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# Network Counters

Performance counters are modeled using the PerfCounterInfo data object type. Each instance of a PerfCounterInfo data object contains metadata about a specific metric available from the system. The network group of performance counters tracks network utilization for both physical and virtual NICs (network interface controllers) and other network devices, such as the virtual switches (vSwitch) that support connectivity among all components (virtual machines, VMkernel, host, and so on).

Counter | StatsType | Unit | Level | Per Device Level | RollupType | Label | Entity | Instance/ Aggregate | ESX Versions
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
broadcastRx | delta | number | 2 | 3 | summation | Broadcast receives | VirtualMachine HostSystem | instance | 5.0.0
Number of broadcast packets received during the sampling interval.
broadcastTx | delta | number | 2 | 3 | summation | Broadcast transmits | VirtualMachine HostSystem | instance | 5.0.0
Number of broadcast packets transmitted during the sampling interval.
bytesRx | rate | kiloBytesPerSecond | 2 | 3 | average | Data receive rate | VirtualMachine HostSystem | instance | 5.0.0
Average amount of data received per second.
bytesTx | rate | kiloBytesPerSecond | 2 | 3 | average | Data transmit rate | VirtualMachine HostSystem | instance | 5.0.0
Average amount of data transmitted per second.
droppedRx | delta | number | 2 | 3 | summation | Receive packets dropped | VirtualMachine HostSystem | instance | 4.0.0 4.1.0 5.0.0
Number of receive packets dropped during the collection interval.
droppedTx | delta | number | 2 | 3 | summation | Transmit packets dropped | VirtualMachine HostSystem | instance | 4.0.0 4.1.0 5.0.0
Number of transmit packets dropped during the collection interval.
errorsRx | delta | number | 2 | 3 | summation | Packet receive errors | HostSystem | instance | 5.0.0
Number of packets with errors received during the sampling interval.
errorsTx | delta | number | 2 | 3 | summation | Packet transmit errors | HostSystem | instance | 5.0.0
Number of packets with errors transmitted during the sampling interval.
multicastRx | delta | number | 2 | 3 | summation | Multicast receives | VirtualMachine HostSystem | instance | 5.0.0
Number of multicast packets received during the sampling interval.
multicastTx | delta | number | 2 | 3 | summation | Multicast transmits | VirtualMachine HostSystem | instance | 5.0.0
Number of multicast packets transmitted during the sampling interval.
packetsRx | delta | number | 2 | 3 | summation | Packets received | VirtualMachine HostSystem | instance | 3.5.0 4.0.0 4.1.0 5.0.0
Number of packets received during the interval. VM: The number of packets received by each vNIC (virtual network interface controller) on the virtual machine. Host: Total number of packets received on all virtual machines running on the host.
packetsTx | delta | number | 2 | 3 | summation | Packets transmitted | VirtualMachine HostSystem | instance | 3.5.0 4.0.0 4.1.0 5.0.0
Number of packets transmitted during the interval. VM: Number of packets transmitted by each vNIC on the virtual machine. Host: Number of packets transmitted across each physical NIC instance on the host.
received | rate | kiloBytesPerSecond | 2 | 3 | average | Data receive rate | VirtualMachine HostSystem | instance | 3.5.0 4.0.0 4.1.0 5.0.0
Average rate at which data was received during the interval. This represents the bandwidth of the network. VM: The rate at which data is received across the virtual machine's vNIC (virtual network interface controller). Host: The rate at which data is received across each physical NIC instance on the host.
throughput.contention | delta | number | 2 | 3 | summation | vNic Throughput Contention | ResourcePool | aggregate | 3.5.0 4.0.0 4.1.0 5.0.0
The total number of dropped vNic packets.
throughput.packetsPerSec | rate | number | 2 | 2 | average | pNic Packets Received and Transmitted per Second |  |  |
Average rate of packets received and transmitted per second.
throughput.provisioned | absolute | kiloBytesPerSecond | 2 | 3 | average | pNic Throughput Provisioned |  |  |
The maximum bandwidth supported by the NIC(s).
throughput.usable | absolute | kiloBytesPerSecond | 2 | 3 | average | pNic Throughput Usable |  |  |
The effective bandwidth of the uplink.
throughput.usage | rate | kiloBytesPerSecond | 3 | 3 | average | vNic Throughput Usage | ResourcePool | aggregate | 3.5.0 4.0.0 4.1.0 5.0.0
The current amount of data being transmitted and received.
throughput.usage.ft | rate | kiloBytesPerSecond | 3 | 3 | average | pNic Throughput Usage for FT |  |  |
The current amount of data being received and transmitted by FT.
throughput.usage.hbr | rate | kiloBytesPerSecond | 3 | 3 | average | pNic Throughput Usage for HBR |  |  |
The current amount of data being received and transmitted by HBR.
throughput.usage.iscsi | rate | kiloBytesPerSecond | 3 | 3 | average | pNic Throughput Usage for iSCSI |  |  |
The current amount of data being received and transmitted by iSCSI.
throughput.usage.nfs | rate | kiloBytesPerSecond | 3 | 3 | average | pNic Throughput Usage for NFS |  |  |
The current amount of data being received and transmitted by NFS.
throughput.usage.vm | rate | kiloBytesPerSecond | 3 | 3 | average | pNic Throughput Usage for VMs |  |  |
The current amount of data being received and transmitted by virtual machines.
throughput.usage.vmotion | rate | kiloBytesPerSecond | 3 | 3 | average | pNic Throughput Usage for vMotion |  |  |
The current amount of data being received and transmitted for VMotion.
transmitted | rate | kiloBytesPerSecond | 2 | 3 | average | Data transmit rate | VirtualMachine HostSystem | instance | 3.5.0 4.0.0 4.1.0 5.0.0
Average rate at which data was transmitted during the interval. This represents the bandwidth of the network. VM: The rate at which data is transmitted across the virtual machine's vNIC (virtual network interface controller). Host: The rate at which data is transmitted across each physical NIC instance on the host.
unknownProtos | delta | number | 2 | 3 | summation | Unknown protocol frames | HostSystem | instance | 5.0.0
Number of frames with unknown protocol received during the sampling interval.
usage | rate | kiloBytesPerSecond | 1 (4) | 4 | average (minimum) (maximum) (none) | Usage | VirtualMachine HostSystem | aggregate |
Network utilization (combined transmit- and receive-rates) during the interval. VM: Sum of data transmitted and received across all virtual NIC instances connected to the virtual machine. Host: Sum of data transmitted and received across all physical NIC instances connected to the host.

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