In addition to the launch of vRealize Operations 7.5, we are also launching a new repository for the community to share custom content. We started a year ago with the Dashboard Sample Exchange and it has grown to almost 130 community dashboards with thousands of downloads. In cooperation with the VMware {code} team we are expanding on this success with the Super Metric Sample Exchange and even as I write this blog, we are already getting community samples from vExperts and vRealize Operations ninjas (shout out to @Virtual_Dan96)!
In this blog post, I will briefly explain super metrics, how to get to the samples and step-by-step instructions for adding your own samples.
Super Metrics in 125 Words
Our documentation summarizes it well…
“A super metric is a mathematical formula that contains a combination of one or more metrics for one or more objects. With super metrics you can assess information more quickly when you are observing fewer metrics.”
For example, maybe you would like to know “for a given host, what is the average VM CPU demand percentage?” This is a simple example and a simple formula, but what is cool about super metrics is they can persist over time and give you historical trending, dynamic thresholds and can be used for dashboards, views, reports and alert symptoms. We also introduced some new features for super metrics in vRealize Operations 7.5 including on-the-fly super metrics and a new, intuitive super metric editor.
Exploring Super Metric Samples
Once you understand the power of super metrics, you’ll want to try them out! This is why the Super Metric Sample Exchange was created. It makes it easy to browse and download super metrics. There are actually two ways to get to the Sample Exchange.
First, you can browse to our vRealize microsite and click the link to View Samples on the landing page.
Once there, just select the language filter for “vRealize Ops Super Metrics” and you can view and download any of them you would like to try.
The second way is to browse directly to the Sample Exchange at https://code.vmware.com/samples. From there you’ll need to select the filter under “Language” on the left side of the page (you may need to scroll down to see it).
Picking “vRealize Ops Super Metrics will narrow down the samples.
You can then review and even download these samples. The download is a .json file that you can then import into vRealize Operations under Administration > Configuration > Super Metrics.
Just click the action menu, select Import Super Metric and browse to the .json file you downloaded from the Sample Exchange.
Contribute Your Samples
For your vRealize Operations ninjas out there, you are invited to share your super metric samples. It is really easy, thanks to Aaron Spear on the VMware {code} team adding some new features to the Sample Exchange.
To add your sample, first you will need to export it from vRealize Operations – just select the super metric in vRealize Operations, click the action menu and then Export Selected Super Metric. A .json file with the super metric name will be downloaded.
A note on sharing. Be sure to use a descriptive name and add the description in the super metric editor as well. This will help people who want to use your sample after they import it into their vRealize Operations cluster.
To add a sample, you will need to log in to the {code} VMware site. If you don’t have an account, it’s easy to create one. This way we can give you community credit for your contribution and people who have comments or questions about your sample can leave feedback for your review.
Once you have logged in to {code} VMware, click the Add New Sample button.
Choose the option to Upload Sample and then select the .json file you exported earlier.
Finally, fill out the sample data form. I recommend using the same title and including the same description for the super metric as configured in your vRealize Operations cluster. Select the license you wish, but I recommend using the MIT license if you’re not sure. The platform and language fields will be pre-filled for you, but you should also include the version numbers of vRealize Operations in which you have tested or used your super metric. Then you acknowledge the terms of use and click Submit.
Try or Contribute Today
If you have never worked with super metrics in vRealize Operations before, then the samples are a great way to get familiar with what they can do and how they are written. If you are ninja with super metrics please consider sharing with the community so everyone can benefit and learn to get more out of vRealize Operations.
