diff --git a/sinks/gangliaCommon.go b/sinks/gangliaCommon.go
index b939f16..2837108 100644
--- a/sinks/gangliaCommon.go
+++ b/sinks/gangliaCommon.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package sinks
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
 	lp "github.com/ClusterCockpit/cc-metric-collector/internal/ccMetric"
@@ -23,11 +24,8 @@ func GangliaMetricName(point lp.CCMetric) string {
 	return name
 }
 
-func GangliaMetricRename(point lp.CCMetric) string {
-	name := point.Name()
-	if name == "mem_total" || name == "swap_total" {
-		return name
-	} else if name == "net_bytes_in" {
+func GangliaMetricRename(name string) string {
+	if name == "net_bytes_in" {
 		return "bytes_in"
 	} else if name == "net_bytes_out" {
 		return "bytes_out"
@@ -48,3 +46,187 @@ func GangliaSlopeType(point lp.CCMetric) uint {
 	}
 	return 3
 }
+
+const DEFAULT_GANGLIA_METRIC_TMAX = 300
+const DEFAULT_GANGLIA_METRIC_SLOPE = "both"
+
+type GangliaMetric struct {
+	Name  string
+	Type  string
+	Slope string
+	Tmax  int
+	Unit  string
+}
+
+type GangliaMetricGroup struct {
+	Name    string
+	Metrics []GangliaMetric
+}
+
+var CommonGangliaMetrics = []GangliaMetricGroup{
+	{
+		Name: "memory",
+		Metrics: []GangliaMetric{
+			{"mem_total", "float", "zero", 1200, "KB"},
+			{"swap_total", "float", "zero", 1200, "KB"},
+			{"mem_free", "float", "both", 180, "KB"},
+			{"mem_shared", "float", "both", 180, "KB"},
+			{"mem_buffers", "float", "both", 180, "KB"},
+			{"mem_cached", "float", "both", 180, "KB"},
+			{"swap_free", "float", "both", 180, "KB"},
+			{"mem_sreclaimable", "float", "both", 180, "KB"},
+			{"mem_slab", "float", "both", 180, "KB"},
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		Name: "cpu",
+		Metrics: []GangliaMetric{
+			{"cpu_num", "uint32", "zero", 1200, "CPUs"},
+			{"cpu_speed", "uint32", "zero", 1200, "MHz"},
+			{"cpu_user", "float", "both", 90, "%"},
+			{"cpu_nice", "float", "both", 90, "%"},
+			{"cpu_system", "float", "both", 90, "%"},
+			{"cpu_idle", "float", "both", 3800, "%"},
+			{"cpu_aidle", "float", "both", 90, "%"},
+			{"cpu_wio", "float", "both", 90, "%"},
+			{"cpu_intr", "float", "both", 90, "%"},
+			{"cpu_sintr", "float", "both", 90, "%"},
+			{"cpu_steal", "float", "both", 90, "%"},
+			{"cpu_guest", "float", "both", 90, "%"},
+			{"cpu_gnice", "float", "both", 90, "%"},
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		Name: "load",
+		Metrics: []GangliaMetric{
+			{"load_one", "float", "both", 70, ""},
+			{"load_five", "float", "both", 325, ""},
+			{"load_fifteen", "float", "both", 950, ""},
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		Name: "disk",
+		Metrics: []GangliaMetric{
+			{"disk_total", "double", "both", 1200, "GB"},
+			{"disk_free", "double", "both", 180, "GB"},
+			{"part_max_used", "float", "both", 180, "%"},
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		Name: "network",
+		Metrics: []GangliaMetric{
+			{"bytes_out", "float", "both", 300, "bytes/sec"},
+			{"bytes_in", "float", "both", 300, "bytes/sec"},
+			{"pkts_in", "float", "both", 300, "packets/sec"},
+			{"pkts_out", "float", "both", 300, "packets/sec"},
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		Name: "process",
+		Metrics: []GangliaMetric{
+			{"proc_run", "uint32", "both", 950, ""},
+			{"proc_total", "uint32", "both", 950, ""},
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		Name: "system",
+		Metrics: []GangliaMetric{
+			{"boottime", "uint32", "zero", 1200, "s"},
+			{"sys_clock", "uint32", "zero", 1200, "s"},
+			{"machine_type", "string", "zero", 1200, ""},
+			{"os_name", "string", "zero", 1200, ""},
+			{"os_release", "string", "zero", 1200, ""},
+			{"mtu", "uint32", "both", 1200, ""},
+		},
+	},
+}
+
+type GangliaMetricConfig struct {
+	Type  string
+	Slope string
+	Tmax  int
+	Unit  string
+	Group string
+	Value string
+}
+
+func GetCommonGangliaConfig(point lp.CCMetric) GangliaMetricConfig {
+	mname := GangliaMetricRename(point.Name())
+	for _, group := range CommonGangliaMetrics {
+		for _, metric := range group.Metrics {
+			if metric.Name == mname {
+				return GangliaMetricConfig{
+					Group: group.Name,
+					Type:  metric.Type,
+					Slope: metric.Slope,
+					Tmax:  metric.Tmax,
+					Unit:  metric.Unit,
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return GangliaMetricConfig{
+		Group: "",
+		Type:  "",
+		Slope: "",
+		Tmax:  0,
+		Unit:  "",
+		Value: "",
+	}
+}
+
+func GetGangliaConfig(point lp.CCMetric) GangliaMetricConfig {
+	group := ""
+	if g, ok := point.GetMeta("group"); ok {
+		group = g
+	}
+	unit := ""
+	if u, ok := point.GetMeta("unit"); ok {
+		unit = u
+	}
+	valueType := "double"
+	valueStr := ""
+	value, ok := point.GetField("value")
+	if ok {
+		switch real := value.(type) {
+		case float64:
+			valueStr = fmt.Sprintf("%f", real)
+			valueType = "double"
+		case float32:
+			valueStr = fmt.Sprintf("%f", real)
+			valueType = "float"
+		case int64:
+			valueStr = fmt.Sprintf("%d", real)
+			valueType = "int32"
+		case int32:
+			valueStr = fmt.Sprintf("%d", real)
+			valueType = "int32"
+		case int:
+			valueStr = fmt.Sprintf("%d", real)
+			valueType = "int32"
+		case uint64:
+			valueStr = fmt.Sprintf("%d", real)
+			valueType = "uint32"
+		case uint32:
+			valueStr = fmt.Sprintf("%d", real)
+			valueType = "uint32"
+		case uint:
+			valueStr = fmt.Sprintf("%d", real)
+			valueType = "uint32"
+		case string:
+			valueStr = real
+			valueType = "string"
+		default:
+			valueType = "invalid"
+		}
+	}
+
+	return GangliaMetricConfig{
+		Group: group,
+		Type:  valueType,
+		Slope: DEFAULT_GANGLIA_METRIC_SLOPE,
+		Tmax:  DEFAULT_GANGLIA_METRIC_TMAX,
+		Unit:  unit,
+		Value: valueStr,
+	}
+}