Quick self-assessment
Consider the following questions. There’s no wrong answer, just a starting point.
| Question | If Yes → You Have |
|---|---|
| Can you see CPU, memory, and disk metrics for your infrastructure? | Level 1 foundation |
| Can you view logs from your applications and infrastructure? | Level 1 foundation |
| Do you know which service is causing problems when something breaks? | Level 2 capability |
| Can you see RED metrics (Rate, Errors, Duration) for each service? | Level 2 capability |
| Can you trace a specific request across multiple services? | Level 3 capability |
| Can you see why a specific request was slow (code-level)? | Level 3 capability |
| Do you have custom metrics for application-specific logic? | Level 4 capability |
Where to focus
| Your current state | Recommended focus |
|---|---|
| “We’re just getting started” | Level 1: Infrastructure visibility |
| “We have metrics but can’t pinpoint service issues” | Level 2: Service visibility |
| “We know which service, but not why it’s slow” | Level 3: Transaction insights |
| “We need application-specific observability” | Level 4: Custom instrumentation |
The following modules will tour each level. Identify the level that matches where you are, and the next level up.
Script
Before we go further, let’s figure out where you are today. Be honest with yourself. There’s no judgment here, just a starting point.
Ask yourself these questions. When something breaks, can you see basic metrics like CPU and memory? Can you search through logs?
If yes, you’ve got Level 1 covered.
Next question: do you know which service is causing the problem? Can you see the rate of requests, the error percentage, and how long things take for each service?
If so, you’re operating at Level 2.
Here’s where it gets interesting. Can you take a single slow request and trace its path across multiple services to find the bottleneck?
That’s Level 3 territory.
And Level 4? That’s when you’ve instrumented your own application-specific logic. Custom metrics that only make sense for your application.
As we tour each level in this course, pay close attention to two things: the level you’re at now, and the next level up. That’s where your learning should focus.