Provided by: varnish_4.1.1-1ubuntu0.2_amd64 
NAME
varnish-counters - Varnish counter field definitions
COUNTER LEVELS
INFO – Informational counters
Counters giving runtime information
DIAG – Diagnostic counters
Counters giving diagnostic information
DEBUG – Debug counters
Counters giving Varnish internals debug information
MAIN COUNTERS (MAIN.*)
uptime – How long the child process has been running. (INFO)
Child process uptime
sess_conn – Count of sessions successfully accepted (INFO)
Sessions accepted
sess_drop – Count of sessions silently dropped due to lack of worker thread. (INFO)
Sessions dropped
sess_fail – Count of failures to accept TCP connection. Either the client changed its
mind, or the kernel ran out of some resource like file descriptors. (INFO)
Session accept failures
client_req_400 – 400 means we couldn't make sense of the request, it was malformed in some
drastic way. (INFO)
Client requests received, subject to 400 errors
client_req_417 – 417 means that something went wrong with an Expect: header. (INFO)
Client requests received, subject to 417 errors
client_req – The count of parseable client requests seen. (INFO)
Good client requests received
cache_hit – Count of cache hits. A cache hit indicates that an object has been delivered
to a client without fetching it from a backend server. (INFO)
Cache hits
cache_hitpass – Count of hits for pass A cache hit for pass indicates that Varnish is
going to pass the request to the backend and this decision has been cached in it self.
This counts how many times the cached decision is being used. (INFO)
Cache hits for pass
cache_miss – Count of misses A cache miss indicates the object was fetched from the
backend before delivering it to the backend. (INFO)
Cache misses
backend_conn – How many backend connections have successfully been established. (INFO)
Backend conn. success
backend_unhealthy – (INFO)
Backend conn. not attempted
backend_busy – (INFO)
Backend conn. too many
backend_fail – (INFO)
Backend conn. failures
backend_reuse – Count of backend connection reuses This counter is increased whenever we
reuse a recycled connection. (INFO)
Backend conn. reuses
backend_recycle – Count of backend connection recycles This counter is increased whenever
we have a keep-alive connection that is put back into the pool of connections. It has not
yet been used, but it might be, unless the backend closes it. (INFO)
Backend conn. recycles
backend_retry – (INFO)
Backend conn. retry
fetch_head – beresp with no body because the request is HEAD. (INFO)
Fetch no body (HEAD)
fetch_length – beresp.body with Content-Length. (INFO)
Fetch with Length
fetch_chunked – beresp.body with Chunked. (INFO)
Fetch chunked
fetch_eof – beresp.body with EOF. (INFO)
Fetch EOF
fetch_bad – beresp.body length/fetch could not be determined. (INFO)
Fetch bad T-E
fetch_none – beresp.body empty (INFO)
Fetch no body
fetch_1xx – beresp with no body because of 1XX response. (INFO)
Fetch no body (1xx)
fetch_204 – beresp with no body because of 204 response. (INFO)
Fetch no body (204)
fetch_304 – beresp with no body because of 304 response. (INFO)
Fetch no body (304)
fetch_failed – beresp fetch failed. (INFO)
Fetch failed (all causes)
fetch_no_thread – beresp fetch failed, no thread available. (INFO)
Fetch failed (no thread)
pools – Number of thread pools. See also parameter thread_pools. NB: Presently pools
cannot be removed once created. (INFO)
Number of thread pools
threads – Number of threads in all pools. See also parameters thread_pools,
thread_pool_min and thread_pool_max. (INFO)
Total number of threads
threads_limited – Number of times more threads were needed, but limit was reached in a
thread pool. See also parameter thread_pool_max. (INFO)
Threads hit max
threads_created – Total number of threads created in all pools. (INFO)
Threads created
threads_destroyed – Total number of threads destroyed in all pools. (INFO)
Threads destroyed
threads_failed – Number of times creating a thread failed. See VSL::Debug for diagnostics.
See also parameter thread_fail_delay. (INFO)
Thread creation failed
thread_queue_len – Length of session queue waiting for threads. NB: Only updates once per
second. See also parameter queue_max. (INFO)
Length of session queue
busy_sleep – Number of requests sent to sleep without a worker thread because they found a
busy object. (INFO)
Number of requests sent to sleep on busy objhdr
busy_wakeup – Number of requests taken of the busy object sleep list and and rescheduled.
(INFO)
Number of requests woken after sleep on busy objhdr
busy_killed – Number of requests killed from the busy object sleep list due to lack of
resources. (INFO)
Number of requests killed after sleep on busy objhdr
sess_queued – Number of times session was queued waiting for a thread. See also parameter
queue_max. (INFO)
Sessions queued for thread
sess_dropped – Number of times session was dropped because the queue were too long
already. See also parameter queue_max. (INFO)
Sessions dropped for thread
n_object – Number of object structs made (INFO)
object structs made
n_vampireobject – Number of unresurrected objects (DIAG)
unresurrected objects
n_objectcore – Number of objectcore structs made (INFO)
objectcore structs made
n_objecthead – Number of objecthead structs made (INFO)
objecthead structs made
n_waitinglist – Number of waitinglist structs made (DEBUG)
waitinglist structs made
n_backend – Number of backends known to us. (INFO)
Number of backends
n_expired – Number of objects that expired from cache because of old age. (INFO)
Number of expired objects
n_lru_nuked – How many objects have been forcefully evicted from storage to make room for
a new object. (INFO)
Number of LRU nuked objects
n_lru_moved – Number of move operations done on the LRU list. (DIAG)
Number of LRU moved objects
losthdr – (INFO)
HTTP header overflows
s_sess – (INFO)
Total sessions seen
s_req – (INFO)
Total requests seen
s_pipe – (INFO)
Total pipe sessions seen
s_pass – (INFO)
Total pass-ed requests seen
s_fetch – (INFO)
Total backend fetches initiated
s_synth – (INFO)
Total synthethic responses made
s_req_hdrbytes – Total request header bytes received (INFO)
Request header bytes
s_req_bodybytes – Total request body bytes received (INFO)
Request body bytes
s_resp_hdrbytes – Total response header bytes transmitted (INFO)
Response header bytes
s_resp_bodybytes – Total response body bytes transmitted (INFO)
Response body bytes
s_pipe_hdrbytes – Total request bytes received for piped sessions (INFO)
Pipe request header bytes
s_pipe_in – Total number of bytes forwarded from clients in pipe sessions (INFO)
Piped bytes from client
s_pipe_out – Total number of bytes forwarded to clients in pipe sessions (INFO)
Piped bytes to client
sess_closed – (INFO)
Session Closed
sess_closed_err – Total number of sessions closed with errors. See sc_* diag counters for
detailed breakdown (INFO)
Session Closed with error
sess_readahead – (INFO)
Session Read Ahead
sess_herd – (DIAG)
Session herd
sc_rem_close – Number of session closes with REM_CLOSE (Client Closed) (DIAG)
Session OK REM_CLOSE
sc_req_close – Number of session closes with REQ_CLOSE (Client requested close) (DIAG)
Session OK REQ_CLOSE
sc_req_http10 – Number of session closes with Error REQ_HTTP10 (Proto < HTTP/1.1) (DIAG)
Session Err REQ_HTTP10
sc_rx_bad – Number of session closes with Error RX_BAD (Received bad req/resp) (DIAG)
Session Err RX_BAD
sc_rx_body – Number of session closes with Error RX_BODY (Failure receiving req.body)
(DIAG)
Session Err RX_BODY
sc_rx_junk – Number of session closes with Error RX_JUNK (Received junk data) (DIAG)
Session Err RX_JUNK
sc_rx_overflow – Number of session closes with Error RX_OVERFLOW (Received buffer
overflow) (DIAG)
Session Err RX_OVERFLOW
sc_rx_timeout – Number of session closes with Error RX_TIMEOUT (Receive timeout) (DIAG)
Session Err RX_TIMEOUT
sc_tx_pipe – Number of session closes with TX_PIPE (Piped transaction) (DIAG)
Session OK TX_PIPE
sc_tx_error – Number of session closes with Error TX_ERROR (Error transaction) (DIAG)
Session Err TX_ERROR
sc_tx_eof – Number of session closes with TX_EOF (EOF transmission) (DIAG)
Session OK TX_EOF
sc_resp_close – Number of session closes with RESP_CLOSE (Backend/VCL requested close)
(DIAG)
Session OK RESP_CLOSE
sc_overload – Number of session closes with Error OVERLOAD (Out of some resource) (DIAG)
Session Err OVERLOAD
sc_pipe_overflow – Number of session closes with Error PIPE_OVERFLOW (Session pipe
overflow) (DIAG)
Session Err PIPE_OVERFLOW
sc_range_short – Number of session closes with Error RANGE_SHORT (Insufficient data for
range) (DIAG)
Session Err RANGE_SHORT
shm_records – (DIAG)
SHM records
shm_writes – (DIAG)
SHM writes
shm_flushes – (DIAG)
SHM flushes due to overflow
shm_cont – (DIAG)
SHM MTX contention
shm_cycles – (DIAG)
SHM cycles through buffer
backend_req – (INFO)
Backend requests made
n_vcl – (INFO)
Number of loaded VCLs in total
n_vcl_avail – (DIAG)
Number of VCLs available
n_vcl_discard – (DIAG)
Number of discarded VCLs
bans – Number of all bans in system, including bans superseded by newer bans and bans
already checked by the ban-lurker. (INFO)
Count of bans
bans_completed – Number of bans which are no longer active, either because they got
checked by the ban-lurker or superseded by newer identical bans. (DIAG)
Number of bans marked 'completed'
bans_obj – Number of bans which use obj.* variables. These bans can possibly be washed by
the ban-lurker. (DIAG)
Number of bans using obj.*
bans_req – Number of bans which use req.* variables. These bans can not be washed by the
ban-lurker. (DIAG)
Number of bans using req.*
bans_added – Counter of bans added to ban list. (DIAG)
Bans added
bans_deleted – Counter of bans deleted from ban list. (DIAG)
Bans deleted
bans_tested – Count of how many bans and objects have been tested against each other
during hash lookup. (DIAG)
Bans tested against objects (lookup)
bans_obj_killed – Number of objects killed by bans during object lookup. (DIAG)
Objects killed by bans (lookup)
bans_lurker_tested – Count of how many bans and objects have been tested against each
other by the ban-lurker. (DIAG)
Bans tested against objects (lurker)
bans_tests_tested – Count of how many tests and objects have been tested against each
other during lookup. 'ban req.url == foo && req.http.host == bar' counts as one in
'bans_tested' and as two in 'bans_tests_tested' (DIAG)
Ban tests tested against objects (lookup)
bans_lurker_tests_tested – Count of how many tests and objects have been tested against
each other by the ban-lurker. 'ban req.url == foo && req.http.host == bar' counts as one
in 'bans_tested' and as two in 'bans_tests_tested' (DIAG)
Ban tests tested against objects (lurker)
bans_lurker_obj_killed – Number of objects killed by ban-lurker. (DIAG)
Objects killed by bans (lurker)
bans_dups – Count of bans replaced by later identical bans. (DIAG)
Bans superseded by other bans
bans_lurker_contention – Number of times the ban-lurker had to wait for lookups. (DIAG)
Lurker gave way for lookup
bans_persisted_bytes – Number of bytes used by the persisted ban lists. (DIAG)
Bytes used by the persisted ban lists
bans_persisted_fragmentation – Number of extra bytes accumulated through dropped and
completed bans in the persistent ban lists. (DIAG)
Extra bytes in persisted ban lists due to fragmentation
n_purges – (INFO)
Number of purge operations executed
n_obj_purged – (INFO)
Number of purged objects
exp_mailed – Number of objects mailed to expiry thread for handling. (DIAG)
Number of objects mailed to expiry thread
exp_received – Number of objects received by expiry thread for handling. (DIAG)
Number of objects received by expiry thread
hcb_nolock – (DEBUG)
HCB Lookups without lock
hcb_lock – (DEBUG)
HCB Lookups with lock
hcb_insert – (DEBUG)
HCB Inserts
esi_errors – (DIAG)
ESI parse errors (unlock)
esi_warnings – (DIAG)
ESI parse warnings (unlock)
vmods – (INFO)
Loaded VMODs
n_gzip – (INFO)
Gzip operations
n_gunzip – (INFO)
Gunzip operations
vsm_free – Number of bytes free in the shared memory used to communicate with tools like
varnishstat, varnishlog etc. (DIAG)
Free VSM space
vsm_used – Number of bytes used in the shared memory used to communicate with tools like
varnishstat, varnishlog etc. (DIAG)
Used VSM space
vsm_cooling – Number of bytes which will soon (max 1 minute) be freed in the shared memory
used to communicate with tools like varnishstat, varnishlog etc. (DEBUG)
Cooling VSM space
vsm_overflow – Number of bytes which does not fit in the shared memory used to communicate
with tools like varnishstat, varnishlog etc. (DIAG)
Overflow VSM space
vsm_overflowed – Total number of bytes which did not fit in the shared memory used to
communicate with tools like varnishstat, varnishlog etc. (DIAG)
Overflowed VSM space
MANAGEMENT PROCESS COUNTERS (MGT.*)
uptime – Uptime in seconds of the management process (INFO)
Management process uptime
child_start – Number of times the child process has been started (DIAG)
Child process started
child_exit – Number of times the child process has been cleanly stopped (DIAG)
Child process normal exit
child_stop – Number of times the child process has exited with an unexpected return code
(DIAG)
Child process unexpected exit
child_died – Number of times the child process has died due to signals (DIAG)
Child process died (signal)
child_dump – Number of times the child process has produced core dumps (DIAG)
Child process core dumped
child_panic – Number of times the management process has caught a child panic (DIAG)
Child process panic
PER MEMORY POOL COUNTERS (MEMPOOL.*)
live – (DEBUG)
In use
pool – (DEBUG)
In Pool
sz_wanted – (DEBUG)
Size requested
sz_actual – (DEBUG)
Size allocated
allocs – (DEBUG)
Allocations
frees – (DEBUG)
Frees
recycle – (DEBUG)
Recycled from pool
timeout – (DEBUG)
Timed out from pool
toosmall – (DEBUG)
Too small to recycle
surplus – (DEBUG)
Too many for pool
randry – (DEBUG)
Pool ran dry
PER MALLOC STORAGE COUNTERS (SMA.*)
c_req – Number of times the storage has been asked to provide a storage segment. (INFO)
Allocator requests
c_fail – Number of times the storage has failed to provide a storage segment. (INFO)
Allocator failures
c_bytes – Number of total bytes allocated by this storage. (INFO)
Bytes allocated
c_freed – Number of total bytes returned to this storage. (INFO)
Bytes freed
g_alloc – Number of storage allocations outstanding. (INFO)
Allocations outstanding
g_bytes – Number of bytes allocated from the storage. (INFO)
Bytes outstanding
g_space – Number of bytes left in the storage. (INFO)
Bytes available
PER FILE STORAGE COUNTERS (SMF.*)
c_req – Number of times the storage has been asked to provide a storage segment. (INFO)
Allocator requests
c_fail – Number of times the storage has failed to provide a storage segment. (INFO)
Allocator failures
c_bytes – Number of total bytes allocated by this storage. (INFO)
Bytes allocated
c_freed – Number of total bytes returned to this storage. (INFO)
Bytes freed
g_alloc – Number of storage allocations outstanding. (INFO)
Allocations outstanding
g_bytes – Number of bytes allocated from the storage. (INFO)
Bytes outstanding
g_space – Number of bytes left in the storage. (INFO)
Bytes available
g_smf – (INFO)
N struct smf
g_smf_frag – (INFO)
N small free smf
g_smf_large – (INFO)
N large free smf
PER BACKEND COUNTERS (VBE.*)
happy – (INFO)
Happy health probes
bereq_hdrbytes – Total backend request header bytes sent (INFO)
Request header bytes
bereq_bodybytes – Total backend request body bytes sent (INFO)
Request body bytes
beresp_hdrbytes – Total backend response header bytes received (INFO)
Response header bytes
beresp_bodybytes – Total backend response body bytes received (INFO)
Response body bytes
pipe_hdrbytes – Total request bytes sent for piped sessions (INFO)
Pipe request header bytes
pipe_out – Total number of bytes forwarded to backend in pipe sessions (INFO)
Piped bytes to backend
pipe_in – Total number of bytes forwarded from backend in pipe sessions (INFO)
Piped bytes from backend
conn – (INFO)
Concurrent connections to backend
req – (INFO)
Backend requests sent
LOCK COUNTERS (LCK.*)
creat – (DEBUG)
Created locks
destroy – (DEBUG)
Destroyed locks
locks – (DEBUG)
Lock Operations
AUTHORS
This man page was written by Lasse Karstensen, using content from vsc2rst written by
Tollef Fog Heen.
VARNISH-COUNTERS(7)