OpenTelemetry in a Brownfield World

Explore the practical challenges and strategies for implementing OpenTelemetry in existing software systems through this comprehensive conference talk from NDC Copenhagen 2025. Learn about the building blocks of OpenTelemetry and understand how various platforms have successfully integrated this standardized observability solution. Discover the key motivations and benefits of adopting OpenTelemetry in brownfield environments, where legacy systems, home-grown logging frameworks, and vendor-specific APIs create integration complexities. Examine multiple strategies for incorporating OpenTelemetry into existing applications while navigating common obstacles such as missing data and overwhelming technical debt. Gain valuable insights from real-world experiences of introducing and deploying OpenTelemetry solutions in production brownfield systems, covering the complete journey from initial code implementation to full production deployment.