5.0

Table 4-2. Metric Types
Data Type Description
common The attribute data is numeric. This is the most common type
of attribute.
multinomial The attribute data is one of a limited set of possible values,
either string or numeric.
sparse If you know that vCenter Operations Manager will not
receive data for an attribute on a regular basis, use the sparse
data type. Using the sparse data type prevents
vCenter Operations Manager from generating anomalies
when it does not receive the metric as expected.
Creating Super Metric Packages
You can combine different metrics by using mathematical formulas to define a super metric. Super metrics are
useful when you need to track combinations of metrics, either from a single resource or, more commonly, from
multiple resources. A super metric is a formula that contains a combination of one or more metrics for one or
more resources. A super metric package contains one or more super metrics.
For example, consider the transfer of packets along a network. The ratio of packets out should stay
approximately equal to 1, and a slight deviation can indicate an abnormality. This abnormality cannot be
detected if packets in and packets out are studied separately. You must be able to track the ratio of these two
metrics.
You cannot assign a super metric directly to a resource. Instead, you create a super metric package that contains
the super metric and assign the package to the resource. The same super metric can be part of more than one
package. For example, if you create one super metric package that contains the super metrics for WebServer1
and another package that contains all of the super metrics for all Web servers, the super metrics for WebServer1
can be in both packages.
1 Design a Super Metric on page 44
Because super metric formulas can be complex, design a super metric before you use the
vCenter Operations Manager user interface to create it. The key to creating a super metric that alerts you
to the right situations is knowing your own enterprise and your data.
2 Build a Super Metric Formula on page 44
A super metric formula can include one or more metric specifications, super metric functions, arithmetic
operators (such as the plus or minus sign), and constants. You can enter any number of constants as part
of the formula.
3 Add a Super Metric on page 47
You create a super metric when only a combination of metrics can let you know if your systems are
behaving normally.
4 Add a Super Metric Package on page 48
When you create a super metric package, you specify the metrics that it contains, configure threshold
characteristics for each super metric, and indicate which threshold violations should be considered KPIs.
If you include the same super metric in more than one package, you can set different characteristics for
it in each package.
5 Assigning Super Metric Packages on page 49
You can assign a super metric package to any resource, regardless of whether any metrics from the
resource are used in the super metric package. In most cases, you assign each super metric package to a
related resource.
Chapter 4 Configuring Attribute Packages
VMware, Inc. 43