How to query OpenTelemetry data in New Relic

OpenTelemetry (OTel) provides a standardized framework for collecting and exporting telemetry data, which is crucial for modern application monitoring. When integrated with New Relic, a comprehensive observability platform, users can leverage New Relic Query Language (NRQL) to extract actionable insights from OpenTelemetry data. The blog post details the process of storing and querying this data in the New Relic database (NRDB), emphasizing the importance of understanding different OpenTelemetry data types—such as counters, up-down counters, histograms, and observable counters—and their mappings to New Relic's data storage format. By following a step-by-step guide on instrumentation, data storage, and querying with NRQL, users can enhance their application's observability, optimize system performance, and gain valuable insights into metric trends and performance over time. The authors, Retish Perum and Lavanya Chockalingam, share their expertise and emphasize that the solutions presented are environment-specific and not part of New Relic's commercial offerings.