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Justin Lee, Nick Reva, Katie Gamanji, and Jay Smith
This course covers the fundamentals of observability in distributed systems. Today, Kubernetes has become the de facto standard for Cloud Native applications and is widely used for distributed systems. To be effective as an observability expert, it is...
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This course covers the fundamentals of observability in distributed systems. Today, Kubernetes has become the de facto standard for Cloud Native applications and is widely used for distributed systems. To be effective as an observability expert, it is critical to understand how to monitor and respond to the health and performance of both your Kubernetes clusters and the applications hosted on them. This course will teach students how to collect system performance data using Prometheus, how to collect application tracing data using Jaeger, and how to visualize the results in a dashboard using Grafana.

What's inside

Syllabus

In this first lesson, we'll go over the big picture. Why is observability relevant? And what is your role is as an observability engineer? What tools will you need to be able to conduct observability?
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This lesson will get you set up with Prometheus, Jaeger, and Grafana, the main tools you need to start doing observability in your cluster.
In order to observe performance, we first need to get clear on how we are defining and measuring it. We'll do this using Service-Level Objectives and Service-Level Indicators.
Tracing will allow us to get performance data on our applications, particularly on the latency of the key processes within them. In this lesson, we'll learn how to conduct tracing using Jaeger.
We'll look at how we can use Grafana to visualize the data we've been collecting, so that we can see the performance of our system and application at a glance.
In this project, you will create dashboards that use multiple graphs to monitor our sample application that is deployed on a Kubernetes cluster.

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Introduces students to fundamentals of observability in Kubernetes, a topic foundational to cloud native applications
Well suited for those who are responsible for monitoring and performance of distributed systems
Taught by experienced instructors with industry recognition, such as Justin Lee and Nick Reva
Empowers students to trace performance data, visualize using Grafana, and set Service-Level Objectives
Facilitates direct application of concepts through project-based learning

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Observability with these activities:
Compile and Review Course Material
Compile, organize, and review course materials. Reviewing materials beforehand helps build context.
Show steps
  • Gather all course materials including any syllabus, notes, assignments, and presentations
  • Review course syllabus to understand course structure and requirements
  • Organize materials into folders or files to facilitate easy access during the course
  • Read and annotate key concepts and definitions from provided materials
Mentor New Users of Observability Tools
Help others understand and use observability tools, reinforcing your own knowledge.
Show steps
  • Participate in online forums or communities for observability topics
  • Answer questions and provide guidance to those seeking help with Prometheus, Jaeger, or Grafana
  • Share best practices and tips for effective observability implementation
  • Collaborate with others on projects or discussions related to observability tools
Practice Using Grafana for Dashboard Creation
Practice using Grafana to create dashboards, enhancing skills in data visualization.
Browse courses on Data Visualization
Show steps
  • Import a dataset of metrics and performance data into Grafana
  • Create dashboards using different visualization techniques (e.g., graphs, tables, gauges)
  • Configure dashboards to display specific metrics and provide insights
Two other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all five activities
Design and Implement an Observability Dashboard
Create an observability dashboard to showcase skills and understanding of the concepts.
Show steps
  • Define the metrics and data sources to be included in the dashboard
  • Design the layout and visualizations to provide clear insights
  • Implement the dashboard using Grafana or a similar tool
  • Host the dashboard and make it accessible
Contribute to Grafana or Prometheus Open-Source Projects
Contribute to open-source projects to gain real-world experience and deepen understanding of observability tools.
Show steps
  • Identify issues or features to contribute to on Grafana or Prometheus repositories
  • Design and develop a patch or feature
  • Test and validate the contribution
  • Submit a pull request to the project and engage in code review

Career center

Learners who complete Observability will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Software Engineer
Software engineers design, develop, test, deploy, and maintain software systems. In software engineering, observability is an important practice which allows engineers to monitor and respond to the health and performance of their systems. This course will help you learn the fundamentals of observability in distributed systems. With a deeper understanding of observability, you will be better prepared for a career as a software engineer.
Cloud Engineer
Cloud engineers deploy and manage cloud computing systems. Since cloud computing services are most often deployed across multiple servers in geographically distant locations, it is crucial that cloud engineers have a strong understanding of observability. In this course, you will learn how to collect system performance data, collect application tracing data, and visualize results in a dashboard in order to increase the observability of your systems. This course will help you develop your skills as a cloud engineer.
Site Reliability Engineer
Site reliability engineers ensure the reliability of online services. In order to do this, it is imperative that SREs have a deep understanding of observability in distributed systems. This course covers the fundamentals of observability, including how to collect system performance data, collect application tracing data, and visualize results in a dashboard. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be an effective SRE.
DevOps Engineer
DevOps engineers combine software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) to improve the speed and quality of software delivery. DevOps engineers need to have a strong understanding of observability in order to monitor and respond to the performance of their systems. This course can help you develop the skills you need as a DevOps engineer.
Systems Administrator
Systems administrators keep a company's IT infrastructure up and running. Observability is a very important tool in the life of a systems administrator. This course can help you develop the skills you need to succeed in this role.
Data Engineer
Data engineers design, build, and maintain data pipelines. A significant aspect of this work is monitoring and responding to the performance of these data pipelines. This course can help you develop the skills you need to succeed in this role.
Data Analyst
Data analysts analyze data to extract meaningful insights. In order to do this effectively, data analysts need to have a strong understanding of observability in order to monitor and respond to the performance of their data pipelines and analytical systems. This course may be useful for you.
Business Analyst
Business analysts work with stakeholders to understand their business requirements and translate those requirements into technical specifications. Business analysts with an understanding of observability can identify and resolve issues that may arise in the design and implementation of business systems. This course may be useful for you.
Project Manager
Project managers plan, execute, and close projects. Project managers with an understanding of observability can better manage the risks and challenges associated with software development projects. This course may be useful for you.
Quality Assurance Analyst
Quality assurance analysts test software to ensure that it meets the requirements of the end user. Observability is an important tool in the arsenal of a quality assurance analyst. This course may be useful for you.
Network Engineer
Network engineers design, build, and maintain computer networks. Observability can be used to monitor and respond to network performance issues. This course may be useful for you.
Solutions Architect
Solutions architects design and implement technology solutions. Observability can be used to monitor and respond to the performance of these solutions. This course may be useful for you.
Security Analyst
Security analysts protect computer systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. Observability can be used to monitor and respond to security threats. This course may be useful for you.
Database Administrator
Database administrators manage and maintain databases. Observability can be used to monitor and respond to database performance issues. This course may be useful for you.
Technical Writer
Technical writers create documentation for software and other technical products. Observability can be used to monitor and respond to the performance of these products. This course may be useful for you.

Reading list

We've selected eight books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Observability.
Foundational work in the field of site reliability engineering. It provides a comprehensive overview of the principles and practices of SRE, and is essential reading for anyone who wants to learn more about this important field.
Data-driven study of the practices that lead to high-performing software development teams. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn how to improve the performance of their software development team.
Comprehensive and up-to-date guide to observability engineering. It covers the entire observability lifecycle, from planning and implementation to operation and maintenance.
Collection of design patterns for microservices. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn how to design and build microservices-based applications.
Practical guide to DevOps. It provides step-by-step instructions on how to implement DevOps in your organization.
Novel that tells the story of a DevOps transformation. It great way to learn about the principles and practices of DevOps in a fun and engaging way.
Collection of best practices for running Kubernetes in production. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn how to operate Kubernetes clusters effectively.

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