Lies, Damn Lies, and Metrics

Explore the pitfalls of metrics interpretation in this 37-minute conference talk from Strange Loop. Discover how to navigate the challenges of analyzing numerical data, including human intuition biases, technical issues like interpreter pauses and instrumentation lag, and the importance of actionable insights over mere accuracy. Learn to critically evaluate averages, bell curves, medians, and data aggregation methods. Gain practical knowledge on effectively visualizing data, setting up aggregate alerts, and understanding the nuances of metrics in server and virtual machine environments. Equip yourself with the skills to extract meaningful information from metrics and avoid common analytical traps.

Introduction
Metrics
Metrics Everywhere
Averages
The Bell Curve
The Median
Aggregation
Visualizing Data
Aggregate Alerts
Servers
Virtual Machines
Routing