How Bigeye Data Observability usage is counted
Bigeye Data Observability pricing is based on how many tables you monitor and the types of metrics applied to them. This page explains what counts as a Metadata Monitored Table (MMT) or an Actively Monitored Table (AMT), how duplicates are handled, and how lineage capacity works with data connectors. You can check your current counts at any time on the Billing screen in the Bigeye app (Settings > Billing). If anything here differs from your signed order form, the order form applies.
Pricing at a glance
Your Data Observability license is built on two table counts, plus lineage capacity for your connected data sources.
Metadata Monitored Tables
Physical tables monitored only with metadata-based pipeline reliability metrics, providing visibility into table health and pipeline performance without requiring additional data sampling.
Actively Monitored Tables
Tables with at least one metric other than a metadata-based pipeline reliability metric, plus tables referenced by rules, deltas or external monitors, and virtual tables with a metric deployed.
Lineage Data Objects
The tables, columns, reports, ETL entities and similar objects that Bigeye ingests and links through your licensed data connectors.
MMTs and AMTs are tracked and licensed separately. Lineage capacity applies when your order form includes Lineage Data Objects. Your current counts are on the Billing screen in the Bigeye app.
What counts as a monitored table
Metadata Monitored Tables (MMTs)
An MMT is a physical table in your environment that Bigeye monitors using only metadata-based pipeline reliability metrics. For the full list of these metrics, see Available metrics in the Bigeye documentation.
Actively Monitored Tables (AMTs)
AMTs are tracked and licensed separately from MMTs. A physical table becomes an AMT as soon as it has at least one deployed metric that is not a metadata-based pipeline reliability metric.
| Scenario | How it's counted | What's not counted |
|---|---|---|
| SQL rules | Each underlying table referenced by the rule counts as one AMT | The rule itself |
| Join rules | Each underlying table in the join counts as one AMT | The rule itself |
| Deltas | Each table associated with the delta counts as one AMT | — |
| Virtual tables | Counts as one AMT as soon as it has any metric deployed (virtual tables can't have metadata metrics) | — |
| External monitors | Each table with an external monitor (for example, dbt tests) counts as one AMT, however many external monitors it has | Additional external monitors on the same table |
Each table is counted once
MMT and AMT counts are based on the number of unique physical tables that meet the criteria above. A table is counted once, no matter how many Bigeye workspaces or hostnames it's monitored in. Each virtual table counts as its own table.
When tables are counted separately
Tables in different data warehouses are counted as distinct tables, even if their hostname, workspace and table name are identical. For example, analytics.orders in Snowflake and analytics.orders in Databricks count as two tables, because the warehouse type is part of how a table is identified.
Data connectors and lineage capacity
Data connectors integrate Bigeye with the technologies in your data stack, including databases, ETL tools and BI tools. They power capabilities such as automated lineage graphs and dependency-driven monitoring.
Lineage Data Objects are a new usage measure. New order forms set how many Lineage Data Objects your license includes. If your current contract limits how many data sources you can connect, that limit is replaced by a Lineage Data Object limit when you renew. Your current total appears on the Billing screen in the Bigeye app. If you need more, additional capacity is available for purchase through your Bigeye account team.
What is a Lineage Data Object?
A Lineage Data Object is any table, column, report, ETL entity or similar object that Bigeye ingests and links through your licensed data connectors.
Examples
How common setups translate into table counts.
| Example | Setup | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Metadata-only monitoring | 200 Snowflake tables with freshness and volume metrics only | 200 MMTs |
| Adding a data quality check | One of those tables also gets a null-rate metric on customer_id | That table becomes 1 AMT and leaves the MMT count: 199 MMTs, 1 AMT |
| A SQL rule across three tables | A SQL rule reads orders, customers and payments | 3 AMTs. The rule itself adds nothing. |
| A delta between environments | A delta compares staging.orders with prod.orders | 2 AMTs |
| One table, two workspaces | prod.orders is monitored in both the Finance and Analytics workspaces | Counted once |
| Same name, two warehouses | analytics.orders exists in Snowflake and in Databricks, both monitored | Counted as 2 tables |
| A virtual table | A virtual table has a custom validity metric | 1 AMT |
| External monitors | Two external monitors (for example, dbt tests) run on the same table | 1 AMT |
Frequently asked questions
Do rules count toward my usage?
No. SQL rules and join rules are not counted themselves. Each table they read counts as one AMT.
If I monitor the same table in several workspaces, is it counted more than once?
No. Each unique physical table is counted once, regardless of how many workspaces or hostnames it's monitored in.
Why are two tables with the same name counted separately?
Tables in different data warehouses are distinct tables, even when their hostname, workspace and table name match.
What's the difference between a data connector and a Lineage Data Object?
A connector links Bigeye to a technology in your stack. Lineage Data Objects are the tables, columns, reports and ETL entities that the connector brings into Bigeye's lineage graph. Your lineage capacity is licensed by Lineage Data Objects.
What happens if I need more lineage capacity?
You can purchase additional Lineage Data Object capacity through your Bigeye account team.
Where can I learn which metrics are metadata-based?
See Available metrics in the Bigeye documentation for the full list of pipeline reliability metrics.
Where can I see my current usage?
In the Bigeye app, under Settings > Billing. The Billing screen shows your current MMT and AMT counts and your total Lineage Data Object count. You can also export every item that contributes to your MMT and AMT counts.
How often are my counts measured?
Once a day. The Billing screen shows your latest daily counts.
Questions about your usage?
Go to Settings > Billing in the Bigeye app for your current MMT and AMT counts and your total Lineage Data Object count. You can also export every item behind your MMT and AMT counts. If something doesn't look right, your account team can walk you through it.