OpenTelemetry Is Not a Silver Bullet - Lessons from the Field

Explore the realities and limitations of OpenTelemetry implementation in this 28-minute conference talk from Conf42 O11y 2025. Examine the vision and goals of OpenTelemetry while uncovering the practical challenges that organizations face when adopting this observability framework. Discover the gaps between OpenTelemetry's promises and real-world practice through detailed analysis of documentation issues, development challenges, and scaling problems. Learn from case studies that highlight common implementation pitfalls and understand why OpenTelemetry, despite its benefits, is not a universal solution for all observability needs. Gain insights into infrastructure scaling issues and receive practical recommendations for setting realistic expectations when implementing OpenTelemetry in production environments. Walk away with lessons learned from field experience and actionable advice for navigating the complexities of OpenTelemetry adoption in enterprise settings.