The super metric is a mathematical formula that contains one or more metrics or properties. It is a custom metric that you design to help track combinations of metrics or properties, either from a single object or from multiple objects. If a single metric does not inform you about the behavior of your environment, you can define a super metric.

After you define it, you assign the super metric to one or more object types. This action calculates the super metric for the objects in that object type and simplifies the metrics display. For example, you define a super metric that calculates the average CPU usage on all virtual machines, and you assign it to a cluster. The average CPU usage on all virtual machines in that cluster is reported as a super metric for the cluster.

When the super metric attribute is activated in a policy, you can also collect super metrics from a group of objects associated with a policy.

Because super metric formulas can be complex, plan your super metric before you build it. The key to creating a super metric that alerts you to the expected behavior of your objects is knowing your own enterprise and data. Use this checklist to help identify the most important aspects of your environment before you begin to configure a super metric.

Table 1. Designing a Super Metric Checklist
Determine the objects that are involved in the behavior to track. When you define the metrics to use, you can select either specific objects or object types. For example, you can select the specific objects VM001 and VM002, or you can select the object type virtual machine.
Determine the metrics to include in the super metric. If you are tracking the transfer of packets along a network, use metrics that refer to packets in and packets out. In another common use of super metrics, the metrics might be the average CPU usage or average memory usage of the object type you select.
Decide how to combine or compare the metrics. For example, to find the ratio of packets in to packets out, you must divide the two metrics. If you are tracking CPU usage for an object type, you might want to determine the average use. You might also want to determine what the highest or lowest use is for any object of that type. In more complex scenarios, you might need a formula that uses constants or trigonometric functions.
Decide where to assign the super metric. You define the objects to track in the super metric, then assign the super metric to the object type that contains the objects being tracked. To monitor all the objects in a group, activate the super metric in the policy, and apply the policy to the object group.
Determine the policy to which you add the super metric. After you create the super metric, you add it to a policy. For more information, refer to Policy Workspace in VMware Aria Operations.

What Else Can You Do with Super Metrics

  • To see the super metrics in your environment, generate a system audit report. For more information, refer to the System Audit section in the Information Center.
  • To create alert definitions to notify you of the performance of objects in your environment, define symptoms based on super metrics. For more information, refer to Symptom Definitions in VMware Aria Operations.
  • Learn about the use of super metrics in policies. For more information, refer to Policy Workspace in VMware Aria Operations.
  • Use OPS CLI commands to import, export, configure, and delete super metrics. For more information, refer to the OPS CLI documentation.
  • To display metric-related widgets, create a custom set of metrics. You can configure one or more files that define different sets of metrics for a particular adapter and object types. This ensures that the supported widgets are populated based on the configured metrics and selected object type.