Company
Date Published
Author
Matt Heusser
Word count
1423
Language
English
Hacker News points
None

Summary

The text discusses the implementation of observability in distributed systems, emphasizing its importance for DevSecOps. Observability is built on three "pillars": metrics, logs, and tracing, each offering unique insights into system performance and issues. Logs provide essential event recording, metrics offer high-level service overviews, and tracing details the sequence of API calls. Flow graphs visually combine these elements to enhance understanding of system behavior. Implementing observability requires determining data recording and aggregation strategies, such as using application layer solutions, infrastructure solutions like Kubernetes sidecars, or purchasing third-party tools. These approaches have pros and cons, including potential issues with space, bandwidth, and cost. The text underscores the importance of starting with problematic subsystems and experimenting in test environments, framing observability as a crucial infrastructure project akin to software development. The article concludes by highlighting Matt Heusser's expertise and contributions to the field, noting his role in software testing and development.