Working with filters

When you add a dataset to a detector, you can specify a subset of dimensions that are used to create filters. That way you only monitor for anomalies in a certain region or for a specific service, not any anomaly found in the data. Use the Filters area to specify the dimensions and values that define the filter.

For example, imagine that you run an ecommerce business that tracks the measures revenue and orderRate in the dimensions marketplace (country) and category. You can create a filter so that only certain countries or categories are monitored. Suppose that you specified the following dimension filtering criteria:

• Measures – select both revenue and orderRate.

• Dimensions

  • marketplace – select US and CA.

  • category – select Electronics and Apparels.

In this case, you're monitoring only the records that meet all of these conditions. That means only when:

• Measure is revenue or orderRate,

• AND marketplace is either US or CA.

• AND category is either Electronics or Apparels.

Note that when creating a filter, dimensions are joined with the AND operation, and values within a dimension are joined with the OR operation.

Creating filters

When you add a datasource to a detector, you can specify one or more dimensions that are used to filter your data.

Create a filter in the Lookout for Metrics console:

1. Open the Lookout for Metrics console Detectors page.

2. Choose a detector.

3. Choose Add a dataset.

4. Provide the information to Choose a datasource as outlined in Detector Statuses.

5. Choose Next.

6. Choose the measures that you want to monitor.

7. In Dimension filters, add up to five dimensions for the filter. For each dimension filter, you can include up to 10 values. Remember that dimensions are joined with the AND operation, and values are joined with the OR operation.

8. Choose Next.

9. Review your selections, then choose Save and activate.

You can create a filter using the DimensionFilterList object within the CreateMetricSet operation. For example, consider the following code.

"DimensionFilterList": [
  {"Country": [
    { "Value": "US",
      "FilterOperation": "equals" },
    { "Value": "UK",
      "FilterOperation": "equals" }
  ]},
  {"Year": [
    { "Value": "2000",
      "FilterOperation": "equals" }
  ]}
]
      

In this example, you are filtering in all items where the dimension year is 2000 and the dimension country is either US or UK.