The 12 Cats of Observability

On the surface, business-critical IT infrastructure and cats may not seem like they have a lot in common. But they’re way more alike than you might think.

Our feline friends contain multitudes, as any cat parent will tell you. They’re complex and can sometimes drive you up a wall. But once they warm up to you—and you warm up to them—the joys and benefits of having them in your life outweigh just about everything.

Sounds a lot like technology, right? When it comes to keeping your IT infrastructure moving smoothly, having strong observability practices in place is beyond important, along with understanding the terminology and factors making up a strong observability strategy.

If you’re looking for an easy, feline-centric way to understand observability, we here at Logz.io have got just the right group of critters here to show you the way.

Introducing the 12 Cats of Observability.

Cat #1: Full Stack Observability

Here’s the all-around cat you can’t live without. Like most cats, it’s not easy to pin down, AND means something different to every family member, but let’s face it—you have to have them if you’re going to survive in this world.

Cat #2: Kubernetes 

A fast moving and ephemeral kitty, one that’s hard to keep tabs on but is the special star of the family and knows it, since everyone is currently focused on Kubernetes. Don’t blink or it changes its mind…but isn’t that why we love it?

Cat #3: Microservices

This kitty is complex and challenging to follow (not unlike Kubernetes the Cat). This furry friend is currently the be-all and end-all, and don’t we hear about it [insert yowl]. That said, we know this cat is where we need to pay the closest attention or…chaos follows.

Cat #4: Data Optimization/Cost Efficiency 

If there’s a cat you really can relate to these days, this may be it. We all love a chonkster but like many of us, some cats need to slim down. How do we get from “Oh lord, he’s comin’!” to lithe and athletic? This is a cat that needs our attention.

Cat #5: DevOps/PE/SREs

Everyone loves a bonded pair. Now, more than ever, it’s unlikely that we live or work completely in isolation (or at least virtually). These buddies remain independent but also need to work together and share vital info so they can meet goals. In the case of cats, it’s to be cute and cuddly.

Cat #6: OpenSearch

We’re all here for a wide-eyed kitten spreading its paws and growing toward its fullest potential. Everything is possible when you’re looking at the world through new eyes and free to have fun, and everyone in the household is here to help. That’s what OpenSearch the Cat is all about.

Cat #7: Instrumentation

What does a cat in the raw look like? Like raw telemetry, the hairless cat clearly offers a lot of value, but (to some) lacks the “full” cat experience? OK, this may sound biased pro-fur, but we think that telemetry is golden. It’s just what you make of it.

Cat #8: OpenTelemetry

Life is complicated, and while most cats are individually complex, we turn to them to help manage our stuff, don’t we? The OTEL of cats is the one who can read our minds, jump in and get us back moving again, and help us solve our issues, faster.

Cat #9: Open Source 

In some countries few people “own” cats, the animals simply occupy the local community. We like this. In the right instances — where control and support are flexible items — the notion of a community-driven cat is special. It’s the cat of the people.

Cat #10: Dashboards/Alerts 

Here we reference the cat that constantly follows you around, monitoring your every detail and behavior. Like an active alert on your favorite endpoint, this feline is the cat that paws at your face in the middle of the night. It’s always on-call. 

Cat #11: Troubleshooting 

Have you ever met a cat that isn’t a problem solver? OK, some might swat at the occasional mouse (on our screens). But, like DevOps pros, most cats are apt problem solvers — they find the root cause and advance MTTR (meow time to resolution).

Cat #12: Machine Learning/AI

Technically this group might involve ALL cats, because cats, we know, are extremely intelligent. But, like a primo AI/ML algorithm, they also constantly seek out new info, and watch and learn from our behaviors. Plus, they’re good at judging.

If you found this guide to our feline friends helpful, and want to learn more about how Logz.io can help you reach your observability goals, sign up for a free trial of our Open 360™ platform today.