Feature: Allow configuration of a rule evaluation delay

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 ## unreleased
 
 * [CHANGE] Rules: Execute 1 query instead of N (where N is the number of alerts within alert rule) when restoring alerts. #13980
+* [FEATURE] Rules: Add new option `query_offset` for each rule group via rule group configuration file and `rule_query_offset` as part of the global configuration to have more resilience for remote write delays. #14061
 * [ENHANCEMENT] Rules: Add `rule_group_last_restore_duration_seconds` to measure the time it takes to restore a rule group. #13974
 * [ENHANCEMENT] OTLP: Improve remote write format translation performance by using label set hashes for metric identifiers instead of string based ones. #14006 #13991
 * [ENHANCEMENT] TSDB: Optimize querying with regexp matchers. #13620

cmd/prometheus/main.go

@@ -772,6 +772,9 @@ func main() {
 			ResendDelay:            time.Duration(cfg.resendDelay),
 			MaxConcurrentEvals:     cfg.maxConcurrentEvals,
 			ConcurrentEvalsEnabled: cfg.enableConcurrentRuleEval,
+			DefaultRuleQueryOffset: func() time.Duration {
+				return time.Duration(cfgFile.GlobalConfig.RuleQueryOffset)
+			},
 		})
 	}
 

config/config.go

@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ var (
 		ScrapeInterval:     model.Duration(1 * time.Minute),
 		ScrapeTimeout:      model.Duration(10 * time.Second),
 		EvaluationInterval: model.Duration(1 * time.Minute),
+		RuleQueryOffset:    model.Duration(0 * time.Minute),
 		// When native histogram feature flag is enabled, ScrapeProtocols default
 		// changes to DefaultNativeHistogramScrapeProtocols.
 		ScrapeProtocols: DefaultScrapeProtocols,
@@ -397,6 +398,8 @@ type GlobalConfig struct {
 	ScrapeProtocols []ScrapeProtocol `yaml:"scrape_protocols,omitempty"`
 	// How frequently to evaluate rules by default.
 	EvaluationInterval model.Duration `yaml:"evaluation_interval,omitempty"`
+	// Offset the rule evaluation timestamp of this particular group by the specified duration into the past to ensure the underlying metrics have been received.
+	RuleQueryOffset model.Duration `yaml:"rule_query_offset"`
 	// File to which PromQL queries are logged.
 	QueryLogFile string `yaml:"query_log_file,omitempty"`
 	// The labels to add to any timeseries that this Prometheus instance scrapes.
@@ -556,6 +559,7 @@ func (c *GlobalConfig) isZero() bool {
 		c.ScrapeInterval == 0 &&
 		c.ScrapeTimeout == 0 &&
 		c.EvaluationInterval == 0 &&
+		c.RuleQueryOffset == 0 &&
 		c.QueryLogFile == "" &&
 		c.ScrapeProtocols == nil
 }

docs/configuration/configuration.md

@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ global:
 
   # How frequently to evaluate rules.
   [ evaluation_interval: <duration> | default = 1m ]
+
+  # Offset the rule evaluation timestamp of this particular group by the specified duration into the past to ensure the underlying metrics have been received.
+  # Metric availability delays are more likely to occur when Prometheus is running as a remote write target, but can also occur when there's anomalies with scraping.
+  [ rule_query_offset: <duration> | default = 0s ]
 
   # The labels to add to any time series or alerts when communicating with
   # external systems (federation, remote storage, Alertmanager).

docs/configuration/recording_rules.md

@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ name: <string>
 # rule can produce. 0 is no limit.
 [ limit: <int> | default = 0 ]
 
+# Offset the rule evaluation timestamp of this particular group by the specified duration into the past.
+[ query_offset: <duration> | default = global.rule_query_offset ]
+
 rules:
   [ - <rule> ... ]
 ```
@@ -148,6 +151,9 @@ the rule, active, pending, or inactive, are cleared as well. The event will be
 recorded as an error in the evaluation, and as such no stale markers are
 written.
 
+# Rule query offset
+This is useful to ensure the underlying metrics have been received and stored in Prometheus. Metric availability delays are more likely to occur when Prometheus is running as a remote write target due to the nature of distributed systems, but can also occur when there's anomalies with scraping and/or short evaluation intervals.
+
 # Failed rule evaluations due to slow evaluation
 
 If a rule group hasn't finished evaluating before its next evaluation is supposed to start (as defined by the `evaluation_interval`), the next evaluation will be skipped. Subsequent evaluations of the rule group will continue to be skipped until the initial evaluation either completes or times out. When this happens, there will be a gap in the metric produced by the recording rule. The `rule_group_iterations_missed_total` metric will be incremented for each missed iteration of the rule group. 

model/rulefmt/rulefmt.go

@@ -136,10 +136,11 @@ func (g *RuleGroups) Validate(node ruleGroups) (errs []error) {
 
 // RuleGroup is a list of sequentially evaluated recording and alerting rules.
 type RuleGroup struct {
-	Name     string         `yaml:"name"`
-	Interval model.Duration `yaml:"interval,omitempty"`
-	Limit    int            `yaml:"limit,omitempty"`
-	Rules    []RuleNode     `yaml:"rules"`
+	Name        string          `yaml:"name"`
+	Interval    model.Duration  `yaml:"interval,omitempty"`
+	QueryOffset *model.Duration `yaml:"query_offset,omitempty"`
+	Limit       int             `yaml:"limit,omitempty"`
+	Rules       []RuleNode      `yaml:"rules"`
 }
 
 // Rule describes an alerting or recording rule.

rules/alerting.go

@@ -338,10 +338,9 @@ const resolvedRetention = 15 * time.Minute
 
 // Eval evaluates the rule expression and then creates pending alerts and fires
 // or removes previously pending alerts accordingly.
-func (r *AlertingRule) Eval(ctx context.Context, ts time.Time, query QueryFunc, externalURL *url.URL, limit int) (promql.Vector, error) {
+func (r *AlertingRule) Eval(ctx context.Context, queryOffset time.Duration, ts time.Time, query QueryFunc, externalURL *url.URL, limit int) (promql.Vector, error) {
 	ctx = NewOriginContext(ctx, NewRuleDetail(r))
-
-	res, err := query(ctx, r.vector.String(), ts)
+	res, err := query(ctx, r.vector.String(), ts.Add(-queryOffset))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -484,8 +483,8 @@ func (r *AlertingRule) Eval(ctx context.Context, ts time.Time, query QueryFunc,
 		}
 
 		if r.restored.Load() {
-			vec = append(vec, r.sample(a, ts))
-			vec = append(vec, r.forStateSample(a, ts, float64(a.ActiveAt.Unix())))
+			vec = append(vec, r.sample(a, ts.Add(-queryOffset)))
+			vec = append(vec, r.forStateSample(a, ts.Add(-queryOffset), float64(a.ActiveAt.Unix())))
 		}
 	}
 

rules/alerting_test.go

@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func TestAlertingRuleTemplateWithHistogram(t *testing.T) {
 	)
 
 	evalTime := time.Now()
-	res, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), evalTime, q, nil, 0)
+	res, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), 0, evalTime, q, nil, 0)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	require.Len(t, res, 2)
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ func TestAlertingRuleLabelsUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Logf("case %d", i)
 		evalTime := baseTime.Add(time.Duration(i) * time.Minute)
 		result[0].T = timestamp.FromTime(evalTime)
-		res, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0)
+		res, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), 0, evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
 		var filteredRes promql.Vector // After removing 'ALERTS_FOR_STATE' samples.
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ func TestAlertingRuleLabelsUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 		testutil.RequireEqual(t, result, filteredRes)
 	}
 	evalTime := baseTime.Add(time.Duration(len(results)) * time.Minute)
-	res, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0)
+	res, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), 0, evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Empty(t, res)
 }
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ func TestAlertingRuleExternalLabelsInTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var filteredRes promql.Vector // After removing 'ALERTS_FOR_STATE' samples.
 	res, err := ruleWithoutExternalLabels.Eval(
-		context.TODO(), evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0,
+		context.TODO(), 0, evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0,
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	for _, smpl := range res {
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ func TestAlertingRuleExternalLabelsInTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	res, err = ruleWithExternalLabels.Eval(
-		context.TODO(), evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0,
+		context.TODO(), 0, evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0,
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	for _, smpl := range res {
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ func TestAlertingRuleExternalURLInTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var filteredRes promql.Vector // After removing 'ALERTS_FOR_STATE' samples.
 	res, err := ruleWithoutExternalURL.Eval(
-		context.TODO(), evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0,
+		context.TODO(), 0, evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0,
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	for _, smpl := range res {
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ func TestAlertingRuleExternalURLInTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	res, err = ruleWithExternalURL.Eval(
-		context.TODO(), evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0,
+		context.TODO(), 0, evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0,
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	for _, smpl := range res {
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ func TestAlertingRuleEmptyLabelFromTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var filteredRes promql.Vector // After removing 'ALERTS_FOR_STATE' samples.
 	res, err := rule.Eval(
-		context.TODO(), evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0,
+		context.TODO(), 0, evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0,
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	for _, smpl := range res {
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ instance: {{ $v.Labels.instance }}, value: {{ printf "%.0f" $v.Value }};
 		close(getDoneCh)
 	}()
 	_, err = ruleWithQueryInTemplate.Eval(
-		context.TODO(), evalTime, slowQueryFunc, nil, 0,
+		context.TODO(), 0, evalTime, slowQueryFunc, nil, 0,
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 }
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ func TestAlertingRuleDuplicate(t *testing.T) {
 		"",
 		true, log.NewNopLogger(),
 	)
-	_, err := rule.Eval(ctx, now, EngineQueryFunc(engine, storage), nil, 0)
+	_, err := rule.Eval(ctx, 0, now, EngineQueryFunc(engine, storage), nil, 0)
 	require.Error(t, err)
 	require.EqualError(t, err, "vector contains metrics with the same labelset after applying alert labels")
 }
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ func TestAlertingRuleLimit(t *testing.T) {
 	evalTime := time.Unix(0, 0)
 
 	for _, test := range tests {
-		switch _, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, test.limit); {
+		switch _, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), 0, evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, test.limit); {
 		case err != nil:
 			require.EqualError(t, err, test.err)
 		case test.err != "":
@@ -871,7 +871,7 @@ func TestKeepFiringFor(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Logf("case %d", i)
 		evalTime := baseTime.Add(time.Duration(i) * time.Minute)
 		result[0].T = timestamp.FromTime(evalTime)
-		res, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0)
+		res, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), 0, evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
 		var filteredRes promql.Vector // After removing 'ALERTS_FOR_STATE' samples.
@@ -888,7 +888,7 @@ func TestKeepFiringFor(t *testing.T) {
 		testutil.RequireEqual(t, result, filteredRes)
 	}
 	evalTime := baseTime.Add(time.Duration(len(results)) * time.Minute)
-	res, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0)
+	res, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), 0, evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Empty(t, res)
 }
@@ -925,7 +925,7 @@ func TestPendingAndKeepFiringFor(t *testing.T) {
 
 	baseTime := time.Unix(0, 0)
 	result.T = timestamp.FromTime(baseTime)
-	res, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), baseTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0)
+	res, err := rule.Eval(context.TODO(), 0, baseTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	require.Len(t, res, 2)
@@ -940,7 +940,7 @@ func TestPendingAndKeepFiringFor(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	evalTime := baseTime.Add(time.Minute)
-	res, err = rule.Eval(context.TODO(), evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0)
+	res, err = rule.Eval(context.TODO(), 0, evalTime, EngineQueryFunc(testEngine, storage), nil, 0)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Empty(t, res)
 }
@@ -974,7 +974,7 @@ func TestAlertingEvalWithOrigin(t *testing.T) {
 		true, log.NewNopLogger(),
 	)
 
-	_, err = rule.Eval(ctx, now, func(ctx context.Context, qs string, _ time.Time) (promql.Vector, error) {
+	_, err = rule.Eval(ctx, 0, now, func(ctx context.Context, qs string, _ time.Time) (promql.Vector, error) {
 		detail = FromOriginContext(ctx)
 		return nil, nil
 	}, nil, 0)

rules/group.go

@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ type Group struct {
 	name                 string
 	file                 string
 	interval             time.Duration
+	queryOffset          *time.Duration
 	limit                int
 	rules                []Rule
 	seriesInPreviousEval []map[string]labels.Labels // One per Rule.
@@ -90,6 +91,7 @@ type GroupOptions struct {
 	Rules             []Rule
 	ShouldRestore     bool
 	Opts              *ManagerOptions
+	QueryOffset       *time.Duration
 	done              chan struct{}
 	EvalIterationFunc GroupEvalIterationFunc
 }
@@ -126,6 +128,7 @@ func NewGroup(o GroupOptions) *Group {
 		name:                  o.Name,
 		file:                  o.File,
 		interval:              o.Interval,
+		queryOffset:           o.QueryOffset,
 		limit:                 o.Limit,
 		rules:                 o.Rules,
 		shouldRestore:         o.ShouldRestore,
@@ -443,6 +446,8 @@ func (g *Group) Eval(ctx context.Context, ts time.Time) {
 		wg           sync.WaitGroup
 	)
 
+	ruleQueryOffset := g.QueryOffset()
+
 	for i, rule := range g.rules {
 		select {
 		case <-g.done:
@@ -473,7 +478,7 @@ func (g *Group) Eval(ctx context.Context, ts time.Time) {
 
 			g.metrics.EvalTotal.WithLabelValues(GroupKey(g.File(), g.Name())).Inc()
 
-			vector, err := rule.Eval(ctx, ts, g.opts.QueryFunc, g.opts.ExternalURL, g.Limit())
+			vector, err := rule.Eval(ctx, ruleQueryOffset, ts, g.opts.QueryFunc, g.opts.ExternalURL, g.Limit())
 			if err != nil {
 				rule.SetHealth(HealthBad)
 				rule.SetLastError(err)
@@ -562,7 +567,7 @@ func (g *Group) Eval(ctx context.Context, ts time.Time) {
 			for metric, lset := range g.seriesInPreviousEval[i] {
 				if _, ok := seriesReturned[metric]; !ok {
 					// Series no longer exposed, mark it stale.
-					_, err = app.Append(0, lset, timestamp.FromTime(ts), math.Float64frombits(value.StaleNaN))
+					_, err = app.Append(0, lset, timestamp.FromTime(ts.Add(-ruleQueryOffset)), math.Float64frombits(value.StaleNaN))
 					unwrappedErr := errors.Unwrap(err)
 					if unwrappedErr == nil {
 						unwrappedErr = err
@@ -601,14 +606,27 @@ func (g *Group) Eval(ctx context.Context, ts time.Time) {
 	g.cleanupStaleSeries(ctx, ts)
 }
 
+func (g *Group) QueryOffset() time.Duration {
+	if g.queryOffset != nil {
+		return *g.queryOffset
+	}
+
+	if g.opts.DefaultRuleQueryOffset != nil {
+		return g.opts.DefaultRuleQueryOffset()
+	}
+
+	return time.Duration(0)
+}
+
 func (g *Group) cleanupStaleSeries(ctx context.Context, ts time.Time) {
 	if len(g.staleSeries) == 0 {
 		return
 	}
 	app := g.opts.Appendable.Appender(ctx)
+	queryOffset := g.QueryOffset()
 	for _, s := range g.staleSeries {
 		// Rule that produced series no longer configured, mark it stale.
-		_, err := app.Append(0, s, timestamp.FromTime(ts), math.Float64frombits(value.StaleNaN))
+		_, err := app.Append(0, s, timestamp.FromTime(ts.Add(-queryOffset)), math.Float64frombits(value.StaleNaN))
 		unwrappedErr := errors.Unwrap(err)
 		if unwrappedErr == nil {
 			unwrappedErr = err

rules/manager.go

@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ type ManagerOptions struct {
 	ForGracePeriod            time.Duration
 	ResendDelay               time.Duration
 	GroupLoader               GroupLoader
+	DefaultRuleQueryOffset    func() time.Duration
 	MaxConcurrentEvals        int64
 	ConcurrentEvalsEnabled    bool
 	RuleConcurrencyController RuleConcurrencyController
@@ -336,6 +337,7 @@ func (m *Manager) LoadGroups(
 				Rules:             rules,
 				ShouldRestore:     shouldRestore,
 				Opts:              m.opts,
+				QueryOffset:       (*time.Duration)(rg.QueryOffset),
 				done:              m.done,
 				EvalIterationFunc: groupEvalIterationFunc,
 			})