Units and the meaning of values
Choose units that make readings and alert thresholds easy to understand.
On this page
What you need
Know what your source measures and whether it reports a current value or a running total.
How to do it
- Use % for percentages, B for bytes and ms for milliseconds. Give other readings a meaningful unit.
- Choose a gauge for a changing value such as temperature. Choose a counter for an increasing total such as bytes transferred.
- Compare the displayed value with the source before setting an alarm threshold.
Good to know
Charts can display bytes in larger units to improve readability. Exports and thresholds keep the original unit. A counter rate describes the increase per second.
A raw sensor count is not a temperature until you convert and calibrate it. Do not relabel old values with a different physical meaning.
If something goes wrong
Unexpected rates can come from an incorrect clock, a counter reset or a changed unit. Compare the original readings if they are still available.
Related guides
- Measurement series and their properties
Create a series for each kind of reading, with a clear name, type and unit.
- Measurements, counters and summaries
Use current measurements or running counters and understand chart summaries.