Embodiments presented herein describe an I/O client that switches between generating high-resolution and low-resolution performance data in response to a defined event indicating there is a performance issue with a storage volume. In one embodiment, the I/O client uses one or more event rules that define a condition or threshold for determining whether to generate high-resolution or low-resolution performance data. In one embodiment, the I/O client transmits the performance data to a central monitoring system which can generate a chart plotting the performance data overtime. Because the I/O client may generate the high resolution performance data only when an event rule indicates there is a performance issue, the amount of performance data transmitted to the central monitoring system can be reduced.