August 2021 Summaries

Dynatrace Managed release version 1.226 introduced several updates and enhancements, focusing on system user configuration, ServiceNow integration, and operating system support. Users can update the system user on a Dynatrace Managed node using a script, and they should note changes in ServiceNow integration, as support for the Dynatrace Service Graph Connector will end by December 31, 2021. Significant operating system support changes include the termination of support for various Linux distributions starting February 2022, with further changes planned through 2026. The release resolved numerous issues and improved features such as performance in log monitoring, case sensitivity in custom attributes, and dashboard API functionality. Cumulative updates addressed vulnerabilities, including those related to the Log4j library, by applying recommended mitigation measures and updating the library to a more secure version.

Dynatrace has expanded its Application Security module to include .NET applications, providing automated runtime vulnerability detection and AI-driven risk assessment for cloud-native applications throughout the software development lifecycle. This enhancement enables DevSecOps teams to efficiently manage security for critical digital services and applications by offering precise, real-time risk assessments and eliminating false positives. As businesses increasingly adopt .NET due to its support for containers, auto-scaling, and serverless computing, especially on platforms like Azure Cloud, the need for advanced security measures becomes crucial. Automation is emphasized as essential for handling the complexity and rapid pace of cloud-native environments, helping security teams manage vulnerabilities effectively and prioritize high-risk issues. The Dynatrace platform's comprehensive approach ensures consistent security across diverse environments, including Kubernetes, Node.js, Java, and now .NET, minimizing remediation time and providing detailed insights into application behavior.

The integration of AIOps platforms into DevOps toolchains is becoming increasingly vital as organizations adopt more technologies and cloud-native solutions. AIOps, which stands for artificial intelligence for IT operations, helps automate anomaly detection and incident response, offering value throughout the digital value chain by leveraging data from software development to customer interactions. As traditional AIOps approaches struggle to scale with the complexity of modern cloud environments, an observability-based AIOps platform offers enhanced capabilities by using AI algorithms and real-time data analytics to automate triaging, response, and remediation. This integrated platform enables organizations to optimize routine monitoring tasks, reduce false alarms, and improve mean time to resolution (MTTR). By shifting AIOps left, organizations can incorporate AI into the entire DevOps lifecycle, enhancing software quality and enabling faster, more reliable releases. This strategic shift not only reduces IT downtime costs but also alleviates stress on DevOps teams by minimizing the need for manual intervention, thus preventing burnout and improving overall efficiency.

The OneAgent release version 1.223, published on August 23, 2021, introduces new features and support changes across various technologies and operating systems. This release includes enhancements for monitoring MongoDB, Spring Boot, Node.js, Go, and z/OS environments, with specific focus on integration and support improvements. Notably, it adds support for the MongoDB synchronous driver versions 3.12 to 5.0, and OpenTelemetry for Node.js and Go. The release also outlines future deprecated support for several operating systems, including certain versions of Amazon Linux, Debian, and Windows, with end-of-support dates extending into 2026. Additionally, the release addresses numerous resolved issues, enhancing stability and performance across components such as Java, .NET, PHP, and infrastructure monitoring, while also making improvements in mobile and JavaScript integrations. These updates reflect ongoing efforts to refine functionality and prepare for future technology shifts.

Dynatrace has introduced version 1.223 of its OneAgent, allowing users to choose between automatic and deterministic host ID modes for managing host identification in complex environments, such as large Managed deployments or dynamically managed virtual machines. In automatic mode, Dynatrace uses heuristics to assign a unique, random host identifier, which can change if the environment changes. This mode adapts differently across major cloud providers like Amazon and Microsoft Azure. Conversely, deterministic mode allows users to configure host IDs based on parameters like MAC address, IP address, or Fully Qualified Domain Name, ensuring consistency even when virtual machines move between environments. This mode is particularly useful in scenarios where virtual machines are dynamically managed for optimal resource utilization, and it provides users with greater control over host definitions. To implement deterministic mode, specific commands must be entered during installation or on live hosts, and a namespace parameter can be used to ensure unique host IDs when environments are identical. Dynatrace encourages user feedback on these updates through its community platform.

In a comprehensive presentation, Philipp Stadler, a Senior Software Engineer at Dynatrace, elucidated the intricate functionalities of metrics and metric expressions within the Dynatrace platform. He emphasized the abundance of metrics available through the platform, which can be utilized for dashboard visualization, Service Level Objectives (SLOs), anomaly detection, and root cause analysis. Stadler explained how metrics are composed of a metric key, dimension, value, and timestamp, using a room temperature example to illustrate this. He introduced the concept of metric selectors, which allow users to query specific metrics, dimensions, and aggregations, and highlighted the advanced capabilities of metric expressions to derive new results from existing metrics, such as calculating inactive users or converting currencies. The presentation was enhanced by a live demo showing practical applications of metric expressions, such as converting temperature units or calculating transaction rates. Stadler encouraged viewers to explore the Data Explorer and the Dynatrace Metrics API v2 for hands-on experience and automation, promoting community engagement and the sharing of insights to leverage Dynatrace effectively.

The new Data Explorer from Dynatrace enhances the ability to calculate and process metrics, turning raw data into meaningful insights for both IT and business teams. By utilizing complex analytics, the tool allows users to filter, aggregate, and perform arithmetic operations on metrics, aligning them with key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level objectives (SLOs). This feature proves especially useful for non-technical users and supports custom dashboard creation by enabling the transformation of raw metrics into calculated metrics, such as converting simple counts into rates or combining multiple metrics into a single conversion metric. The updated interface offers an API-first approach, facilitating metric calculations through a user-friendly interface that allows interactive building, testing, and customization of queries, thereby enhancing the presentation of data with intuitive visualizations. This functionality not only supports real-time decision-making but also provides alerting capabilities, such as setting thresholds for automatic notifications when certain metrics fall below desired levels. As the Data Explorer becomes the central tool for metric visualization, Dynatrace plans to phase out older custom charts, encouraging users to transition to this more powerful visualization tool.