How eBPF and OpenTelemetry Have Simplified the Observability Function

OpenTelemetry eBPF Instrumentation (OBI) addresses key barriers to full observability by enabling zero-code, kernel-level telemetry collection without modifying application source code. It works across compiled languages like Go, Rust, and C++, legacy applications, and commercial off-the-shelf software where source code is unavailable. OBI intelligently detects already-instrumented services to avoid duplicate telemetry, monitors network calls to databases like SQL, Redis, and MongoDB, and provides RED metrics. Developed by Splunk and Grafana Labs, OBI combines with the OpenTelemetry Injector to make comprehensive observability accessible without instrumentation complexity or security concerns.