[GH-ISSUE #273] Feature: Add Monitor Status Column (Active, Testing, Candidate) to CSV Export Data #375

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opened 2026-03-01 17:25:31 +03:00 by kerem · 0 comments

kerem commented

2026-03-01 17:25:31 +03:00

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Originally created by @elvisimprsntr on GitHub (Dec 24, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/abh/ntppool/issues/273

Description:

Currently, the CSV data exported by the NTP Pool monitoring system does not include the status of each monitor (e.g., whether it is active, testing, or a candidate). This omission makes it difficult for operators and contributors to fully understand how their servers are being scored and which monitors are influencing those scores.

Proposed Enhancement:

Add a new column to the CSV export that explicitly indicates the monitor’s status:
- active → monitor is fully participating in scoring
- testing → monitor is under evaluation but not yet authoritative
- candidate → monitor is available but not currently used for scoring
This column should be included alongside existing fields (ts_epoch, ts,offset, step, score, monitor_id, monitor_name, rtt, leap, error) for each monitor entry.

Justification:

Transparency: Operators can better interpret score fluctuations when they know which monitors are authoritative.
Debugging: Helps contributors identify anomalies caused by testing or candidate monitors.
Operational Discipline: Provides a documented, predictable dataset for downstream analysis pipelines (Grafana, custom dashboards, etc.).
Community Benefit: Encourages trust and collaboration by exposing the same information the system already uses internally.

Impact:

Minimal technical overhead: the monitoring system already tracks monitor states internally.
Significant usability improvement for server operators and data analysts.
Aligns with the project’s ethos of openness and community-driven reliability.

Example Analytics:

https://github.com/elvisimprsntr/pfsense-ntp-gps

Originally created by @elvisimprsntr on GitHub (Dec 24, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/abh/ntppool/issues/273 **Description:** Currently, the CSV data exported by the NTP Pool monitoring system does not include the status of each monitor (e.g., whether it is active, testing, or a candidate). This omission makes it difficult for operators and contributors to fully understand how their servers are being scored and which monitors are influencing those scores. **Proposed Enhancement:** - Add a new column to the CSV export that explicitly indicates the monitor’s status: - active → monitor is fully participating in scoring - testing → monitor is under evaluation but not yet authoritative - candidate → monitor is available but not currently used for scoring - This column should be included alongside existing fields (ts_epoch, ts,offset, step, score, monitor_id, monitor_name, rtt, leap, error) for each monitor entry. **Justification:** - Transparency: Operators can better interpret score fluctuations when they know which monitors are authoritative. - Debugging: Helps contributors identify anomalies caused by testing or candidate monitors. - Operational Discipline: Provides a documented, predictable dataset for downstream analysis pipelines (Grafana, custom dashboards, etc.). - Community Benefit: Encourages trust and collaboration by exposing the same information the system already uses internally. **Impact:** - Minimal technical overhead: the monitoring system already tracks monitor states internally. - Significant usability improvement for server operators and data analysts. - Aligns with the project’s ethos of openness and community-driven reliability. **Example Analytics:** https://github.com/elvisimprsntr/pfsense-ntp-gps