Observability · Flashcard
What is OpenTelemetry?
- AA vendor-neutral framework of APIs, SDKs and tools to generate and collect telemetry
- BA time-series database that stores and indexes application metrics for querying
- CA hosted dashboard product for visualizing traces, metrics and log data
- DA single vendor's proprietary agent that ships telemetry to one backend only
Why this is the answer
OTel is a CNCF observability framework (APIs, SDKs, tools) that standardizes producing and shipping telemetry; it was formed by merging OpenTracing and OpenCensus. It is not a time-series database (that is a storage backend like Prometheus), not a dashboard (that is a visualization layer like Grafana), and not a proprietary single-vendor agent (its whole point is vendor neutrality).
Official docs