Merging upstream version 1.11.0+dfsg.

Signed-off-by: Daniel Baumann <daniel.baumann@progress-linux.org>

23 files changed, 3823 insertions, 422 deletions

diff --git a/backends/Makefile.am b/backends/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..268259ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = $(srcdir)/Makefile.in
+
+SUBDIRS = \
+    graphite \
+    json \
+    opentsdb \
+    prometheus \
+	$(NULL)
+
+dist_noinst_DATA = \
+	README.md \
+	$(NULL)
+
+dist_noinst_SCRIPTS = \
+	nc-backend.sh \
+	$(NULL)
diff --git a/backends/Makefile.in b/backends/Makefile.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2484e96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/Makefile.in
@@ -0,0 +1,657 @@
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+	  fi; \
+	done
+	@list='$(DIST_SUBDIRS)'; for subdir in $$list; do \
+	  if test "$$subdir" = .; then :; else \
+	    $(am__make_dryrun) \
+	      || test -d "$(distdir)/$$subdir" \
+	      || $(MKDIR_P) "$(distdir)/$$subdir" \
+	      || exit 1; \
+	    dir1=$$subdir; dir2="$(distdir)/$$subdir"; \
+	    $(am__relativize); \
+	    new_distdir=$$reldir; \
+	    dir1=$$subdir; dir2="$(top_distdir)"; \
+	    $(am__relativize); \
+	    new_top_distdir=$$reldir; \
+	    echo " (cd $$subdir && $(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) top_distdir="$$new_top_distdir" distdir="$$new_distdir" \\"; \
+	    echo "     am__remove_distdir=: am__skip_length_check=: am__skip_mode_fix=: distdir)"; \
+	    ($(am__cd) $$subdir && \
+	      $(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) \
+	        top_distdir="$$new_top_distdir" \
+	        distdir="$$new_distdir" \
+		am__remove_distdir=: \
+		am__skip_length_check=: \
+		am__skip_mode_fix=: \
+	        distdir) \
+	      || exit 1; \
+	  fi; \
+	done
+check-am: all-am
+check: check-recursive
+all-am: Makefile $(SCRIPTS) $(DATA)
+installdirs: installdirs-recursive
+installdirs-am:
+install: install-recursive
+install-exec: install-exec-recursive
+install-data: install-data-recursive
+uninstall: uninstall-recursive
+
+install-am: all-am
+	@$(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) install-exec-am install-data-am
+
+installcheck: installcheck-recursive
+install-strip:
+	if test -z '$(STRIP)'; then \
+	  $(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) INSTALL_PROGRAM="$(INSTALL_STRIP_PROGRAM)" \
+	    install_sh_PROGRAM="$(INSTALL_STRIP_PROGRAM)" INSTALL_STRIP_FLAG=-s \
+	      install; \
+	else \
+	  $(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) INSTALL_PROGRAM="$(INSTALL_STRIP_PROGRAM)" \
+	    install_sh_PROGRAM="$(INSTALL_STRIP_PROGRAM)" INSTALL_STRIP_FLAG=-s \
+	    "INSTALL_PROGRAM_ENV=STRIPPROG='$(STRIP)'" install; \
+	fi
+mostlyclean-generic:
+
+clean-generic:
+
+distclean-generic:
+	-test -z "$(CONFIG_CLEAN_FILES)" || rm -f $(CONFIG_CLEAN_FILES)
+	-test . = "$(srcdir)" || test -z "$(CONFIG_CLEAN_VPATH_FILES)" || rm -f $(CONFIG_CLEAN_VPATH_FILES)
+
+maintainer-clean-generic:
+	@echo "This command is intended for maintainers to use"
+	@echo "it deletes files that may require special tools to rebuild."
+	-test -z "$(MAINTAINERCLEANFILES)" || rm -f $(MAINTAINERCLEANFILES)
+clean: clean-recursive
+
+clean-am: clean-generic mostlyclean-am
+
+distclean: distclean-recursive
+	-rm -f Makefile
+distclean-am: clean-am distclean-generic distclean-tags
+
+dvi: dvi-recursive
+
+dvi-am:
+
+html: html-recursive
+
+html-am:
+
+info: info-recursive
+
+info-am:
+
+install-data-am:
+
+install-dvi: install-dvi-recursive
+
+install-dvi-am:
+
+install-exec-am:
+
+install-html: install-html-recursive
+
+install-html-am:
+
+install-info: install-info-recursive
+
+install-info-am:
+
+install-man:
+
+install-pdf: install-pdf-recursive
+
+install-pdf-am:
+
+install-ps: install-ps-recursive
+
+install-ps-am:
+
+installcheck-am:
+
+maintainer-clean: maintainer-clean-recursive
+	-rm -f Makefile
+maintainer-clean-am: distclean-am maintainer-clean-generic
+
+mostlyclean: mostlyclean-recursive
+
+mostlyclean-am: mostlyclean-generic
+
+pdf: pdf-recursive
+
+pdf-am:
+
+ps: ps-recursive
+
+ps-am:
+
+uninstall-am:
+
+.MAKE: $(am__recursive_targets) install-am install-strip
+
+.PHONY: $(am__recursive_targets) CTAGS GTAGS TAGS all all-am check \
+	check-am clean clean-generic cscopelist-am ctags ctags-am \
+	distclean distclean-generic distclean-tags distdir dvi dvi-am \
+	html html-am info info-am install install-am install-data \
+	install-data-am install-dvi install-dvi-am install-exec \
+	install-exec-am install-html install-html-am install-info \
+	install-info-am install-man install-pdf install-pdf-am \
+	install-ps install-ps-am install-strip installcheck \
+	installcheck-am installdirs installdirs-am maintainer-clean \
+	maintainer-clean-generic mostlyclean mostlyclean-generic pdf \
+	pdf-am ps ps-am tags tags-am uninstall uninstall-am
+
+
+# Tell versions [3.59,3.63) of GNU make to not export all variables.
+# Otherwise a system limit (for SysV at least) may be exceeded.
+.NOEXPORT:
diff --git a/backends/README.md b/backends/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b449f060
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,199 @@
+
+# Metrics Long Term Archiving
+
+netdata supports backends for archiving the metrics, or providing long term dashboards,
+using Grafana or other tools, like this:
+
+![image](https://cloud.githubusercontent.com/assets/2662304/20649711/29f182ba-b4ce-11e6-97c8-ab2c0ab59833.png)
+
+Since netdata collects thousands of metrics per server per second, which would easily congest any backend
+server when several netdata servers are sending data to it, netdata allows sending metrics at a lower
+frequency, by resampling them.
+
+So, although netdata collects metrics every second, it can send to the backend servers averages or sums every
+X seconds (though, it can send them per second if you need it to).
+
+## features
+
+1. Supported backends
+
+   - **graphite** (`plaintext interface`, used by **Graphite**, **InfluxDB**, **KairosDB**,
+     **Blueflood**, **ElasticSearch** via logstash tcp input and the graphite codec, etc)
+
+     metrics are sent to the backend server as `prefix.hostname.chart.dimension`. `prefix` is
+     configured below, `hostname` is the hostname of the machine (can also be configured).
+
+   - **opentsdb** (`telnet interface`, used by **OpenTSDB**, **InfluxDB**, **KairosDB**, etc)
+
+     metrics are sent to opentsdb as `prefix.chart.dimension` with tag `host=hostname`.
+
+   - **json** document DBs
+
+     metrics are sent to a document db, `JSON` formatted.
+
+   - **prometheus** is described at [prometheus page](prometheus/) since it pulls data from netdata.
+
+2. Only one backend may be active at a time.
+
+3. Netdata can filter metrics (at the chart level), to send only a subset of the collected metrics.
+
+4. Three modes of operation (for all backends):
+
+   - `as collected`: the latest collected value is sent to the backend. This means that if netdata
+     is configured to send data to the backend every 10 seconds, only 1 out of 10 values will appear
+     at the backend server. The values are sent exactly as collected, before any multipliers or
+     dividers applied and before any interpolation. This mode emulates other data collectors,
+     such as `collectd` or `telegraf`.
+
+   - `average`: the average of the interpolated values shown on the netdata graphs is sent to the
+     backend. So, if netdata is configured to send data to the backend server every 10 seconds,
+     the average of the 10 values shown on the netdata charts will be used. **If you can't decide
+      which mode to use, use `average`.**
+
+   - `sum` or `volume`: the sum of the interpolated values shown on the netdata graphs is sent to
+     the backend. So, if netdata is configured to send data to the backend every 10 seconds, the
+     sum of the 10 values shown on the netdata charts will be used.
+
+5. This code is smart enough, not to slow down netdata, independently of the speed of the backend server.
+
+## configuration
+
+In `/etc/netdata/netdata.conf` you should have something like this (if not download the latest version
+of `netdata.conf` from your netdata):
+
+```
+[backend]
+    enabled = yes | no
+    type = graphite | opentsdb | json
+    host tags = list of TAG=VALUE
+    destination = space separated list of [PROTOCOL:]HOST[:PORT] - the first working will be used
+    data source = average | sum | as collected
+    prefix = netdata
+    hostname = my-name
+    update every = 10
+    buffer on failures = 10
+    timeout ms = 20000
+    send charts matching = *
+    send hosts matching = localhost *
+    send names instead of ids = yes
+```
+
+- `enabled = yes | no`, enables or disables sending data to a backend
+
+- `type = graphite | opentsdb | json`, selects the backend type
+
+- `destination = host1 host2 host3 ...`, accepts **a space separated list** of hostnames,
+   IPs (IPv4 and IPv6) and ports to connect to.
+   Netdata will use the **first available** to send the metrics.
+
+   The format of each item in this list, is: `[PROTOCOL:]IP[:PORT]`.
+
+   `PROTOCOL` can be `udp` or `tcp`. `tcp` is the default and only supported by the current backends.
+
+   `IP` can be `XX.XX.XX.XX` (IPv4), or `[XX:XX...XX:XX]` (IPv6).
+   For IPv6 you can to enclose the IP in `[]` to separate it from the port.
+
+   `PORT` can be a number of a service name. If omitted, the default port for the backend will be used
+   (graphite = 2003, opentsdb = 4242).
+
+   Example IPv4:
+
+```
+   destination = 10.11.14.2:4242 10.11.14.3:4242 10.11.14.4:4242
+```
+
+   Example IPv6 and IPv4 together:
+   
+```
+   destination = [ffff:...:0001]:2003 10.11.12.1:2003
+```
+
+   When multiple servers are defined, netdata will try the next one when the first one fails. This allows
+   you to load-balance different servers: give your backend servers in different order on each netdata.
+
+   netdata also ships [`nc-backend.sh`](nc-backend.sh),
+   a script that can be used as a fallback backend to save the metrics to disk and push them to the
+   time-series database when it becomes available again. It can also be used to monitor / trace / debug
+   the metrics netdata generates.
+
+- `data source = as collected`, or `data source = average`, or `data source = sum`, selects the kind of
+   data that will be sent to the backend.
+
+- `hostname = my-name`, is the hostname to be used for sending data to the backend server. By default
+   this is `[global].hostname`.
+
+- `prefix = netdata`, is the prefix to add to all metrics.
+
+- `update every = 10`, is the number of seconds between sending data to the backend. netdata will add
+   some randomness to this number, to prevent stressing the backend server when many netdata servers send
+   data to the same backend. This randomness does not affect the quality of the data, only the time they
+   are sent.
+
+- `buffer on failures = 10`, is the number of iterations (each iteration is `[backend].update every` seconds)
+   to buffer data, when the backend is not available. If the backend fails to receive the data after that
+   many failures, data loss on the backend is expected (netdata will also log it).
+
+- `timeout ms = 20000`, is the timeout in milliseconds to wait for the backend server to process the data.
+   By default this is `2 * update_every * 1000`.
+
+- `send hosts matching = localhost *` includes one or more space separated patterns, using ` * ` as wildcard
+   (any number of times within each pattern). The patterns are checked against the hostname (the localhost
+   is always checked as `localhost`), allowing us to filter which hosts will be sent to the backend when
+   this netdata is a central netdata aggregating multiple hosts. A pattern starting with ` ! ` gives a
+   negative match. So to match all hosts named `*db*` except hosts containing `*slave*`, use
+   `!*slave* *db*` (so, the order is important: the first pattern matching the hostname will be used - positive
+   or negative).
+
+- `send charts matching = *` includes one or more space separated patterns, using ` * ` as wildcard (any
+   number of times within each pattern). The patterns are checked against both chart id and chart name.
+   A pattern starting with ` ! ` gives a negative match. So to match all charts named `apps.*`
+   except charts ending in `*reads`, use `!*reads apps.*` (so, the order is important: the first pattern
+   matching the chart id or the chart name will be used - positive or negative).
+
+- `send names instead of ids = yes | no` controls the metric names netdata should send to backend.
+   netdata supports names and IDs for charts and dimensions. Usually IDs are unique identifiers as read
+   by the system and names are human friendly labels (also unique). Most charts and metrics have the same
+   ID and name, but in several cases they are different: disks with device-mapper, interrupts, QoS classes,
+   statsd synthetic charts, etc.
+
+- `host tags = list of TAG=VALUE` defines tags that should be appended on all metrics for the given host.
+   These are currently only sent to opentsdb and prometheus. Please use the appropriate format for each
+   time-series db. For example opentsdb likes them like `TAG1=VALUE1 TAG2=VALUE2`, but prometheus like
+   `tag1="value1",tag2="value2"`. Host tags are mirrored with database replication (streaming of metrics
+   between netdata servers).
+
+## monitoring operation
+
+netdata provides 5 charts:
+
+1. **Buffered metrics**, the number of metrics netdata added to the buffer for dispatching them to the
+   backend server.
+   
+2. **Buffered data size**, the amount of data (in KB) netdata added the buffer.
+
+3. ~~**Backend latency**, the time the backend server needed to process the data netdata sent.
+   If there was a re-connection involved, this includes the connection time.~~
+   (this chart has been removed, because it only measures the time netdata needs to give the data
+   to the O/S - since the backend servers do not ack the reception, netdata does not have any means
+   to measure this properly).
+   
+4. **Backend operations**, the number of operations performed by netdata.
+
+5. **Backend thread CPU usage**, the CPU resources consumed by the netdata thread, that is responsible
+   for sending the metrics to the backend server.
+
+![image](https://cloud.githubusercontent.com/assets/2662304/20463536/eb196084-af3d-11e6-8ee5-ddbd3b4d8449.png)
+
+## alarms
+
+The latest version of the alarms configuration for monitoring the backend is [here](../health/health.d/backend.conf)
+
+netdata adds 4 alarms:
+
+1. `backend_last_buffering`, number of seconds since the last successful buffering of backend data
+2. `backend_metrics_sent`, percentage of metrics sent to the backend server
+3. `backend_metrics_lost`, number of metrics lost due to repeating failures to contact the backend server
+4. ~~`backend_slow`, the percentage of time between iterations needed by the backend time to process the data sent by netdata~~ (this was misleading and has been removed).
+
+![image](https://cloud.githubusercontent.com/assets/2662304/20463779/a46ed1c2-af43-11e6-91a5-07ca4533cac3.png)
+
diff --git a/src/backends.c b/backends/backends.c
index 1360638f..53a9a239 100644
--- a/src/backends.c
+++ b/backends/backends.c
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-#include "common.h"
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+#define BACKENDS_INTERNALS
+#include "backends.h"
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // How backends work in netdata:
@@ -22,15 +25,14 @@
 // 5. repeats the above forever.
 //
 
-const char *backend_prefix = "netdata";
-int backend_send_names = 1;
-int backend_update_every = 10;
-uint32_t backend_options = BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE;
+const char *global_backend_prefix = "netdata";
+int global_backend_update_every = 10;
+BACKEND_OPTIONS global_backend_options = BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE | BACKEND_OPTION_SEND_NAMES;
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // helper functions for backends
 
-static inline size_t backend_name_copy(char *d, const char *s, size_t usable) {
+size_t backend_name_copy(char *d, const char *s, size_t usable) {
     size_t n;
 
     for(n = 0; *s && n < usable ; d++, s++, n++) {
@@ -47,16 +49,17 @@ static inline size_t backend_name_copy(char *d, const char *s, size_t usable) {
 // calculate the SUM or AVERAGE of a dimension, for any timeframe
 // may return NAN if the database does not have any value in the give timeframe
 
-inline calculated_number backend_calculate_value_from_stored_data(
+calculated_number backend_calculate_value_from_stored_data(
           RRDSET *st                // the chart
         , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
         , time_t after              // the start timestamp
         , time_t before             // the end timestamp
-        , uint32_t options          // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
         , time_t *first_timestamp   // the first point of the database used in this response
         , time_t *last_timestamp    // the timestamp that should be reported to backend
 ) {
     RRDHOST *host = st->rrdhost;
+    (void)host;
 
     // find the edges of the rrd database for this chart
     time_t first_t = rrdset_first_entry_t(st);
@@ -132,7 +135,7 @@ inline calculated_number backend_calculate_value_from_stored_data(
         return NAN;
     }
 
-    if(unlikely((options & BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_SUM))
+    if(unlikely(BACKEND_OPTIONS_DATA_SOURCE(backend_options) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_SUM))
         return sum;
 
     return sum / (calculated_number)counter;
@@ -142,7 +145,7 @@ inline calculated_number backend_calculate_value_from_stored_data(
 // discard a response received by a backend
 // after logging a simple of it to error.log
 
-static inline int discard_response(BUFFER *b, const char *backend) {
+int discard_response(BUFFER *b, const char *backend) {
     char sample[1024];
     const char *s = buffer_tostring(b);
     char *d = sample, *e = &sample[sizeof(sample) - 1];
@@ -161,328 +164,14 @@ static inline int discard_response(BUFFER *b, const char *backend) {
 
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// graphite backend
-
-static inline int format_dimension_collected_graphite_plaintext(
-          BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
-        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
-        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
-        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
-        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
-        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
-        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
-        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
-        , uint32_t options          // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
-) {
-    (void)host;
-    (void)after;
-    (void)before;
-    (void)options;
-
-    char chart_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
-    char dimension_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
-    backend_name_copy(chart_name, (backend_send_names && st->name)?st->name:st->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
-    backend_name_copy(dimension_name, (backend_send_names && rd->name)?rd->name:rd->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
-
-    buffer_sprintf(
-            b
-            , "%s.%s.%s.%s " COLLECTED_NUMBER_FORMAT " %u\n"
-            , prefix
-            , hostname
-            , chart_name
-            , dimension_name
-            , rd->last_collected_value
-            , (uint32_t)rd->last_collected_time.tv_sec
-    );
-
-    return 1;
-}
-
-static inline int format_dimension_stored_graphite_plaintext(
-          BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
-        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
-        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
-        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
-        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
-        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
-        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
-        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
-        , uint32_t options          // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
-) {
-    (void)host;
-
-    char chart_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
-    char dimension_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
-    backend_name_copy(chart_name, (backend_send_names && st->name)?st->name:st->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
-    backend_name_copy(dimension_name, (backend_send_names && rd->name)?rd->name:rd->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
-
-    time_t first_t = after, last_t = before;
-    calculated_number value = backend_calculate_value_from_stored_data(st, rd, after, before, options, &first_t, &last_t);
-
-    if(!isnan(value)) {
-
-        buffer_sprintf(
-                b
-                , "%s.%s.%s.%s " CALCULATED_NUMBER_FORMAT " %u\n"
-                , prefix
-                , hostname
-                , chart_name
-                , dimension_name
-                , value
-                , (uint32_t) last_t
-        );
-
-        return 1;
-    }
-    return 0;
-}
-
-static inline int process_graphite_response(BUFFER *b) {
-    return discard_response(b, "graphite");
-}
-
-
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// opentsdb backend
-
-static inline int format_dimension_collected_opentsdb_telnet(
-          BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
-        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
-        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
-        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
-        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
-        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
-        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
-        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
-        , uint32_t options          // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
-) {
-    (void)host;
-    (void)after;
-    (void)before;
-    (void)options;
-
-    char chart_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
-    char dimension_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
-    backend_name_copy(chart_name, (backend_send_names && st->name)?st->name:st->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
-    backend_name_copy(dimension_name, (backend_send_names && rd->name)?rd->name:rd->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
-
-    buffer_sprintf(
-            b
-            , "put %s.%s.%s %u " COLLECTED_NUMBER_FORMAT " host=%s%s%s\n"
-            , prefix
-            , chart_name
-            , dimension_name
-            , (uint32_t)rd->last_collected_time.tv_sec
-            , rd->last_collected_value
-            , hostname
-            , (host->tags)?" ":""
-            , (host->tags)?host->tags:""
-    );
-
-    return 1;
-}
-
-static inline int format_dimension_stored_opentsdb_telnet(
-          BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
-        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
-        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
-        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
-        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
-        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
-        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
-        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
-        , uint32_t options          // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
-) {
-    (void)host;
-
-    time_t first_t = after, last_t = before;
-    calculated_number value = backend_calculate_value_from_stored_data(st, rd, after, before, options, &first_t, &last_t);
-
-    char chart_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
-    char dimension_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
-    backend_name_copy(chart_name, (backend_send_names && st->name)?st->name:st->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
-    backend_name_copy(dimension_name, (backend_send_names && rd->name)?rd->name:rd->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
-
-    if(!isnan(value)) {
-
-        buffer_sprintf(
-                b
-                , "put %s.%s.%s %u " CALCULATED_NUMBER_FORMAT " host=%s%s%s\n"
-                , prefix
-                , chart_name
-                , dimension_name
-                , (uint32_t) last_t
-                , value
-                , hostname
-                , (host->tags)?" ":""
-                , (host->tags)?host->tags:""
-        );
-
-        return 1;
-    }
-    return 0;
-}
-
-static inline int process_opentsdb_response(BUFFER *b) {
-    return discard_response(b, "opentsdb");
-}
-
-
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// json backend
-
-static inline int format_dimension_collected_json_plaintext(
-          BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
-        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
-        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
-        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
-        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
-        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
-        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
-        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
-        , uint32_t options          // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
-) {
-    (void)host;
-    (void)after;
-    (void)before;
-    (void)options;
-
-    const char *tags_pre = "", *tags_post = "", *tags = host->tags;
-    if(!tags) tags = "";
-
-    if(*tags) {
-        if(*tags == '{' || *tags == '[' || *tags == '"') {
-            tags_pre = "\"host_tags\":";
-            tags_post = ",";
-        }
-        else {
-            tags_pre = "\"host_tags\":\"";
-            tags_post = "\",";
-        }
-    }
-
-    buffer_sprintf(b, "{"
-        "\"prefix\":\"%s\","
-        "\"hostname\":\"%s\","
-        "%s%s%s"
-
-        "\"chart_id\":\"%s\","
-        "\"chart_name\":\"%s\","
-        "\"chart_family\":\"%s\","
-        "\"chart_context\": \"%s\","
-        "\"chart_type\":\"%s\","
-        "\"units\": \"%s\","
-
-        "\"id\":\"%s\","
-        "\"name\":\"%s\","
-        "\"value\":" COLLECTED_NUMBER_FORMAT ","
-
-        "\"timestamp\": %u}\n",
-            prefix,
-            hostname,
-            tags_pre, tags, tags_post,
-
-            st->id,
-            st->name,
-            st->family,
-            st->context,
-            st->type,
-            st->units,
-
-            rd->id,
-            rd->name,
-            rd->last_collected_value,
-
-            (uint32_t)rd->last_collected_time.tv_sec
-    );
-
-    return 1;
-}
-
-static inline int format_dimension_stored_json_plaintext(
-          BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
-        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
-        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
-        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
-        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
-        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
-        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
-        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
-        , uint32_t options          // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
-) {
-    (void)host;
-
-    time_t first_t = after, last_t = before;
-    calculated_number value = backend_calculate_value_from_stored_data(st, rd, after, before, options, &first_t, &last_t);
-
-    if(!isnan(value)) {
-        const char *tags_pre = "", *tags_post = "", *tags = host->tags;
-        if(!tags) tags = "";
-
-        if(*tags) {
-            if(*tags == '{' || *tags == '[' || *tags == '"') {
-                tags_pre = "\"host_tags\":";
-                tags_post = ",";
-            }
-            else {
-                tags_pre = "\"host_tags\":\"";
-                tags_post = "\",";
-            }
-        }
-
-        buffer_sprintf(b, "{"
-            "\"prefix\":\"%s\","
-            "\"hostname\":\"%s\","
-            "%s%s%s"
-
-            "\"chart_id\":\"%s\","
-            "\"chart_name\":\"%s\","
-            "\"chart_family\":\"%s\","
-            "\"chart_context\": \"%s\","
-            "\"chart_type\":\"%s\","
-            "\"units\": \"%s\","
-
-            "\"id\":\"%s\","
-            "\"name\":\"%s\","
-            "\"value\":" CALCULATED_NUMBER_FORMAT ","
-
-            "\"timestamp\": %u}\n", 
-                prefix,
-                hostname,
-                tags_pre, tags, tags_post,
-
-                st->id,
-                st->name,
-                st->family,
-                st->context,
-                st->type,
-                st->units,
-
-                rd->id,
-                rd->name,
-                value, 
-                
-                (uint32_t) last_t
-        );
-        
-        return 1;
-    }
-    return 0;
-}
-
-static inline int process_json_response(BUFFER *b) {
-    return discard_response(b, "json");
-}
-
-
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // the backend thread
 
 static SIMPLE_PATTERN *charts_pattern = NULL;
 static SIMPLE_PATTERN *hosts_pattern = NULL;
 
-inline int backends_can_send_rrdset(uint32_t options, RRDSET *st) {
+inline int backends_can_send_rrdset(BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options, RRDSET *st) {
     RRDHOST *host = st->rrdhost;
+    (void)host;
 
     if(unlikely(rrdset_flag_check(st, RRDSET_FLAG_BACKEND_IGNORE)))
         return 0;
@@ -503,7 +192,7 @@ inline int backends_can_send_rrdset(uint32_t options, RRDSET *st) {
         return 0;
     }
 
-    if(unlikely(st->rrd_memory_mode == RRD_MEMORY_MODE_NONE && !((options & BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED))) {
+    if(unlikely(st->rrd_memory_mode == RRD_MEMORY_MODE_NONE && !(BACKEND_OPTIONS_DATA_SOURCE(backend_options) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED))) {
         debug(D_BACKEND, "BACKEND: not sending chart '%s' of host '%s' because its memory mode is '%s' and the backend requires database access.", st->id, host->hostname, rrd_memory_mode_name(host->rrd_memory_mode));
         return 0;
     }
@@ -511,24 +200,24 @@ inline int backends_can_send_rrdset(uint32_t options, RRDSET *st) {
     return 1;
 }
 
-inline uint32_t backend_parse_data_source(const char *source, uint32_t mode) {
+inline BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_parse_data_source(const char *source, BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options) {
     if(!strcmp(source, "raw") || !strcmp(source, "as collected") || !strcmp(source, "as-collected") || !strcmp(source, "as_collected") || !strcmp(source, "ascollected")) {
-        mode |= BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED;
-        mode &= ~(BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS ^ BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED);
+        backend_options |= BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED;
+        backend_options &= ~(BACKEND_OPTIONS_SOURCE_BITS ^ BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED);
     }
     else if(!strcmp(source, "average")) {
-        mode |= BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE;
-        mode &= ~(BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS ^ BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE);
+        backend_options |= BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE;
+        backend_options &= ~(BACKEND_OPTIONS_SOURCE_BITS ^ BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE);
     }
     else if(!strcmp(source, "sum") || !strcmp(source, "volume")) {
-        mode |= BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_SUM;
-        mode &= ~(BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS ^ BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_SUM);
+        backend_options |= BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_SUM;
+        backend_options &= ~(BACKEND_OPTIONS_SOURCE_BITS ^ BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_SUM);
     }
     else {
         error("BACKEND: invalid data source method '%s'.", source);
     }
 
-    return mode;
+    return backend_options;
 }
 
 static void backends_main_cleanup(void *ptr) {
@@ -546,7 +235,7 @@ void *backends_main(void *ptr) {
     int default_port = 0;
     int sock = -1;
     BUFFER *b = buffer_create(1), *response = buffer_create(1);
-    int (*backend_request_formatter)(BUFFER *, const char *, RRDHOST *, const char *, RRDSET *, RRDDIM *, time_t, time_t, uint32_t) = NULL;
+    int (*backend_request_formatter)(BUFFER *, const char *, RRDHOST *, const char *, RRDSET *, RRDDIM *, time_t, time_t, BACKEND_OPTIONS) = NULL;
     int (*backend_response_checker)(BUFFER *) = NULL;
 
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -556,35 +245,39 @@ void *backends_main(void *ptr) {
             .tv_sec = 0,
             .tv_usec = 0
     };
-    int enabled             = config_get_boolean(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "enabled", 0);
-    const char *source      = config_get(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "data source", "average");
-    const char *type        = config_get(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "type", "graphite");
-    const char *destination = config_get(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "destination", "localhost");
-    backend_prefix          = config_get(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "prefix", "netdata");
-    const char *hostname    = config_get(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "hostname", localhost->hostname);
-    backend_update_every    = (int)config_get_number(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "update every", backend_update_every);
-    int buffer_on_failures  = (int)config_get_number(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "buffer on failures", 10);
-    long timeoutms          = config_get_number(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "timeout ms", backend_update_every * 2 * 1000);
-    backend_send_names      = config_get_boolean(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "send names instead of ids", backend_send_names);
+    int enabled                 = config_get_boolean(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "enabled", 0);
+    const char *source          = config_get(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "data source", "average");
+    const char *type            = config_get(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "type", "graphite");
+    const char *destination     = config_get(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "destination", "localhost");
+    global_backend_prefix       = config_get(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "prefix", "netdata");
+    const char *hostname        = config_get(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "hostname", localhost->hostname);
+    global_backend_update_every = (int)config_get_number(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "update every", global_backend_update_every);
+    int buffer_on_failures      = (int)config_get_number(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "buffer on failures", 10);
+    long timeoutms              = config_get_number(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "timeout ms", global_backend_update_every * 2 * 1000);
+
+    if(config_get_boolean(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "send names instead of ids", (global_backend_options & BACKEND_OPTION_SEND_NAMES)))
+        global_backend_options |= BACKEND_OPTION_SEND_NAMES;
+    else
+        global_backend_options &= ~BACKEND_OPTION_SEND_NAMES;
 
     charts_pattern = simple_pattern_create(config_get(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "send charts matching", "*"), NULL, SIMPLE_PATTERN_EXACT);
-    hosts_pattern = simple_pattern_create(config_get(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "send hosts matching", "localhost *"), NULL, SIMPLE_PATTERN_EXACT);
+    hosts_pattern  = simple_pattern_create(config_get(CONFIG_SECTION_BACKEND, "send hosts matching", "localhost *"), NULL, SIMPLE_PATTERN_EXACT);
 
 
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     // validate configuration options
     // and prepare for sending data to our backend
 
-    backend_options = backend_parse_data_source(source, backend_options);
+    global_backend_options = backend_parse_data_source(source, global_backend_options);
 
     if(timeoutms < 1) {
-        error("BACKEND: invalid timeout %ld ms given. Assuming %d ms.", timeoutms, backend_update_every * 2 * 1000);
-        timeoutms = backend_update_every * 2 * 1000;
+        error("BACKEND: invalid timeout %ld ms given. Assuming %d ms.", timeoutms, global_backend_update_every * 2 * 1000);
+        timeoutms = global_backend_update_every * 2 * 1000;
     }
     timeout.tv_sec  = (timeoutms * 1000) / 1000000;
     timeout.tv_usec = (timeoutms * 1000) % 1000000;
 
-    if(!enabled || backend_update_every < 1)
+    if(!enabled || global_backend_update_every < 1)
         goto cleanup;
 
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -595,7 +288,7 @@ void *backends_main(void *ptr) {
         default_port = 2003;
         backend_response_checker = process_graphite_response;
 
-        if((backend_options & BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED)
+        if(BACKEND_OPTIONS_DATA_SOURCE(global_backend_options) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED)
             backend_request_formatter = format_dimension_collected_graphite_plaintext;
         else
             backend_request_formatter = format_dimension_stored_graphite_plaintext;
@@ -606,7 +299,7 @@ void *backends_main(void *ptr) {
         default_port = 4242;
         backend_response_checker = process_opentsdb_response;
 
-        if((backend_options & BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED)
+        if(BACKEND_OPTIONS_DATA_SOURCE(global_backend_options) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED)
             backend_request_formatter = format_dimension_collected_opentsdb_telnet;
         else
             backend_request_formatter = format_dimension_stored_opentsdb_telnet;
@@ -617,7 +310,7 @@ void *backends_main(void *ptr) {
         default_port = 5448;
         backend_response_checker = process_json_response;
 
-        if ((backend_options & BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED)
+        if (BACKEND_OPTIONS_DATA_SOURCE(global_backend_options) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED)
             backend_request_formatter = format_dimension_collected_json_plaintext;
         else
             backend_request_formatter = format_dimension_stored_json_plaintext;
@@ -651,21 +344,21 @@ void *backends_main(void *ptr) {
             chart_transmission_failures = 0,
             chart_data_lost_events = 0,
             chart_lost_bytes = 0,
-            chart_backend_reconnects = 0,
-            chart_backend_latency = 0;
+            chart_backend_reconnects = 0;
+            // chart_backend_latency = 0;
 
-    RRDSET *chart_metrics = rrdset_create_localhost("netdata", "backend_metrics", NULL, "backend", NULL, "Netdata Buffered Metrics", "metrics", "backends", NULL, 130600, backend_update_every, RRDSET_TYPE_LINE);
+    RRDSET *chart_metrics = rrdset_create_localhost("netdata", "backend_metrics", NULL, "backend", NULL, "Netdata Buffered Metrics", "metrics", "backends", NULL, 130600, global_backend_update_every, RRDSET_TYPE_LINE);
     rrddim_add(chart_metrics, "buffered", NULL,  1, 1, RRD_ALGORITHM_ABSOLUTE);
     rrddim_add(chart_metrics, "lost",     NULL,  1, 1, RRD_ALGORITHM_ABSOLUTE);
     rrddim_add(chart_metrics, "sent",     NULL,  1, 1, RRD_ALGORITHM_ABSOLUTE);
 
-    RRDSET *chart_bytes = rrdset_create_localhost("netdata", "backend_bytes", NULL, "backend", NULL, "Netdata Backend Data Size", "KB", "backends", NULL, 130610, backend_update_every, RRDSET_TYPE_AREA);
+    RRDSET *chart_bytes = rrdset_create_localhost("netdata", "backend_bytes", NULL, "backend", NULL, "Netdata Backend Data Size", "KB", "backends", NULL, 130610, global_backend_update_every, RRDSET_TYPE_AREA);
     rrddim_add(chart_bytes, "buffered", NULL, 1, 1024, RRD_ALGORITHM_ABSOLUTE);
     rrddim_add(chart_bytes, "lost",     NULL, 1, 1024, RRD_ALGORITHM_ABSOLUTE);
     rrddim_add(chart_bytes, "sent",     NULL, 1, 1024, RRD_ALGORITHM_ABSOLUTE);
     rrddim_add(chart_bytes, "received", NULL, 1, 1024, RRD_ALGORITHM_ABSOLUTE);
 
-    RRDSET *chart_ops = rrdset_create_localhost("netdata", "backend_ops", NULL, "backend", NULL, "Netdata Backend Operations", "operations", "backends", NULL, 130630, backend_update_every, RRDSET_TYPE_LINE);
+    RRDSET *chart_ops = rrdset_create_localhost("netdata", "backend_ops", NULL, "backend", NULL, "Netdata Backend Operations", "operations", "backends", NULL, 130630, global_backend_update_every, RRDSET_TYPE_LINE);
     rrddim_add(chart_ops, "write",     NULL, 1, 1, RRD_ALGORITHM_ABSOLUTE);
     rrddim_add(chart_ops, "discard",   NULL, 1, 1, RRD_ALGORITHM_ABSOLUTE);
     rrddim_add(chart_ops, "reconnect", NULL, 1, 1, RRD_ALGORITHM_ABSOLUTE);
@@ -679,11 +372,11 @@ void *backends_main(void *ptr) {
      *
      * issue #1432 and https://www.softlab.ntua.gr/facilities/documentation/unix/unix-socket-faq/unix-socket-faq-2.html
      *
-    RRDSET *chart_latency = rrdset_create_localhost("netdata", "backend_latency", NULL, "backend", NULL, "Netdata Backend Latency", "ms", "backends", NULL, 130620, backend_update_every, RRDSET_TYPE_AREA);
+    RRDSET *chart_latency = rrdset_create_localhost("netdata", "backend_latency", NULL, "backend", NULL, "Netdata Backend Latency", "ms", "backends", NULL, 130620, global_backend_update_every, RRDSET_TYPE_AREA);
     rrddim_add(chart_latency, "latency",   NULL,  1, 1000, RRD_ALGORITHM_ABSOLUTE);
     */
 
-    RRDSET *chart_rusage = rrdset_create_localhost("netdata", "backend_thread_cpu", NULL, "backend", NULL, "NetData Backend Thread CPU usage", "milliseconds/s", "backends", NULL, 130630, backend_update_every, RRDSET_TYPE_STACKED);
+    RRDSET *chart_rusage = rrdset_create_localhost("netdata", "backend_thread_cpu", NULL, "backend", NULL, "NetData Backend Thread CPU usage", "milliseconds/s", "backends", NULL, 130630, global_backend_update_every, RRDSET_TYPE_STACKED);
     rrddim_add(chart_rusage, "user",   NULL, 1, 1000, RRD_ALGORITHM_INCREMENTAL);
     rrddim_add(chart_rusage, "system", NULL, 1, 1000, RRD_ALGORITHM_INCREMENTAL);
 
@@ -691,9 +384,9 @@ void *backends_main(void *ptr) {
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     // prepare the backend main loop
 
-    info("BACKEND: configured ('%s' on '%s' sending '%s' data, every %d seconds, as host '%s', with prefix '%s')", type, destination, source, backend_update_every, hostname, backend_prefix);
+    info("BACKEND: configured ('%s' on '%s' sending '%s' data, every %d seconds, as host '%s', with prefix '%s')", type, destination, source, global_backend_update_every, hostname, global_backend_prefix);
 
-    usec_t step_ut = backend_update_every * USEC_PER_SEC;
+    usec_t step_ut = global_backend_update_every * USEC_PER_SEC;
     time_t after = now_realtime_sec();
     int failures = 0;
     heartbeat_t hb;
@@ -746,7 +439,7 @@ void *backends_main(void *ptr) {
 
             RRDSET *st;
             rrdset_foreach_read(st, host) {
-                if(likely(backends_can_send_rrdset(backend_options, st))) {
+                if(likely(backends_can_send_rrdset(global_backend_options, st))) {
                     rrdset_rdlock(st);
 
                     count_charts++;
@@ -754,7 +447,7 @@ void *backends_main(void *ptr) {
                     RRDDIM *rd;
                     rrddim_foreach_read(rd, st) {
                         if (likely(rd->last_collected_time.tv_sec >= after)) {
-                            chart_buffered_metrics += backend_request_formatter(b, backend_prefix, host, __hostname, st, rd, after, before, backend_options);
+                            chart_buffered_metrics += backend_request_formatter(b, global_backend_prefix, host, __hostname, st, rd, after, before, global_backend_options);
                             count_dims++;
                         }
                         else {
@@ -792,12 +485,12 @@ void *backends_main(void *ptr) {
         chart_transmission_failures =
         chart_data_lost_events =
         chart_lost_bytes =
-        chart_backend_reconnects =
-        chart_backend_latency = 0;
+        chart_backend_reconnects = 0;
+        // chart_backend_latency = 0;
 
         if(unlikely(netdata_exit)) break;
 
-        //fprintf(stderr, "\nBACKEND BEGIN:\n%s\nBACKEND END\n", buffer_tostring(b)); // FIXME
+        //fprintf(stderr, "\nBACKEND BEGIN:\n%s\nBACKEND END\n", buffer_tostring(b));
         //fprintf(stderr, "after = %lu, before = %lu\n", after, before);
 
         // prepare for the next iteration
@@ -843,13 +536,13 @@ void *backends_main(void *ptr) {
         // if we are not connected, connect to a backend server
 
         if(unlikely(sock == -1)) {
-            usec_t start_ut = now_monotonic_usec();
+            // usec_t start_ut = now_monotonic_usec();
             size_t reconnects = 0;
 
             sock = connect_to_one_of(destination, default_port, &timeout, &reconnects, NULL, 0);
 
             chart_backend_reconnects += reconnects;
-            chart_backend_latency += now_monotonic_usec() - start_ut;
+            // chart_backend_latency += now_monotonic_usec() - start_ut;
         }
 
         if(unlikely(netdata_exit)) break;
@@ -859,14 +552,14 @@ void *backends_main(void *ptr) {
 
         if(likely(sock != -1)) {
             size_t len = buffer_strlen(b);
-            usec_t start_ut = now_monotonic_usec();
+            // usec_t start_ut = now_monotonic_usec();
             int flags = 0;
 #ifdef MSG_NOSIGNAL
             flags += MSG_NOSIGNAL;
 #endif
 
             ssize_t written = send(sock, buffer_tostring(b), len, flags);
-            chart_backend_latency += now_monotonic_usec() - start_ut;
+            // chart_backend_latency += now_monotonic_usec() - start_ut;
             if(written != -1 && (size_t)written == len) {
                 // we sent the data successfully
                 chart_transmission_successes++;
diff --git a/backends/backends.h b/backends/backends.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..468e4fed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/backends.h
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+#ifndef NETDATA_BACKENDS_H
+#define NETDATA_BACKENDS_H 1
+
+#include "daemon/common.h"
+
+typedef enum backend_options {
+    BACKEND_OPTION_NONE              = 0,
+
+    BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED = (1 << 0),
+    BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE      = (1 << 1),
+    BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_SUM          = (1 << 2),
+
+    BACKEND_OPTION_SEND_NAMES        = (1 << 16)
+} BACKEND_OPTIONS;
+
+#define BACKEND_OPTIONS_SOURCE_BITS (BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED|BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE|BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_SUM)
+#define BACKEND_OPTIONS_DATA_SOURCE(backend_options) (backend_options & BACKEND_OPTIONS_SOURCE_BITS)
+
+extern int global_backend_update_every;
+extern BACKEND_OPTIONS global_backend_options;
+extern const char *global_backend_prefix;
+
+extern void *backends_main(void *ptr);
+
+extern BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_parse_data_source(const char *source, BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options);
+
+#ifdef BACKENDS_INTERNALS
+
+extern int backends_can_send_rrdset(BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options, RRDSET *st);
+extern calculated_number backend_calculate_value_from_stored_data(
+        RRDSET *st                  // the chart
+        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
+        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
+        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options  // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+        , time_t *first_timestamp   // the timestamp of the first point used in this response
+        , time_t *last_timestamp    // the timestamp that should be reported to backend
+);
+
+extern size_t backend_name_copy(char *d, const char *s, size_t usable);
+extern int discard_response(BUFFER *b, const char *backend);
+
+#endif // BACKENDS_INTERNALS
+
+#include "backends/prometheus/backend_prometheus.h"
+#include "backends/graphite/graphite.h"
+#include "backends/json/json.h"
+#include "backends/opentsdb/opentsdb.h"
+
+#endif /* NETDATA_BACKENDS_H */
diff --git a/backends/graphite/Makefile.am b/backends/graphite/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..babdcf0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/graphite/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = $(srcdir)/Makefile.in
diff --git a/backends/graphite/Makefile.in b/backends/graphite/Makefile.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c214a0e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/graphite/Makefile.in
@@ -0,0 +1,457 @@
+# Makefile.in generated by automake 1.14.1 from Makefile.am.
+# @configure_input@
+
+# Copyright (C) 1994-2013 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+
+# This Makefile.in is free software; the Free Software Foundation
+# gives unlimited permission to copy and/or distribute it,
+# with or without modifications, as long as this notice is preserved.
+
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law; without
+# even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
+# PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+
+@SET_MAKE@
+
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+VPATH = @srcdir@
+am__is_gnu_make = test -n '$(MAKEFILE_LIST)' && test -n '$(MAKELEVEL)'
+am__make_running_with_option = \
+  case $${target_option-} in \
+      ?) ;; \
+      *) echo "am__make_running_with_option: internal error: invalid" \
+              "target option '$${target_option-}' specified" >&2; \
+         exit 1;; \
+  esac; \
+  has_opt=no; \
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+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = $(srcdir)/Makefile.in
+all: all-am
+
+.SUFFIXES:
+$(srcdir)/Makefile.in: @MAINTAINER_MODE_TRUE@ $(srcdir)/Makefile.am  $(am__configure_deps)
+	@for dep in $?; do \
+	  case '$(am__configure_deps)' in \
+	    *$$dep*) \
+	      ( cd $(top_builddir) && $(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) am--refresh ) \
+	        && { if test -f $@; then exit 0; else break; fi; }; \
+	      exit 1;; \
+	  esac; \
+	done; \
+	echo ' cd $(top_srcdir) && $(AUTOMAKE) --gnu backends/graphite/Makefile'; \
+	$(am__cd) $(top_srcdir) && \
+	  $(AUTOMAKE) --gnu backends/graphite/Makefile
+.PRECIOUS: Makefile
+Makefile: $(srcdir)/Makefile.in $(top_builddir)/config.status
+	@case '$?' in \
+	  *config.status*) \
+	    cd $(top_builddir) && $(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) am--refresh;; \
+	  *) \
+	    echo ' cd $(top_builddir) && $(SHELL) ./config.status $(subdir)/$@ $(am__depfiles_maybe)'; \
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+	esac;
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+	cd $(top_builddir) && $(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) am--refresh
+
+$(top_srcdir)/configure: @MAINTAINER_MODE_TRUE@ $(am__configure_deps)
+	cd $(top_builddir) && $(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) am--refresh
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+	cd $(top_builddir) && $(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) am--refresh
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+
+ctags CTAGS:
+
+cscope cscopelist:
+
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+	  */*) $(MKDIR_P) `echo "$$dist_files" | \
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+	  $(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) INSTALL_PROGRAM="$(INSTALL_STRIP_PROGRAM)" \
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+.NOEXPORT:
diff --git a/backends/graphite/graphite.c b/backends/graphite/graphite.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..80570389
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/graphite/graphite.c
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+#define BACKENDS_INTERNALS
+#include "graphite.h"
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// graphite backend
+
+int format_dimension_collected_graphite_plaintext(
+        BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
+        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
+        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
+        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
+        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
+        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
+        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
+        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+) {
+    (void)host;
+    (void)after;
+    (void)before;
+
+    char chart_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
+    char dimension_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
+    backend_name_copy(chart_name, (backend_options & BACKEND_OPTION_SEND_NAMES && st->name)?st->name:st->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
+    backend_name_copy(dimension_name, (backend_options & BACKEND_OPTION_SEND_NAMES && rd->name)?rd->name:rd->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
+
+    buffer_sprintf(
+            b
+            , "%s.%s.%s.%s%s%s " COLLECTED_NUMBER_FORMAT " %llu\n"
+            , prefix
+            , hostname
+            , chart_name
+            , dimension_name
+            , (host->tags)?";":""
+            , (host->tags)?host->tags:""
+            , rd->last_collected_value
+            , (unsigned long long)rd->last_collected_time.tv_sec
+    );
+
+    return 1;
+}
+
+int format_dimension_stored_graphite_plaintext(
+        BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
+        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
+        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
+        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
+        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
+        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
+        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
+        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+) {
+    (void)host;
+
+    char chart_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
+    char dimension_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
+    backend_name_copy(chart_name, (backend_options & BACKEND_OPTION_SEND_NAMES && st->name)?st->name:st->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
+    backend_name_copy(dimension_name, (backend_options & BACKEND_OPTION_SEND_NAMES && rd->name)?rd->name:rd->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
+
+    time_t first_t = after, last_t = before;
+    calculated_number value = backend_calculate_value_from_stored_data(st, rd, after, before, backend_options, &first_t, &last_t);
+
+    if(!isnan(value)) {
+
+        buffer_sprintf(
+                b
+                , "%s.%s.%s.%s%s%s " CALCULATED_NUMBER_FORMAT " %llu\n"
+                , prefix
+                , hostname
+                , chart_name
+                , dimension_name
+                , (host->tags)?";":""
+                , (host->tags)?host->tags:""
+                , value
+                , (unsigned long long) last_t
+        );
+
+        return 1;
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int process_graphite_response(BUFFER *b) {
+    return discard_response(b, "graphite");
+}
+
+
diff --git a/backends/graphite/graphite.h b/backends/graphite/graphite.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b7b0930f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/graphite/graphite.h
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+
+#ifndef NETDATA_BACKEND_GRAPHITE_H
+#define NETDATA_BACKEND_GRAPHITE_H
+
+#include "backends/backends.h"
+
+extern int format_dimension_collected_graphite_plaintext(
+          BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
+        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
+        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
+        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
+        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
+        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
+        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
+        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+);
+
+extern int format_dimension_stored_graphite_plaintext(
+          BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
+        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
+        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
+        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
+        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
+        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
+        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
+        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+);
+
+extern int process_graphite_response(BUFFER *b);
+
+#endif //NETDATA_BACKEND_GRAPHITE_H
diff --git a/backends/json/Makefile.am b/backends/json/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..babdcf0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/json/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = $(srcdir)/Makefile.in
diff --git a/backends/json/Makefile.in b/backends/json/Makefile.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..88fd11a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/json/Makefile.in
@@ -0,0 +1,457 @@
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+.SUFFIXES:
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+	  case '$(am__configure_deps)' in \
+	    *$$dep*) \
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+	        && { if test -f $@; then exit 0; else break; fi; }; \
+	      exit 1;; \
+	  esac; \
+	done; \
+	echo ' cd $(top_srcdir) && $(AUTOMAKE) --gnu backends/json/Makefile'; \
+	$(am__cd) $(top_srcdir) && \
+	  $(AUTOMAKE) --gnu backends/json/Makefile
+.PRECIOUS: Makefile
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+	@case '$?' in \
+	  *config.status*) \
+	    cd $(top_builddir) && $(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) am--refresh;; \
+	  *) \
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+	list='$(DISTFILES)'; \
+	  dist_files=`for file in $$list; do echo $$file; done | \
+	  sed -e "s|^$$srcdirstrip/||;t" \
+	      -e "s|^$$topsrcdirstrip/|$(top_builddir)/|;t"`; \
+	case $$dist_files in \
+	  */*) $(MKDIR_P) `echo "$$dist_files" | \
+			   sed '/\//!d;s|^|$(distdir)/|;s,/[^/]*$$,,' | \
+			   sort -u` ;; \
+	esac; \
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+	    || cp -p $$d/$$file "$(distdir)/$$file" \
+	    || exit 1; \
+	  fi; \
+	done
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+	fi
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+# Tell versions [3.59,3.63) of GNU make to not export all variables.
+# Otherwise a system limit (for SysV at least) may be exceeded.
+.NOEXPORT:
diff --git a/backends/json/json.c b/backends/json/json.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a53c0f14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/json/json.c
@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+#define BACKENDS_INTERNALS
+#include "json.h"
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// json backend
+
+int format_dimension_collected_json_plaintext(
+        BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
+        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
+        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
+        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
+        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
+        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
+        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
+        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+) {
+    (void)host;
+    (void)after;
+    (void)before;
+    (void)backend_options;
+
+    const char *tags_pre = "", *tags_post = "", *tags = host->tags;
+    if(!tags) tags = "";
+
+    if(*tags) {
+        if(*tags == '{' || *tags == '[' || *tags == '"') {
+            tags_pre = "\"host_tags\":";
+            tags_post = ",";
+        }
+        else {
+            tags_pre = "\"host_tags\":\"";
+            tags_post = "\",";
+        }
+    }
+
+    buffer_sprintf(b, "{"
+                      "\"prefix\":\"%s\","
+                      "\"hostname\":\"%s\","
+                      "%s%s%s"
+
+                      "\"chart_id\":\"%s\","
+                      "\"chart_name\":\"%s\","
+                      "\"chart_family\":\"%s\","
+                      "\"chart_context\": \"%s\","
+                      "\"chart_type\":\"%s\","
+                      "\"units\": \"%s\","
+
+                      "\"id\":\"%s\","
+                      "\"name\":\"%s\","
+                      "\"value\":" COLLECTED_NUMBER_FORMAT ","
+
+                      "\"timestamp\": %llu}\n",
+            prefix,
+            hostname,
+            tags_pre, tags, tags_post,
+
+            st->id,
+            st->name,
+            st->family,
+            st->context,
+            st->type,
+            st->units,
+
+            rd->id,
+            rd->name,
+            rd->last_collected_value,
+
+            (unsigned long long) rd->last_collected_time.tv_sec
+    );
+
+    return 1;
+}
+
+int format_dimension_stored_json_plaintext(
+        BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
+        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
+        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
+        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
+        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
+        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
+        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
+        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+) {
+    (void)host;
+
+    time_t first_t = after, last_t = before;
+    calculated_number value = backend_calculate_value_from_stored_data(st, rd, after, before, backend_options, &first_t, &last_t);
+
+    if(!isnan(value)) {
+        const char *tags_pre = "", *tags_post = "", *tags = host->tags;
+        if(!tags) tags = "";
+
+        if(*tags) {
+            if(*tags == '{' || *tags == '[' || *tags == '"') {
+                tags_pre = "\"host_tags\":";
+                tags_post = ",";
+            }
+            else {
+                tags_pre = "\"host_tags\":\"";
+                tags_post = "\",";
+            }
+        }
+
+        buffer_sprintf(b, "{"
+                          "\"prefix\":\"%s\","
+                          "\"hostname\":\"%s\","
+                          "%s%s%s"
+
+                          "\"chart_id\":\"%s\","
+                          "\"chart_name\":\"%s\","
+                          "\"chart_family\":\"%s\","
+                          "\"chart_context\": \"%s\","
+                          "\"chart_type\":\"%s\","
+                          "\"units\": \"%s\","
+
+                          "\"id\":\"%s\","
+                          "\"name\":\"%s\","
+                          "\"value\":" CALCULATED_NUMBER_FORMAT ","
+
+                          "\"timestamp\": %llu}\n",
+                prefix,
+                hostname,
+                tags_pre, tags, tags_post,
+
+                st->id,
+                st->name,
+                st->family,
+                st->context,
+                st->type,
+                st->units,
+
+                rd->id,
+                rd->name,
+                value,
+
+                (unsigned long long) last_t
+        );
+
+        return 1;
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int process_json_response(BUFFER *b) {
+    return discard_response(b, "json");
+}
+
+
diff --git a/backends/json/json.h b/backends/json/json.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..11015652
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/json/json.h
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+#ifndef NETDATA_BACKEND_JSON_H
+#define NETDATA_BACKEND_JSON_H
+
+#include "backends/backends.h"
+
+extern int format_dimension_collected_json_plaintext(
+          BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
+        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
+        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
+        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
+        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
+        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
+        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
+        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+);
+
+extern int format_dimension_stored_json_plaintext(
+          BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
+        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
+        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
+        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
+        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
+        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
+        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
+        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+);
+
+extern int process_json_response(BUFFER *b);
+
+#endif //NETDATA_BACKEND_JSON_H
diff --git a/contrib/nc-backend.sh b/backends/nc-backend.sh
index aac5c20b..7280f86a 100755
--- a/contrib/nc-backend.sh
+++ b/backends/nc-backend.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+# This is a simple backend database proxy, written in BASH, using the nc command.
+# Run the script without any parameters for help.
+
 MODE="${1}"
 MY_PORT="${2}"
 BACKEND_HOST="${3}"
@@ -25,7 +30,7 @@ mync() {
 listen_save_replay_forever() {
 	local file="${1}" port="${2}" real_backend_host="${3}" real_backend_port="${4}" ret delay=1 started ended
 
-	while [ 1 ]
+	while true
 	do
 		log "Starting nc to listen on port ${port} and save metrics to ${file}"
 		
@@ -35,7 +40,7 @@ listen_save_replay_forever() {
 		
 		if [ -s "${file}" ]
 			then
-			if [ ! -z "${real_backend_host}" -a ! -z "${real_backend_port}" ]
+			if [ ! -z "${real_backend_host}" ] && [ ! -z "${real_backend_port}" ]
 				then
 				log "Attempting to send the metrics to the real backend at ${real_backend_host}:${real_backend_port}"
 				
@@ -77,6 +82,7 @@ if [ "${MODE}" = "start" ]
 	# only one can use the same file/port at a time
 	{
 		flock -n 9
+		# shellcheck disable=SC2181
 		if [ $? -ne 0 ]
 			then
 			log "Cannot get exclusive lock on file ${FILE}.lock - Am I running multiple times?"
@@ -86,7 +92,7 @@ if [ "${MODE}" = "start" ]
 		# save our PID to the lock file
 		echo "$$" >"${FILE}.lock"
 
-		listen_save_replay_forever "${FILE}" ${MY_PORT} ${BACKEND_HOST} ${BACKEND_PORT}
+		listen_save_replay_forever "${FILE}" "${MY_PORT}" "${BACKEND_HOST}" "${BACKEND_PORT}"
 		ret=$?
 
 		log "listener exited."
@@ -103,11 +109,12 @@ elif [ "${MODE}" = "stop" ]
 
 	{
 		flock -n 9
+		# shellcheck disable=SC2181
 		if [ $? -ne 0 ]
 			then
-			pid=$(<${FILE}.lock)
+			pid=$(<"${FILE}".lock)
 			log "Killing process ${pid}..."
-			kill -TERM -${pid}
+			kill -TERM "-${pid}"
 			exit 0
 		fi
 
diff --git a/backends/opentsdb/Makefile.am b/backends/opentsdb/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..babdcf0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/opentsdb/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = $(srcdir)/Makefile.in
diff --git a/backends/opentsdb/Makefile.in b/backends/opentsdb/Makefile.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6c29cce4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/opentsdb/Makefile.in
@@ -0,0 +1,457 @@
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+# with or without modifications, as long as this notice is preserved.
+
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diff --git a/backends/opentsdb/opentsdb.c b/backends/opentsdb/opentsdb.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6e3a31ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/opentsdb/opentsdb.c
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+#define BACKENDS_INTERNALS
+#include "opentsdb.h"
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// opentsdb backend
+
+int format_dimension_collected_opentsdb_telnet(
+        BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
+        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
+        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
+        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
+        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
+        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
+        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
+        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+) {
+    (void)host;
+    (void)after;
+    (void)before;
+
+    char chart_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
+    char dimension_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
+    backend_name_copy(chart_name, (backend_options & BACKEND_OPTION_SEND_NAMES && st->name)?st->name:st->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
+    backend_name_copy(dimension_name, (backend_options & BACKEND_OPTION_SEND_NAMES && rd->name)?rd->name:rd->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
+
+    buffer_sprintf(
+            b
+            , "put %s.%s.%s %llu " COLLECTED_NUMBER_FORMAT " host=%s%s%s\n"
+            , prefix
+            , chart_name
+            , dimension_name
+            , (unsigned long long)rd->last_collected_time.tv_sec
+            , rd->last_collected_value
+            , hostname
+            , (host->tags)?" ":""
+            , (host->tags)?host->tags:""
+    );
+
+    return 1;
+}
+
+int format_dimension_stored_opentsdb_telnet(
+        BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
+        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
+        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
+        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
+        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
+        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
+        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
+        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+) {
+    (void)host;
+
+    time_t first_t = after, last_t = before;
+    calculated_number value = backend_calculate_value_from_stored_data(st, rd, after, before, backend_options, &first_t, &last_t);
+
+    char chart_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
+    char dimension_name[RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX + 1];
+    backend_name_copy(chart_name, (backend_options & BACKEND_OPTION_SEND_NAMES && st->name)?st->name:st->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
+    backend_name_copy(dimension_name, (backend_options & BACKEND_OPTION_SEND_NAMES && rd->name)?rd->name:rd->id, RRD_ID_LENGTH_MAX);
+
+    if(!isnan(value)) {
+
+        buffer_sprintf(
+                b
+                , "put %s.%s.%s %llu " CALCULATED_NUMBER_FORMAT " host=%s%s%s\n"
+                , prefix
+                , chart_name
+                , dimension_name
+                , (unsigned long long) last_t
+                , value
+                , hostname
+                , (host->tags)?" ":""
+                , (host->tags)?host->tags:""
+        );
+
+        return 1;
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int process_opentsdb_response(BUFFER *b) {
+    return discard_response(b, "opentsdb");
+}
+
+
diff --git a/backends/opentsdb/opentsdb.h b/backends/opentsdb/opentsdb.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fc83b39c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/opentsdb/opentsdb.h
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+#ifndef NETDATA_BACKEND_OPENTSDB_H
+#define NETDATA_BACKEND_OPENTSDB_H
+
+#include "backends/backends.h"
+
+extern int format_dimension_collected_opentsdb_telnet(
+          BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
+        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
+        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
+        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
+        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
+        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
+        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
+        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+);
+
+extern int format_dimension_stored_opentsdb_telnet(
+          BUFFER *b                 // the buffer to write data to
+        , const char *prefix        // the prefix to use
+        , RRDHOST *host             // the host this chart comes from
+        , const char *hostname      // the hostname (to override host->hostname)
+        , RRDSET *st                // the chart
+        , RRDDIM *rd                // the dimension
+        , time_t after              // the start timestamp
+        , time_t before             // the end timestamp
+        , BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options // BACKEND_SOURCE_* bitmap
+);
+
+extern int process_opentsdb_response(BUFFER *b);
+
+
+#endif //NETDATA_BACKEND_OPENTSDB_H
diff --git a/backends/prometheus/Makefile.am b/backends/prometheus/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..19554bed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/prometheus/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = $(srcdir)/Makefile.in
+
+dist_noinst_DATA = \
+	README.md \
+	$(NULL)
diff --git a/backends/prometheus/Makefile.in b/backends/prometheus/Makefile.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..76813e75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/prometheus/Makefile.in
@@ -0,0 +1,464 @@
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+
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+install-ps: install-ps-am
+
+install-ps-am:
+
+installcheck-am:
+
+maintainer-clean: maintainer-clean-am
+	-rm -f Makefile
+maintainer-clean-am: distclean-am maintainer-clean-generic
+
+mostlyclean: mostlyclean-am
+
+mostlyclean-am: mostlyclean-generic
+
+pdf: pdf-am
+
+pdf-am:
+
+ps: ps-am
+
+ps-am:
+
+uninstall-am:
+
+.MAKE: install-am install-strip
+
+.PHONY: all all-am check check-am clean clean-generic cscopelist-am \
+	ctags-am distclean distclean-generic distdir dvi dvi-am html \
+	html-am info info-am install install-am install-data \
+	install-data-am install-dvi install-dvi-am install-exec \
+	install-exec-am install-html install-html-am install-info \
+	install-info-am install-man install-pdf install-pdf-am \
+	install-ps install-ps-am install-strip installcheck \
+	installcheck-am installdirs maintainer-clean \
+	maintainer-clean-generic mostlyclean mostlyclean-generic pdf \
+	pdf-am ps ps-am tags-am uninstall uninstall-am
+
+
+# Tell versions [3.59,3.63) of GNU make to not export all variables.
+# Otherwise a system limit (for SysV at least) may be exceeded.
+.NOEXPORT:
diff --git a/backends/prometheus/README.md b/backends/prometheus/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..826cf051
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/prometheus/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,376 @@
+> IMPORTANT: the format netdata sends metrics to prometheus has changed since netdata v1.7. The new prometheus backend for netdata supports a lot more features and is aligned to the development of the rest of the netdata backends.
+
+# Using netdata with Prometheus
+
+Prometheus is a distributed monitoring system which offers a very simple setup along with a robust data model. Recently netdata added support for Prometheus. I'm going to quickly show you how to install both netdata and prometheus on the same server. We can then use grafana pointed at Prometheus to obtain long term metrics netdata offers. I'm assuming we are starting at a fresh ubuntu shell (whether you'd like to follow along in a VM or a cloud instance is up to you).
+
+## Installing netdata and prometheus
+
+### Installing netdata
+There are number of ways to install netdata according to [Installation](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/wiki/Installation)  
+The suggested way of installing the latest netdata and keep it upgrade automatically. Using one line installation:
+
+```
+bash <(curl -Ss https://my-netdata.io/kickstart.sh)
+```
+At this point we should have netdata listening on port 19999. Attempt to take your browser here:
+
+```
+http://your.netdata.ip:19999
+```
+
+*(replace `your.netdata.ip` with the IP or hostname of the server running netdata)*
+
+### Installing Prometheus
+In order to install prometheus we are going to introduce our own systemd startup script along with an example of prometheus.yaml configuration. Prometheus needs to be pointed to your server at a specific target url for it to scrape netdata's api. Prometheus is always a pull model meaning netdata is the passive client within this architecture. Prometheus always initiates the connection with netdata.
+
+##### Download Prometheus
+
+```sh
+wget -O /tmp/prometheus-2.3.2.linux-amd64.tar.gz https://github.com/prometheus/prometheus/releases/download/v2.3.2/prometheus-2.3.2.linux-amd64.tar.gz
+```
+
+##### Create prometheus system user
+
+```sh
+sudo useradd -r prometheus
+```
+
+#### Create prometheus directory
+
+```sh
+sudo mkdir /opt/prometheus
+sudo chown prometheus:prometheus /opt/prometheus
+```
+
+#### Untar prometheus directory
+
+```sh
+sudo tar -xvf /tmp/prometheus-2.3.2.linux-amd64.tar.gz -C /opt/prometheus --strip=1
+```
+
+#### Install prometheus.yml
+
+We will use the following `prometheus.yml` file. Save it at `/opt/prometheus/prometheus.yml`.
+
+Make sure to replace `your.netdata.ip` with the IP or hostname of the host running netdata. 
+
+```yaml
+# my global config
+global:
+  scrape_interval:     5s # Set the scrape interval to every 5 seconds. Default is every 1 minute.
+  evaluation_interval: 5s # Evaluate rules every 5 seconds. The default is every 1 minute.
+  # scrape_timeout is set to the global default (10s).
+
+  # Attach these labels to any time series or alerts when communicating with
+  # external systems (federation, remote storage, Alertmanager).
+  external_labels:
+      monitor: 'codelab-monitor'
+
+# Load rules once and periodically evaluate them according to the global 'evaluation_interval'.
+rule_files:
+  # - "first.rules"
+  # - "second.rules"
+
+# A scrape configuration containing exactly one endpoint to scrape:
+# Here it's Prometheus itself.
+scrape_configs:
+  # The job name is added as a label `job=<job_name>` to any timeseries scraped from this config.
+  - job_name: 'prometheus'
+
+    # metrics_path defaults to '/metrics'
+    # scheme defaults to 'http'.
+
+    static_configs:
+      - targets: ['0.0.0.0:9090']
+
+  - job_name: 'netdata-scrape'
+
+    metrics_path: '/api/v1/allmetrics'
+    params:
+      # format: prometheus | prometheus_all_hosts
+      # You can use `prometheus_all_hosts` if you want Prometheus to set the `instance` to your hostname instead of IP 
+      format: [prometheus]
+      #
+      # sources: as-collected | raw | average | sum | volume
+      # default is: average
+      #source: [as-collected]
+      #
+      # server name for this prometheus - the default is the client IP
+      # for netdata to uniquely identify it
+      #server: ['prometheus1']
+    honor_labels: true
+
+    static_configs:
+      - targets: ['{your.netdata.ip}:19999']
+```
+#### Install nodes.yml
+
+The following is completely optional, it will enable Prometheus to generate alerts from some NetData sources. Tweak the values to your own needs. We will use the following `nodes.yml` file below. Save it at `/opt/prometheus/nodes.yml`, and add a *- "nodes.yml"* entry under the *rule_files:* section in the example prometheus.yml file above.
+```
+groups:
+- name: nodes
+
+  rules:
+  - alert: node_high_cpu_usage_70
+    expr: avg(rate(netdata_cpu_cpu_percentage_average{dimension="idle"}[1m])) by (job) > 70
+    for: 1m
+    annotations:
+      description: '{{ $labels.job }} on ''{{ $labels.job }}'' CPU usage is at {{ humanize $value }}%.'
+      summary: CPU alert for container node '{{ $labels.job }}'
+
+  - alert: node_high_memory_usage_70
+    expr: 100 / sum(netdata_system_ram_MB_average) by (job) 
+      * sum(netdata_system_ram_MB_average{dimension=~"free|cached"}) by (job) < 30
+    for: 1m
+    annotations:
+      description: '{{ $labels.job }} memory usage is {{ humanize $value}}%.'
+      summary: Memory alert for container node '{{ $labels.job }}'
+
+  - alert: node_low_root_filesystem_space_20
+    expr: 100 / sum(netdata_disk_space_GB_average{family="/"}) by (job)
+      * sum(netdata_disk_space_GB_average{family="/",dimension=~"avail|cached"}) by (job) < 20
+    for: 1m
+    annotations:
+      description: '{{ $labels.job }} root filesystem space is {{ humanize $value}}%.'
+      summary: Root filesystem alert for container node '{{ $labels.job }}'
+
+  - alert: node_root_filesystem_fill_rate_6h
+    expr: predict_linear(netdata_disk_space_GB_average{family="/",dimension=~"avail|cached"}[1h], 6 * 3600) < 0
+    for: 1h
+    labels:
+      severity: critical
+    annotations:
+      description: Container node {{ $labels.job }} root filesystem is going to fill up in 6h.
+      summary: Disk fill alert for Swarm node '{{ $labels.job }}'
+```
+
+#### Install prometheus.service
+
+Save this service file as `/etc/systemd/system/prometheus.service`:
+
+```
+[Unit]
+Description=Prometheus Server
+AssertPathExists=/opt/prometheus
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+WorkingDirectory=/opt/prometheus
+User=prometheus
+Group=prometheus
+ExecStart=/opt/prometheus/prometheus --config.file=/opt/prometheus/prometheus.yml --log.level=info
+ExecReload=/bin/kill -SIGHUP $MAINPID
+ExecStop=/bin/kill -SIGINT $MAINPID
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
+```
+
+##### Start Prometheus
+
+```
+sudo systemctl start prometheus
+sudo systemctl enable prometheus
+```
+
+Prometheus should now start and listen on port 9090. Attempt to head there with your browser. 
+
+If everything is working correctly when you fetch `http://your.prometheus.ip:9090` you will see a 'Status' tab. Click this and click on 'targets' We should see the netdata host as a scraped target. 
+
+---
+
+## netdata support for prometheus
+
+> IMPORTANT: the format netdata sends metrics to prometheus has changed since netdata v1.6. The new format allows easier queries for metrics and supports both `as collected` and normalized metrics.
+
+Before explaining the changes, we have to understand the key differences between netdata and prometheus.
+
+### understanding netdata metrics
+
+##### charts
+
+Each chart in netdata has several properties (common to all its metrics):
+
+- `chart_id` - uniquely identifies a chart.
+
+- `chart_name` - a more human friendly name for `chart_id`, also unique.
+
+- `context` - this is the template of the chart. All disk I/O charts have the same context, all mysql requests charts have the same context, etc. This is used for alarm templates to match all the charts they should be attached to.
+
+- `family` groups a set of charts together. It is used as the submenu of the dashboard.
+
+- `units` is the units for all the metrics attached to the chart.
+
+##### dimensions
+
+Then each netdata chart contains metrics called `dimensions`. All the dimensions of a chart have the same units of measurement, and are contextually in the same category (ie. the metrics for disk bandwidth are `read` and `write` and they are both in the same chart).
+
+### netdata data source
+
+netdata can send metrics to prometheus from 3 data sources:
+
+- `as collected` or `raw` - this data source sends the metrics to prometheus as they are collected. No conversion is done by netdata. The latest value for each metric is just given to prometheus. This is the most preferred method by prometheus, but it is also the harder to work with. To work with this data source, you will need to understand how to get meaningful values out of them.
+
+   The format of the metrics is: `CONTEXT{chart="CHART",family="FAMILY",dimension="DIMENSION"}`.
+
+   If the metric is a counter (`incremental` in netdata lingo), `_total` is appended the context.
+
+   Unlike prometheus, netdata allows each dimension of a chart to have a different algorithm and conversion constants (`multiplier` and `divisor`). In this case, that the dimensions of a charts are heterogeneous, netdata will use this format: `CONTEXT_DIMENSION{chart="CHART",family="FAMILY"}`
+
+- `average` - this data source uses the netdata database to send the metrics to prometheus as they are presented on the netdata dashboard. So, all the metrics are sent as gauges, at the units they are presented in the netdata dashboard charts. This is the easiest to work with.
+
+   The format of the metrics is: `CONTEXT_UNITS_average{chart="CHART",family="FAMILY",dimension="DIMENSION"}`.
+
+   When this source is used, netdata keeps track of the last access time for each prometheus server fetching the metrics. This last access time is used at the subsequent queries of the same prometheus server to identify the time-frame the `average` will be calculated. So, no matter how frequently prometheus scrapes netdata, it will get all the database data. To identify each prometheus server, netdata uses by default the IP of the client fetching the metrics. If there are multiple prometheus servers fetching data from the same netdata, using the same IP, each prometheus server can append `server=NAME` to the URL. Netdata will use this `NAME` to uniquely identify the prometheus server.
+
+- `sum` or `volume`, is like `average` but instead of averaging the values, it sums them.
+
+   The format of the metrics is: `CONTEXT_UNITS_sum{chart="CHART",family="FAMILY",dimension="DIMENSION"}`.
+   All the other operations are the same with `average`. 
+
+Keep in mind that early versions of netdata were sending the metrics as: `CHART_DIMENSION{}`.
+
+
+### Querying Metrics
+
+Fetch with your web browser this URL:
+
+`http://your.netdata.ip:19999/api/v1/allmetrics?format=prometheus&help=yes`
+
+*(replace `your.netdata.ip` with the ip or hostname of your netdata server)*
+
+netdata will respond with all the metrics it sends to prometheus.
+
+If you search that page for `"system.cpu"` you will find all the metrics netdata is exporting to prometheus for this chart.  `system.cpu` is the chart name on the netdata dashboard (on the netdata dashboard all charts have a text heading such as : `Total CPU utilization (system.cpu)`. What we are interested here in the chart name: `system.cpu`).
+
+Searching for `"system.cpu"` reveals:
+
+```sh
+# COMMENT homogeneus chart "system.cpu", context "system.cpu", family "cpu", units "percentage"
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average: dimension "guest_nice", value is percentage, gauge, dt 1500066653 to 1500066662 inclusive
+netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="guest_nice"} 0.0000000 1500066662000
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average: dimension "guest", value is percentage, gauge, dt 1500066653 to 1500066662 inclusive
+netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="guest"} 1.7837326 1500066662000
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average: dimension "steal", value is percentage, gauge, dt 1500066653 to 1500066662 inclusive
+netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="steal"} 0.0000000 1500066662000
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average: dimension "softirq", value is percentage, gauge, dt 1500066653 to 1500066662 inclusive
+netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="softirq"} 0.5275442 1500066662000
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average: dimension "irq", value is percentage, gauge, dt 1500066653 to 1500066662 inclusive
+netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="irq"} 0.2260836 1500066662000
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average: dimension "user", value is percentage, gauge, dt 1500066653 to 1500066662 inclusive
+netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="user"} 2.3362762 1500066662000
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average: dimension "system", value is percentage, gauge, dt 1500066653 to 1500066662 inclusive
+netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="system"} 1.7961062 1500066662000
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average: dimension "nice", value is percentage, gauge, dt 1500066653 to 1500066662 inclusive
+netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="nice"} 0.0000000 1500066662000
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average: dimension "iowait", value is percentage, gauge, dt 1500066653 to 1500066662 inclusive
+netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="iowait"} 0.9671802 1500066662000
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average: dimension "idle", value is percentage, gauge, dt 1500066653 to 1500066662 inclusive
+netdata_system_cpu_percentage_average{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="idle"} 92.3630770 1500066662000
+```
+*(netdata response for `system.cpu` with source=`average`)*
+
+In `average` or `sum` data sources, all values are normalized and are reported to prometheus as gauges. Now, use the 'expression' text form in prometheus. Begin to type the metrics we are looking for: `netdata_system_cpu`. You should see that the text form begins to auto-fill as prometheus knows about this metric.
+
+If the data source was `as collected`, the response would be:
+
+```sh
+# COMMENT homogeneus chart "system.cpu", context "system.cpu", family "cpu", units "percentage"
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_total: chart "system.cpu", context "system.cpu", family "cpu", dimension "guest_nice", value * 1 / 1 delta gives percentage (counter)
+netdata_system_cpu_total{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="guest_nice"} 0 1500066716438
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_total: chart "system.cpu", context "system.cpu", family "cpu", dimension "guest", value * 1 / 1 delta gives percentage (counter)
+netdata_system_cpu_total{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="guest"} 63945 1500066716438
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_total: chart "system.cpu", context "system.cpu", family "cpu", dimension "steal", value * 1 / 1 delta gives percentage (counter)
+netdata_system_cpu_total{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="steal"} 0 1500066716438
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_total: chart "system.cpu", context "system.cpu", family "cpu", dimension "softirq", value * 1 / 1 delta gives percentage (counter)
+netdata_system_cpu_total{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="softirq"} 8295 1500066716438
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_total: chart "system.cpu", context "system.cpu", family "cpu", dimension "irq", value * 1 / 1 delta gives percentage (counter)
+netdata_system_cpu_total{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="irq"} 4079 1500066716438
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_total: chart "system.cpu", context "system.cpu", family "cpu", dimension "user", value * 1 / 1 delta gives percentage (counter)
+netdata_system_cpu_total{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="user"} 116488 1500066716438
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_total: chart "system.cpu", context "system.cpu", family "cpu", dimension "system", value * 1 / 1 delta gives percentage (counter)
+netdata_system_cpu_total{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="system"} 35084 1500066716438
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_total: chart "system.cpu", context "system.cpu", family "cpu", dimension "nice", value * 1 / 1 delta gives percentage (counter)
+netdata_system_cpu_total{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="nice"} 505 1500066716438
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_total: chart "system.cpu", context "system.cpu", family "cpu", dimension "iowait", value * 1 / 1 delta gives percentage (counter)
+netdata_system_cpu_total{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="iowait"} 23314 1500066716438
+# COMMENT netdata_system_cpu_total: chart "system.cpu", context "system.cpu", family "cpu", dimension "idle", value * 1 / 1 delta gives percentage (counter)
+netdata_system_cpu_total{chart="system.cpu",family="cpu",dimension="idle"} 918470 1500066716438
+```
+*(netdata response for `system.cpu` with source=`as-collected`)*
+
+For more information check prometheus documentation.
+
+### Streaming data from upstream hosts
+
+The `format=prometheus` parameter only exports the host's netdata metrics.  If you are using the master/slave functionality of netdata this ignores any upstream hosts - so you should consider using the below in your **prometheus.yml**:
+
+```
+    metrics_path: '/api/v1/allmetrics'
+    params:
+      format: [prometheus_all_hosts]
+    honor_labels: true
+```
+
+This will report all upstream host data, and `honor_labels` will make Prometheus take note of the instance names provided.
+
+### timestamps
+
+To pass the metrics through prometheus pushgateway, netdata supports the option `&timestamps=no` to send the metrics without timestamps.
+
+## netdata host variables
+
+netdata collects various system configuration metrics, like the max number of TCP sockets supported, the max number of files allowed system-wide, various IPC sizes, etc. These metrics are not exposed to prometheus by default.
+
+To expose them, append `variables=yes` to the netdata URL.
+
+### TYPE and HELP
+
+To save bandwidth, and because prometheus does not use them anyway, `# TYPE` and `# HELP` lines are suppressed. If wanted they can be re-enabled via `types=yes` and `help=yes`, e.g. `/api/v1/allmetrics?format=prometheus&types=yes&help=yes`
+
+### Names and IDs
+
+netdata supports names and IDs for charts and dimensions. Usually IDs are unique identifiers as read by the system and names are human friendly labels (also unique).
+
+Most charts and metrics have the same ID and name, but in several cases they are different: disks with device-mapper, interrupts, QoS classes, statsd synthetic charts, etc.
+
+The default is controlled in `netdata.conf`:
+
+```
+[backend]
+	send names instead of ids = yes | no
+```
+
+You can overwrite it from prometheus, by appending to the URL:
+
+* `&names=no` to get IDs (the old behaviour)
+* `&names=yes` to get names
+
+### Filtering metrics sent to prometheus
+
+netdata can filter the metrics it sends to prometheus with this setting:
+
+```
+[backend]
+	send charts matching = *
+```
+
+This settings accepts a space separated list of patterns to match the **charts** to be sent to prometheus. Each pattern can use ` * ` as wildcard, any number of times (e.g `*a*b*c*` is valid). Patterns starting with ` ! ` give a negative match (e.g `!*.bad users.* groups.*` will send all the users and groups except `bad` user and `bad` group). The order is important: the first match (positive or negative) left to right, is used.
+
+### Changing the prefix of netdata metrics
+
+netdata sends all metrics prefixed with `netdata_`. You can change this in `netdata.conf`, like this:
+
+```
+[backend]
+	prefix = netdata
+```
+
+It can also be changed from the URL, by appending `&prefix=netdata`.
+
+### accuracy of `average` and `sum` data sources
+
+When the data source is set to `average` or `sum`, netdata remembers the last access of each client accessing prometheus metrics and uses this last access time to respond with the `average` or `sum` of all the entries in the database since that. This means that prometheus servers are not losing data when they access netdata with data source = `average` or `sum`.
+
+To uniquely identify each prometheus server, netdata uses the IP of the client accessing the metrics. If however the IP is not good enough for identifying a single prometheus server (e.g. when prometheus servers are accessing netdata through a web proxy, or when multiple prometheus servers are NATed to a single IP), each prometheus may append `&server=NAME` to the URL. This `NAME` is used by netdata to uniquely identify each prometheus server and keep track of its last access time.
diff --git a/src/backend_prometheus.c b/backends/prometheus/backend_prometheus.c
index bfcda929..223b3f9f 100644
--- a/src/backend_prometheus.c
+++ b/backends/prometheus/backend_prometheus.c
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-#include "common.h"
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+#define BACKENDS_INTERNALS
+#include "backend_prometheus.h"
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // PROMETHEUS
@@ -109,8 +112,77 @@ static inline char *prometheus_units_copy(char *d, const char *s, size_t usable)
 
 #define PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX 256
 #define PROMETHEUS_LABELS_MAX 1024
+#define PROMETHEUS_VARIABLE_MAX 256
+
+struct host_variables_callback_options {
+    RRDHOST *host;
+    BUFFER *wb;
+    BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options;
+    PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_OPTIONS output_options;
+    const char *prefix;
+    const char *labels;
+    time_t now;
+    int host_header_printed;
+    char name[PROMETHEUS_VARIABLE_MAX+1];
+};
+
+static int print_host_variables(RRDVAR *rv, void *data) {
+    struct host_variables_callback_options *opts = data;
+
+    if(rv->options & (RRDVAR_OPTION_CUSTOM_HOST_VAR|RRDVAR_OPTION_CUSTOM_CHART_VAR)) {
+        if(!opts->host_header_printed) {
+            opts->host_header_printed = 1;
+
+            if(opts->output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_HELP) {
+                buffer_sprintf(opts->wb, "\n# COMMENT global host and chart variables\n");
+            }
+        }
+
+        calculated_number value = rrdvar2number(rv);
+        if(isnan(value) || isinf(value)) {
+            if(opts->output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_HELP)
+                buffer_sprintf(opts->wb, "# COMMENT variable \"%s\" is %s. Skipped.\n", rv->name, (isnan(value))?"NAN":"INF");
+
+            return 0;
+        }
+
+        char *label_pre = "";
+        char *label_post = "";
+        if(opts->labels && *opts->labels) {
+            label_pre = "{";
+            label_post = "}";
+        }
 
-static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb, const char *prefix, uint32_t options, time_t after, time_t before, int allhosts, int help, int types, int names, int timestamps) {
+        prometheus_name_copy(opts->name, rv->name, sizeof(opts->name));
+
+        if(opts->output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TIMESTAMPS)
+            buffer_sprintf(opts->wb
+                           , "%s_%s%s%s%s " CALCULATED_NUMBER_FORMAT " %llu\n"
+                           , opts->prefix
+                           , opts->name
+                           , label_pre
+                           , opts->labels
+                           , label_post
+                           , value
+                           , ((rv->last_updated) ? rv->last_updated : opts->now) * 1000ULL
+            );
+        else
+            buffer_sprintf(opts->wb, "%s_%s%s%s%s " CALCULATED_NUMBER_FORMAT "\n"
+                           , opts->prefix
+                           , opts->name
+                           , label_pre
+                           , opts->labels
+                           , label_post
+                           , value
+            );
+
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb, const char *prefix, BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options, time_t after, time_t before, int allhosts, PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_OPTIONS output_options) {
     rrdhost_rdlock(host);
 
     char hostname[PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX + 1];
@@ -118,13 +190,13 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
 
     char labels[PROMETHEUS_LABELS_MAX + 1] = "";
     if(allhosts) {
-        if(timestamps)
+        if(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TIMESTAMPS)
             buffer_sprintf(wb, "netdata_info{instance=\"%s\",application=\"%s\",version=\"%s\"} 1 %llu\n", hostname, host->program_name, host->program_version, now_realtime_usec() / USEC_PER_MS);
         else
             buffer_sprintf(wb, "netdata_info{instance=\"%s\",application=\"%s\",version=\"%s\"} 1\n", hostname, host->program_name, host->program_version);
 
         if(host->tags && *(host->tags)) {
-            if(timestamps) {
+            if(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TIMESTAMPS) {
                 buffer_sprintf(wb, "netdata_host_tags_info{instance=\"%s\",%s} 1 %llu\n", hostname, host->tags, now_realtime_usec() / USEC_PER_MS);
 
                 // deprecated, exists only for compatibility with older queries
@@ -142,13 +214,13 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
         snprintfz(labels, PROMETHEUS_LABELS_MAX, ",instance=\"%s\"", hostname);
     }
     else {
-        if(timestamps)
+        if(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TIMESTAMPS)
             buffer_sprintf(wb, "netdata_info{instance=\"%s\",application=\"%s\",version=\"%s\"} 1 %llu\n", hostname, host->program_name, host->program_version, now_realtime_usec() / USEC_PER_MS);
         else
             buffer_sprintf(wb, "netdata_info{instance=\"%s\",application=\"%s\",version=\"%s\"} 1\n", hostname, host->program_name, host->program_version);
 
         if(host->tags && *(host->tags)) {
-            if(timestamps) {
+            if(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TIMESTAMPS) {
                 buffer_sprintf(wb, "netdata_host_tags_info{%s} 1 %llu\n", host->tags, now_realtime_usec() / USEC_PER_MS);
 
                 // deprecated, exists only for compatibility with older queries
@@ -163,6 +235,21 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
         }
     }
 
+    // send custom variables set for the host
+    if(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_VARIABLES){
+        struct host_variables_callback_options opts = {
+                .host = host,
+                .wb = wb,
+                .labels = (labels[0] == ',')?&labels[1]:labels,
+                .backend_options = backend_options,
+                .output_options = output_options,
+                .prefix = prefix,
+                .now = now_realtime_sec(),
+                .host_header_printed = 0
+        };
+        foreach_host_variable_callback(host, print_host_variables, &opts);
+    }
+
     // for each chart
     RRDSET *st;
     rrdset_foreach_read(st, host) {
@@ -171,14 +258,14 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
         char family[PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX + 1];
         char units[PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX + 1] = "";
 
-        prometheus_label_copy(chart, (names && st->name)?st->name:st->id, PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX);
+        prometheus_label_copy(chart, (output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NAMES && st->name)?st->name:st->id, PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX);
         prometheus_label_copy(family, st->family, PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX);
         prometheus_name_copy(context, st->context, PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX);
 
-        if(likely(backends_can_send_rrdset(options, st))) {
+        if(likely(backends_can_send_rrdset(backend_options, st))) {
             rrdset_rdlock(st);
 
-            int as_collected = ((options & BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED);
+            int as_collected = (BACKEND_OPTIONS_DATA_SOURCE(backend_options) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED);
             int homogeneus = 1;
             if(as_collected) {
                 if(rrdset_flag_check(st, RRDSET_FLAG_HOMEGENEOUS_CHECK))
@@ -188,14 +275,14 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
                     homogeneus = 0;
             }
             else {
-                if((options & BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE)
+                if(BACKEND_OPTIONS_DATA_SOURCE(backend_options) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE)
                     prometheus_units_copy(units, st->units, PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX);
             }
 
-            if(unlikely(help))
+            if(unlikely(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_HELP))
                 buffer_sprintf(wb, "\n# COMMENT %s chart \"%s\", context \"%s\", family \"%s\", units \"%s\"\n"
                                , (homogeneus)?"homogeneus":"heterogeneous"
-                               , (names && st->name) ? st->name : st->id
+                               , (output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NAMES && st->name) ? st->name : st->id
                                , st->context
                                , st->family
                                , st->units
@@ -223,18 +310,18 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
                             // all the dimensions of the chart, has the same algorithm, multiplier and divisor
                             // we add all dimensions as labels
 
-                            prometheus_label_copy(dimension, (names && rd->name) ? rd->name : rd->id, PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX);
+                            prometheus_label_copy(dimension, (output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NAMES && rd->name) ? rd->name : rd->id, PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX);
 
-                            if(unlikely(help))
+                            if(unlikely(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_HELP))
                                 buffer_sprintf(wb
                                                , "# COMMENT %s_%s%s: chart \"%s\", context \"%s\", family \"%s\", dimension \"%s\", value * " COLLECTED_NUMBER_FORMAT " / " COLLECTED_NUMBER_FORMAT " %s %s (%s)\n"
                                                , prefix
                                                , context
                                                , suffix
-                                               , (names && st->name) ? st->name : st->id
+                                               , (output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NAMES && st->name) ? st->name : st->id
                                                , st->context
                                                , st->family
-                                               , (names && rd->name) ? rd->name : rd->id
+                                               , (output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NAMES && rd->name) ? rd->name : rd->id
                                                , rd->multiplier
                                                , rd->divisor
                                                , h
@@ -242,7 +329,7 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
                                                , t
                                 );
 
-                            if(unlikely(types))
+                            if(unlikely(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TYPES))
                                 buffer_sprintf(wb, "# COMMENT TYPE %s_%s%s %s\n"
                                                , prefix
                                                , context
@@ -250,7 +337,7 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
                                                , t
                                 );
 
-                            if(timestamps)
+                            if(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TIMESTAMPS)
                                 buffer_sprintf(wb
                                                , "%s_%s%s{chart=\"%s\",family=\"%s\",dimension=\"%s\"%s} " COLLECTED_NUMBER_FORMAT " %llu\n"
                                                , prefix
@@ -280,19 +367,19 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
                             // the dimensions of the chart, do not have the same algorithm, multiplier or divisor
                             // we create a metric per dimension
 
-                            prometheus_name_copy(dimension, (names && rd->name) ? rd->name : rd->id, PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX);
+                            prometheus_name_copy(dimension, (output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NAMES && rd->name) ? rd->name : rd->id, PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX);
 
-                            if(unlikely(help))
+                            if(unlikely(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_HELP))
                                 buffer_sprintf(wb
                                                , "# COMMENT %s_%s_%s%s: chart \"%s\", context \"%s\", family \"%s\", dimension \"%s\", value * " COLLECTED_NUMBER_FORMAT " / " COLLECTED_NUMBER_FORMAT " %s %s (%s)\n"
                                                , prefix
                                                , context
                                                , dimension
                                                , suffix
-                                               , (names && st->name) ? st->name : st->id
+                                               , (output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NAMES && st->name) ? st->name : st->id
                                                , st->context
                                                , st->family
-                                               , (names && rd->name) ? rd->name : rd->id
+                                               , (output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NAMES && rd->name) ? rd->name : rd->id
                                                , rd->multiplier
                                                , rd->divisor
                                                , h
@@ -300,7 +387,7 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
                                                , t
                                 );
 
-                            if(unlikely(types))
+                            if(unlikely(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TYPES))
                                 buffer_sprintf(wb, "# COMMENT TYPE %s_%s_%s%s %s\n"
                                                , prefix
                                                , context
@@ -309,7 +396,7 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
                                                , t
                                 );
 
-                            if(timestamps)
+                            if(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TIMESTAMPS)
                                 buffer_sprintf(wb
                                                , "%s_%s_%s%s{chart=\"%s\",family=\"%s\"%s} " COLLECTED_NUMBER_FORMAT " %llu\n"
                                                , prefix
@@ -340,30 +427,30 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
                         // we need average or sum of the data
 
                         time_t first_t = after, last_t = before;
-                        calculated_number value = backend_calculate_value_from_stored_data(st, rd, after, before, options, &first_t, &last_t);
+                        calculated_number value = backend_calculate_value_from_stored_data(st, rd, after, before, backend_options, &first_t, &last_t);
 
                         if(!isnan(value) && !isinf(value)) {
 
-                            if((options & BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE)
+                            if(BACKEND_OPTIONS_DATA_SOURCE(backend_options) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE)
                                 suffix = "_average";
-                            else if((options & BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_SUM)
+                            else if(BACKEND_OPTIONS_DATA_SOURCE(backend_options) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_SUM)
                                 suffix = "_sum";
 
-                            prometheus_label_copy(dimension, (names && rd->name) ? rd->name : rd->id, PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX);
+                            prometheus_label_copy(dimension, (output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NAMES && rd->name) ? rd->name : rd->id, PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX);
 
-                            if (unlikely(help))
+                            if (unlikely(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_HELP))
                                 buffer_sprintf(wb, "# COMMENT %s_%s%s%s: dimension \"%s\", value is %s, gauge, dt %llu to %llu inclusive\n"
                                                , prefix
                                                , context
                                                , units
                                                , suffix
-                                               , (names && rd->name) ? rd->name : rd->id
+                                               , (output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NAMES && rd->name) ? rd->name : rd->id
                                                , st->units
                                                , (unsigned long long)first_t
                                                , (unsigned long long)last_t
                                 );
 
-                            if (unlikely(types))
+                            if (unlikely(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TYPES))
                                 buffer_sprintf(wb, "# COMMENT TYPE %s_%s%s%s gauge\n"
                                                , prefix
                                                , context
@@ -371,7 +458,7 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
                                                , suffix
                                 );
 
-                            if(timestamps)
+                            if(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TIMESTAMPS)
                                 buffer_sprintf(wb, "%s_%s%s%s{chart=\"%s\",family=\"%s\",dimension=\"%s\"%s} " CALCULATED_NUMBER_FORMAT " %llu\n"
                                                , prefix
                                                , context
@@ -408,32 +495,32 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER
     rrdhost_unlock(host);
 }
 
-static inline time_t prometheus_preparation(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb, uint32_t options, const char *server, time_t now, int help) {
+static inline time_t prometheus_preparation(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb, BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options, const char *server, time_t now, PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_OPTIONS output_options) {
     if(!server || !*server) server = "default";
 
     time_t after  = prometheus_server_last_access(server, host, now);
 
     int first_seen = 0;
     if(!after) {
-        after = now - backend_update_every;
+        after = now - global_backend_update_every;
         first_seen = 1;
     }
 
     if(after > now) {
         // oops! this should never happen
-        after = now - backend_update_every;
+        after = now - global_backend_update_every;
     }
 
-    if(help) {
+    if(output_options & PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_HELP) {
         int show_range = 1;
         char *mode;
-        if((options & BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED) {
+        if(BACKEND_OPTIONS_DATA_SOURCE(backend_options) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AS_COLLECTED) {
             mode = "as collected";
             show_range = 0;
         }
-        else if((options & BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE)
+        else if(BACKEND_OPTIONS_DATA_SOURCE(backend_options) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE)
             mode = "average";
-        else if((options & BACKEND_SOURCE_BITS) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_SUM)
+        else if(BACKEND_OPTIONS_DATA_SOURCE(backend_options) == BACKEND_SOURCE_DATA_SUM)
             mode = "sum";
         else
             mode = "unknown";
@@ -456,24 +543,24 @@ static inline time_t prometheus_preparation(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb, uint32_t
     return after;
 }
 
-void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_single_host(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb, const char *server, const char *prefix, uint32_t options, int help, int types, int names, int timestamps) {
+void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_single_host(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb, const char *server, const char *prefix, BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options, PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_OPTIONS output_options) {
     time_t before = now_realtime_sec();
 
     // we start at the point we had stopped before
-    time_t after = prometheus_preparation(host, wb, options, server, before, help);
+    time_t after = prometheus_preparation(host, wb, backend_options, server, before, output_options);
 
-    rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(host, wb, prefix, options, after, before, 0, help, types, names, timestamps);
+    rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(host, wb, prefix, backend_options, after, before, 0, output_options);
 }
 
-void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_all_hosts(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb, const char *server, const char *prefix, uint32_t options, int help, int types, int names, int timestamps) {
+void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_all_hosts(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb, const char *server, const char *prefix, BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options, PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_OPTIONS output_options) {
     time_t before = now_realtime_sec();
 
     // we start at the point we had stopped before
-    time_t after = prometheus_preparation(host, wb, options, server, before, help);
+    time_t after = prometheus_preparation(host, wb, backend_options, server, before, output_options);
 
     rrd_rdlock();
     rrdhost_foreach_read(host) {
-        rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(host, wb, prefix, options, after, before, 1, help, types, names, timestamps);
+        rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(host, wb, prefix, backend_options, after, before, 1, output_options);
     }
     rrd_unlock();
 }
diff --git a/backends/prometheus/backend_prometheus.h b/backends/prometheus/backend_prometheus.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dc4ec753
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/prometheus/backend_prometheus.h
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+#ifndef NETDATA_BACKEND_PROMETHEUS_H
+#define NETDATA_BACKEND_PROMETHEUS_H 1
+
+#include "backends/backends.h"
+
+typedef enum prometheus_output_flags {
+    PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NONE       = 0,
+    PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_HELP       = (1 << 0),
+    PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TYPES      = (1 << 1),
+    PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NAMES      = (1 << 2),
+    PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TIMESTAMPS = (1 << 3),
+    PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_VARIABLES  = (1 << 4)
+} PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_OPTIONS;
+
+extern void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_single_host(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb, const char *server, const char *prefix, BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options, PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_OPTIONS output_options);
+extern void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_all_hosts(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb, const char *server, const char *prefix, BACKEND_OPTIONS backend_options, PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_OPTIONS output_options);
+
+#endif //NETDATA_BACKEND_PROMETHEUS_H