convert

Log to Metric Transform

The Vector log_to_metric transform accepts log events, but outputs metric events, allowing you to convert logs into one or more metrics.

Configuration

vector.toml
[transforms.log_to_metric]
  type = "log_to_metric"


  [[transforms.log_to_metric.metrics]]
    type = "histogram"
    field = "time"
    name = "time_ms" # optional
    tags.status = "{{status}}" # optional
    tags.host = "{{host}}" # optional
    tags.env = "${ENV}" # optional
  • [table]commonrequired

    metrics

    A table of key/value pairs representing the keys to be added to the event.

    • stringcommonrequired

      field

      The log field to use as the metric. See Null Fields for more info.

      • No default
      • View examples
    • booloptional

      increment_by_value

      If true the metric will be incremented by the field value. If false the metric will be incremented by 1 regardless of the field value.

      • Only relevant when: type = "counter"
      • Default: false
      • View examples
    • stringcommonrequired

      name

      The name of the metric. Defaults to <field>_total for counter and <field> for gauge.

      • No default
      • View examples
    • tablecommonoptional

      tags

      Key/value pairs representing metric tags.

      • stringcommonrequired
        [tag-name]

        Key/value pairs representing metric tags. Environment variables and field interpolation is allowed.

        • No default
        • View examples
    • stringenumcommonrequired

      type

      The metric type.

      • No default
      • Enum, must be one of: "counter" "gauge" "histogram" "set"
      • View examples
    • No default

Examples

This example demonstrates capturing timings in your logs.

log event
{
  "host": "10.22.11.222",
  "message": "Sent 200 in 54.2ms",
  "status": 200,
  "time": 54.2,
}

You can convert the time field into a distribution metric:

[transforms.log_to_metric]
  type = "log_to_metric"


  [[transforms.log_to_metric.metrics]]
    type = "histogram"
    field = "time"
    name = "time_ms" # optional
    tags.status = "{{status}}" # optional
    tags.host = "{{host}}" # optional

A metric event will be output with the following structure:

metric event
{
  "name": "time_ms",
  "kind": "incremental",
  "tags": {
    "status": "200",
    "host": "10.22.11.222"
  }
  "distribution": {
    "values": [54.2],
    "sample_rates": [1.0]
  }
}

This metric will then proceed down the pipeline, and depending on the sink, will be aggregated in Vector (such is the case for the prometheus sink) or will be aggregated in the store itself.

How It Works

Complex Processing

If you encounter limitations with the log_to_metric transform then we recommend using a runtime transform. These transforms are designed for complex processing and give you the power of full programming runtime.

Environment Variables

Environment variables are supported through all of Vector's configuration. Simply add ${MY_ENV_VAR} in your Vector configuration file and the variable will be replaced before being evaluated.

You can learn more in the Environment Variables section.

Multiple Metrics

For clarification, when you convert a single log event into multiple metric events, the metric events are not emitted as a single array. They are emitted individually, and the downstream components treat them as individual events. Downstream components are not aware they were derived from a single log event.

Null Fields

If the target log field contains a null value it will ignored, and a metric will not be emitted.

Reducing

It's important to understand that this transform does not reduce multiple logs to a single metric. Instead, this transform converts logs into granular individual metrics that can then be reduced at the edge. Where the reduction happens depends on your metrics storage. For example, the prometheus sink will reduce logs in the sink itself for the next scrape, while other metrics sinks will proceed to forward the individual metrics for reduction in the metrics storage itself.

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