Section 2 · Understand your cardinality

Every label you add multiplies the series count by that label's number of values

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Labels multiply series

Labels don’t add series, they multiply them. A status label with 3 values combined with an action label with 5 values produces 15 unique series from what looks like one metric. Add an endpoint label with 3 values and you’re at 45. Every label you add multiplies the count by that label’s number of values.

Two rows showing label value counts multiplying. 3 status values times 5 action values equals 15 series, and adding a 3-value endpoint label grows the total to 45 series