Grafana Tempo and Grafana Agent are utilized for trace sampling, allowing users to efficiently manage and analyze traces by implementing tailored sampling strategies based on specific requirements. Trace sampling is vital for handling the vast number of traces generated in large-scale applications, as it helps reduce storage and processing costs without sacrificing essential insights. Grafana offers solutions like Grafana Tempo, Grafana Cloud Traces, and Grafana Enterprise Traces, which enable users to store the majority of traces with minimal sampling, allowing for both real-time observation and historical comparison. Sampling can be performed through head or tail sampling, with tail sampling being more resource-intensive but offering greater flexibility in filtering traces based on conditions like errors or specific endpoint requests. Grafana Agent supports advanced tail sampling configurations, adhering to OpenTelemetry standards, to ensure only relevant traces are retained. This capability is crucial for optimizing system performance and maintaining cost-efficiency in trace storage and analysis.