diff --git a/storage/local/chunk.go b/storage/local/chunk.go
index 0e8dcc669..f1d2d5d4c 100644
--- a/storage/local/chunk.go
+++ b/storage/local/chunk.go
@@ -15,12 +15,172 @@ package local
 
 import (
 	"io"
+	"sync"
 
 	clientmodel "github.com/prometheus/client_golang/model"
+	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
 
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/storage/metric"
 )
 
+// Instrumentation.
+// Note that the metrics are often set in bulk by the caller
+// for performance reasons.
+var (
+	chunkOps = prometheus.NewCounterVec(
+		prometheus.CounterOpts{
+			Namespace: namespace,
+			Subsystem: subsystem,
+			Name:      "chunk_ops_total",
+			Help:      "The total number of chunk operations by their type.",
+		},
+		[]string{opTypeLabel},
+	)
+	chunkDescOps = prometheus.NewCounterVec(
+		prometheus.CounterOpts{
+			Namespace: namespace,
+			Subsystem: subsystem,
+			Name:      "chunkdesc_ops_total",
+			Help:      "The total number of chunk descriptor operations by their type.",
+		},
+		[]string{opTypeLabel},
+	)
+)
+
+const (
+	// Op-types for chunkOps.
+	createAndPin    = "create" // A chunkDesc creation with refCount=1.
+	persistAndUnpin = "persist"
+	pin             = "pin"   // Excluding the pin on creation.
+	unpin           = "unpin" // Excluding the unpin on persisting.
+	clone           = "clone"
+	transcode       = "transcode"
+	purge           = "purge"
+
+	// Op-types for chunkOps and chunkDescOps.
+	evict = "evict"
+	load  = "load"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	prometheus.MustRegister(chunkOps)
+	prometheus.MustRegister(chunkDescOps)
+}
+
+type chunkDesc struct {
+	sync.Mutex
+	chunk          chunk
+	refCount       int
+	evict          bool
+	chunkFirstTime clientmodel.Timestamp // Used if chunk is evicted.
+	chunkLastTime  clientmodel.Timestamp // Used if chunk is evicted.
+}
+
+// newChunkDesc creates a new chunkDesc pointing to the given chunk (may be
+// nil). The refCount of the new chunkDesc is 1.
+func newChunkDesc(c chunk) *chunkDesc {
+	chunkOps.WithLabelValues(createAndPin).Inc()
+	return &chunkDesc{chunk: c, refCount: 1}
+}
+
+func (cd *chunkDesc) add(s *metric.SamplePair) []chunk {
+	cd.Lock()
+	defer cd.Unlock()
+
+	return cd.chunk.add(s)
+}
+
+func (cd *chunkDesc) pin() {
+	cd.Lock()
+	defer cd.Unlock()
+
+	cd.refCount++
+}
+
+func (cd *chunkDesc) unpin() {
+	cd.Lock()
+	defer cd.Unlock()
+
+	if cd.refCount == 0 {
+		panic("cannot unpin already unpinned chunk")
+	}
+	cd.refCount--
+	if cd.refCount == 0 && cd.evict {
+		cd.evictNow()
+	}
+}
+
+func (cd *chunkDesc) firstTime() clientmodel.Timestamp {
+	cd.Lock()
+	defer cd.Unlock()
+
+	if cd.chunk == nil {
+		return cd.chunkFirstTime
+	}
+	return cd.chunk.firstTime()
+}
+
+func (cd *chunkDesc) lastTime() clientmodel.Timestamp {
+	cd.Lock()
+	defer cd.Unlock()
+
+	if cd.chunk == nil {
+		return cd.chunkLastTime
+	}
+	return cd.chunk.lastTime()
+}
+
+func (cd *chunkDesc) isEvicted() bool {
+	cd.Lock()
+	defer cd.Unlock()
+
+	return cd.chunk == nil
+}
+
+func (cd *chunkDesc) contains(t clientmodel.Timestamp) bool {
+	return !t.Before(cd.firstTime()) && !t.After(cd.lastTime())
+}
+
+// setChunk points this chunkDesc to the given chunk. It panics if
+// this chunkDesc already has a chunk set.
+func (cd *chunkDesc) setChunk(c chunk) {
+	cd.Lock()
+	defer cd.Unlock()
+
+	if cd.chunk != nil {
+		panic("chunk already set")
+	}
+	cd.evict = false
+	cd.chunk = c
+}
+
+// evictOnUnpin evicts the chunk once unpinned. If it is not pinned when this
+// method is called, it evicts the chunk immediately and returns true. If the
+// chunk is already evicted when this method is called, it returns true, too.
+func (cd *chunkDesc) evictOnUnpin() bool {
+	cd.Lock()
+	defer cd.Unlock()
+
+	if cd.chunk == nil {
+		// Already evicted.
+		return true
+	}
+	cd.evict = true
+	if cd.refCount == 0 {
+		cd.evictNow()
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// evictNow is an internal helper method.
+func (cd *chunkDesc) evictNow() {
+	cd.chunkFirstTime = cd.chunk.firstTime()
+	cd.chunkLastTime = cd.chunk.lastTime()
+	cd.chunk = nil
+	chunkOps.WithLabelValues(evict).Inc()
+}
+
 // chunk is the interface for all chunks. Chunks are generally not
 // goroutine-safe.
 type chunk interface {
@@ -62,7 +222,7 @@ type chunkIterator interface {
 }
 
 func transcodeAndAdd(dst chunk, src chunk, s *metric.SamplePair) []chunk {
-	numTranscodes.Inc()
+	chunkOps.WithLabelValues(transcode).Inc()
 
 	head := dst
 	body := []chunk{}
diff --git a/storage/local/instrumentation.go b/storage/local/instrumentation.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 2a276b043..000000000
--- a/storage/local/instrumentation.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,83 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright 2014 Prometheus Team
-// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-// You may obtain a copy of the License at
-//
-// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-//
-// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-// limitations under the License.
-
-package local
-
-import (
-	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
-)
-
-const (
-	address     = "instance"
-	alive       = "alive"
-	failure     = "failure"
-	outcome     = "outcome"
-	state       = "state"
-	success     = "success"
-	unreachable = "unreachable"
-)
-
-var (
-	numSeries = prometheus.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
-		Name: "prometheus_stored_series_count",
-		Help: "The number of currently stored series.",
-	})
-	numSamples = prometheus.NewCounter(prometheus.CounterOpts{
-		Name: "prometheus_stored_samples_total",
-		Help: "The total number of stored samples.",
-	})
-	evictionDuration = prometheus.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
-		Name: "prometheus_memory_eviction_duration_milliseconds",
-		Help: "The duration of the last memory eviction iteration in milliseconds.",
-	})
-	purgeDuration = prometheus.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
-		Name: "prometheus_storage_purge_duration_milliseconds",
-		Help: "The duration of the last storage purge iteration in milliseconds.",
-	})
-
-	numTranscodes = prometheus.NewCounter(prometheus.CounterOpts{
-		Name: "prometheus_chunk_transcodes_total",
-		Help: "The total number of chunk transcodes.",
-	})
-	numPinnedChunks = prometheus.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
-		Name: "prometheus_pinned_chunks_count",
-		Help: "The current number of pinned chunks.",
-	})
-
-	persistLatencies = prometheus.NewSummaryVec(prometheus.SummaryOpts{
-		Name: "prometheus_persist_latency_milliseconds",
-		Help: "A summary of latencies for persisting each chunk.",
-	}, []string{outcome})
-	persistQueueLength = prometheus.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
-		Name: "prometheus_persist_queue_length",
-		Help: "The current number of chunks waiting in the persist queue.",
-	})
-	persistQueueCapacity = prometheus.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
-		Name: "prometheus_persist_queue_capacity",
-		Help: "The total capacity of the persist queue.",
-	})
-)
-
-func init() {
-	prometheus.MustRegister(numSeries)
-	prometheus.MustRegister(numSamples)
-	prometheus.MustRegister(evictionDuration)
-	prometheus.MustRegister(purgeDuration)
-	prometheus.MustRegister(numTranscodes)
-	prometheus.MustRegister(numPinnedChunks)
-	prometheus.MustRegister(persistLatencies)
-	prometheus.MustRegister(persistQueueLength)
-	prometheus.MustRegister(persistQueueCapacity)
-
-	persistQueueCapacity.Set(float64(persistQueueCap))
-}
diff --git a/storage/local/interface.go b/storage/local/interface.go
index 88e70ca07..c1bee10e8 100644
--- a/storage/local/interface.go
+++ b/storage/local/interface.go
@@ -21,6 +21,15 @@ import (
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/storage/metric"
 )
 
+// String constants for instrumentation.
+const (
+	namespace = "prometheus"
+	subsystem = "local_storage"
+
+	errorLabel  = "error"
+	opTypeLabel = "type"
+)
+
 // Storage ingests and manages samples, along with various indexes. All methods
 // are goroutine-safe.
 type Storage interface {
diff --git a/storage/local/persistence.go b/storage/local/persistence.go
index 1d4ceaaef..80164bc1c 100644
--- a/storage/local/persistence.go
+++ b/storage/local/persistence.go
@@ -34,9 +34,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	namespace = "prometheus"
-	subsystem = "persistence"
-
 	seriesFileSuffix     = ".db"
 	seriesTempFileSuffix = ".db.tmp"
 
@@ -258,12 +255,6 @@ func (p *persistence) loadChunks(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, indexes []int) ([]c
 	defer f.Close()
 
 	chunks := make([]chunk, 0, len(indexes))
-	defer func() {
-		if err == nil {
-			return
-		}
-	}()
-
 	typeBuf := make([]byte, 1)
 	for _, idx := range indexes {
 		_, err := f.Seek(p.offsetForChunkIndex(idx), os.SEEK_SET)
@@ -343,6 +334,7 @@ func (p *persistence) loadChunkDescs(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, beforeTime clie
 		}
 		cds = append(cds, cd)
 	}
+	chunkDescOps.WithLabelValues(load).Add(float64(len(cds)))
 	return cds, nil
 }
 
@@ -504,10 +496,7 @@ func (p *persistence) loadSeriesMapAndHeads() (*seriesMap, error) {
 				if err := chunk.unmarshal(r); err != nil {
 					return nil, err
 				}
-				chunkDescs[i] = &chunkDesc{
-					chunk:    chunk,
-					refCount: 1,
-				}
+				chunkDescs[i] = newChunkDesc(chunk)
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -546,6 +535,7 @@ func (p *persistence) dropChunks(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, beforeTime clientmo
 		if err == io.EOF {
 			// We ran into the end of the file without finding any chunks that should
 			// be kept. Remove the whole file.
+			chunkOps.WithLabelValues(purge).Add(float64(i))
 			if err := os.Remove(f.Name()); err != nil {
 				return true, err
 			}
@@ -556,6 +546,7 @@ func (p *persistence) dropChunks(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, beforeTime clientmo
 		}
 		lastTime := clientmodel.Timestamp(binary.LittleEndian.Uint64(lastTimeBuf))
 		if !lastTime.Before(beforeTime) {
+			chunkOps.WithLabelValues(purge).Add(float64(i))
 			break
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/storage/local/preload.go b/storage/local/preload.go
index b3ba8225a..c5669e6b0 100644
--- a/storage/local/preload.go
+++ b/storage/local/preload.go
@@ -106,4 +106,6 @@ func (p *memorySeriesPreloader) Close() {
 	for _, cd := range p.pinnedChunkDescs {
 		cd.unpin()
 	}
+	chunkOps.WithLabelValues(unpin).Add(float64(len(p.pinnedChunkDescs)))
+
 }
diff --git a/storage/local/series.go b/storage/local/series.go
index d54f0d8f2..fc17be1f5 100644
--- a/storage/local/series.go
+++ b/storage/local/series.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 package local
 
 import (
+	"math"
 	"sort"
 	"sync"
 
@@ -130,114 +131,6 @@ func (sm *seriesMap) fpIter() <-chan clientmodel.Fingerprint {
 	return ch
 }
 
-type chunkDesc struct {
-	sync.Mutex
-	chunk          chunk
-	refCount       int
-	evict          bool
-	chunkFirstTime clientmodel.Timestamp // Used if chunk is evicted.
-	chunkLastTime  clientmodel.Timestamp // Used if chunk is evicted.
-}
-
-func (cd *chunkDesc) add(s *metric.SamplePair) []chunk {
-	cd.Lock()
-	defer cd.Unlock()
-
-	return cd.chunk.add(s)
-}
-
-func (cd *chunkDesc) pin() {
-	cd.Lock()
-	defer cd.Unlock()
-
-	numPinnedChunks.Inc()
-	cd.refCount++
-}
-
-func (cd *chunkDesc) unpin() {
-	cd.Lock()
-	defer cd.Unlock()
-
-	if cd.refCount == 0 {
-		panic("cannot unpin already unpinned chunk")
-	}
-	numPinnedChunks.Dec()
-	cd.refCount--
-	if cd.refCount == 0 && cd.evict {
-		cd.evictNow()
-	}
-}
-
-func (cd *chunkDesc) firstTime() clientmodel.Timestamp {
-	cd.Lock()
-	defer cd.Unlock()
-
-	if cd.chunk == nil {
-		return cd.chunkFirstTime
-	}
-	return cd.chunk.firstTime()
-}
-
-func (cd *chunkDesc) lastTime() clientmodel.Timestamp {
-	cd.Lock()
-	defer cd.Unlock()
-
-	if cd.chunk == nil {
-		return cd.chunkLastTime
-	}
-	return cd.chunk.lastTime()
-}
-
-func (cd *chunkDesc) isEvicted() bool {
-	cd.Lock()
-	defer cd.Unlock()
-
-	return cd.chunk == nil
-}
-
-func (cd *chunkDesc) contains(t clientmodel.Timestamp) bool {
-	return !t.Before(cd.firstTime()) && !t.After(cd.lastTime())
-}
-
-func (cd *chunkDesc) open(c chunk) {
-	cd.Lock()
-	defer cd.Unlock()
-
-	if cd.refCount != 0 || cd.chunk != nil {
-		panic("cannot open already pinned chunk")
-	}
-	cd.evict = false
-	cd.chunk = c
-	numPinnedChunks.Inc()
-	cd.refCount++
-}
-
-// evictOnUnpin evicts the chunk once unpinned. If it is not pinned when this
-// method is called, it evicts the chunk immediately and returns true. If the
-// chunk is already evicted when this method is called, it returns true, too.
-func (cd *chunkDesc) evictOnUnpin() bool {
-	cd.Lock()
-	defer cd.Unlock()
-
-	if cd.chunk == nil {
-		// Already evicted.
-		return true
-	}
-	cd.evict = true
-	if cd.refCount == 0 {
-		cd.evictNow()
-		return true
-	}
-	return false
-}
-
-// evictNow is an internal helper method.
-func (cd *chunkDesc) evictNow() {
-	cd.chunkFirstTime = cd.chunk.firstTime()
-	cd.chunkLastTime = cd.chunk.lastTime()
-	cd.chunk = nil
-}
-
 type memorySeries struct {
 	metric clientmodel.Metric
 	// Sorted by start time, overlapping chunk ranges are forbidden.
@@ -268,10 +161,7 @@ func newMemorySeries(m clientmodel.Metric, reallyNew bool) *memorySeries {
 // The caller must have locked the fingerprint of the series.
 func (s *memorySeries) add(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, v *metric.SamplePair, persistQueue chan *persistRequest) {
 	if len(s.chunkDescs) == 0 || s.headChunkPersisted {
-		newHead := &chunkDesc{
-			chunk:    newDeltaEncodedChunk(d1, d0, true),
-			refCount: 1,
-		}
+		newHead := newChunkDesc(newDeltaEncodedChunk(d1, d0, true))
 		s.chunkDescs = append(s.chunkDescs, newHead)
 		s.headChunkPersisted = false
 	}
@@ -290,10 +180,7 @@ func (s *memorySeries) add(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, v *metric.SamplePair, per
 		queuePersist(s.head())
 
 		for i, c := range chunks[1:] {
-			cd := &chunkDesc{
-				chunk:    c,
-				refCount: 1,
-			}
+			cd := newChunkDesc(c)
 			s.chunkDescs = append(s.chunkDescs, cd)
 			// The last chunk is still growing.
 			if i < len(chunks[1:])-1 {
@@ -344,6 +231,7 @@ func (s *memorySeries) evictOlderThan(
 			lenToKeep := chunkDescEvictionFactor * (len(s.chunkDescs) - iOldestNotEvicted)
 			if lenToKeep < len(s.chunkDescs) {
 				s.chunkDescsLoaded = false
+				chunkDescOps.WithLabelValues(evict).Add(float64(len(s.chunkDescs) - lenToKeep))
 				s.chunkDescs = append(
 					make([]*chunkDesc, 0, lenToKeep),
 					s.chunkDescs[len(s.chunkDescs)-lenToKeep:]...,
@@ -397,7 +285,7 @@ func (s *memorySeries) purgeOlderThan(t clientmodel.Timestamp) bool {
 	for i := 0; i < keepIdx; i++ {
 		s.chunkDescs[i].evictOnUnpin()
 	}
-	s.chunkDescs = s.chunkDescs[keepIdx:]
+	s.chunkDescs = append(make([]*chunkDesc, 0, len(s.chunkDescs)-keepIdx), s.chunkDescs[keepIdx:]...)
 	return len(s.chunkDescs) == 0
 }
 
@@ -406,30 +294,30 @@ func (s *memorySeries) preloadChunks(indexes []int, p *persistence) ([]*chunkDes
 	loadIndexes := []int{}
 	pinnedChunkDescs := make([]*chunkDesc, 0, len(indexes))
 	for _, idx := range indexes {
-		pinnedChunkDescs = append(pinnedChunkDescs, s.chunkDescs[idx])
-		if s.chunkDescs[idx].isEvicted() {
+		cd := s.chunkDescs[idx]
+		pinnedChunkDescs = append(pinnedChunkDescs, cd)
+		cd.pin() // Have to pin everything first to prevent concurrent evictOnUnpin later.
+		if cd.isEvicted() {
 			loadIndexes = append(loadIndexes, idx)
-		} else {
-			s.chunkDescs[idx].pin()
 		}
 	}
+	chunkOps.WithLabelValues(pin).Add(float64(len(pinnedChunkDescs)))
 
 	if len(loadIndexes) > 0 {
 		fp := s.metric.Fingerprint()
 		chunks, err := p.loadChunks(fp, loadIndexes)
 		if err != nil {
-			// Unpin any pinned chunks that were already loaded.
+			// Unpin the chunks since we won't return them as pinned chunks now.
 			for _, cd := range pinnedChunkDescs {
-				if !cd.isEvicted() {
-					cd.unpin()
-				}
+				cd.unpin()
 			}
+			chunkOps.WithLabelValues(unpin).Add(float64(len(pinnedChunkDescs)))
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		for i, c := range chunks {
-			cd := s.chunkDescs[loadIndexes[i]]
-			cd.open(c)
+			s.chunkDescs[loadIndexes[i]].setChunk(c)
 		}
+		chunkOps.WithLabelValues(load).Add(float64(len(chunks)))
 	}
 
 	return pinnedChunkDescs, nil
@@ -472,7 +360,7 @@ func (s *memorySeries) preloadChunksForRange(
 	from clientmodel.Timestamp, through clientmodel.Timestamp,
 	fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, p *persistence,
 ) ([]*chunkDesc, error) {
-	firstChunkDescTime := through
+	firstChunkDescTime := clientmodel.Timestamp(math.MaxInt64)
 	if len(s.chunkDescs) > 0 {
 		firstChunkDescTime = s.chunkDescs[0].firstTime()
 	}
@@ -516,6 +404,7 @@ func (s *memorySeries) newIterator(lockFunc, unlockFunc func()) SeriesIterator {
 	for i, cd := range s.chunkDescs {
 		if !cd.isEvicted() {
 			if i == len(s.chunkDescs)-1 {
+				chunkOps.WithLabelValues(clone).Inc()
 				chunks = append(chunks, cd.chunk.clone())
 			} else {
 				chunks = append(chunks, cd.chunk)
diff --git a/storage/local/storage.go b/storage/local/storage.go
index eb94fb2d7..a9cc11c68 100644
--- a/storage/local/storage.go
+++ b/storage/local/storage.go
@@ -19,14 +19,102 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
+	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
 
 	clientmodel "github.com/prometheus/client_golang/model"
-	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
+
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/storage/metric"
 )
 
 const persistQueueCap = 1024
 
+// Instrumentation.
+var (
+	persistLatency = prometheus.NewSummary(prometheus.SummaryOpts{
+		Namespace: namespace,
+		Subsystem: subsystem,
+		Name:      "persist_latency_microseconds",
+		Help:      "A summary of latencies for persisting each chunk.",
+	})
+	persistErrors = prometheus.NewCounterVec(
+		prometheus.CounterOpts{
+			Namespace: namespace,
+			Subsystem: subsystem,
+			Name:      "persist_errors_total",
+			Help:      "A counter of errors persisting chunks.",
+		},
+		[]string{errorLabel},
+	)
+	persistQueueLength = prometheus.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
+		Namespace: namespace,
+		Subsystem: subsystem,
+		Name:      "persist_queue_length",
+		Help:      "The current number of chunks waiting in the persist queue.",
+	})
+	persistQueueCapacity = prometheus.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
+		Namespace: namespace,
+		Subsystem: subsystem,
+		Name:      "persist_queue_capacity",
+		Help:      "The total capacity of the persist queue.",
+	})
+	numSeries = prometheus.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
+		Namespace: namespace,
+		Subsystem: subsystem,
+		Name:      "memory_series",
+		Help:      "The current number of series in memory.",
+	})
+	seriesOps = prometheus.NewCounterVec(
+		prometheus.CounterOpts{
+			Namespace: namespace,
+			Subsystem: subsystem,
+			Name:      "series_ops_total",
+			Help:      "The total number of series operations by their type.",
+		},
+		[]string{opTypeLabel},
+	)
+	ingestedSamplesCount = prometheus.NewCounter(prometheus.CounterOpts{
+		Namespace: namespace,
+		Subsystem: subsystem,
+		Name:      "ingested_samples_total",
+		Help:      "The total number of samples ingested.",
+	})
+	purgeDuration = prometheus.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
+		Namespace: namespace,
+		Subsystem: subsystem,
+		Name:      "purge_duration_milliseconds",
+		Help:      "The duration of the last storage purge iteration in milliseconds.",
+	})
+	evictionDuration = prometheus.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
+		Namespace: namespace,
+		Subsystem: subsystem,
+		Name:      "eviction_duration_milliseconds",
+		Help:      "The duration of the last memory eviction iteration in milliseconds.",
+	})
+)
+
+const (
+	// Op-types for seriesOps.
+	create       = "create"
+	archive      = "archive"
+	unarchive    = "unarchive"
+	memoryPurge  = "purge_from_memory"
+	archivePurge = "purge_from_archive"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	prometheus.MustRegister(persistLatency)
+	prometheus.MustRegister(persistErrors)
+	prometheus.MustRegister(persistQueueLength)
+	prometheus.MustRegister(persistQueueCapacity)
+	prometheus.MustRegister(numSeries)
+	prometheus.MustRegister(seriesOps)
+	prometheus.MustRegister(ingestedSamplesCount)
+	prometheus.MustRegister(purgeDuration)
+	prometheus.MustRegister(evictionDuration)
+
+	persistQueueCapacity.Set(float64(persistQueueCap))
+}
+
 type storageState uint
 
 const (
@@ -108,7 +196,7 @@ func (s *memorySeriesStorage) AppendSamples(samples clientmodel.Samples) {
 		s.appendSample(sample)
 	}
 
-	numSamples.Add(float64(len(samples)))
+	ingestedSamplesCount.Add(float64(len(samples)))
 }
 
 func (s *memorySeriesStorage) appendSample(sample *clientmodel.Sample) {
@@ -130,14 +218,16 @@ func (s *memorySeriesStorage) getOrCreateSeries(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, m cl
 		if err != nil {
 			glog.Errorf("Error unarchiving fingerprint %v: %v", fp, err)
 		}
-		if !unarchived {
+		if unarchived {
+			seriesOps.WithLabelValues(unarchive).Inc()
+		} else {
 			// This was a genuinely new series, so index the metric.
 			s.persistence.indexMetric(m, fp)
+			seriesOps.WithLabelValues(create).Inc()
 		}
 		series = newMemorySeries(m, !unarchived)
 		s.fingerprintToSeries.put(fp, series)
-		numSeries.Set(float64(s.fingerprintToSeries.length()))
-
+		numSeries.Inc()
 	}
 	return series
 }
@@ -204,7 +294,7 @@ func (s *memorySeriesStorage) NewIterator(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint) SeriesIter
 
 func (s *memorySeriesStorage) evictMemoryChunks(ttl time.Duration) {
 	defer func(begin time.Time) {
-		evictionDuration.Set(float64(time.Since(begin) / time.Millisecond))
+		evictionDuration.Set(float64(time.Since(begin)) / float64(time.Millisecond))
 	}(time.Now())
 
 	for m := range s.fingerprintToSeries.iter() {
@@ -214,38 +304,33 @@ func (s *memorySeriesStorage) evictMemoryChunks(ttl time.Duration) {
 			m.fp, s.persistQueue,
 		) {
 			s.fingerprintToSeries.del(m.fp)
+			numSeries.Dec()
 			if err := s.persistence.archiveMetric(
 				m.fp, m.series.metric, m.series.firstTime(), m.series.lastTime(),
 			); err != nil {
 				glog.Errorf("Error archiving metric %v: %v", m.series.metric, err)
+			} else {
+				seriesOps.WithLabelValues(archive).Inc()
 			}
 		}
 		s.fpLocker.Unlock(m.fp)
 	}
 }
 
-func recordPersist(start time.Time, err error) {
-	outcome := success
-	if err != nil {
-		outcome = failure
-	}
-	persistLatencies.WithLabelValues(outcome).Observe(float64(time.Since(start) / time.Millisecond))
-}
-
 func (s *memorySeriesStorage) handlePersistQueue() {
 	for req := range s.persistQueue {
 		persistQueueLength.Set(float64(len(s.persistQueue)))
-
-		//glog.Info("Persist request: ", *req.fingerprint)
 		start := time.Now()
 		err := s.persistence.persistChunk(req.fingerprint, req.chunkDesc.chunk)
-		recordPersist(start, err)
+		persistLatency.Observe(float64(time.Since(start)) / float64(time.Microsecond))
 		if err != nil {
+			persistErrors.WithLabelValues(err.Error()).Inc()
 			glog.Error("Error persisting chunk, requeuing: ", err)
 			s.persistQueue <- req
 			continue
 		}
 		req.chunkDesc.unpin()
+		chunkOps.WithLabelValues(persistAndUnpin).Inc()
 	}
 	s.persistDone <- true
 }
@@ -319,7 +404,7 @@ func (s *memorySeriesStorage) purgePeriodically(stop <-chan bool) {
 					s.purgeSeries(fp, ts)
 				}
 			}
-			purgeDuration.Set(float64(time.Since(begin) / time.Millisecond))
+			purgeDuration.Set(float64(time.Since(begin)) / float64(time.Millisecond))
 			glog.Info("Done purging old series data.")
 		}
 	}
@@ -342,6 +427,8 @@ func (s *memorySeriesStorage) purgeSeries(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, beforeTime
 	if series, ok := s.fingerprintToSeries.get(fp); ok {
 		if series.purgeOlderThan(beforeTime) && allDropped {
 			s.fingerprintToSeries.del(fp)
+			numSeries.Dec()
+			seriesOps.WithLabelValues(memoryPurge).Inc()
 			s.persistence.unindexMetric(series.metric, fp)
 		}
 		return
@@ -349,13 +436,15 @@ func (s *memorySeriesStorage) purgeSeries(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, beforeTime
 
 	// If we arrive here, nothing was in memory, so the metric must have
 	// been archived. Drop the archived metric if there are no persisted
-	// chunks left. If we do drop the archived metric, we should update the
-	// archivedFingerprintToTimeRange index according to the remaining
+	// chunks left. If we don't drop the archived metric, we should update
+	// the archivedFingerprintToTimeRange index according to the remaining
 	// chunks, but it's probably not worth the effort. Queries going beyond
 	// the purge cut-off can be truncated in a more direct fashion.
 	if allDropped {
 		if err := s.persistence.dropArchivedMetric(fp); err != nil {
 			glog.Errorf("Error dropping archived metric for fingerprint %v: %v", fp, err)
+		} else {
+			seriesOps.WithLabelValues(archivePurge).Inc()
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/storage/remote/queue_manager.go b/storage/remote/queue_manager.go
index 7edc602a7..31acfeddf 100644
--- a/storage/remote/queue_manager.go
+++ b/storage/remote/queue_manager.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ const (
 // String constants for instrumentation.
 const (
 	namespace = "prometheus"
-	subsystem = "remote_tsdb"
+	subsystem = "remote_storage"
 
 	result  = "result"
 	success = "success"