---
title: Pipelines Usage Metrics
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Observability Pipelines > Monitoring and Troubleshooting > Pipelines
  Usage Metrics
---

# Pipelines Usage Metrics

{% callout %}
# Important note for users on the following Datadog sites: app.ddog-gov.com

{% alert level="danger" %}
This product is not supported for your selected [Datadog site](https://docs.datadoghq.com/getting_started/site.md). ().
{% /alert %}

{% /callout %}

## Overview{% #overview %}

This document lists some of the metrics available from Observability Pipelines. You can:

- Create your own [dashboards](https://docs.datadoghq.com/getting_started/dashboards.md), [notebooks](https://docs.datadoghq.com/notebooks.md), and [monitors](https://docs.datadoghq.com/getting_started/monitors.md) with these metrics.
- Use [Metrics Summary](https://app.datadoghq.com/metric/summary) to see metadata and tags available for the metrics. You can also see which dashboards, notebooks, monitors, and SLOs are using those metrics.

See [Getting Started with Tags](https://docs.datadoghq.com/getting_started/tagging.md) for more information on how to use tags to group metrics by specific pipelines, Workers, and components.

## Estimated usage metric{% #estimated-usage-metric %}

{% dl %}

{% dt %}
Observability Pipelines ingested bytes
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `datadog.estimated_usage.observability_pipelines.ingested_bytes`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: The volume of data ingested by Observability Pipelines. See [Estimated Usage Metrics](https://docs.datadoghq.com/account_management/billing/usage_metrics.md) for more information.
{% /dd %}

{% /dl %}

## Host metrics{% #host-metrics %}

{% dl %}

{% dt %}
Uptime
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.host.uptime`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description:** The amount of time since the host was started, in seconds.
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
Bytes in
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.host.network_receive_bytes_total`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description:** The number of bytes received by the host on all interfaces. Use the `device` tag to filter per interface, for example `device:eth0`.
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
Bytes out
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.host.network_transmit_bytes_total`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description:** The number of bytes sent by the host on all interfaces. Use the `device` tag to filter per interface.
{% /dd %}

{% /dl %}

## Process metrics{% #process-metrics %}

{% dl %}

{% dt %}
Uptime
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.uptime_seconds`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description:** The amount of time since the Worker process was started, in seconds.
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
CPU usage
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.cpu_usage_seconds_total`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description:** The amount of CPU time consumed by the Worker process in seconds (in the user and system space). The rate per second of that metric shows the proportion of the CPU used by the Worker.
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
Memory usage
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.resident_memory_used_bytes`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description:** The amount of RSS memory used by the Worker process in bytes.
{% /dd %}

{% /dl %}

## Component metrics{% #component-metrics %}

These metrics are available for sources, processors, and destinations.

- Use the `component_id` tag to filter or group by individual components.
- Use the `component_type` tag to filter or group by the type of source, processor, or destination, such as `quota` for the Quota processor.

{% dl %}

{% dt %}
Events in
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.component_received_events_total`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: The number of events received by the component.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Available for**: Sources, processors, and destinations.
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
Events out
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.component_sent_events_total`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: The number of events the component sends downstream.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Available for**: Sources, processors, and destinations.
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
Event bytes in
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.component_received_event_bytes_total`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: The byte size of events received by the component.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Available for**: Sources, processors, and destinations.
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
Event bytes out
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.component_sent_event_bytes_total`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: The byte size of events the component sends downstream.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Available for**: Sources, processors, and destinations.
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
Errors
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.component_errors_total`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: The number of errors encountered by the component.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Available for**: Sources, processors, and destinations.
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
Data dropped intentionally or unintentionally
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.component_discarded_events_total`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: The number of events dropped. **Note**: To break down this metric, use the `intentional:true` tag to filter for events that are intentionally dropped or the `intentional:false` tag for events that are not intentionally dropped.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Available for**: Sources, processors, and destinations.
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
Timed out events
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.component_timed_out_events_total`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: The number of events that waited more than 5 seconds to be sent to the first processor and resulted in a HTTP 503 error. This could happen when delivery of events are blocked.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Available for**: HTTP-based sources that have a configured timeout, such as the Datadog Agent.
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
Timed out requests
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.component_timed_out_requests_total`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: The number of requests that timed out for sources that send events to the Worker in batches using HTTP requests.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Available for**: HTTP-based sources that have a configured timeout, such as the Datadog Agent.
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
Utilization
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Metric**: `pipelines.utilization`
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: The component's activity. A value of `0` indicates an idle component that is waiting for input. A value of `1` indicates a component that is never idle, which means that the component is likely a bottleneck in the processing topology that is creating backpressure, which might cause events to be dropped.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Available for**: Processors and destinations.
{% /dd %}

{% /dl %}

## Buffer metrics (when enabled){% #buffer-metrics-when-enabled %}

Use these metrics to analyze buffer performance. All metrics are emitted on a one-second interval, unless otherwise stated.

### Source buffer metrics{% #source-buffer-metrics %}

These metrics are specific to source buffers, located downstream of a source. Each source emits its own respective buffer metrics. **Note**: Source buffers are not configurable, but these metrics can help monitor backpressure as it propagates to your pipeline's source.

- Use the `component_id` tag to filter or group by individual components.
- Use the `component_type` tag to filter or group by the source type, such as `splunk_hec` for the Splunk HEC source.

{% dl %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.source_buffer_utilization`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Event count in a source's buffer.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: histogram
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.source_buffer_utilization_level`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Number of events in a source's buffer.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: gauge
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.source_buffer_utilization_mean`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: The exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) of the number of events in the source's buffer.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: gauge
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.source_buffer_max_size_events`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: A source buffer's maximum event capacity.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: gauge
{% /dd %}

{% /dl %}

### Processor buffer metrics{% #processor-buffer-metrics %}

These metrics are specific to processor buffers, located upstream of a processor. Each processor emits its own respective buffer metrics. **Note**: Processor buffers are not configurable, but these metrics can help monitor backpressure as it propagates through your pipeline's processors.

- Use the `component_id` tag to filter or group by individual components.
- Use the `component_type` tag to filter or group by the processor type, such as `quota` for the Quota processor.

{% dl %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.transform_buffer_utilization`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Histogram of how many events are buffered in a processor.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: histogram
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.transform_buffer_utilization_level`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Event count in a processor's buffer.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: gauge
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.transform_buffer_utilization_mean`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: The exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) of the number of events in a processor's buffer.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: gauge
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.transform_buffer_max_size_events`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: A processor buffer's maximum event capacity.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: gauge
{% /dd %}

{% /dl %}

### Destination buffer metrics{% #destination-buffer-metrics %}

These metrics are specific to destination buffers, located upstream of a destination. Each destination emits its own respective buffer metrics.

- Use the `component_id` tag to filter or group by individual components.
- Use the `component_type` tag to filter or group by the destination type, such as `datadog_logs` for the Datadog Logs destination.

{% dl %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.buffer_size_events`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Number of events in a destination's buffer.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: gauge
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.buffer_size_bytes`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Number of bytes in a destination's buffer.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: gauge
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.buffer_received_events_total`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Events received by a destination's buffer. **Note**: This metric represents the count per second and not the cumulative total, even though `total` is in the metric name.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: counter
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.buffer_received_bytes_total`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Bytes received by a destination's buffer. **Note**: This metric represents the count per second and not the cumulative total, even though `total` is in the metric name.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: counter
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.buffer_sent_events_total`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Events sent downstream by a destination's buffer. **Note**: This metric represents the count per second and not the cumulative total, even though `total` is in the metric name.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: counter
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.buffer_sent_bytes_total`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Bytes sent downstream by a destination's buffer. **Note**: This metric represents the count per second and not the cumulative total, even though `total` is in the metric name.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: counter
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.buffer_discarded_events_total`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Events discarded by the buffer. **Note**: This metric represents the count per second and not the cumulative total, even though `total` is in the metric name.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: counter
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Additional tags**: `intentional:true` means an incoming event was dropped because the buffer was configured to drop the newest logs when it's full. `intentional:false` means the event was dropped due to an error.
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.buffer_discarded_bytes_total`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Bytes discarded by the buffer. **Note**: This metric represents the count per second and not the cumulative total, even though `total` is in the metric name.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: counter
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Additional tags**: `intentional:true` means an incoming event was dropped because the buffer was configured to drop the newest logs when it's full. `intentional:false` means the event was dropped due to an error.
{% /dd %}

{% /dl %}

### Deprecated buffer metrics{% #deprecated-buffer-metrics %}

These metrics are still emitted by the Observability Pipelines Worker for backwards compatibility. Datadog recommends using the replacements when possible.

{% dl %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.buffer_events`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Number of events in a destination's buffer. Use `pipelines.buffer_size_events` instead.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: gauge
{% /dd %}

{% dt %}
`pipelines.buffer_byte_size`
{% /dt %}

{% dd %}
**Description**: Number of bytes in a destination's buffer. Use `pipelines.buffer_size_bytes` instead.
{% /dd %}

{% dd %}
**Metric type**: gauge
{% /dd %}

{% /dl %}

## Further reading{% #further-reading %}

- [Learn more about the Metrics Summary](https://docs.datadoghq.com/metrics/summary.md)
- [Using the Metrics Explorer to explore and analyze your metrics](https://docs.datadoghq.com/metrics/explorer.md)
- [Getting started with dashboards](https://docs.datadoghq.com/getting_started/dashboards.md)
- [Getting started with monitors](https://docs.datadoghq.com/getting_started/monitors.md)