Istio: Up and Running

Chapter 2. Cloud Native Approach to Uniform Observability

In this chapter, we walk through a cloud native approach to uniform observability through the lens of service meshes. Split into three sections, this chapter breaks down the concepts of cloud native, observability, and uniform observability. In the first section, we examine the amorphous concept of cloud native by characterizing its various facets. Then we’ll consider the difference between the act of monitoring a service and the property of a service being observable. In the last section, we reflect on the power of having autogenerated telemetry that provides ubiquitous and consistent insight into your running services. As service meshes are a product of cloud native, so let’s start our discussion by defining what cloud native really means.

What Does It Mean to Be Cloud Native?

“Cloud native” as an umbrella term is a combination of both technology and process. Driven by the need for both machine and human efficiency, cloud native technology spans application architecture, packaging, and infrastructure. Cloud native process embodies the full software life cycle. Often, but not always, cloud native process reduces historically separate organizational functions and life cycle steps (e.g., architecture, QA, security, documentation, development, operations, sustaining, and so on) to two functions: development and operations. Development and operations are the two primary functions of individuals who deliver software as a service, ...