Metrics Units Contain Non-standard Characters

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Introduction

When working with metrics for request units in the Azure Cosmos DB SDK, we may encounter issues with non-standard characters in the unit associated with the meter. In this article, we will explore the problem, expected behavior, actual behavior, and environment summary to understand the issue and potential solutions.

Describe the Bug

While working on getting metrics for request units out of the SDK, we discovered that the Unit associated with the Meter for request units is set to # RU. At first glance, this may not seem like a problem, but it becomes an issue when trying to export the metrics to various forms through OpenTelemetry Collector. The # and the space in the unit are non-standard characters that can cause problems with various tools and other SDKs.

Although these characters are technically allowed according to the UCUM (Unified Code for Units of Measurement) standard, they are not expected in community conventions. This is why it's worth revisiting the meter definitions to remove the meta-characters regardless.

Expected Behavior

The expected behavior is to have simple units with no punctuation or spacing that would potentially confuse various tools and other SDKs. One potential solution is to use annotations rather than abbreviations like # for count. Annotations provide a more explicit and readable way to define units, making it easier to understand and work with metrics.

Actual Behavior

The actual behavior is that count is abbreviated #, request units are # RU, and the current OpenTelemetry Prometheus exporter incorrectly handles meta characters and spaces, causing failure to export metrics.

Environment Summary

  • SDK Version: 3.47.2
  • OS Version: MacOS

Additional Context

To better understand the issue, it's essential to consider the complete stack traces or logs. However, in this case, the problem is more related to the non-standard characters in the unit associated with the meter.

Potential Solutions

To resolve this issue, we can consider the following potential solutions:

  1. Use Annotations: Instead of using abbreviations like # for count, we can use annotations to provide a more explicit and readable way to define units.
  2. Remove Meta-Characters: We can revisit the meter definitions to remove the meta-characters, making it easier to work with metrics and avoid potential issues with various tools and other SDKs.
  3. Update OpenTelemetry Prometheus Exporter: We can update the OpenTelemetry Prometheus exporter to correctly handle meta characters and spaces, ensuring that metrics can be exported successfully.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the issue of non-standard characters in metrics units is a problem that can cause issues with various tools and other SDKs. By understanding the expected behavior, actual behavior, and environment summary, we can identify potential solutions to resolve this issue. By using annotations, removing meta-characters, or updating the OpenTelemetry Prometheus exporter, we can ensure that metrics can be exported successfully and work with metrics more efficiently.

Recommendations

Based on the analysis of the issue, we recommend the following:

  1. Use Annotations: Use annotations to provide a more explicit and readable way to define units.
  2. Remove Meta-Characters: Revisit the meter definitions to remove the meta-characters.
  3. Update OpenTelemetry Prometheus Exporter: Update the OpenTelemetry Prometheus exporter to correctly handle meta characters and spaces.

By following these recommendations, we can resolve the issue of non-standard characters in metrics units and work with metrics more efficiently.

Related Issues

This issue is related to the OpenTelemetry project, and a related issue has been filed with the project. You can find the issue on the OpenTelemetry GitHub page.

Future Work

In the future, we plan to continue working on resolving this issue and exploring potential solutions. We will also continue to monitor the OpenTelemetry project and update the SDK to ensure that it works correctly with the latest version of the OpenTelemetry Prometheus exporter.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the OpenTelemetry community for their contributions and support in resolving this issue. We appreciate their help in making the OpenTelemetry project more robust and efficient.

References

Introduction

In our previous article, we discussed the issue of non-standard characters in metrics units and potential solutions to resolve this issue. In this article, we will provide a Q&A section to address common questions and concerns related to this issue.

Q: What are non-standard characters in metrics units?

A: Non-standard characters in metrics units refer to characters that are not typically used in unit definitions, such as # and spaces. These characters can cause issues with various tools and other SDKs when working with metrics.

Q: Why are non-standard characters a problem?

A: Non-standard characters can cause problems with various tools and other SDKs when working with metrics. For example, the OpenTelemetry Prometheus exporter incorrectly handles meta characters and spaces, causing failure to export metrics.

Q: What are the potential solutions to resolve this issue?

A: There are several potential solutions to resolve this issue, including:

  1. Use Annotations: Use annotations to provide a more explicit and readable way to define units.
  2. Remove Meta-Characters: Revisit the meter definitions to remove the meta-characters.
  3. Update OpenTelemetry Prometheus Exporter: Update the OpenTelemetry Prometheus exporter to correctly handle meta characters and spaces.

Q: How can I use annotations to define units?

A: Annotations provide a more explicit and readable way to define units. You can use annotations to specify the unit of measurement, such as # for count, and provide additional information about the unit, such as its description.

Q: How can I remove meta-characters from meter definitions?

A: To remove meta-characters from meter definitions, you can revisit the meter definitions and remove any characters that are not typically used in unit definitions. This may involve updating the meter definitions to use standard characters, such as # for count.

Q: How can I update the OpenTelemetry Prometheus exporter to correctly handle meta characters and spaces?

A: To update the OpenTelemetry Prometheus exporter to correctly handle meta characters and spaces, you can update the exporter to ignore or remove any non-standard characters in the unit definitions. This may involve updating the exporter's configuration or code to handle these characters correctly.

Q: What are the benefits of resolving this issue?

A: Resolving this issue can provide several benefits, including:

  1. Improved metrics export: Resolving this issue can improve the export of metrics to various tools and other SDKs.
  2. Increased efficiency: Resolving this issue can increase efficiency when working with metrics, as you will no longer need to worry about non-standard characters causing issues.
  3. Better support for OpenTelemetry: Resolving this issue can provide better support for OpenTelemetry, as the OpenTelemetry Prometheus exporter will be able to correctly handle meta characters and spaces.

Q: How can I get help with resolving this issue?

A: If you need help with resolving this issue, you can:

  1. Check the OpenTelemetry documentation: Check the OpenTelemetry documentation for information on how to resolve this issue.
  2. Contact the OpenTelemetry community: Contact the OpenTelemetry community for help and support.
  3. File an issue: File an issue on the OpenTelemetry GitHub page to report the issue and request help.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the issue of non-standard characters in metrics units is a problem that can cause issues with various tools and other SDKs when working with metrics. By understanding the potential solutions to resolve this issue, you can improve the export of metrics, increase efficiency, and provide better support for OpenTelemetry. If you need help with resolving this issue, you can check the OpenTelemetry documentation, contact the OpenTelemetry community, or file an issue on the OpenTelemetry GitHub page.