Data Source Profiles define sampling intervals, heartbeats, consolidation functions and archive retention for data sources. A profile controls how an RRD file is created. Selecting another profile does not convert an existing file.
Open Console > Presets > Data Profiles. Create a profile or duplicate an existing one, then set its sampling interval, heartbeat and consolidation functions. Edit its archive rows and aggregation durations for the desired retention before assigning it to new templates or data sources.
Archive settings are read-only when existing local sources use that profile. Duplicate the profile and edit the copy for new sources instead of deleting all graphs to unlock the editor. More rows, series, archives and consolidation functions require more disk space; the profile's displayed estimate is more useful than a fixed size table copied from a different configuration.
Each RRA row covers the base sampling step multiplied by the number of primary data points consolidated into it:
row_seconds = profile_step_seconds * archive_steps
retention_seconds = rows * row_seconds
rows = desired_retention_seconds / row_seconds
For three days (259,200 seconds) of one-minute rows, use 4,320 rows. For the
same retention at five-minute aggregation, use 864 rows. Round up when the
division is not exact. The GUI presents aggregation durations; the stored
steps value is their multiplier of the base step, not a count of rows per
hour.
Each archive maintains its own data and retention. Older data does not move
from one archive into another when the graph timespan changes. Inspect the
existing file's step, pdp_per_row and row count with rrdtool info before
planning a conversion.
By default, Change Profile changes the selected template definitions for future sources. On this development branch, Update database for existing Data Sources? also updates attached database definitions and launches a poller-cache rebuild. That option still does not change existing RRD files. Use it only as part of a planned migration with matching file structure and collection settings.
Back up the database, configuration and RRD files as a matching recovery set. Record affected sources, their actual file layouts, consolidation functions, retention, ownership and collection schedule. Pause writes while converting files and test the procedure on copies first.
Choose the conversion for the actual change. RRDtool can tune supported fields,
resize archives, and, in versions 1.5 and later, add or remove data sources.
Changing resolution or rebuilding archives can require a new destination RRD
and an explicit data migration. On the main collector, Cacti's
cli/splice_rrd.php merges an old file with a prepared destination file; it
does not choose the new profile, create a migration plan or recover detail
already consolidated away. Consult the selected release's --help and validate
the result before replacing a live file.
Deleting every graph is not a prerequisite for a profile migration. The
cli/remove_graphs.php --all selection by itself is a dry run; --force
performs removal, and eligible data sources are removed by default unless
--preserve is supplied. Do not use this operation as a profile-editing
shortcut.
For RRDtool operations, see tune, resize, and info. Changing the collector's cron interval is separate from converting its data.
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