---
title: "otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative | Grafana Alloy documentation"
description: "Learn about otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative"
---

# `otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative`

> **EXPERIMENTAL**: This is an [experimental](/docs/release-life-cycle/) component. Experimental components are subject to frequent breaking changes, and may be removed with no equivalent replacement. To enable and use an experimental component, you must set the `stability.level` [flag](/docs/alloy/latest/reference/cli/run/) to `experimental`.

`otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative` accepts metrics from other `otelcol` components and converts metrics with the delta temporality to cumulative.

> Note
> 
> `otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative` is a wrapper over the upstream OpenTelemetry Collector [`deltatocumulative`](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/tree/v0.147.0/processor/deltatocumulativeprocessor) processor. Bug reports or feature requests will be redirected to the upstream repository, if necessary.

You can specify multiple `otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative` components by giving them different labels.

## Usage

Alloy ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```alloy
otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative "<LABEL>" {
  output {
    metrics = [...]
  }
}
```

## Arguments

You can use the following arguments with `otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative`:

Expand table

| Name          | Type       | Description                                                         | Default               | Required |
|---------------|------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|----------|
| `max_stale`   | `duration` | How long to wait for a new sample before marking a stream as stale. | `"5m"`                | no       |
| `max_streams` | `number`   | Upper limit of streams to track. Set to `0` to disable.             | `9223372036854775807` | no       |

`otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative` tracks incoming metric streams. Sum and exponential histogram metrics with delta temporality are tracked and converted into cumulative temporality.

If a new sample hasn’t been received since the duration specified by `max_stale`, tracked streams are considered stale and dropped. `max_stale` must be set to a duration greater than `"0s"`.

The `max_streams` attribute configures the upper limit of streams to track. If the limit of tracked streams is reached, new incoming streams are dropped.

## Blocks

You can use the following blocks with `otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative`:

No valid configuration blocks found.

### `output`

Required

The `output` block configures a set of components to forward resulting telemetry data to.

The following arguments are supported:

Expand table

| Name      | Type                     | Description                           | Default | Required |
|-----------|--------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------|----------|
| `logs`    | `list(otelcol.Consumer)` | List of consumers to send logs to.    | `[]`    | no       |
| `metrics` | `list(otelcol.Consumer)` | List of consumers to send metrics to. | `[]`    | no       |
| `traces`  | `list(otelcol.Consumer)` | List of consumers to send traces to.  | `[]`    | no       |

You must specify the `output` block, but all its arguments are optional. By default, telemetry data is dropped. Configure the `metrics`, `logs`, and `traces` arguments accordingly to send telemetry data to other components.

### `debug_metrics`

The `debug_metrics` block configures the metrics that this component generates to monitor its state.

The following arguments are supported:

Expand table

| Name                               | Type      | Description                                          | Default | Required |
|------------------------------------|-----------|------------------------------------------------------|---------|----------|
| `disable_high_cardinality_metrics` | `boolean` | Whether to disable certain high cardinality metrics. | `true`  | no       |

`disable_high_cardinality_metrics` is the Alloy equivalent to the `telemetry.disableHighCardinalityMetrics` feature gate in the OpenTelemetry Collector. It removes attributes that could cause high cardinality metrics. For example, attributes with IP addresses and port numbers in metrics about HTTP and gRPC connections are removed.

> Note
> 
> If configured, `disable_high_cardinality_metrics` only applies to `otelcol.exporter.*` and `otelcol.receiver.*` components.

## Exported fields

The following fields are exported and can be referenced by other components:

Expand table

| Name    | Type               | Description                                                      |
|---------|--------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `input` | `otelcol.Consumer` | A value that other components can use to send telemetry data to. |

`input` accepts `otelcol.Consumer` data for metrics.

## Component health

`otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative` is only reported as unhealthy if given an invalid configuration.

## Debug information

`otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative` doesn’t expose any component-specific debug information.

## Debug metrics

- `otelcol_deltatocumulative_datapoints` (counter): Total number of datapoints processed (successfully or unsuccessfully).
- `otelcol_deltatocumulative_streams_limit` (gauge): Upper limit of tracked streams.
- `otelcol_deltatocumulative_streams_max_stale_seconds` (gauge): Duration without new samples after which streams are dropped.
- `otelcol_deltatocumulative_streams_tracked` (gauge): Number of streams currently tracked by the aggregation state.

## Examples

### Basic usage

This example converts delta temporality metrics to cumulative before sending it to [otelcol.exporter.otlphttp](../otelcol.exporter.otlphttp/) for further processing:

Alloy ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```alloy
otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative "default" {
  output {
    metrics = [otelcol.exporter.otlphttp.production.input]
  }
}

otelcol.exporter.otlphttp "production" {
  client {
    endpoint = sys.env("<OTLP_SERVER_ENDPOINT>")
  }
}
```

### Export Prometheus data

This example converts delta temporality metrics to cumulative metrics before it’s converted to Prometheus data, which requires cumulative temporality:

Alloy ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```alloy
otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative "default" {
  output {
    metrics = [otelcol.exporter.prometheus.default.input]
  }
}

otelcol.exporter.prometheus "default" {
  forward_to = [prometheus.remote_write.default.receiver]
}

prometheus.remote_write "default" {
  endpoint {
    url = sys.env("<PROMETHEUS_SERVER_URL>")
  }
}
```

## Compatible components

`otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative` can accept arguments from the following components:

- Components that export [OpenTelemetry `otelcol.Consumer`](../../../compatibility/#opentelemetry-otelcolconsumer-exporters)

`otelcol.processor.deltatocumulative` has exports that can be consumed by the following components:

- Components that consume [OpenTelemetry `otelcol.Consumer`](../../../compatibility/#opentelemetry-otelcolconsumer-consumers)

> Note
> 
> Connecting some components may not be sensible or components may require further configuration to make the connection work correctly. Refer to the linked documentation for more details.