Splunk metrics use a custom index type that is optimized for metric storage and retrieval. Metrics are made-up of a timestamp, a name (for the metric), a value and dimensions. These components are straight-forward:
- Timestamp: This is the indicator showing exactly when a metric was recorded
- Name: A character string identifying the metric
- Value: The value of the metric, such as a count or calculated value
- Dimensions: The metadata that defines the metric
