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Introduction

In this lab session, part of the Instana Jam-in-a-box series, participants will engage in several exercises designed to enhance their understanding of application monitoring through the use of OpenTelemetry. This hands-on experience will cover a range of essential topics, including:

  • Installing an Instana agent on a Kubernetes (K3s) Cluster: Participants will be guided through the process of deploying the Instana agent within a Kubernetes environment. This includes connecting to the cluster, installing the agent, and ensuring the agent is operational. The session will also cover troubleshooting common installation issues and verifying the agent's integration with the cluster.

  • Working with an OpenTelemetry Demo Application configured for Instana monitoring: This exercise will involve interacting with a demo application that has been configured to support Instana monitoring. Participants will learn how to instrument the application with OpenTelemetry libraries, configure the application to send telemetry data to Instana, and validate the data flow. The session will provide practical insights into the setup and utilization of OpenTelemetry within real-world scenarios, including best practices for maintaining the monitoring setup.

  • Exploring OpenTelemetry Traces and Logs in Instana: The lab will explore the analysis of OpenTelemetry logs and traces within the Instana platform. Instana is capable of monitoring OpenTelemetry tracing, metrics, and logs. The lab is going to focus on tracing and logs.

    Participants will learn how to navigate the Instana interface to access and interpret monitoring data. The session will also cover trace analysis, demonstrating how to follow the flow of requests through distributed systems, identify performance bottlenecks, and diagnose issues. Practical exercises will reinforce the concepts, enabling participants to apply their knowledge to optimize application performance and reliability.

This lab is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively utilize Instana and OpenTelemetry for comprehensive application monitoring. By the end of the session, participants will have an understanding of these powerful tools and their practical applications, empowering them to implement and manage advanced monitoring solutions in their own environments.