zeros.

I think this is the answer for my question. Thank you, MuS!

0 Karma

MuS
SplunkTrust
SplunkTrust

Update ping: today, I was able to test it on real Windows events and here is the correct first stats

| stats last(_time) AS last_time last(eval(round(max(Value),2 ))) AS Value by _time, host, counter

replace it in the provided search and it will work 🙂 This is needed because the field Value is a multivalue field.

cheers, MuS

0 Karma

dzhariy
Explorer

thank you MuS!
Now query works on my sandbox environment and I have tried it on production one.
The query speed was increased (according to my naked eye) in 4-5 times.
THANK YOU!

MuS
SplunkTrust
SplunkTrust

Hi dzhariy,

Take a look at the timewrap app, this will provide a new search command that will simplify such searches.

hope this helps...

cheers, MuS

dzhariy
Explorer

Thank you MuS,
I’ve looked through the timewrap app and is definitely worth to look at. Unfortunately, in my organization,
I am a regular splunk user with restricted permissions and connot install apps. I will try to ask my administrators to install the app… Anyway, I still can experiment on my localhost splunk.

0 Karma

MuS
SplunkTrust
SplunkTrust

Hi dzhariy, have a look at the soon to be posted new answer here....I did some stats craziness - again - which could replace your monster join search

0 Karma

martin_mueller
SplunkTrust
SplunkTrust

That, very much so.

For other cases that don't get solved by timewrap you can define macros through Settings -> Advanced search -> Macros and even give them parameters, in this example your varying time ranges.

0 Karma
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