Summary
In this chapter, we saw why AWS X-Ray is required in a distributed application and navigated the foundations of AWS X-Ray. We understood various components of the AWS X-ray console, such as the ServiceLens map, AWS X-Ray Analytics, and traces, and how to understand them. Further, we instrumented a Java application running on EC2 using AWS X-Ray and understood how to read the trace data and how annotations and metadata can support troubleshooting operational issues and filter out traces that are relevant to the problem.
At this point, you understand the value of having a distributed tracing tool in your observability toolbelt and how to apply it correctly to collect all the necessary data.
This is the last chapter of Part 1 of this book, where you gained a good first picture of observability’s more fundamental building blocks. Part 2 will introduce services that remove much of the manual work necessary to gather and show the relevant data and introduce innovative...
