Time-series panel: multiple y-axis of same unit

[enp2s0]

In the Graph panel, it's possible to set the left- and right-y axis to be the same unit. This is useful to compare two series with the same unit but different scales. In the new time-series panel, there seems to be no way to put a series on the opposite axis if it has the same unit.

[grafanabot]

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[zoltanbedi]

Can you please rewrite your issue using our issue template?

[mckn]

I'm closing this one due to inactivity. Please respond and provide some more information if we should reopen this issue.

[tfylling]

Since I just hit this problem I'll fill in the missing details:

What happened:
A second y-axis will not be created for a field in a Time series panel unless the Standard options > Unit is different. In the below picture the committed-metric has both Axis > Placement: Right and Axis > Label: Committed memory, but Standard options > Unit is set to bytes(IEC), same as the other fields. I would like it displayed in the same graph, however it is only loosely related to the other fields and doesn't fall into the same scale. Therefore I would like it displayed on a separate y-axis, as it otherwise, as shown, quite ruins the usability of the graph.

What you expected to happen:
As soon as Placement or label of the y-axis for a field is overridden it should create a separate axis for this field, as shown with the mockup below where I've changed the Unit to Bytes(SI) to separate them. There is then of course a question of how to resolve a wish to have multiple other fields go on this same secondary axis, rather than spawn a new one for each. I suggest merging axis only if unit and all Axis parameters are the same (or unset)

How to reproduce it (as minimally and precisely as possible):
Create a time series panel with two metrics with the same unit and try to override one to have Axis > Location set to Right.

Anything else we need to know?:

Environment:

Grafana version: v8.0.2
Data source type & version: VictoriaMetrics (Prometheus data source)
OS Grafana is installed on: Ubuntu 20.04
User OS & Browser: Windows 10, Vivaldi

[leeoniya]

@tfylling have you considered using a single logarithmic axis? it feels like a better solution for exactly this use case.

[torkelo]

changed this to a feature request and awaiting evidence

[tfylling]

Logarithmic graphs are not really useful for stacked values. You lose fidelity and it is notoriously hard for uninitiated to read. Also all the other values here fall within the same range.

Here is another example that I just hit when I started work to convert the old graph panels to time series panels. First the original graph panel:

As converted to Time Series, again trying, and failing, to set Zombies on the right axis:

These two metrics both have relatively little internal variance, but when forced on the same scale there's a significant loss of fidelity and usability to both. Using a logarithmic scale here only moderately improves one while making the other even worse, as well as alienating the readers.

[tfylling]

Another thought: Likely quite a bit more work, but wouldn't it make more sense, and give more flexibility, to treat the axis as separate entities in the option list, so you can add, remove and manipulate multiple individual axis at will and then assign them to metrics in the override list? That way you can also have any given axis align their zero (or any other arbitrary number) with a corresponding value on any other named axis, an option which now again seems to be entirely missing with this new axis handling.

I would also dearly like to be able to use a value, eg. last non-zero, from a time series as min and max for an axis, as I often have those values in the data source. I guess that would be a separate ticket, which I can create if at all feasible.

[LiMuBei]

Just stumbled upon this issue. Interestingly enough, if you simply add an override for 'unit' but do not chose any unit it still seems to work.

[pkolyvas]

We're in the process of moving Grafana feature requests to GitHub Discussions. This issue is being moved to Discussions or has been moved from our issues list, depending on where you're seeing this message.

We hope to use the discussion thread to continue building use cases, and additional evidence based on engagement/voting, in order to help us prioritize this feature request later on down the road.

As with all things Grafana, we value your input and participation in this project and appreciate your patience during this transitional period. Looking forward to the discussion!

[rupurt]

@LiMuBei it does display the axis on the left and right, but the axis with the override doesn't display the unit prefix e.g. $

[rupurt]

I managed to figure out a solution. You can just assign a custom prefix unit and it works e.g. prefix:$

[gallardo]

This workaround is only valid if you don't care about the convenient representation of built-in units, with correct prefix handling (for instance, when representing bytes(IEC), you get KiB, MiB, GiB ...)

[rupurt]

Damn, yeah that's a bummer :{ I'm only using it for currency representation so haven't run into your issue.

[taintedkernel]

Given how the work-around is possible and this seems like a regression from the old graph panel, I'd argue this is a bug rather then a feature request. Maybe I'm assuming too much, but as a user I'm under the impression that if a replacement feature is rolled out and the old one targeted for future removal (I believe this is the case for the old Graph panel?) then it should retain the same functionality and if not, have it be called out explicitly.

[gallardo]

👍 Because this work-around isn't valid if you need the native representation of built-in types (that is, the suffixing of units and its scaling), I can only consider this a regression.

[aturetta]

wouldn't it be easier if the preferred axis could be decided per-query?
in prometheus a single query can generate many dynamic series, having to move each one manually is not really scalable

[EDIflyer]

Any word on when this will be fixed? I've got a few examples where I have outdoor and indoor temperatures and it would be nice to scale them separately on different y-axes rather than have a lot of empty space between them.

[viper25]

I had filed a bug (#40907) because I encountered this; it was closed and was redirected here. It seemed to work in the old panel. The exact sequence of steps - doesn't work in the new one. Therefore IMHO it seems to be a bug

I have 2 fields of the same units but different scales and want to show them on a Left and right axis

[dprokop]

Support for this will come with Grafana v8.3.0 (ref #41635)