diff --git a/.chloggen/exporterhelper_metric_units.yaml b/.chloggen/exporterhelper_metric_units.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..de6a645ffe3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.chloggen/exporterhelper_metric_units.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Use this changelog template to create an entry for release notes.
+
+# One of 'breaking', 'deprecation', 'new_component', 'enhancement', 'bug_fix'
+change_type: bug_fix
+
+# The name of the component, or a single word describing the area of concern, (e.g. otlpreceiver)
+component: exporterhelper
+
+# A brief description of the change.  Surround your text with quotes ("") if it needs to start with a backtick (`).
+note: Update units for internal telemetry
+
+# One or more tracking issues or pull requests related to the change
+issues: [10648]
+
+# (Optional) One or more lines of additional information to render under the primary note.
+# These lines will be padded with 2 spaces and then inserted directly into the document.
+# Use pipe (|) for multiline entries.
+subtext:
+
+# Optional: The change log or logs in which this entry should be included.
+# e.g. '[user]' or '[user, api]'
+# Include 'user' if the change is relevant to end users.
+# Include 'api' if there is a change to a library API.
+# Default: '[user]'
+change_logs: []
diff --git a/.chloggen/jpkroehling-grpc-statuscode.yaml b/.chloggen/jpkroehling-grpc-statuscode.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d78ef4c7a9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.chloggen/jpkroehling-grpc-statuscode.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# One of 'breaking', 'deprecation', 'new_component', 'enhancement', 'bug_fix'
+change_type: 'enhancement'
+
+# The name of the component, or a single word describing the area of concern, (e.g. otlpreceiver)
+component: configgrpc
+
+# A brief description of the change.  Surround your text with quotes ("") if it needs to start with a backtick (`).
+note: gRPC auth errors now return gRPC status code UNAUTHENTICATED (16)
+
+# One or more tracking issues or pull requests related to the change
+issues: [7646]
+
diff --git a/config/configgrpc/configgrpc.go b/config/configgrpc/configgrpc.go
index f718f25913e..951aa93a87c 100644
--- a/config/configgrpc/configgrpc.go
+++ b/config/configgrpc/configgrpc.go
@@ -17,12 +17,14 @@ import (
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/balancer"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials/insecure"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/encoding/gzip"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/keepalive"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/metadata"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/peer"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
 
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/client"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/component"
@@ -478,7 +480,7 @@ func authUnaryServerInterceptor(ctx context.Context, req any, _ *grpc.UnaryServe
 
 	ctx, err := server.Authenticate(ctx, headers)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, status.Error(codes.Unauthenticated, err.Error())
 	}
 
 	return handler(ctx, req)
@@ -493,7 +495,7 @@ func authStreamServerInterceptor(srv any, stream grpc.ServerStream, _ *grpc.Stre
 
 	ctx, err := server.Authenticate(ctx, headers)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return status.Error(codes.Unauthenticated, err.Error())
 	}
 
 	return handler(srv, wrapServerStream(ctx, stream))
diff --git a/config/configgrpc/configgrpc_test.go b/config/configgrpc/configgrpc_test.go
index 0b2b1cf4cd2..1769733dea6 100644
--- a/config/configgrpc/configgrpc_test.go
+++ b/config/configgrpc/configgrpc_test.go
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@ import (
 	"go.uber.org/zap/zaptest/observer"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/balancer"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/metadata"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/peer"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
 
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/client"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/component"
@@ -1022,7 +1024,8 @@ func TestDefaultUnaryInterceptorAuthFailure(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// verify
 	assert.Nil(t, res)
-	assert.Equal(t, expectedErr, err)
+	assert.ErrorContains(t, err, expectedErr.Error())
+	assert.Equal(t, codes.Unauthenticated, status.Code(err))
 	assert.True(t, authCalled)
 }
 
@@ -1098,7 +1101,8 @@ func TestDefaultStreamInterceptorAuthFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	err := authStreamServerInterceptor(nil, streamServer, &grpc.StreamServerInfo{}, handler, auth.NewServer(auth.WithServerAuthenticate(authFunc)))
 
 	// verify
-	assert.Equal(t, expectedErr, err)
+	assert.ErrorContains(t, err, expectedErr.Error()) // unfortunately, grpc errors don't wrap the original ones
+	assert.Equal(t, codes.Unauthenticated, status.Code(err))
 	assert.True(t, authCalled)
 }
 
diff --git a/docs/release.md b/docs/release.md
index cae85fa7772..daab8aa6a74 100644
--- a/docs/release.md
+++ b/docs/release.md
@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@ Once a module is ready to be released under the `1.x` version scheme, file a PR
 
 | Date       | Version  | Release manager                                   |
 |------------|----------|---------------------------------------------------|
-| 2024-07-15 | v0.105.0 | [@atoulme](https://github.com/atoulme)            |
 | 2024-07-29 | v0.106.0 | [@songy23](https://github.com/songy23)            |
 | 2024-08-12 | v0.107.0 | [@dmitryax](https://github.com/dmitryax)          |
 | 2024-08-26 | v0.108.0 | [@codeboten](https://github.com/codeboten)        |
@@ -169,3 +168,4 @@ Once a module is ready to be released under the `1.x` version scheme, file a PR
 | 2024-10-21 | v0.112.0 | [@evan-bradley](https://github.com/evan-bradley)  |
 | 2024-11-04 | v0.113.0 | [@djaglowski](https://github.com/djaglowski)      |
 | 2024-11-18 | v0.114.0 | [@TylerHelmuth](https://github.com/TylerHelmuth)  |
+| 2024-12-02 | v0.115.0 | [@atoulme](https://github.com/atoulme)            |
diff --git a/exporter/exporterhelper/documentation.md b/exporter/exporterhelper/documentation.md
index 1279ece2db9..a82163a2bfa 100644
--- a/exporter/exporterhelper/documentation.md
+++ b/exporter/exporterhelper/documentation.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ Number of log records failed to be added to the sending queue.
 
 | Unit | Metric Type | Value Type | Monotonic |
 | ---- | ----------- | ---------- | --------- |
-| 1 | Sum | Int | true |
+| {records} | Sum | Int | true |
 
 ### otelcol_exporter_enqueue_failed_metric_points
 
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Number of metric points failed to be added to the sending queue.
 
 | Unit | Metric Type | Value Type | Monotonic |
 | ---- | ----------- | ---------- | --------- |
-| 1 | Sum | Int | true |
+| {datapoints} | Sum | Int | true |
 
 ### otelcol_exporter_enqueue_failed_spans
 
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ Number of spans failed to be added to the sending queue.
 
 | Unit | Metric Type | Value Type | Monotonic |
 | ---- | ----------- | ---------- | --------- |
-| 1 | Sum | Int | true |
+| {spans} | Sum | Int | true |
 
 ### otelcol_exporter_queue_capacity
 
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ Fixed capacity of the retry queue (in batches)
 
 | Unit | Metric Type | Value Type |
 | ---- | ----------- | ---------- |
-| 1 | Gauge | Int |
+| {batches} | Gauge | Int |
 
 ### otelcol_exporter_queue_size
 
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ Current size of the retry queue (in batches)
 
 | Unit | Metric Type | Value Type |
 | ---- | ----------- | ---------- |
-| 1 | Gauge | Int |
+| {batches} | Gauge | Int |
 
 ### otelcol_exporter_send_failed_log_records
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ Number of log records in failed attempts to send to destination.
 
 | Unit | Metric Type | Value Type | Monotonic |
 | ---- | ----------- | ---------- | --------- |
-| 1 | Sum | Int | true |
+| {records} | Sum | Int | true |
 
 ### otelcol_exporter_send_failed_metric_points
 
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ Number of metric points in failed attempts to send to destination.
 
 | Unit | Metric Type | Value Type | Monotonic |
 | ---- | ----------- | ---------- | --------- |
-| 1 | Sum | Int | true |
+| {datapoints} | Sum | Int | true |
 
 ### otelcol_exporter_send_failed_spans
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ Number of spans in failed attempts to send to destination.
 
 | Unit | Metric Type | Value Type | Monotonic |
 | ---- | ----------- | ---------- | --------- |
-| 1 | Sum | Int | true |
+| {spans} | Sum | Int | true |
 
 ### otelcol_exporter_sent_log_records
 
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ Number of log record successfully sent to destination.
 
 | Unit | Metric Type | Value Type | Monotonic |
 | ---- | ----------- | ---------- | --------- |
-| 1 | Sum | Int | true |
+| {records} | Sum | Int | true |
 
 ### otelcol_exporter_sent_metric_points
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ Number of metric points successfully sent to destination.
 
 | Unit | Metric Type | Value Type | Monotonic |
 | ---- | ----------- | ---------- | --------- |
-| 1 | Sum | Int | true |
+| {datapoints} | Sum | Int | true |
 
 ### otelcol_exporter_sent_spans
 
@@ -92,4 +92,4 @@ Number of spans successfully sent to destination.
 
 | Unit | Metric Type | Value Type | Monotonic |
 | ---- | ----------- | ---------- | --------- |
-| 1 | Sum | Int | true |
+| {spans} | Sum | Int | true |
diff --git a/exporter/exporterhelper/internal/metadata/generated_telemetry.go b/exporter/exporterhelper/internal/metadata/generated_telemetry.go
index 125863e4d10..d0b27bf441b 100644
--- a/exporter/exporterhelper/internal/metadata/generated_telemetry.go
+++ b/exporter/exporterhelper/internal/metadata/generated_telemetry.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ func (builder *TelemetryBuilder) InitExporterQueueCapacity(cb func() int64, opts
 	builder.ExporterQueueCapacity, err = builder.meter.Int64ObservableGauge(
 		"otelcol_exporter_queue_capacity",
 		metric.WithDescription("Fixed capacity of the retry queue (in batches)"),
-		metric.WithUnit("1"),
+		metric.WithUnit("{batches}"),
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ func (builder *TelemetryBuilder) InitExporterQueueSize(cb func() int64, opts ...
 	builder.ExporterQueueSize, err = builder.meter.Int64ObservableGauge(
 		"otelcol_exporter_queue_size",
 		metric.WithDescription("Current size of the retry queue (in batches)"),
-		metric.WithUnit("1"),
+		metric.WithUnit("{batches}"),
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -102,55 +102,55 @@ func NewTelemetryBuilder(settings component.TelemetrySettings, options ...teleme
 	builder.ExporterEnqueueFailedLogRecords, err = builder.meter.Int64Counter(
 		"otelcol_exporter_enqueue_failed_log_records",
 		metric.WithDescription("Number of log records failed to be added to the sending queue."),
-		metric.WithUnit("1"),
+		metric.WithUnit("{records}"),
 	)
 	errs = errors.Join(errs, err)
 	builder.ExporterEnqueueFailedMetricPoints, err = builder.meter.Int64Counter(
 		"otelcol_exporter_enqueue_failed_metric_points",
 		metric.WithDescription("Number of metric points failed to be added to the sending queue."),
-		metric.WithUnit("1"),
+		metric.WithUnit("{datapoints}"),
 	)
 	errs = errors.Join(errs, err)
 	builder.ExporterEnqueueFailedSpans, err = builder.meter.Int64Counter(
 		"otelcol_exporter_enqueue_failed_spans",
 		metric.WithDescription("Number of spans failed to be added to the sending queue."),
-		metric.WithUnit("1"),
+		metric.WithUnit("{spans}"),
 	)
 	errs = errors.Join(errs, err)
 	builder.ExporterSendFailedLogRecords, err = builder.meter.Int64Counter(
 		"otelcol_exporter_send_failed_log_records",
 		metric.WithDescription("Number of log records in failed attempts to send to destination."),
-		metric.WithUnit("1"),
+		metric.WithUnit("{records}"),
 	)
 	errs = errors.Join(errs, err)
 	builder.ExporterSendFailedMetricPoints, err = builder.meter.Int64Counter(
 		"otelcol_exporter_send_failed_metric_points",
 		metric.WithDescription("Number of metric points in failed attempts to send to destination."),
-		metric.WithUnit("1"),
+		metric.WithUnit("{datapoints}"),
 	)
 	errs = errors.Join(errs, err)
 	builder.ExporterSendFailedSpans, err = builder.meter.Int64Counter(
 		"otelcol_exporter_send_failed_spans",
 		metric.WithDescription("Number of spans in failed attempts to send to destination."),
-		metric.WithUnit("1"),
+		metric.WithUnit("{spans}"),
 	)
 	errs = errors.Join(errs, err)
 	builder.ExporterSentLogRecords, err = builder.meter.Int64Counter(
 		"otelcol_exporter_sent_log_records",
 		metric.WithDescription("Number of log record successfully sent to destination."),
-		metric.WithUnit("1"),
+		metric.WithUnit("{records}"),
 	)
 	errs = errors.Join(errs, err)
 	builder.ExporterSentMetricPoints, err = builder.meter.Int64Counter(
 		"otelcol_exporter_sent_metric_points",
 		metric.WithDescription("Number of metric points successfully sent to destination."),
-		metric.WithUnit("1"),
+		metric.WithUnit("{datapoints}"),
 	)
 	errs = errors.Join(errs, err)
 	builder.ExporterSentSpans, err = builder.meter.Int64Counter(
 		"otelcol_exporter_sent_spans",
 		metric.WithDescription("Number of spans successfully sent to destination."),
-		metric.WithUnit("1"),
+		metric.WithUnit("{spans}"),
 	)
 	errs = errors.Join(errs, err)
 	return &builder, errs
diff --git a/exporter/exporterhelper/metadata.yaml b/exporter/exporterhelper/metadata.yaml
index dea17a17089..e10113eb494 100644
--- a/exporter/exporterhelper/metadata.yaml
+++ b/exporter/exporterhelper/metadata.yaml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ telemetry:
     exporter_sent_spans:
       enabled: true
       description: Number of spans successfully sent to destination.
-      unit: "1"
+      unit: "{spans}"
       sum:
         value_type: int
         monotonic: true
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ telemetry:
     exporter_send_failed_spans:
       enabled: true
       description: Number of spans in failed attempts to send to destination.
-      unit: "1"
+      unit: "{spans}"
       sum:
         value_type: int
         monotonic: true
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ telemetry:
     exporter_enqueue_failed_spans:
       enabled: true
       description: Number of spans failed to be added to the sending queue.
-      unit: "1"
+      unit: "{spans}"
       sum:
         value_type: int
         monotonic: true
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ telemetry:
     exporter_sent_metric_points:
       enabled: true
       description: Number of metric points successfully sent to destination.
-      unit: "1"
+      unit: "{datapoints}"
       sum:
         value_type: int
         monotonic: true
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ telemetry:
     exporter_send_failed_metric_points:
       enabled: true
       description: Number of metric points in failed attempts to send to destination.
-      unit: "1"
+      unit: "{datapoints}"
       sum:
         value_type: int
         monotonic: true
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ telemetry:
     exporter_enqueue_failed_metric_points:
       enabled: true
       description: Number of metric points failed to be added to the sending queue.
-      unit: "1"
+      unit: "{datapoints}"
       sum:
         value_type: int
         monotonic: true
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ telemetry:
     exporter_sent_log_records:
       enabled: true
       description: Number of log record successfully sent to destination.
-      unit: "1"
+      unit: "{records}"
       sum:
         value_type: int
         monotonic: true
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ telemetry:
     exporter_send_failed_log_records:
       enabled: true
       description: Number of log records in failed attempts to send to destination.
-      unit: "1"
+      unit: "{records}"
       sum:
         value_type: int
         monotonic: true
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ telemetry:
     exporter_enqueue_failed_log_records:
       enabled: true
       description: Number of log records failed to be added to the sending queue.
-      unit: "1"
+      unit: "{records}"
       sum:
         value_type: int
         monotonic: true
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ telemetry:
     exporter_queue_size:
       enabled: true
       description: Current size of the retry queue (in batches)
-      unit: "1"
+      unit: "{batches}"
       optional: true
       gauge:
         value_type: int
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ telemetry:
     exporter_queue_capacity:
       enabled: true
       description: Fixed capacity of the retry queue (in batches)
-      unit: "1"
+      unit: "{batches}"
       optional: true
       gauge:
         value_type: int