Open Telemetry (OTel) is an open source observability framework that has garnered significant attention for its powerful capabilities in monitoring metrics, logs and traces.. It is second only to Kubernetes in the CNCF velocity chart with contributions being made from major players in the cloud industry, and has a growing community helping build out a thriving ecosystem.

As autumn graced the vibrant city of Chicago, I had the distinct opportunity to immerse myself in the heart of innovation and camaraderie at the CNCF’s Kubecon North America conference. Over the span of four remarkable days, from Nov 6-9, I was fortunate enough to walk alongside the many enthusiasts, contributors and organizers of open source and cloud native communities.