IntermediatePhone
2 min
Distributed Tracing Basics
ObservabilityMicroservicesMonitoring
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Interview Question
What is distributed tracing, and why is it important in microservices architectures?
Key Points to Cover
- Tracks requests across multiple services via unique trace IDs
- Helps pinpoint latency, failures, and dependencies in microservices
- Common tools: Jaeger, Zipkin, OpenTelemetry
Evaluation Rubric
Defines distributed tracing34% weight
Explains its value for debugging33% weight
Mentions popular tracing tools33% weight
Hints
- 💡Trace IDs + span IDs form the linkage between services.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- ⚠️Failing to explain the mechanics of how traces are linked (e.g., trace IDs, spans, context propagation).
- ⚠️Not explicitly stating *why* it's important in microservices, specifically addressing the complexity and distributed nature.
- ⚠️Confusing it with basic logging or metrics, without highlighting its unique value in visualizing end-to-end request flow.
- ⚠️Omitting mention of specific tools or standards commonly used (e.g., Jaeger, OpenTelemetry).
- ⚠️Not emphasizing its role in understanding service dependencies and inter-service communication patterns.
Potential Follow-up Questions
- ❓How does OpenTelemetry simplify instrumentation?
- ❓How do you sample traces efficiently?
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