NLUUG VJ2025 - Ben Stewart - Observability is just Contextualized Monitoring. Change my mind. скачать в хорошем качестве

NLUUG VJ2025 - Ben Stewart - Observability is just Contextualized Monitoring. Change my mind.

Ben Stewart - Observability is just Contextualized Monitoring. Change my mind. The infrastructure industry has recently started co-opting a well-established software engineering practice and is doing so badly. Observability is being overhyped as something revolutionary that you can only practice using the latest new shiny tool. Real observability provides insight only when we take the time to understand what we’re monitoring, why it matters to our organization, and how each metric connects to our goals. This talk critiques the tool-centric approach that has taken over infrastructure monitoring, encouraging infrastructure teams to step out of their offices, touch grass, and talk with their organizations to answer the essential question: What is it you want monitored anyway and why? We’ll explore the power of applying observability as a practice, not just a product, and highlight F/L/OSS tools that offer powerful, adaptable solutions without the hype. If you’re tired of replacing one flashy dashboard with the next, or if you’ve ever wondered whether observability is really the game-changer it’s made out to be, this talk is for you. Let’s take a cue from our software engineering friends and approach observability as a collaborative, cross-functional practice that builds on strategy rather than the next tool. Biography I’m a seasoned infrastructure architect with a specialty in software defined networking and overall observability enthusiast. With a background that bridges hardware, software, and strategic IT, I’ve designed solutions for complex infrastructure challenges and observed firsthand the pitfalls of relying too heavily on marketing promises. I challenge hype-driven solutions and advocate for thoughtful, adaptable practices rooted in genuine understanding. When not critiquing the latest tech trends, I can be found experimenting (and often failing) with open-source tools, automating my house, coaching teenagers through my local Scouting group, training aspiring young leaders through my regional Scouting orga, collaborating with diverse teams or hanging out around Milliways at events or on matrix.