Logging
Logs are essential for observability because they provide a detailed, timestamped record of events within a system. Logs help users to trace the flow of requests, pinpoint errors, and understand the system behavior over time.
Instana supports log consumption from various sources by using Tracer agents, Container sensors, and OpenTelemetry. Instana collects the logs, correlates them with metrics and traces to provide deeper insights.
License information
To ingest logs into Instana, you need to purchase an add-on to the Instana license. Contact your IBM sales representative to include the add-on in the license to your account.
The following table provides the license information for different logging sources:
| Data sources | Add-on license needed? | Default retention period | More information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trace logs | No | 7 Days | Application log messages |
| Container logs | Yes | Based on selected entitlement | Analyzing Kubernetes logs |
| OpenTelemetry logs | Yes | Based on selected entitlement | Collecting logs with OpenTelemetry |
Access logging in the Instana UI
From the navigation menu in the Instana UI, click Logs.
