Under what conditions should I change my plugin version?

A plugin template defines the metrics, tabs, and overall structure that Site24x7 uses to monitor your plugin. Whenever the template structure changes, you must increase the plugin version so that Site24x7 creates a new template.

Rules

1. Increase the plugin version in the following cases:
   • Whenever a metric is added, deleted, or renamed.
   • When tabs are added or modified.
2. Do not increase the plugin version if:
   • The metric names and template structure remain the same, and only the logic used to collect the metric values changes.

If multiple plugin monitors use the same template, they must all use the same plugin version. Do not maintain different plugin versions for monitors that are mapped to the same template.

Example

Current plugin output (Version 1)

{
  "plugin_version": 1,
  "heartbeat_required": true,
  "cpu": 42.7,
  "memory": 65.8,
  "network": 156,
  "units": {
    "cpu": "%",
    "memory": "%",
    "network": "MB"
  }
}

• The monitored metrics are cpu, memory, and network.
• If you add a new metric named disk, you must increase the plugin version.

Updated plugin output (Version 2)

{
  "plugin_version": 2,
  "heartbeat_required": true,
  "cpu": 42.7,
  "memory": 65.8,
  "network": 156,
  "disk": 10,
  "units": {
    "cpu": "%",
    "memory": "%",
    "network": "MB",
    "disk": "count"
  }
}

Why is a version change required?

The template structure has changed because a new metric (disk) and its corresponding unit were added. Whenever the template structure changes, the plugin version must be incremented so that Site24x7 creates a new template.

If you only modify the logic used to fetch the values for existing metrics, such as cpu, memory, or network, and do not add, delete, or rename metrics or modify tabs, you do not need to increase the plugin version.

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