The three pillars of observability

Developers build observability processes on three main pillars: logs, metrics, and traces. Understanding these fundamental concepts is crucial for gaining a comprehensive view of system behavior. Keep reading to learn more.

1. Logs

Logs are detailed records of events within a system. These messages include various important details, such as the date and time of the event and the ID of the process sending the log. Real-time logging allows developers to capture events as they occur to gather context for troubleshooting. This supports an in-depth analysis of system behavior over time. 

Example of classic format for log messages in Fastly. 

2. Metrics

Metrics are quantitative measurements of system performance. These offer numerical data points that can be tracked and analyzed for trend analysis and performance monitoring. Once a baseline is established, metrics tracking can support anomaly detection by identifying out-of-the-ordinary system behaviors. 

Example of a dashboard tracking a metric in Fastly.

3. Traces

Traces, the third pillar of observability, are sequential records of related events across distributed systems. With traces, developers debug distributed software architectures, gaining end-to-end visibility into request flows. This makes it easier to find the source of problems and optimize system performance. 

Example of a trace, generated with Fastly and OpenTelemetry.

Bringing things together with Fastly

Fastly’s approach integrates logging, metrics, and tracing capabilities to provide a holistic view of your IT infrastructure.

• Real-time logging: Stream logs instantly to various destinations, enabling quick debugging and issue resolution.

• Flexible metrics: Access 180 service-level metrics for detailed performance analysis and monitoring, including black box data like traffic between origin and cache.

• Distributed tracing support: Maintain request tracing parameters across Fastly's platform for end-to-end visibility. Find out for yourself by signing up for your free trial today.