View demo data in MetricBase

After ServiceNow personnel install the MetricBase and MetricBase Demo plugins, you can use the demo to get familiar with MetricBase.

Prerequisites

• MetricBase and the MetricBase demo plugins must be installed by ServiceNow personnel.
• Role required: admin

1. Navigate to MetricBase Demo > Drones to see the name, model, length, width, altitude, and speed for all drones in the fleet.
2. Select MetricBase Demo > Metrics to see how the metrics are defined. In the Time Series Metrics list, the column values specify the table where the drone's time-series metrics are stored, the names of all the metrics that are stored for each drone, and the retention policy for each metric. The retention policy specifies how frequently measurements are taken, and how long MetricBase retains that data.

   

   Now that you've seen the drone data and learned how to find it, let's see how the data was collected using a retention policy.

3. Select a retention policy. The Retention Policy form shows the definition for the policy. In the following example, this metric is measured once a minute for the first 8 days, then once every 10 minutes for the following 94 days, and then once an hour for the following 397 days. After that, the system discards the data.

   

   See MetricBase retention policies.
4. To see how the data is aggregated during the Retention Durations, select the left arrow (<) at the top of the Retention Policy Schedules window to return to the Time Series Metrics list.
5. Select a table name. The Time Series Metric definition shows the Retention policy aggregator. This aggregator summarizes the data as, for example, the average, maximum, or minimum value in the aggregation period. In the following example, the admin clicked the table for the speed metric. The result is that MetricBase stores the speed averages during each sampling period in the MetricBase database.

   

   Now that you understand how the data was collected using retention policies, let's see how to display the data in lists and graphs.

6. Notice the parameter fields that start with Display. In this example, they mean that the speed values that are displayed in the list view of drones are the last speeds recorded in every hour interval for each drone. These Display fields control what appears in the list view of the drones only. They have nothing to do with the retention policy.
7. Display the list view of a table by entering <table-name>.list in the Field navigator field. For example, mb_demo_drone.list. All drone data appears. In the example from the previous step, the speed column would contain the Last value of the sampling period.
8. Select MetricBase Demo > Drones and look at the speed (kph) column. From the previous step, you know that these values are the last speeds recorded for each drone up to an hour ago. The values are the same as you would get by using the .list command.
9. Select the speed value of the first drone. The following graph shows the speed of the drone that was measured hourly.

   

   Note:

   You might need to select a different Time Span field value to get a clearer graph. For example, try 1 Day. The speed is a sine wave because it's artificially generated. Hover over the sine wave to see the actual measurements.
10. Select the left arrow (<) to return to the list of drone metrics, right-click on one drone type (Model column), and select Show Matching. Only the drones of the selected type appear.
11. Select the menu icon next to the Altitude column heading and select Time Series Chart. You see a graph that shows the altitude measurements of the Warbler-T7-type drones.

    

    You might like to change the Time Span value for a clearer graph.

12. Select the left arrow (<) to return to the list of drone metrics.
13. Click the menu icon next to the Altitude column heading and select Time Series Chart Designer to see another way of visualizing the data.
14. In the Create a Report page that displays in the Reporting application, vary the graph parameters.
    Note:

    In the following steps, to stay on the same page, select Run. To advance to the next page when designing the graph, select Next.
    1. In the Type pane, select the kind of graph to display, and then click Next.
    2. In the Configure pane, try changing the parameters. Click Run to view the results with each change.
       • Change the Report Title to Warbler Altitude.
       • Apply a condition to filter the view. For example, [Model] [is] [Warbler T7].
       • Change the Last value to 1 day.
       • Select Envelope in the Transform list. You see the minimum and maximum (envelope) altitudes for the fleet of Warbler T7 drones over time.
       • select the time line to display on the graph using the Time range list.
         Note:

         Relative uses the Last timespan relative to the present time. For example, if Last is 1 hour, the time line in the graph always spans the previous hour. You can add this report to your dashboard to show the metrics in the previous hour.
    3. In the Style pane, change the Chart color value, and then click Run.

       You've displayed drone data in lists and graphs. Now, let's define a trigger that executes when data that you monitor reaches a threshold value.

15. Select MetricBase Demo > Trigger Definitions. The MetricBase Trigger Definitions list shows the name (Name) of the trigger, the metric (Metric) the trigger monitors, the table (Table name) the metric that it is in, the trigger description, and whether the trigger is active. Triggers kick off flows when metrics meet trigger thresholds. An example is when a drone flies too low. For more information about triggers, see Trigger Workflows.
16. Select Low-Battery Drone. The MetricBase Linear Predictor trigger form displays the definition of the Low-Battery Drone trigger.

    In this example, the trigger monitors the Remaining Battery (%) metric (Metric) in the Drone table (Table name) every 10 minutes (Window). If the battery life is trending downward (Trend) and is 80% likely (Confidence Level) to reach 20% (Threshold) within 20 minutes (under Window for Level 1), the trigger executes. Although it fires, nothing happens until you associate this trigger with a flow. The flow defines the actions to take.

17. Select MetricBase > Trigger Flows.
18. Select New flow to associate a trigger that is defined in the system to a flow.
19. In the Flow name field, name the flow and select Submit.
20. Click Add a Trigger and select MetricBase in the list.
21. In MetricBase Trigger, select a trigger that already exists and select Done. Alternately, select the plus sign to the right of MetricBase Trigger to create a new trigger.
22. Select Add an Action, Flow Logic, or Subflow.
23. Select Action to specify the actions to take when the trigger fires. The Action dialog box appears.

    

24. Select a domain of actions from the left column and the specific action to take in the right column.
25. Select Save and Activate. The flow doesn't execute unless it is activated. For more information about Workflow Studio, see Workflow Studio.

The following table summarizes the modules in the MetricBase demo.

Table 1. MetricBase demo modules

Module	Description
Drones	Table that keeps metrics on drones, such as speed and altitude. Each record is a different drone. You can add records.
Fleets	Table that maintains metrics about groups of drones. Each record is a different fleet. You can add records.
Data Generators	Table that defines how data is created for the drone records. This field is provided for informational purposes. You cannot change or add records.
Metrics	List of metrics that are defined in the system. This list is the same table as MetricBase > Time Series Metrics. You can add metric fields.
Scheduled Jobs	Scheduled job that is created for the demonstration application. The job runs every five minutes to add data to the demo tables in the MetricBase database. You can change the schedule.
Trigger Definitions	List of triggers that are defined in the demo. This list is the same table as MetricBase > MetricBase Triggers > Trigger Definitions. You can create additional triggers.
Anomaly Logs	List of logs that result from triggers firing. The Low-Flying Drone trigger creates the anomaly logs.
Data Explorer	Widget that enables you to experiment with MetricBase JavaScript APIs using the demonstration application data. See Get Familiar with MetricBase APIs for more information.