100 lines
4.3 KiB
Plaintext
100 lines
4.3 KiB
Plaintext
[[search-aggregations-pipeline-serialdiff-aggregation]]
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=== Serial Differencing Aggregation
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experimental[]
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Serial differencing is a technique where values in a time series are subtracted from itself at
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different time lags or periods. For example, the datapoint f(x) = f(x~t~) - f(x~t-n~), where n is the period being used.
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A period of 1 is equivalent to a derivative with no time normalization: it is simply the change from one point to the
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next. Single periods are useful for removing constant, linear trends.
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Single periods are also useful for transforming data into a stationary series. In this example, the Dow Jones is
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plotted over ~250 days. The raw data is not stationary, which would make it difficult to use with some techniques.
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By calculating the first-difference, we de-trend the data (e.g. remove a constant, linear trend). We can see that the
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data becomes a stationary series (e.g. the first difference is randomly distributed around zero, and doesn't seem to
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exhibit any pattern/behavior). The transformation reveals that the dataset is following a random-walk; the value is the
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previous value +/- a random amount. This insight allows selection of further tools for analysis.
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[[serialdiff_dow]]
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.Dow Jones plotted and made stationary with first-differencing
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image::images/pipeline_serialdiff/dow.png[]
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Larger periods can be used to remove seasonal / cyclic behavior. In this example, a population of lemmings was
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synthetically generated with a sine wave + constant linear trend + random noise. The sine wave has a period of 30 days.
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The first-difference removes the constant trend, leaving just a sine wave. The 30th-difference is then applied to the
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first-difference to remove the cyclic behavior, leaving a stationary series which is amenable to other analysis.
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[[serialdiff_lemmings]]
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.Lemmings data plotted made stationary with 1st and 30th difference
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image::images/pipeline_serialdiff/lemmings.png[]
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==== Syntax
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A `serial_diff` aggregation looks like this in isolation:
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[source,js]
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--------------------------------------------------
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{
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"serial_diff": {
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"buckets_path": "the_sum",
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"lag": "7"
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}
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}
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--------------------------------------------------
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.`serial_diff` Parameters
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|===
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|Parameter Name |Description |Required |Default Value
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|`buckets_path` |Path to the metric of interest (see <<buckets-path-syntax, `buckets_path` Syntax>> for more details |Required |
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|`lag` |The historical bucket to subtract from the current value. E.g. a lag of 7 will subtract the current value from
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the value 7 buckets ago. Must be a positive, non-zero integer |Optional |`1`
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|`gap_policy` |Determines what should happen when a gap in the data is encountered. |Optional |`insert_zero`
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|`format` |Format to apply to the output value of this aggregation |Optional | `null`
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|===
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`serial_diff` aggregations must be embedded inside of a `histogram` or `date_histogram` aggregation:
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[source,js]
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--------------------------------------------------
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POST /_search
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{
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"size": 0,
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"aggs": {
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"my_date_histo": { <1>
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"date_histogram": {
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"field": "timestamp",
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"interval": "day"
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},
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"aggs": {
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"the_sum": {
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"sum": {
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"field": "lemmings" <2>
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}
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},
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"thirtieth_difference": {
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"serial_diff": { <3>
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"buckets_path": "the_sum",
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"lag" : 30
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}
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}
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}
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}
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}
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}
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--------------------------------------------------
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// CONSOLE
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<1> A `date_histogram` named "my_date_histo" is constructed on the "timestamp" field, with one-day intervals
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<2> A `sum` metric is used to calculate the sum of a field. This could be any metric (sum, min, max, etc)
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<3> Finally, we specify a `serial_diff` aggregation which uses "the_sum" metric as its input.
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Serial differences are built by first specifying a `histogram` or `date_histogram` over a field. You can then optionally
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add normal metrics, such as a `sum`, inside of that histogram. Finally, the `serial_diff` is embedded inside the histogram.
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The `buckets_path` parameter is then used to "point" at one of the sibling metrics inside of the histogram (see
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<<buckets-path-syntax>> for a description of the syntax for `buckets_path`.
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