From be3fd4f3f9ecfae88265cac510427ffbaff94fbd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Piotr <17101802+thampiotr@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:00:28 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] fix(mixin): Support OTel exporter batching

---
 .../dashboards/otel-engine-overview.libsonnet   | 17 ++++++++++++-----
 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/operations/alloy-mixin/dashboards/otel-engine-overview.libsonnet b/operations/alloy-mixin/dashboards/otel-engine-overview.libsonnet
index 2e84fb0d67e..ba44520a782 100644
--- a/operations/alloy-mixin/dashboards/otel-engine-overview.libsonnet
+++ b/operations/alloy-mixin/dashboards/otel-engine-overview.libsonnet
@@ -421,13 +421,20 @@ local filename = 'alloy-otel-engine-overview.json';
             // Row 2: Batching
             (
               panel.newHeatmap('Batch send size', 'short') +
-              panel.withDescription(
-                'Distribution of batch sizes when sent. Shows how full batches are before being flushed. ' + normalNote,
-              ) +
+              panel.withDescription(|||
+                Distribution of batch sizes when sent. Works with both batching approaches:
+                the batch processor (processor/batch) and the exporter sending_queue batch (sending_queue.batch).
+                Whichever is active will populate this panel.
+              ||| + normalNote) +
               panelPosition3Across(row=12, col=0) +
               panel.withQueries([
                 panel.newQuery(
+                  // Both the batch processor and the exporter sending_queue emit a batch
+                  // send size histogram. Typically only one is active, so we use "or" to
+                  // show whichever has data. If both are active, exporter wins.
                   expr=|||
+                    sum by (le) (increase(otelcol_exporter_queue_batch_send_size_bucket{%(groupSelector)s}[$__rate_interval]))
+                    or
                     sum by (le) (increase(otelcol_processor_batch_batch_send_size_bucket{%(groupSelector)s}[$__rate_interval]))
                   ||| % $._config,
                   format='heatmap',
@@ -438,7 +445,7 @@ local filename = 'alloy-otel-engine-overview.json';
             (
               panel.new(title='Batch send triggers by ${groupby}', type='timeseries') +
               panel.withDescription(
-                'How batches are flushed: by reaching the size limit or by timeout. Mostly timeout triggers may indicate low throughput or a large batch size setting. ' + normalNote,
+                'How batches are flushed: by reaching the size limit or by timeout. Mostly timeout triggers may indicate low throughput or a large batch size setting. Only available with the batch processor; the exporter sending_queue batch does not emit trigger metrics. ' + normalNote,
               ) +
               panel.withUnit('cps') +
               panelPosition3Across(row=12, col=1) +
@@ -460,7 +467,7 @@ local filename = 'alloy-otel-engine-overview.json';
             (
               panel.new(title='Batch metadata cardinality by ${groupby}', type='timeseries') +
               panel.withDescription(
-                'Number of distinct metadata value combinations being processed. High cardinality increases memory usage and may hit the metadata_cardinality_limit. ' + normalNote,
+                'Number of distinct metadata value combinations being processed. High cardinality increases memory usage and may hit the metadata_cardinality_limit. Only available with the batch processor; the exporter sending_queue batch does not emit this metric. ' + normalNote,
               ) +
               panelPosition3Across(row=12, col=2) +
               panel.withQueries([

From 9d6ed4c8fbfa2f25982eec13835c3708f676a789 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Piotr <17101802+thampiotr@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:02:05 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] mixin generate

---
 .../rendered/dashboards/alloy-otel-engine-overview.json   | 8 ++++----
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/operations/alloy-mixin/rendered/dashboards/alloy-otel-engine-overview.json b/operations/alloy-mixin/rendered/dashboards/alloy-otel-engine-overview.json
index 492fcdf0bf4..abd988e1c21 100644
--- a/operations/alloy-mixin/rendered/dashboards/alloy-otel-engine-overview.json
+++ b/operations/alloy-mixin/rendered/dashboards/alloy-otel-engine-overview.json
@@ -940,7 +940,7 @@
             },
             {
                "datasource": "${datasource}",
-               "description": "Distribution of batch sizes when sent. Shows how full batches are before being flushed. Requires \"normal\" telemetry level.",
+               "description": "Distribution of batch sizes when sent. Works with both batching approaches:\nthe batch processor (processor/batch) and the exporter sending_queue batch (sending_queue.batch).\nWhichever is active will populate this panel.\nRequires \"normal\" telemetry level.",
                "gridPos": {
                   "h": 10,
                   "w": 8,
@@ -976,7 +976,7 @@
                "targets": [
                   {
                      "datasource": "${datasource}",
-                     "expr": "sum by (le) (increase(otelcol_processor_batch_batch_send_size_bucket{cluster=~\"$cluster\", namespace=~\"$namespace\", job=~\"$job\"}[$__rate_interval]))\n",
+                     "expr": "sum by (le) (increase(otelcol_exporter_queue_batch_send_size_bucket{cluster=~\"$cluster\", namespace=~\"$namespace\", job=~\"$job\"}[$__rate_interval]))\nor\nsum by (le) (increase(otelcol_processor_batch_batch_send_size_bucket{cluster=~\"$cluster\", namespace=~\"$namespace\", job=~\"$job\"}[$__rate_interval]))\n",
                      "format": "heatmap",
                      "instant": false,
                      "legendFormat": "{{le}}",
@@ -988,7 +988,7 @@
             },
             {
                "datasource": "${datasource}",
-               "description": "How batches are flushed: by reaching the size limit or by timeout. Mostly timeout triggers may indicate low throughput or a large batch size setting. Requires \"normal\" telemetry level.",
+               "description": "How batches are flushed: by reaching the size limit or by timeout. Mostly timeout triggers may indicate low throughput or a large batch size setting. Only available with the batch processor; the exporter sending_queue batch does not emit trigger metrics. Requires \"normal\" telemetry level.",
                "fieldConfig": {
                   "defaults": {
                      "unit": "cps"
@@ -1021,7 +1021,7 @@
             },
             {
                "datasource": "${datasource}",
-               "description": "Number of distinct metadata value combinations being processed. High cardinality increases memory usage and may hit the metadata_cardinality_limit. Requires \"normal\" telemetry level.",
+               "description": "Number of distinct metadata value combinations being processed. High cardinality increases memory usage and may hit the metadata_cardinality_limit. Only available with the batch processor; the exporter sending_queue batch does not emit this metric. Requires \"normal\" telemetry level.",
                "gridPos": {
                   "h": 10,
                   "w": 8,