Why observability is so important for Kubernetes deployments

Kubernetes has significantly transformed deployments over the past decade, offering enhanced flexibility but also introducing complexity that developers must navigate. Observability is crucial in Kubernetes deployments, ensuring services function correctly by collecting data that influences decisions on whether to proceed with or roll back deployments. Key observability data, categorized into exceptional circumstances, routine operations, and runtime metrics, can be accessed through logs, metrics, and traces. To facilitate observability, platforms like Azure Log Analytics, AWS CloudWatch, and open-source tools such as OpenTelemetry, Prometheus, and Jaeger are used for data collection and visualization. Effective management of logs and metrics is essential to avoid excessive costs and performance issues. Tracing is particularly beneficial in distributed systems for tracking request paths across microservices. Ultimately, observability underpins successful Kubernetes deployments by providing actionable insights into application performance and operational status.