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Merged
joaopgrassi merged 4 commits into from
May 18, 2026
Merged

Remove kernel from cpu.mode enum and clarify container cpu states #3700

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1e0cadb
Remove kernel from cpu.mode enum and clarify container cpu states
ChrsMark May 11, 2026
4306334
Update model/container/metrics.yaml
ChrsMark May 14, 2026
004b94f
make fix
ChrsMark May 14, 2026
95302f5
deprecate instead of removing
ChrsMark May 14, 2026
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22 changes: 22 additions & 0 deletions .chloggen/fix_container_cpu_mode.yaml
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@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
# Use this changelog template to create an entry for release notes.
#
# If your change doesn't affect end users you should instead start
# your pull request title with [chore] or use the "Skip Changelog" label.

# One of 'breaking', 'deprecation', 'new_component', 'enhancement', 'bug_fix'
change_type: bug_fix

# The name of the area of concern in the attributes-registry, (e.g. http, cloud, db)
component: container

# A brief description of the change. Surround your text with quotes ("") if it needs to start with a backtick (`).
note: Remove kernel from cpu.mode enum and clarify container cpu states

# Mandatory: One or more tracking issues related to the change. You can use the PR number here if no issue exists.
# The values here must be integers.
issues: [3700]

# (Optional) One or more lines of additional information to render under the primary note.
# These lines will be padded with 2 spaces and then inserted directly into the document.
# Use pipe (|) for multiline entries.
subtext:
1 change: 0 additions & 1 deletion docs/registry/attributes/cpu.md
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Expand Up @@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ Attributes specific to a cpu instance.
| `idle` | Idle | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `interrupt` | Interrupt | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `iowait` | IO Wait | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `kernel` | Kernel | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `nice` | Nice | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `steal` | Steal | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `system` | System | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
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1 change: 0 additions & 1 deletion docs/runtime/dotnet-metrics.md
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Expand Up @@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ This metric reports the same values as accessing the corresponding processor tim
| `idle` | Idle | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `interrupt` | Interrupt | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `iowait` | IO Wait | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `kernel` | Kernel | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `nice` | Nice | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `steal` | Steal | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `system` | System | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
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17 changes: 9 additions & 8 deletions docs/system/container-metrics.md
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Expand Up @@ -61,19 +61,22 @@ This metric is [recommended][MetricRecommended].

| Name | Instrument Type | Unit (UCUM) | Description | Stability | Entity Associations |
| -------- | --------------- | ----------- | -------------- | --------- | ------ |
| `container.cpu.time` | Counter | `s` | Total CPU time consumed. [1] | ![Release Candidate](https://img.shields.io/badge/-rc-mediumorchid) | [`container`](/docs/registry/entities/container.md#container) |
| `container.cpu.time` | Counter | `s` | CPU time consumed. [1] | ![Release Candidate](https://img.shields.io/badge/-rc-mediumorchid) | [`container`](/docs/registry/entities/container.md#container) |

**[1]:** Total CPU time consumed by the specific container on all available CPU cores
**[1]:** CPU time consumed by the specific container on all available CPU cores

**Attributes:**

| Key | Stability | [Requirement Level](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/specs/semconv/general/attribute-requirement-level/) | Value Type | Description | Example Values |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [`cpu.mode`](/docs/registry/attributes/cpu.md) | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | `Conditionally Required` [1] | string | The CPU mode for this data point. A container's CPU metric SHOULD be characterized _either_ by data points with no `mode` labels, _or only_ data points with `mode` labels. [2] | `user`; `system` |

**[1] `cpu.mode`:** Required if mode is available, i.e. metrics coming from the Docker Stats API.
**[1] `cpu.mode`:** Required if mode is available, i.e. metrics coming from the Docker Stats API, containerd stats or cAdvisor.

**[2] `cpu.mode`:** Following states SHOULD be used: `user`, `system`, `kernel`
**[2] `cpu.mode`:** Following modes SHOULD be used for containers if available: `user`, `system`.
In implementations like [`opencontainers/cgroup`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/opencontainers/cgroups@v0.0.6#CpuUsage), [Moby/Docker](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/Moby/Moby@v28.5.2+incompatible/api/types/container#CPUUsage) or [cAdvisor](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/google/cadvisor@v0.56.2/info/v1#CpuUsage), the respective states are retrieved from the cgroup stats directly. In cgroup v1 the user/system modes come from the [cpuacct.stat](https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/admin-guide/cgroup-v1/cpuacct.html#cpu-accounting-controller) file and the `user`/`system` stats respectively. In cgroup v2 the user/system modes come from the [cpu.stat](https://docs.kernel.org/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.html#cpu-interface-files) file and the `user_usec`/`system_usec` stats respectively.
Kubernetes only exposes the total CPU time ([cpu.stat.usage_usec](https://docs.kernel.org/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.html#cpu-interface-files)) through Kubelet's stats API, hence the metric should be reported without the mode attribute implying it is the total of all modes.
In pure container environments the CPU's mode is usually available and cpu.mode should be reported. In that case summarising the CPU time over the different modes gives the total CPU time.

---

Expand All @@ -84,7 +87,6 @@ This metric is [recommended][MetricRecommended].
| `idle` | Idle | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `interrupt` | Interrupt | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `iowait` | IO Wait | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `kernel` | Kernel | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `nice` | Nice | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `steal` | Steal | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `system` | System | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -115,9 +117,9 @@ This metric is [opt-in][MetricOptIn].
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [`cpu.mode`](/docs/registry/attributes/cpu.md) | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | `Conditionally Required` [1] | string | The CPU mode for this data point. A container's CPU metric SHOULD be characterized _either_ by data points with no `mode` labels, _or only_ data points with `mode` labels. [2] | `user`; `system` |

**[1] `cpu.mode`:** Required if mode is available, i.e. metrics coming from the Docker Stats API.
**[1] `cpu.mode`:** Required if mode is available, i.e. metrics coming from the Docker Stats API, containerd stats or cAdvisor.

**[2] `cpu.mode`:** Following states SHOULD be used: `user`, `system`, `kernel`
**[2] `cpu.mode`:** Following modes SHOULD be used for containers if available: `user`, `system`.

---

Expand All @@ -128,7 +130,6 @@ This metric is [opt-in][MetricOptIn].
| `idle` | Idle | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `interrupt` | Interrupt | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `iowait` | IO Wait | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `kernel` | Kernel | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `nice` | Nice | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `steal` | Steal | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `system` | System | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
Expand Down
2 changes: 0 additions & 2 deletions docs/system/process-metrics.md
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Expand Up @@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ This metric is [recommended][MetricRecommended].
| `idle` | Idle | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `interrupt` | Interrupt | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `iowait` | IO Wait | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `kernel` | Kernel | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `nice` | Nice | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `steal` | Steal | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `system` | System | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -116,7 +115,6 @@ This metric is [opt-in][MetricOptIn].
| `idle` | Idle | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `interrupt` | Interrupt | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `iowait` | IO Wait | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `kernel` | Kernel | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `nice` | Nice | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `steal` | Steal | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `system` | System | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
Expand Down
2 changes: 0 additions & 2 deletions docs/system/system-metrics.md
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Expand Up @@ -175,7 +175,6 @@ This metric is [recommended][MetricRecommended].
| `idle` | Idle | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `interrupt` | Interrupt | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `iowait` | IO Wait | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `kernel` | Kernel | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `nice` | Nice | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `steal` | Steal | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `system` | System | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -239,7 +238,6 @@ This metric is [opt-in][MetricOptIn].
| `idle` | Idle | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `interrupt` | Interrupt | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `iowait` | IO Wait | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `kernel` | Kernel | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `nice` | Nice | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `steal` | Steal | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
| `system` | System | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) |
Expand Down
35 changes: 29 additions & 6 deletions model/container/metrics.yaml
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Expand Up @@ -23,19 +23,40 @@ groups:
code_generation:
metric_value_type: double
stability: release_candidate
brief: "Total CPU time consumed."
brief: "CPU time consumed."
note: >
Total CPU time consumed by the specific container on all available CPU cores
CPU time consumed by the specific container on all available CPU cores
instrument: counter
unit: "s"
entity_associations:
- container
attributes:
- ref: cpu.mode
brief: "The CPU mode for this data point. A container's CPU metric SHOULD be characterized _either_ by data points with no `mode` labels, _or only_ data points with `mode` labels."
note: "Following states SHOULD be used: `user`, `system`, `kernel`"
note: >
Following modes SHOULD be used for containers if available: `user`, `system`.

In implementations like [`opencontainers/cgroup`](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/opencontainers/cgroups@v0.0.6#CpuUsage),
[Moby/Docker](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/Moby/Moby@v28.5.2+incompatible/api/types/container#CPUUsage)
or [cAdvisor](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/google/cadvisor@v0.56.2/info/v1#CpuUsage), the respective states
are retrieved from the cgroup stats directly.
In cgroup v1 the user/system modes come from the
[cpuacct.stat](https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/admin-guide/cgroup-v1/cpuacct.html#cpu-accounting-controller)
file and the `user`/`system` stats respectively.
In cgroup v2 the user/system modes come from the
[cpu.stat](https://docs.kernel.org/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.html#cpu-interface-files) file
and the `user_usec`/`system_usec` stats respectively.

Kubernetes only exposes the total CPU time
([cpu.stat.usage_usec](https://docs.kernel.org/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.html#cpu-interface-files))
through Kubelet's stats API, hence the metric should be
reported without the mode attribute implying it is the total of all modes.

In pure container environments the CPU's mode is usually available and cpu.mode should be reported.
In that case summarising the CPU time over the different modes gives the total CPU time.
requirement_level:
conditionally_required: Required if mode is available, i.e. metrics coming from the Docker Stats API.
conditionally_required: >
Required if mode is available, i.e. metrics coming from the Docker Stats API, containerd stats or cAdvisor.

- id: metric.container.cpu.usage
type: metric
Expand All @@ -54,9 +75,11 @@ groups:
attributes:
- ref: cpu.mode
brief: "The CPU mode for this data point. A container's CPU metric SHOULD be characterized _either_ by data points with no `mode` labels, _or only_ data points with `mode` labels."
note: "Following states SHOULD be used: `user`, `system`, `kernel`"
note: >
Following modes SHOULD be used for containers if available: `user`, `system`.
requirement_level:
conditionally_required: Required if mode is available, i.e. metrics coming from the Docker Stats API.
conditionally_required: >
Required if mode is available, i.e. metrics coming from the Docker Stats API, containerd stats or cAdvisor.

# container.memory.* metrics and attribute group
- id: metric.container.memory.usage
Expand Down
5 changes: 4 additions & 1 deletion model/cpu/registry.yaml
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Expand Up @@ -39,8 +39,11 @@ groups:
stability: development
- id: kernel
value: 'kernel'
brief: Kernel
stability: development
brief: "Deprecated. Use `system` instead."
deprecated:
reason: renamed
renamed_to: "system"
stability: development
examples: [ "user", "system" ]
- id: cpu.logical_number
Expand Down
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