my @keys = sort keys %cols;
    my $keystring = join ', ', @keys;
    my $valstring = join ', ', ('?') x scalar @keys;
            
    my $statement = qq{
            INSERT INTO service_metrics ($keystring) 
            VALUES ($valuestring)
            };
    my @values = map { $cols{$_} } @keys;
    my $sth = $dbh->prepare($statement); 

    if (! $sth) {
              die(sprintf('[FATAL] Could not prepare statement: %s\n\n
+ ERRSTR: %s\n', $db->errstr()));
    }
    $sth->execute(@values);
    if (! $sth) {
              die(sprintf('[FATAL] Could not execute statement: %s\n\n
+ ERRSTR: %s\n', $db->errstr()));
            }
    $sth->finish;
    $db->disconnect();