OpenMetrics Protobuf Metrics have two timestamps

[Fabian Stäber]

Hi,

In OpenMetrics protobuf each metric (i.e. each time series) has an optional timestamp:

message MetricPoint {
 
  oneof value {
      UnknownValue unknown_value = 1;
      GaugeValue gauge_value = 2;
      CounterValue counter_value = 3;
      HistogramValue histogram_value = 4;
      StateSetValue state_set_value = 5;
      InfoValue info_value = 6;
      SummaryValue summary_value = 7;
  }

  google.protobuf.Timestamp timestamp = 8;
}

However, this is NOT the created timestamp. Counters, Histograms, and Summaries have a created timestamp in addition to that:

message CounterValue {
  oneof total {
    double double_value = 1;
    uint64 int_value = 2;
  }
  google.protobuf.Timestamp created = 3;
  Exemplar exemplar = 4;
}

I'm struggling to understand why there are two timestamps. Can we remove one of them?

Fabian

[gout...@gmail.com]

One of them is the sample timestamp right? Or am I missing something?

Essentially a sample is (ts, v). And the ts is the timestamp inside metricpoint? It is confusing though because I would expected created to be next to timestamp. But I guess the current way makes sure only counters, histograms and summaries have a created timestamp. 

Thanks

Goutham. 

On 8. Dec 2022, at 02:12, 'Fabian Stäber' via Prometheus Developers <prometheus...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



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[Fabian Stäber]

Oh, it's the timestamps that are next to Exemplars in text format. Ok, I forgot about them. Thank you!

Fabian