Skip to content
Draft
Show file tree
Hide file tree
Changes from 3 commits
Commits
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension

Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
245 changes: 245 additions & 0 deletions docs/examples/metrics/measurement-processors/README.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,245 @@
# OpenTelemetry Python - MeasurementProcessor Implementation

This implementation adds support for **MeasurementProcessor** to the OpenTelemetry Python SDK, following the [OpenTelemetry Specification PR #4318](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/4318).

## Overview

The MeasurementProcessor allows you to process measurements before they are aggregated and exported. This enables powerful use cases such as:

- **Dynamic injection of additional attributes** to measurements based on Context (e.g., from Baggage)
- **Dropping attributes** (e.g., removing sensitive information)
- **Dropping individual measurements** (e.g., filtering invalid values)
- **Modifying measurements** (e.g., unit conversion, value transformation)

## Key Features

### Chain-of-Responsibility Pattern

Unlike existing processors in OpenTelemetry (SpanProcessor, LogRecordProcessor), MeasurementProcessor uses a **chain-of-responsibility pattern** where each processor is responsible for calling the next processor in the chain. This gives processors fine-grained control over the processing flow.

### High Performance

The implementation is designed for high-performance scenarios:
- Minimal overhead when no processors are configured
- Efficient processor chaining using closures
- No unnecessary object creation in the hot path

## Architecture

```
Measurement → Processor 1 → Processor 2 → ... → Processor N → Aggregation
```

Each processor can:
1. **Pass through unchanged**: `next_processor(measurement)`
2. **Modify and pass**: `next_processor(modified_measurement)`
3. **Drop measurement**: Simply don't call `next_processor`
4. **Split into multiple**: Call `next_processor` multiple times

## Usage

### Basic Setup

```python
from opentelemetry.sdk.metrics import MeterProvider
from opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal.measurement_processor import (
BaggageMeasurementProcessor,
StaticAttributeMeasurementProcessor,
ValueRangeMeasurementProcessor,
)

# Create measurement processors
processors = [
BaggageMeasurementProcessor(), # Add baggage as attributes
StaticAttributeMeasurementProcessor({"env": "prod"}), # Add static attributes
ValueRangeMeasurementProcessor(min_value=0), # Drop negative values
]

# Configure MeterProvider with processors
meter_provider = MeterProvider(
measurement_processors=processors,
# ... other configuration
)
```

### Built-in Processors

#### 1. BaggageMeasurementProcessor

Extracts values from OpenTelemetry Baggage and adds them as measurement attributes, enabling end-to-end telemetry correlation.

```python
# Add all baggage as attributes with "baggage." prefix
processor = BaggageMeasurementProcessor()

# Add only specific baggage keys
processor = BaggageMeasurementProcessor(baggage_keys=["user.id", "trace.id"])
```

#### 2. StaticAttributeMeasurementProcessor

Adds static attributes to all measurements.

```python
processor = StaticAttributeMeasurementProcessor({
"environment": "production",
Copy link
Member

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

I am not sure if this is a good idea. For StaticAttributes for all measurements, couldn't we model it as Resource Attributes. If applicable to a subset, then maybe use Meter attributes?

Copy link
Author

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

We could - this is just an example.

IMO, none of these implementations I'm showing should be present in opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/measurement_processor.py. I just placed them there since this is a PoC for simplicity's sake.

When we merge open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification#4318 and start working on the actual implementation, the concrete processors should probably be contributed here: https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-python-contrib/tree/main/processor

"service": "api-server",
"version": "1.0.0"
})
```

#### 3. AttributeFilterMeasurementProcessor

Removes specific attributes from measurements (useful for removing sensitive data).

```python
processor = AttributeFilterMeasurementProcessor([
"password", "secret", "auth_token"
])
```

#### 4. ValueRangeMeasurementProcessor

Drops measurements outside a specified value range.
Copy link
Member

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

while this looks valid, I am not sure if its common to drop measurements based on value....

May I suggest another one which seems to me like a very valid use case - collapsing certain attributes to lower the cardinality. Described here: open-telemetry/opentelemetry-dotnet#6332

Copy link
Author

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

Removed ValueRangeMeasurementProcessor completely. Meters seem to handle invalid values themselves.


```python
# Drop negative values and values over 1000
processor = ValueRangeMeasurementProcessor(min_value=0, max_value=1000)

# Only minimum limit
processor = ValueRangeMeasurementProcessor(min_value=0)

# Only maximum limit
processor = ValueRangeMeasurementProcessor(max_value=100)
```

### Custom Processors

Create custom processors by implementing the `MeasurementProcessor` interface:

```python
from opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal.measurement_processor import MeasurementProcessor
from opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal.measurement import Measurement
from dataclasses import replace
from typing import Callable

class CustomMeasurementProcessor(MeasurementProcessor):
def process(
self,
measurement: Measurement,
next_processor: Callable[[Measurement], None]
) -> None:
# Example: Add timestamp attribute
new_attributes = dict(measurement.attributes or {})
new_attributes["processed_at"] = str(int(time.time()))
Copy link
Member

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

I don't think we should show example of adding timestamp as a Metric attribute - is there any valid use-case for it?


modified_measurement = replace(measurement, attributes=new_attributes)
next_processor(modified_measurement)

# Unit conversion processor
class MetersToFeetProcessor(MeasurementProcessor):
Copy link
Member

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

I like this! A simpler one would be to do sec->msec.
Qn : Should a view also be added to change the unit to account for this processor?

Copy link
Author

@Blinkuu Blinkuu Jun 24, 2025

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

Qn : Should a view also be added to change the unit to account for this processor?

Umm, I'm not sure. Perhaps someone with more experience with Metrics spec could answer this question.

def process(self, measurement: Measurement, next_processor: Callable[[Measurement], None]) -> None:
if measurement.instrument.name.endswith("_meters"):
# Convert meters to feet
feet_value = measurement.value * 3.28084
new_measurement = replace(measurement, value=feet_value)
next_processor(new_measurement)
else:
next_processor(measurement)

# Sampling processor
Copy link
Member

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

not sure of the utility of this for Metrics!

Copy link
Author

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

Removed

class SamplingProcessor(MeasurementProcessor):
def __init__(self, sample_rate: float):
self.sample_rate = sample_rate

def process(self, measurement: Measurement, next_processor: Callable[[Measurement], None]) -> None:
if random.random() < self.sample_rate:
next_processor(measurement)
# else: drop the measurement
```

## Integration with Existing Metrics SDK

The MeasurementProcessor integrates seamlessly with the existing metrics SDK:

1. **SdkConfiguration** - Extended to include `measurement_processor_chain`
2. **MeasurementConsumer** - Modified to process measurements through the processor chain
3. **MeterProvider** - Extended constructor to accept `measurement_processors` parameter

### Configuration Flow

```
MeterProvider(measurement_processors=[...])
SdkConfiguration(measurement_processor_chain=...)
SynchronousMeasurementConsumer(sdk_config)
MeasurementProcessorChain.process(measurement, final_consumer)
```

## Advanced Examples

### Baggage-based Attribute Injection

```python
from opentelemetry import baggage
from opentelemetry.context import attach, detach

# Set baggage in context
ctx = baggage.set_baggage("user.id", "12345")
ctx = baggage.set_baggage("tenant.id", "acme-corp", context=ctx)
token = attach(ctx)

try:
# This measurement will automatically get baggage.user.id and baggage.tenant.id attributes
counter.add(1, {"operation": "login"})
finally:
detach(token)
```

### Complex Processing Chain

```python
processors = [
# 1. Add baggage for correlation
BaggageMeasurementProcessor(baggage_keys=["user.id", "trace.id"]),

# 2. Add environment info
StaticAttributeMeasurementProcessor({
"environment": "production",
"datacenter": "us-west-2"
}),

# 3. Remove sensitive attributes
AttributeFilterMeasurementProcessor(["password", "secret", "token"]),

# 4. Drop invalid measurements
ValueRangeMeasurementProcessor(min_value=0),

# 5. Custom processing
CustomTimestampProcessor(),
]
```

### Error Handling

Processors should handle errors gracefully to avoid breaking the metrics pipeline:

```python
class SafeProcessor(MeasurementProcessor):
def process(self, measurement: Measurement, next_processor: Callable[[Measurement], None]) -> None:
try:
# Custom processing logic
processed_measurement = self.transform(measurement)
next_processor(processed_measurement)
except Exception as e:
# Log error but don't break the pipeline
logger.warning(f"Processor error: {e}")
# Pass through original measurement
next_processor(measurement)
```

---

**Note**: This implementation is experimental and the API may change based on community feedback and the final OpenTelemetry specification.
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
#!/usr/bin/env python3

"""
Example demonstrating the use of MeasurementProcessor with OpenTelemetry Python SDK.

This example shows how to:
1. Create custom measurement processors
2. Chain multiple processors together
3. Integrate with MeterProvider
4. Use the provided utility processors
"""

import time
from typing import Callable

from opentelemetry import baggage, metrics
from opentelemetry.context import attach, detach
from opentelemetry.sdk.metrics import MeterProvider
from opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal.measurement import Measurement
from opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal.measurement_processor import (
AttributeFilterMeasurementProcessor,
BaggageMeasurementProcessor,
MeasurementProcessor,
StaticAttributeMeasurementProcessor,
ValueRangeMeasurementProcessor,
)
from opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.export import (
ConsoleMetricExporter,
PeriodicExportingMetricReader,
)


class CustomMeasurementProcessor(MeasurementProcessor):
"""Example of a custom measurement processor that adds a timestamp attribute."""

def process(
self,
measurement: Measurement,
next_processor: Callable[[Measurement], None],
) -> None:
# Add current timestamp as an attribute
from dataclasses import replace

new_attributes = dict(measurement.attributes or {})
new_attributes["processed_at"] = str(int(time.time()))

new_measurement = replace(measurement, attributes=new_attributes)
next_processor(new_measurement)


def main():
print("=== OpenTelemetry MeasurementProcessor Demo ===\n")

# Create measurement processors
processors = [
# Add baggage values as attributes (for correlation)
BaggageMeasurementProcessor(),
# Add static environment attributes
StaticAttributeMeasurementProcessor(
{"environment": "demo", "service": "measurement-processor-example"}
),
# Filter out any potentially sensitive attributes
AttributeFilterMeasurementProcessor(["password", "secret"]),
# Drop measurements with invalid values (negative for this demo)
ValueRangeMeasurementProcessor(min_value=0),
# Add custom processing
CustomMeasurementProcessor(),
]

# Create metrics export pipeline
console_exporter = ConsoleMetricExporter()
reader = PeriodicExportingMetricReader(
exporter=console_exporter,
export_interval_millis=5000, # Export every 5 seconds
)

# Create MeterProvider with measurement processors
meter_provider = MeterProvider(
metric_readers=[reader], measurement_processors=processors
)
metrics.set_meter_provider(meter_provider)

# Get meter and create instruments
meter = metrics.get_meter(__name__)
request_counter = meter.create_counter(
"requests_total", description="Total number of requests"
)
response_time_histogram = meter.create_histogram(
"response_time_seconds", description="Response time in seconds"
)

print("Recording measurements with different scenarios...\n")

# Scenario 1: Regular measurement with baggage
print("1. Recording with baggage context...")
ctx = baggage.set_baggage("user.id", "12345")
ctx = baggage.set_baggage("trace.id", "abc123", context=ctx)
token = attach(ctx)

try:
request_counter.add(1, {"endpoint": "/api/users", "method": "GET"})
response_time_histogram.record(
0.150, {"endpoint": "/api/users", "status": "200"}
Copy link
Member

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

nit: if status_code, should it be 200 and not "200"?

Copy link
Author

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

Fixed

)
finally:
detach(token)

# Scenario 2: Measurement with filtered attributes
print("2. Recording with attributes that should be filtered...")
request_counter.add(
1,
{
"endpoint": "/api/login",
"method": "POST",
"password": "should-be-filtered", # This will be filtered out
"username": "alice",
},
)

# Scenario 3: Invalid measurement (negative value) - should be dropped
print(
"3. Recording invalid measurement (negative value - should be dropped)..."
)
response_time_histogram.record(
-1.0, {"endpoint": "/api/error", "status": "500"}
)

# Scenario 4: Valid measurement without baggage
print("4. Recording normal measurement...")
request_counter.add(2, {"endpoint": "/api/products", "method": "GET"})
response_time_histogram.record(
0.075, {"endpoint": "/api/products", "status": "200"}
)

print("\nWaiting for metrics to be exported...")
print("(Check the console output above for processed measurements)")

# Wait a bit for export
time.sleep(6)

# Cleanup
meter_provider.shutdown()
print("\nDemo completed!")


if __name__ == "__main__":
main()
Loading