Slide 2 of 5

Labels multiply series

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

Script

Labels don’t add series, they multiply them.

Take a metric with a status label that has 3 values. Combine it with an action label that has 5 values, and you now have 15 unique series from what looks like one metric.

Add an endpoint label with 3 values on top, and you’re at 45. Nothing about the application changed, and the metric name is still the same.

Every label you add multiplies the count by that label’s number of values. Keep that multiplication in mind whenever adding anew label seems harmless.

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