SigNoz: Open Source Metrics, Traces and Logs in a single pane based natively on OpenTelemetry

Pranay Prateek @ Signoz
6 min readbeginner
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Overview

SigNoz is an open-source Application Performance Monitoring (APM) solution that integrates metrics, traces, and logs based on OpenTelemetry, designed to provide a comprehensive observability experience. It leverages ClickHouse as its backend to offer superior performance and scalability for telemetry data.

What You'll Learn

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How to implement SigNoz for observability on a single node or Kubernetes cluster

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Why ClickHouse is an optimal choice for observability data storage

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How to leverage OpenTelemetry for standardized telemetry data collection

Key Questions Answered

What are the key features of SigNoz as an open-source APM solution?
SigNoz integrates metrics, traces, and logs into a single pane, facilitating easier correlation between signals. It offers a custom-built user interface for efficient root cause analysis and utilizes ClickHouse for high-performance data handling.
Why did the developers choose ClickHouse for SigNoz?
The developers initially used Druid but switched to ClickHouse due to its ease of use, ability to run on low-resource machines, and superior performance at scale, making it suitable for both small and large deployments.
How does SigNoz utilize OpenTelemetry?
SigNoz uses OpenTelemetry as a common instrumentation layer for collecting telemetry data, allowing users to avoid vendor lock-in and ensuring compatibility with various SDKs. This standardization enhances the ecosystem of observability tools.

Technologies & Tools

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Key Actionable Insights

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Consider implementing SigNoz for a unified observability solution that combines metrics, traces, and logs.
This approach simplifies the management of observability data and allows for better correlation between different types of telemetry signals.
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Utilize ClickHouse for your observability backend to handle high-cardinality data efficiently.
ClickHouse's performance capabilities make it ideal for analytics use cases in observability, allowing for complex queries without significant performance degradation.
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Adopt OpenTelemetry for your telemetry data collection to avoid vendor lock-in.
Using OpenTelemetry ensures that your observability data remains portable and compatible with various tools, enhancing flexibility in your observability strategy.

Common Pitfalls

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Many users face challenges when running Druid for observability, especially in single-node deployments.
This often leads to frustration and can deter users from adopting new observability tools. Choosing a more user-friendly backend like ClickHouse can mitigate these issues.