The document discusses InfluxDB, a time-series database that utilizes measurements, tags, and fields to manage and query large volumes of time-stamped data. It emphasizes the importance of structuring data for efficient querying and highlights the roles of tags and fields in organizing and retrieving data. Additionally, it provides insights into the consulting services offered by Astrum IT and the experience of Dr. Thomas Heid in the field.

1. August 31st 2021
Dr. Thomas Heid
IS IT A TABLE?
NO, IT‘S MUCH MORE!
Finally understand tags, fields and measurements

2. AGENDA
August 8th 2021
Is it a table? No it's much more!
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• WHAT IS INFLUXDB?
• EXAMPLES OF USAGE
• KEY CONCEPTS
• DEEPER INTO FIELDS, TAGS
AND MEASUREMENTS
• HOW TO ACCESS
• LET‘S BUILD IT WITH FLUX AND PYTHON

3. ABOUT MYSELF:
• PHD IN ASTROPARTICLE PHYSICS
• SINCE 2017 WORKING FOR ASTRUM IT
• SENIOR CONSULTANT
FOCUS ON:
• FOCUS ON BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
• PROCESS OPTIMIZATION
August 8th 2021
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Images: km3net.org; https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_(Programmiersprache);
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/R_%28Programmiersprache%29

4. Just like your old strength, but way stronger: Together, we are going
to discover the new digital potential of your company, accelerate your
business processes, enhance your service offer – or open up entirely
new business lines. ASTRUM IT for your company stands for the future
of your business.
ASTRUM IT

5. 28
Years of Consulting
IT-PERFORMANCE MADE IN GERMANY
The company is now run by the second generation and is,
among other things, the winner of the Bavarian Innovation
Award.
Service areas include IT consulting as well as development of
individual software solutions and innovative software
products.
150
Experts
3
Expert Sites: Erlangen,
Munich, Augsburg
246
Projects Since 2007

6. EXAMPLES @ ASTRUM: ERIK
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ERIK
Image credits to ERIK partners

7. EXAMPLES @ ASTRUM: SPX MONITORING
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Is it a table? No it's much more!
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8. EXAMPLES @ ASTRUM: SPX MONITORING
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Is it a table? No it's much more!
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9. WHAT IS INLUXDB?
Used for:
▪Time stamped data
▪Huge data volumes → indexing
▪Continuous querying
August 8th 2021
Is it a table? No it's much more!
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10. WHAT IS INLUXDB?
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▪Defining points by time and series
▪Changes to data are very rare
▪Aggregating is the most common
operation

11. WHAT IS INLUXDB?
▪Retention
▪Old data becomes less important
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Is it a table? No it's much more!
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12. INFLUXDB IS NOTHING WITHOUT ITS COMPANIONS
▪Collecting
▪Preprocessing
▪Processing
▪Display
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13. August 8th 2021
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Python
CSV Plugin
Image taken from: influxdata.com

14. KEY CONCEPTS: STARTING FROM THE KNOWN
▪ Bucket → Database
▪ Measurement → Table
▪ Series → Query Result
▪ Tag → Column
▪ Field → Column
▪ Time → Column
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OK
Collection of series
Built-in concept to reduce work load
Indexed values
Continuous, not indexed values
The fabric of the data,
Explanations I have heard of Explanations I think of in the context of InfluxDB

15. KEY CONCEPTS: MEASUREMENT
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ERIK
SPx-Monitoring
Single Server
Each single kind of Play within the Therapy

16. KEY CONCEPTS: FIELDS
▪ Combination of keys and values
▪ Combination of fields are a field set
▪ Store values with a wide range of possible values
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Is it a table? No it's much more!
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17. KEY CONCEPTS: FIELDS
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ERIK
SPx-Monitoring
• CPU usage
• GPU usage
• Temperature
• Arousal
• How excited is the child
• Value in a well defined range
• Recorded during therapy
• Mimikry
• How well can you recognize emotions
• Aggregated value over parts of therapy

18. KEY CONCEPTS: TAGS
▪ Combination of keys and values
▪ Combination of tags are a tag set
▪ Indexed
▪ Can be searched and grouped without looking at each datapoint
▪ Basis of time series
August 8th 2021
Is it a table? No it's much more!
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19. KEY CONCEPTS: TAGS
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Is it a table? No it's much more!
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ERIK
SPx-Monitoring
• Type of CPU
• …
• Participant
• Low number is expected
• Phase
• Relaxation, playing, stress
• Very limited range
• Questioning for
• Emotion
• Which emotion was trained right now

20. USING MEASUREMENT OR TAG
▪ You have questions!
▪ Ask these questions!
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▪ Looking at one server at once → make it as
measurement
▪ Comparing many children in serveral behaviours
→ keep the behaviour as measurement
Make your queries shorter and more readable

21. THE SERIES
▪ Tag combinations lead to series
▪ A tag set defines a series
▪ Bulky measurements are divided into
multiple smaller tables
August 8th 2021
Is it a table? No it's much more!
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22. ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS
▪ Is time important?
▪ What do I want to show?
▪ What filters do I need?
▪ What groupings?
▪ Do values in fields really have to be side by side?
▪ What values do I want to compare?
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Is it a table? No it's much more!
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23. INDEXED TAGS → CARDINALITY
The number of unique measurement, tag set, and field key combinations in an InfluxDB bucket.
High cardinality →
▪ Huge memory usage
▪ Long processing times
Dangerous situations
▪ High number of possible tag values
▪ Example: large number of customers (stored as tags)
▪ No real definition of „big“: keep an eye on it
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24. LET‘S GET OUR HANDS DIRTY
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25. DOWNSIDES: UPDATE A POINT
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KEY FACT: A POINT IS IDENTIFIED BY A MEASUREMENT, TAG SET AND THE TIMESTAMP
• CANNOT CHANGE TAG VALUES
• CANNOT ADD A TAG
• CANNOT REMOVE A TAG
Work arounds
▪ Add additional tags
▪ Marginally increase time stamp
Use Cases
▪ Versioning
▪ Forecasts
▪ Updated algorithms
▪ Multiple algorithms

26. ADVICES: WHY TO USE TAGS AND MEASUREMENTS
Build your schema starting from the query
▪ Make the query easy!
▪ Make the query readable!
▪ Make the query small!
▪ Make the query fast!
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27. CONCLUSIONS
▪ Tags are filled with a restricted number of differing values
▪ Fields are filled with wide ranged values
▪ Best start from your queries (if it is possible)
▪ Focus to your questions, first.
It is not one table. The InfluxDB measurement is many tables.
Contact: thomas.heid@astrum-it.de,
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