[collectd] interval in network packets?

[Thorsten von Eicken]

Forian, thanks for replying. Follow-on question below:

On 5/19/2010 3:22 AM, Florian Forster wrote:
> Hi Thorsten,
>
> On Fri, May 07, 2010 at 11:26:09AM -0700, Thorsten von Eicken wrote:
>    
>> Stupid question: what is the interval in network packets used for? I
>> would think that the only interval that matters in the end is the one
>> defined in the RRDs.
>>      
> the interval is used to set the correct "step" setting when creating new
> RRD files, for instance. Another use is to detect values that have timed
> out: By default values that are collected every 10 seconds time out
> after 20 seconds while values that are collected once a minute time out
> after two minutes.
>    
Can you point me at the code that does this "timing out"? I'm not sure I 
understand what it means. Does it mean that values get dropped? If they 
are too far in the past (compared to "now")? Or if there are newer 
values that show up? Is it at the receiving end or is it in the output 
end that they get dropped in collectd?

Thorsten